Although promoted as the Land of 10,000 Lakes, Minnesota has 11,842 lakes of 10 acres (4.05 ha) or more. The 1968 state survey found 15,291 lake basins, of which 3,257 were dry. If all basins over 2.5 acres were counted, Minnesota would have 21,871 lakes.

While Minnesota is famously known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," this iconic nickname is actually an understatement. As of 2026, official state data from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) confirms that Minnesota actually contains 11,842 lakes that are at least 10 acres in size. If you were to count every smaller body of water and "pothole" pond, the number would climb well over 100,000. Interestingly, Minnesota’s neighbor, Wisconsin, often claims to have more lakes, but this is due to a difference in definition; Wisconsin counts smaller bodies of water that Minnesota excludes. The "10,000 Lakes" slogan was originally created by a tourism board in the early 20th century to create a memorable brand for the state's water-rich landscape. Today, these lakes—including massive ones like Lake Superior, Mille Lacs, and Leech Lake—define the state's cultural identity, supporting a massive recreational industry focused on fishing, boating, and ice sports, while providing more shoreline than the states of California, Florida, and Hawaii combined.