The Great Lakes are an adjacent grouping of 5 lakes that form the largest collection of freshwater formations on Earth. They hold approximately 20% of the Earth's fresh water and straddle the border between the United States and Canada. The Great Lakes serve many purposes, like drawing tourists from all over the world, providing a platform for aquatic freight transportation, and housing a rich, preserved ecology that has been studied for centuries.

The Great Lakes consist of Lake Superior, the northernmost lake in the group, Lake Michigan towards the West, Lake Huron in the middle, Lake Erie being the southernmost, and Lake Ontario towards the East. Although the lakes are all considered separate formations, they all hydrologically link as one system of fresh water. That system empties out into the Niagara Falls in Canada and into the Atlantic Ocean.

The ecology of the Great Lakes has seen massive depletion as well as copious recovery. For as long as civilization has touched their banks, the lakes have provided over 100 species of fish, particularly whitefish, which have fueled mass fishing and economic activity. In a similar fashion, the surrounding cities make heavy use of the copious resources, like raw timber and mineral deposits. Fortunately, both the United States and Canada have taken increasing measure over the years to oversee the treatment of these ecosystems and their preservation.

The great lakes are massive in size, with an estimated 6 quadrillion gallons of fresh water filling the five lakes. If a pool the size of North America were filled with the water from the Great Lakes, it would be 9 1/2 feet deep. In fact, the lakes are so large in size, one could make out their familiar features with one's naked eye standing on the surface of the Moon.

Studying the biodiversity of the Great Lakes reveals that a culmination of many different species live within densely populated region, creating unique and intricate ecosystems. This applies to birds, mammals, amphibians, fish, reptile, flora, and aquatic invertibrates.

Natural life forms aren't the only ones that benefit from the lakes natural resources, as the fresh water is drinkable and can easily be purified. 40 million people drink the waters of the Great Lakes and 56 billion gallons of water go into agricultural, municipal, and industrial use. 90% of the iron ore in the United States is extracted from the Great Lakes. This may be why 58% of American automobiles are produced in the Great Lakes Basin.

The Great Lakes moderate weather swings, thus cooling summers down and warming summers up, using the water's heat capacity as a massive, slow-acting buffer. This has also given rise to beautiful sights and ambiences, like when the surrounding land of Lake Superior reaches a warmer temperature than the lake. This produces a fog that spreads over the banks and into the surrounding forests. That, combined with the rising sun is a privilege that only the locals get to enjoy on a regular basis.