Ten interesting facts abouth the Great Lakes
Here are 10 interesting facts about the Great Lakes in North America:
1. **Largest Freshwater System**
The Great Lakes (Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario) are the largest freshwater system globally, containing about 20% of the world's surface freshwater.
2. **Geological Formation**
Formed by glacial activity approximately 10,000 years ago, the lakes are relatively young compared to oceans.
3. **Surface Area**
Together, they cover over 94,000 square miles, larger than several U.S. states combined.
4. **Volume of Water**
They hold around 6 quadrillion gallons of water, enough to submerge the continental U.S. under nearly 10 feet.
5. **Population**
Approximately 34 million people live in the Great Lakes basin, accounting for around 10% of the U.S. and 32% of Canada's populations.
6. **Shipping Hub**
The lakes facilitate the transport of 125 million tons of cargo annually.
7. **Biodiversity**
Over 3,500 species of plants and animals inhabit the Great Lakes region.
8. **Shoreline Length**
The combined shoreline measures about 11,000 miles, making it the longest freshwater shoreline in the world.
9. **Lake Superior's Size**
Lake Superior is the largest and contains more water than all other Great Lakes combined; it could hold North and South America submerged in one foot of water.
10. **Unique Hydrology**
Lakes Michigan and Huron are hydrologically considered one lake due to their connection via the Straits of Mackinac.
