What is the largest estuary in the world?

To understand what the largest estuary in the world is, one must first understand what an estuary is. An estuary is generally defined as the area where freshwater from a river or stream and salt water from the ocean meet. The type of water in this area is known as brackish water. Typically, estuaries can be grouped into one of four different categories based on how they were formed. These categories include costal plain estuaries, tectonic estuaries, bar-built estuaries, and fjord estuaries. In terms of size, the largest estuary located entirely in the United States is the Chesapeake Bay, which encompasses over 64,000 miles throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, Virginia, Delaware, and Washington DC. Despite the massive size of the Chesapeake Bay, most scientists agree that the St. Lawrence River, which connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, is considered the world’s largest estuary.

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