Lake Abitibi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Abitibi |
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 Lake Abitibi
Location in Quebec
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| Location | Cochrane District, Ontario / Abitibi-Ouest Regional County Municipality, Quebec |
| Coordinates | 48°40′N 79°45′W / 48.667°N 79.750°W |
| Primary outflows | Abitibi River |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Surface area | 931 km2 (359 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 3.5 m (11 ft) |
| Max. depth | 15.0 m (49.2 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 265 m (869 ft) |
| Islands | over 900 |
Lake Abitibi (French: Lac Abitibi) is a large lake in Canada. It's located in both northeastern Ontario and western Quebec. This lake is quite special because it's actually like two lakes connected by a narrow channel.
Lake Abitibi covers a huge area of about 931 square kilometers (359 square miles). It's a shallow lake, meaning it's not very deep, and it has many islands. The land around the lake is covered with small trees.
The water from Lake Abitibi flows out into the Abitibi River. This river then joins the Moose River, which eventually empties into James Bay. The lake gets its name from the river. The word "Abitibi" comes from the Algonquin people. It combines the words abitah, meaning "middle," and nipi, meaning "water." This name might refer to the lake's location between other important rivers in the area.
Exploring Lake Abitibi's History
People first wrote about "Abitibi" to describe the lake and the Cree people living nearby in 1640. One of the first Europeans to visit this area was Pierre de Troyes. He built a small fort on Lake Abitibi in 1686. He was on his way to capture English trading posts on James Bay.
The Abitibi Post was important because it was halfway between the trading posts on James Bay and those on the Ottawa River. The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) used Lake Abitibi as part of a canoe route. This route helped them reach northern lands to trade for furs. An HBC trading post was located on the eastern shore of the lake in Ontario.
Today, parts of Lake Abitibi's western shores and a section of the Abitibi River are protected. They are part of the Abitibi-de-Troyes Provincial Park.
Images for kids
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Lake Abitibi's location in Ontario and Quebec.
See also
In Spanish: Lago Abitibi para niños
