The Thousand Islands constitute an archipelago that straddles the Canada-U.S. border in the Saint Lawrence River as it emerges from the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. They stretch for about 50 miles (80 km) downstream from Kingston, Ontario. The Canadian islands are in the province of Ontario, the U.S. islands in the state of New York.
The 1,864 islands range in size from over 40 square miles (100 km2) to smaller islands occupied by a single residence, or uninhabited outcroppings of rocks that are only home to migratory waterfowl. To count as one of the Thousand Islands these minimum criteria had to be met: 1) Above water level year round; 2) Have an area greater than 1 square foot (0.093 m2); and 3) Support at least one living tree.
Read more about Thousand Islands: Geography, Culture, History, Popular Boating, Fishing and Vacationing Locations, Aviation / Airport, Notable Islands, Dressing, Gallery
Famous quotes containing the words thousand and/or islands:
“Listen to me. You come into this town, and you think you’re headed somewhere, don’t you? You think you’re gonna get there with a gun, but you’re not. Get me. You know why, ‘cause you got thousand dollar bills pasted right across your eyes. And someday you’re gonna stumble and fall down in the gutter, right where the horses have been standin’, right where you belong.”
—Ben Hecht (1893–1964)
“Consider the islands bearing the names of all the saints, bristling with forts like chestnut-burs, or Echinidæ, yet the police will not let a couple of Irishmen have a private sparring- match on one of them, as it is a government monopoly; all the great seaports are in a boxing attitude, and you must sail prudently between two tiers of stony knuckles before you come to feel the warmth of their breasts.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)