why is lake superior an inland sea

Lake Superior is considered an inland sea primarily due to its vast size and characteristics more similar to a sea than a typical lake. It is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area (31,700 square miles) and holds an immense volume of water (2,900 cubic miles), enough to cover North and South America to a depth of a foot. Its size and volume create conditions—such as large waves and changing weather patterns—that resemble those of a sea. An inland sea is a continental body of water that is very large and is either almost completely surrounded by land or connected to an ocean by a narrow passage. Unlike a typical lake, Lake Superior’s scale and behavior, including vast surface area, wave action, and weather systems, make it akin to an inland sea. It is connected hydrologically to the Atlantic Ocean through the Great Lakes system and the Saint Lawrence River, reinforcing this classification. This term also reflects the fact that its environmental monitoring and navigation are treated similarly to maritime practices on seas, rather than small lakes. In summary, Lake Superior is called an inland sea because of its enormous size, freshwater volume, wave dynamics, and connection to the ocean, which collectively give it sea-like characteristics rather than those of a typical lake.