Are there actually 10 000 lakes in Minnesota?

Despite the famous moniker, Minnesota actually has 14,444 lakes of 10 acres or more, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. While the state’s official nickname is the “the North Star State,” Minnesota has proudly touted its “10,000 lakes” tagline since 1950, when it first appeared on state license plates.

Why is Minnesota called the Land of 10000 lakes?

Minnesota’s official nickname comes from its French state motto, adopted in 1861: l’étoile du nord meaning, “the star of the north.” Another unofficial nickname is the Land of 10,000 Lakes because, well, Minnesota has thousands of lakes—11,842 to be exact!

How many lakes are really in Minnesota?

Although promoted as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes”, Minnesota has 11,842 lakes of 10 acres (4.05 ha) or more.

Which US state is known as the Land of 10000 lakes?

Minnesota was admitted as the 32nd state on May 11, 1858, created from the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory. The state has a large number of lakes, and is known by the slogan “Land of 10,000 Lakes”. Its official motto is L’Étoile du Nord (French: Star of the North).

How many bodies of water are in Minnesota?

It’s more than our moniker of “Land of 10,000 lakes” but the total number depends on how you count it. Boulay said that Minnesota has counted all basins of water that are at least 10 acres or greater in unincorporated areas, and 2.5 acres or greater in cities. That state inventory counts 11,842 lakes.

What is the smallest lake in MN?

Echo Lake
Largest, smallest, and Total Surface Area The smallest lake larger than 10 acres is Echo Lake in Cass County. The total surface area of lakes in Minnesota is 2,912,542 acres or about 4,600 square miles; just a little smaller than the state of Connecticut and bigger than the Big Island of Hawai’i.

Why is Lake Minnetonka famous?

Lake Minnetonka: former home of Big Island Park and Excelsior Amusement Park. The 65 acres of the popular Big Island on Lake Minnetonka was home to an amusement park from 1906-1911. Among this Minnesota lake attractions: a rollercoaster, an aquarium, an aviary with more than 2,000 birds and more.