{"id":8466,"date":"2023-10-18T02:40:09","date_gmt":"2023-10-18T01:40:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lakebeyond.com\/?p=8466"},"modified":"2023-10-18T02:40:09","modified_gmt":"2023-10-18T01:40:09","slug":"how-big-is-lake-michigan-compared-to-the-uk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lakebeyond.com\/how-big-is-lake-michigan-compared-to-the-uk\/","title":{"rendered":"How Big Is Lake Michigan Compared To The Uk"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Lake Michigan is often described as the fifth-largest Great Lake, with over 1,600 miles of shoreline. With its expansive size, it often sparks comparisons between itself and Britain. But how big is this lake compared to the United Kingdom?<\/p>\n

At 36,000 square miles, Lake Michigan is slightly larger than the UK, which spans in at 90,363 square miles. This is nearly three times the size of Britain’s mainland and its total surface area takes up almost half of the Great Lakes region. In comparison, the UK has just over 13,000 square miles of inland water, making it the smallest lake compared to Lake Michigan.<\/p>\n

Though the difference in size between Lake Michigan and the UK is clear to see, the most striking difference lies in the depth. Lake Michigan has an average depth of 279 feet, going as deep as 925 feet near its center. In comparison, the UK has an average depth of just 45 feet, though interestingly, its deepest points total around 1,600 feet at the Bristol Channel and Firth of Clyde.<\/p>\n

The presence of Lake Michigan has affected the surrounding environment, both through its sheer size and because of its easy accessibility for shipping and industry. The largest cities close to it, such as Chicago and Milwaukee, benefit from its aquatic and industrial activities, the tourism industry, and other activities supported by the lake. Its presence also has an impact on natural habitats, as it affects the distribution of various species within the area. This is particularly noticeable when it comes to the distribution of fish and aquatic life, which can be affected by the presence of large bodies of water like Lake Michigan.<\/p>\n