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What US state has the most lakes?

Alaska is the state with the most naturally formed lakes, containing 3,197 lakes and over 3 million unnamed lakes. Many of the lakes are unnamed because of the size of Alaska and the remote nature of much of the state.



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Top 10 States with the Most Lakes
  • #1: Alaska Lakes (3,000,000) ...
  • #2: Wisconsin Lakes (15,000) ...
  • #3: Minnesota Lakes (11,842) ...
  • #4: Michigan Lakes (11,000) ...
  • #5: Washington Lakes (8,000) ...
  • #6: New York Lakes (7,600) ...
  • #7: Florida Lakes (7,500) ...
  • #8: Texas Lakes (6,700)


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Minnesota's official nickname comes from its French state motto, adopted in 1861: l'étoile du nord meaning, “the star of the north.” Another unofficial nickname is the Land of 10,000 Lakes because, well, Minnesota has thousands of lakes—11,842 to be exact!

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Alaska has the largest number of freshwater lakes in the country, with Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York and Maine following. Minerals give some lakes a salinity that is greater than the sea, while others are full of pure, fresh water.

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At 1,943 feet (592 meters), Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States and one of the deepest in the world. The depths were first explored thoroughly in 1886 by a party from the U.S. Geological Survey.

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The only state in the US with no natural lakes is Maryland. Although Maryland has rivers and other freshwater ponds, no natural body of water is large enough to qualify as a lake.

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Of this amount, Lake Superior holds 2,900 cubic miles, or 3 quadrillion gallons -- accounting for more than 50% of the water. The rest is distributed among the other four lakes, with Lake Michigan holding the second most, Huron third, Ontario fourth, and Erie holding the least.

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To the north, Lake Superior forms the largest expanse of freshwater in the world. To the east lies Lake Michigan, the largest freshwater lake entirely within the United States. Lake Michigan and Superior along with Huron, Erie and Ontario and their tributaries form the largest freshwater ecosystem on earth.

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The United States has some truly mesmerizing lakes throughout the country, and as a result, many postcard-worthy lakeside towns.
  • Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. ...
  • Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. ...
  • Lake Placid, New York. ...
  • Okoboji, Iowa. ...
  • South Lake Tahoe, California. ...
  • Traverse City, Michigan. ...
  • Sandpoint, Idaho. ...
  • Grand Marais, Minnesota.


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Are there any states with no lakes? The only state in the US with no natural lakes is Maryland. Although Maryland has rivers and other freshwater ponds, no natural body of water is large enough to qualify as a lake.

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1. Lake George, New York. With its 109 miles of shoreline and 300+ islands, Lake George has been dubbed the “Queen of the American Lakes.” Lake George, known as the “Queen of American Lakes,” is 32 miles long and widely considered one of the country's most beautiful and cleanest lakes.

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Isolated from the rest of the planet for 14 million years, Lake Vostok may be the only body of water on Earth to contain no life whatsoever.

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Lake Baikal contains 20% of the world's fresh surface water. Lake Baikal hides its vast waters under a relatively small surface area (31500 km2).

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Lake Michigan, the third largest by surface area (22,300 square miles) and second largest by volume (1,180 cubic miles), is the only Great Lake located entirely within the United States.

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