Middle Island (Lake Erie)
oblique view of Middle Island looking approximately east-southeast | |
Map of Pelee Island and Middle Island | |
Middle Island Location within Ontario Middle Island Location within Canada | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Lake Erie |
| Coordinates | 41°40′58″N 82°40′58″W / 41.68278°N 82.68278°W |
| Archipelago | Pelee Island Archipelago |
| Major islands | Pelee Island, East Sister Island and West Sister Island |
| Area | 18.5 ha (46 acres) |
| Highest elevation | 186 m (610 ft) |
| Administration | |
Canada | |
| Province | Ontario |
| County | Essex |
| Township | Pelee |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
Middle Island is a small island, just 18.5 hectares (46 acres) in area. It is the southernmost point of land in Canada, located at 41°41'N, 82°41"W (41.685,-82.684), or about 41.7 degrees north latitude. It lies in Lake Erie, just south of Pelee Island, and is part of Point Pelee National Park. It forms part of the province of Ontario. The southernmost part of the island lies some 150 metres (164 yards) from the U.S. maritime boundary. The distance to the northernmost point of land in Canada—Cape Columbia, Ellesmere Island—is 4,640 kilometres (2,883 miles).
There are no permanent settlements on Middle Island, as the entire island is a conservation area. The most common species are double-crested cormorants, though several others also nest there. The birds are so plentiful that in May 2008, Parks Canada began to cull the number of cormorants from more than 4,000 nests to between 400 and 800.