Which North American Great Lake is smallest by surface area?

Lake Ontario is the smallest North American Great Lake by surface area.

Its surface covers about 7,340 square miles (18,960 square kilometres), making it smaller in area than Lake Erie, Michigan, Huron, and Superior. It is also the easternmost Great Lake and lies between Ontario, Canada, and New York State.

A common mix-up is confusing surface area with volume. Lake Erie has a larger surface but is much shallower, while Lake Ontario holds more water because it is considerably deeper. Lake Ontario’s maximum depth is about 802 feet (244 metres), compared with roughly 210 feet for Lake Erie.

The lake is the final link in the Great Lakes chain. Water enters mainly through the Niagara River from Lake Erie and leaves through the Saint Lawrence River, eventually reaching the Atlantic Ocean. Its name comes from an Indigenous Huron-Wyandot term often translated as “beautiful lake.”