How many people live near Great Lakes?


How many people live near Great Lakes? Key facts. Approximately 34 million people in the United States and Canada live in the Great Lakes basin — 8 percent of the U.S. population and about 32 percent of Canada's population. More than 3,500 species of plants and animals live in the Great Lakes basin, including 170+ species of fish.


What are the 5 Great Lakes called?

Great Lakes, chain of deep freshwater lakes in east-central North America comprising Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario.


Which 5 Great Lakes is the largest?

Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes and ranks as the second largest lake in the world (by surface area).


Which Great Lake is cleanest?

Lake Superior is barely developed, compared to the other Great Lakes. This has allowed it to remain relatively undisturbed and free from much of the pollution and habitat destruction that the other lakes have suffered.


Which Great Lake has the most fish?

Lake Erie is the warmest, most shallow and most biologically diverse of the North American Great Lakes, home to 107 species of fish (90 native, 17 introduced) making it one of the largest freshwater fisheries in the world.


Is it safe to swim in Lake Michigan?

Lake Michigan is generally clean and safe for swimming but it can become contaminated with harmful bacteria.


Is Great Lakes water drinkable?

Drinking Water - State of the Great Lakes. The 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement states that “the Waters of the Great Lakes should be a source of safe, high quality drinking water”. Approximately 8.5 million Canadians and 19.5 million Americans get their drinking water from the surface waters of the Great Lakes.


Can you swim in Lake Erie?

Currents in Lake Erie can be dangerous! Any current flowing faster than 2 mph is considered dangerous. Dangerous currents can exceed 5 mph — faster than an Olympic swimmer can swim. Currents can pull swimmers away from shore.


What is the largest city on the Great Lakes?

Chicago, on the southern shore of Lake Michigan, is the largest city in the North American Great Lakes region; the metro area has a population of 9.6 million people.


Who owns the majority of the Great Lakes?

The water in the Great Lakes is owned by the general public according to the Public Trust Doctrine. The Public Trust Doctrine is an international legal theory – it applies in both Canada and the United States, so it applies to the entirety of the Great Lakes.


What predators live in the Great Lakes?

The most dangerous predator in the Great Lakes is the sea lamprey, which was actually introduced as an invasive species. Primarily, it goes after a sports fish called the lake trout, often wounding them as they kill them off. It is also attracted to the blood and bodily fluids of any creature.


Which Great lake can you not swim in?

Lake Michigan in particular is the roughest of the Great Lakes, and poses a major risk to those thinking of taking a dip.