I.

Introduction

Great Lakes, group of five large freshwater lakes in central North America, interconnected by natural and artificial channels. From west to east they are Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. Lake Michigan lies entirely within the United States; the others form part of the border between the United States and Canada. The combined surface area of the lakes is 244,100 sq km (94,250 sq mi). Together the lakes drain a total of about 750,000 sq km (about 290,000 sq mi) in Canada and the United States. The primary outlet of the system is the St. Lawrence River; a portion is diverted from Lake Michigan to the Chicago River. The lakes are bordered by the Canadian province of Ontario and by eight U.S. states: New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

The Great Lakes are a natural resource of tremendous significance in North America, serving as the focus of the industrial heartland of the continent. Together they hold about 20 percent of the world’s fresh surface water. Four large cities in North America (Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, and Cleveland) lie on the shores of the Great Lakes system and owe much of their wealth to commerce attracted to the lakes. The lakes also form an important recreational resource with about 17,000 km (about 10,500 mi) of shoreline, rich sport fisheries, and numerous beaches and marinas.