how many lakes are in minnesota

Minnesota, commonly known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," actually has 11,842 lakes that are 10 acres or larger. If smaller lakes are included—those over 2.5 acres—the total number of lakes rises dramatically to about 21,871. This large number of lakes is due to glacial activity during the last Ice Age, which carved out many basins that later filled with water.