# Lake Champlain

> lake in New York, Vermont and Quebec

**Wikidata**: [Q68467](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q68467)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Champlain)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/lake-champlain

## Summary
Lake Champlain is a large body of relatively still water localized in a basin that spans the states of New York and Vermont in the United States and the province of Quebec in Canada. Named after the French explorer Samuel de Champlain, it serves as the central geographic feature of the Champlain Valley and includes major extensions such as Missisquoi Bay.

## Key Facts
- **Classification**: Lake (Thing); body of relatively still water localized in a basin.
- **Geographic Jurisdictions**: New York (USA), Vermont (USA), and Quebec (Canada).
- **Sitelink Count**: 47 (Lake Champlain entity); 211 (general "lake" classification).
- **Namesake**: Samuel de Champlain, 16th/17th-century French explorer and founder of Quebec City.
- **Major Extensions**: Missisquoi Bay (located in southern Quebec and Vermont).
- **Associated Region**: Champlain Valley (extending through Vermont, New York, and slightly into Quebec).
- **Primary Tributaries**: Includes Otter Creek in Vermont.
- **Administrative Context**: Located within the Montérégie region of Quebec and borders the Green Mountain State (Vermont).

## FAQs

**Where is Lake Champlain located and what are its boundaries?**
Lake Champlain is situated in North America, spanning the international border between the United States and Canada. It is contained within the states of New York and Vermont and the province of Quebec, specifically reaching into the Montérégie administrative region.

**Who is the lake named after and why is he significant?**
The lake is named for Samuel de Champlain, a French explorer, geographer, and soldier who founded Quebec City in 1608. He was a pivotal figure in the early colonization of New France, serving the Company of One Hundred Associates and producing the first detailed maps of the North American interior and coastline.

**What are the notable geographic features connected to Lake Champlain?**
The lake is the namesake for the Champlain Valley, a region encompassing parts of Vermont, New York, and Quebec. It also features Missisquoi Bay as a major extension and is historically linked to landmarks such as the Champlain Bridge in Montreal and the village of Champlain in Clinton County, New York.

## Why It Matters
Lake Champlain is a critical transboundary waterway that facilitates ecological and geographic connections between the United States and Canada. Its presence defines the Champlain Valley, influencing the landscape of the New England region and the province of Quebec. Historically, the lake is a monument to the foundational era of North American exploration; it was mapped by Samuel de Champlain, whose cartographic and diplomatic efforts with Indigenous peoples established the foothold for French colonization. The lake's legacy is intertwined with the development of modern-day Canada and the northeastern United States, serving as a permanent reminder of the 17th-century expeditions that shaped the geopolitical landscape of the continent.

## Notable For
- **Transnational Geography**: One of the few major lakes shared by two U.S. states (Vermont, New York) and a Canadian province (Quebec).
- **Exploration History**: Named by Samuel de Champlain during his extensive 17th-century mapping of North America.
- **Cross-Border Extensions**: Contains Missisquoi Bay, which itself spans the border between Vermont and Quebec.
- **Regional Centerpiece**: Forms the heart of the Champlain Valley, a distinct geographic region in the northeastern U.S. and Canada.
- **Hydrographic Definition**: Classified as a body of relatively still water localized in a basin, receiving flow from tributaries like Vermont’s Otter Creek.

## Body

### Geography and Hydrography
Lake Champlain is defined as a body of relatively still water localized within a basin. It is a major North American landmark situated primarily between the Green Mountains of Vermont and the Adirondack Mountains of New York, extending northward into the Montérégie region of Quebec, Canada. A significant northern extension of the lake is Missisquoi Bay, which is shared by southern Quebec and Vermont. The lake is the central feature of the Champlain Valley, a region that spans the U.S.-Canada border. In Vermont, the lake's hydrographic system includes tributaries such as Otter Creek.

### Historical Context and Exploration
The lake's history is inextricably linked to Samuel de Champlain, a French national and explorer of the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Champlain, who served as a geographer and soldier for the Company of One Hundred Associates, conducted numerous expeditions to expand European knowledge of the New World. On July 3, 1608, he founded Quebec City, which became the first permanent French settlement in North America. 

During his career, Champlain explored the St. Lawrence River, the Great Lakes, and the regions surrounding the lake that now bears his name. He was a skilled cartographer whose detailed maps of the North American coastline and interior were instrumental to French colonial interests. His work involved not only exploration but also military and diplomatic efforts to maintain alliances with various Indigenous groups to support the fur trade.

### Legacy and Commemoration
The influence of Samuel de Champlain is reflected in numerous geographic and infrastructure features throughout the region:
- **Lake Champlain**: The primary water body spanning New York, Vermont, and Quebec.
- **Champlain Valley**: The surrounding region in the U.S. and Canada.
- **Champlain Bridge**: A major bridge in Montreal, Quebec, and another spanning the Ottawa River.
- **Champlain, New York**: A village located in Clinton County.
- **Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park**: An Ontario park established in 1967.
- **Rivière Champlain**: A river located in Quebec.

Champlain has been designated a Person of National Historic Significance by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada. His writings and maps remain foundational historical documents that describe the early development of New France and the northeastern United States.

### Regional and Administrative Connections
Lake Champlain is a vital component of the New England region in the United States and the provincial landscape of Quebec. In Vermont, the lake is associated with the state's unique identity, including its "802" area code and its mountainous terrain. In New York, it is part of a state characterized by diverse natural features like the Hudson River and the Adirondack Mountains. In Canada, the lake's northern reaches are part of the province of Quebec, a constitutional monarchy and Commonwealth realm that recognizes English and French as official languages.

## References

1. [Source](https://github.com/JohnMarkOckerbloom/ftl/blob/master/data/wikimap)
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. BabelNet
4. [Source](http://wldb.ilec.or.jp/Details/Lake/NAM-38)
5. Quora
6. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File
7. KBpedia