Which of North America’s Great Lakes has the greatest surface area?

Lake Superior has the greatest surface area of North America’s Great Lakes.

Its surface covers about 82,100 square kilometres (31,700 square miles), making it the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area. It is shared by Ontario, Canada, and the U.S. states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan.

Lake Superior is also the northernmost and westernmost Great Lake. Despite its huge area, it is relatively cold, and its deep basin holds more water than any other Great Lake. The lake’s name reflects its position above the other lakes in the Great Lakes system, not merely its size.

A common mix-up is confusing surface area with volume. Lake Superior is largest by both measures among the Great Lakes, but Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are often discussed together because they are hydrologically one connected lake through the Straits of Mackinac.