Six U.S. Lakes Larger Than Rhode Island Highlighted

The article notes that Rhode Island, the smallest U.S. state by area at about 1,214 square miles, is smaller than six North American freshwater lakes. Lake of the Woods, spanning roughly 1,679 square miles across northern Minnesota and Canada, contains more than 14,500 islands. Lake Ontario, at about 7,340 square miles, forms part of the New York–Ontario border and links the Great Lakes to the Atlantic via the St. Lawrence Seaway. Lake Erie, covering about 9,910 square miles, borders Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New York and supports rich bird migration and unusual species such as freshwater jellyfish. Lake Michigan, at about 22,300 square miles, is nearly 15 times the size of Rhode Island and is the only Great Lake entirely within the United States, with major cities like Chicago and Milwaukee on its shores. Lake Huron, slightly larger at about 23,007 square miles, includes Georgian Bay and thousands of islands, with many preserved shipwrecks and extensive undeveloped shoreline. Lake Superior, the world’s largest freshwater lake by surface area at about 31,700 square miles, completes the list, underscoring how these vast bodies of water reshape perceptions of freshwater geography in North America.