The size of lakes is measured by square miles of surface area. Based on this, the Caspian Sea, with a surface area of 143,000 square miles, is by far the largest lake in the world. Its shores touch several countries including Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Iran.
Lake Superior is the second largest lake in the world and the largest lake in North America, despite having some of its shoreline in Canada. This is the best place to enjoy the water in each state.
Lake Superior covers 31,700 square miles and touches the states of Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, as well as the Canadian province of Ontario. It contains 10% of the world’s surface fresh water – enough to cover North and South America under a foot of water. Its deepest point is 1,276 feet below the surface.
Lake Superior is well known for its many shipwrecks, the most famous being the 1975 wreck of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald during a storm that killed all 29 crew members. A total of about 350 wrecks are on record.
For decades, the lake was used to transport iron ore south from Minnesota. Though not as bad as Lake Erie, Lake Superior has started to experience algae blooms, indicating that pollution has begun affecting even this large and once-pristine lake. These are America’s 50 dirtiest cities.
Click here to see the largest lake in America
20. Rainy Lake
> Location(s): MN-Ontario
> Area: 345 sq. miles
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19. Salton Sea
> Location(s): California
> Area: 347 sq. miles
18. Fort Peck Lake 1
> Location(s): Montana
> Area: 393 sq. miles
17. Selawik Lake
> Location(s): Alaska
> Area: 404 sq. miles
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16. Red Lake
> Location(s): Minnesota
> Area: 427 sq. miles
15. Lake St Clair
> Location(s): MI-Ontario
> Area: 430 sq. miles
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14. Becharof Lake
> Location(s): Alaska
> Area: 453 sq. miles
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13. Lake Champlain
> Location(s): NY-VT-Quebec
> Area: 490 sq. miles
12. Lake Sakakawea 1
> Location(s): North Dakota
> Area: 520 sq. miles
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11. Lake Pontchartrain
> Location(s): Louisiana
> Area: 631 sq. miles
10. Lake Okeechobee
> Location(s): Florida
> Area: 662 sq. miles
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9. Lake Oahe 1
> Location(s): ND-SD
> Area: 685 sq. miles
8. Iliamna Lake
> Location(s): Alaska
> Area: 1,014 sq. miles
7. Lake of the Woods
> Location(s): MN-Manitoba-Ontario
> Area: 1,485 sq. miles
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6. Great Salt Lake
> Location(s): Utah
> Area: 2,117 sq. miles
5. Lake Ontario
> Location(s): NY-Ontario
> Area: 7,340 sq. miles
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4. Lake Erie
> Location(s): MI-NY-OH-PA-Ontario
> Area: 9,910 sq. miles
3. Lake Michigan
> Location(s): IL-IN-MI-WI
> Area: 22,300 sq. miles
2. Lake Huron
> Location(s): MI-Ontario
> Area: 23,000 sq. miles
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1. Lake Superior
> Location(s): MI-MN-WI-Ontario
> Area: 31,700 sq. miles
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