<P> The Great Lakes (French: les Grands - Lacs), also called the Laurentian Great Lakes and the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of interconnected freshwater lakes located primarily in the upper mid-east region of North America, on the Canada--United States border, which connect to the Atlantic Ocean through the Saint Lawrence River . They consist of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron (or Michigan--Huron), Erie, and Ontario . </P> <P> The Great Lakes is the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total area, and second largest by total volume containing 21% of the world's surface fresh water by volume . The total surface is 94,250 square miles (244,106 km), and the total volume (measured at the low water datum) is 5,439 cubic miles (22,671 km), a bit less than the volume of Lake Baikal (23,615 km3). Due to their sea - like characteristics (rolling waves, sustained winds, strong currents, great depths, and distant horizons) the five Great Lakes have also long been referred to as inland seas . Lake Superior is the second largest lake in the world by area, and Lake Michigan is the largest lake that is entirely within one country . </P>

Are the great lakes salt or fresh water