Lake Erie is known for being the southernmost and the fourth-largest of the Great Lakes in North America. It has a surface area of approximately 25,720 square kilometers and is bounded by four states in the United States: Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York, as well as the Canadian province of Ontario. Synonyms for Lake Erie include Erie, the Lake of the Cat Nation, Lake Erige, and Lake Erie Basin. The lake is a popular destination for fishing, boating, and other water sports. Although it is one of the smallest and most shallow of the Great Lakes, it is an important source of freshwater for the many cities and towns surrounding it.