Great Slave Lake

Great Slave Lake, deep freshwater lake in the Fort Smith Region of the Northwest Territories, northwestern Canada. The second largest lake entirely in Canada (after Great Bear Lake), Great Slave Lake covers 28,568 sq km (11,030 sq mi) and is about 485 km (about 300 mi) long. It is the deepest lake in North America, with depths to 614 m (2015 ft). The lake is fed by the Slave and Hay rivers and is drained by the Mackenzie River. Great Slave Lake is irregular in shape, with several long arms. The eastern part of the lake has deep, clear waters and steep, rocky shores that cut into the edge of the Canadian Shield; the western part is shallow and has low marshy shores. The lake contains many fish, especially whitefish and trout, and has important commercial fisheries. It is navigable from mid-June to mid-October, when it freezes over. Settlements on the lakeshore include Yellowknife, the territorial capital, in the north; Hay River, a fishing and transportation center, in the southwest; and Fort Providence, a trading post, in the west.

The lake was sighted in 1771 by Samuel Hearne, an English explorer. Fur trading dominated the regional economy from the 1730s until the early 1900s. In the 1930s gold production began near Yellowknife, and lead and zinc mines were later established on the southern shore. The lake is named for the Slavey, who live in the area.