Okeechobee, Lake

Lake in the northern Everglades, south-central Florida, USA; roughly circular, it is 65 km/40 mi long and 40 km/25 mi wide, and reaches a depth of 6 m/20 ft. It is the largest lake in the southern USA, about 1,800 sq km/700 sq mi. There are numerous small islands in the lake, which receives the Kissimmee River from the northwest. Since the 1930s, diking around the south shore has prevented overflow; drainage canals are used for light navigation to the Atlantic Ocean. The lake is a fishing resort with some commercial fisheries.