Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes by volume. It is also the deepest and coldest of the 5 lakes.
The shoreline of Lake Superior extends for more than 2,700 miles. The average depth of the lake is 483 feet. The maximum depth is 1332 feet, the deepest in the Great Lakes.
The International Boundary separating Canada and the United States divides the lake politically.
Lake Superior is the western terminus of the St. Lawrence Seaway System. The Port of Thunder Bay is the westernmost Canadian port. The Port of Duluth-Superior (Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin) is the westernmost U.S. port.
At the downstream end of Whitefish Bay, Lake Superior drains into Saint Marys River, ultimately making its way into Lake Huron.
Outflows from Lake Superior are regulated near the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Ontario, Canada. Outflows are controlled by three hydropower plants and a system of gate controls called the Compensating Works. The outflow is established by the International Lake Superior Board of Control (ILSBC).
Lake Superior has not experienced the same levels of development and pollution as the other Great Lakes.
The U.S. National Park Service (NPS) maintains five national park sites on Lake Superior; Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Grand Portage National Monument, Isle Royale National Park, Keweenaw National Historical Park, and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.