The Great Lakes Region
The Great Lakes are a distinctive geographical feature of the United States and are often referred to as the "Five Sisters." The Great Lakes System extends from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, up the St. Lawrence Seaway, through the Lakes to Duluth, Minnesota. It is the largest freshwater shipping network in the world. Shared by two countries, the Lakes help to define the borders of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota in the United States and the provinces of Quebec and Ontario in Canada.