Lake Michigan

Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded, in clockwise order from the south, by the U.S. states of Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan, which is named for it.

Related Topics:
Great Lakes - North America - Clockwise - U.S. state - Indiana - Illinois - Wisconsin - Michigan

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The word "Michigan" was originally used to refer to the lake itself, and is believed to come from the Ojibwa Indian word mishigami, meaning "great water."

Related Topics:
Lake - Ojibwa

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Lake Michigan is the only one of the Great Lakes wholly within the borders of the United States; the others are shared with Canada. It has a surface area of 22,300 square miles (57750 square km), making it the largest freshwater lake in the US, the largest lake entirely within one country, and the 5th largest lake in the world. It is 307 miles (494 km) long by 118 miles (190 km) wide. Its greatest depth is 923 feet (281 m). It contains a volume of 4,918 cubic km of water. Its surface averages 580 feet (177 m) above sea level, the same as Lake Huron, to which it is connected through the Straits of Mackinac. Geologically and hydrologically, Michigan and Huron are the same body of water (sometimes called Lake Michigan-Huron), but are geographically distinct. The Mackinac Bridge is generally considered the dividing line between them. Both lakes are part of the Great Lakes Waterway. In earlier maps of the region, the name "Lake Illinois" has been found in place of "Michigan."

Related Topics:
Great Lakes - United States - Canada - 57750 square km - 4,918 cubic km - Lake Huron - Straits of Mackinac - Lake Michigan-Huron - Mackinac Bridge - Great Lakes Waterway

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