Editing Thousand Islands (section)

== Geography ==
The Thousand Islands [[archipelago]] is at the outlet of [[Lake Ontario]] at the head of the [[Saint Lawrence River]]. The region is bisected by the [[Canada–United States border]] and covers portions of [[Jefferson County, New York|Jefferson]] and [[St. Lawrence County, New York|St.&nbsp;Lawrence]] counties in the [[U.S. state]] of [[New York (state)|New York]], in addition to parts of the [[United Counties of Leeds and Grenville]] and [[Frontenac County]] in the [[Canadian province]] of Ontario.

[[Geology|Geologically]], most of the islands are where a branch of the [[Canadian Shield]], known as the [[Thousand Islands – Frontenac Arch]] region, runs south across the river to join with the [[Adirondacks]]. This region was designated a World [[Biosphere Reserve]] by [[UNESCO]] in 2002.<ref name=UNESCO>{{cite web |url=http://www.frontenacarchbiosphere.ca/ |title=Frontenac Arch Biosphere |publisher=Frontenac Arch Biosphere Network |access-date=November 26, 2016}}</ref>

===Transportation===
The [[Thousand Islands Bridge]] connects New York State and Ontario by traversing [[Wellesley Island]] at the northernmost point of [[Interstate 81]] in Jefferson County and meets [[Ontario Highway 137|Highway 137]], which leads to [[Ontario Highway 401|Highway 401]]. The waterfront is served by New York State [[New York State Route 12|Routes 12]] and [[New York State Route 37|37]] and by the [[Thousand Islands Parkway]] in Ontario. Ontario also has the [[Waterfront Trail]] alongside the Parkway for cyclists who wish to see the area in an alternative way.

[[Seawaymax]] lake freighters often ply the [[Saint Lawrence Seaway]]. As is usual in inland waters of the United States and Canada, vessels must use [[maritime pilots]] to help them travel safely.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/business-and-industry/pilotage_authorities.html |title=Business And Industry - Pilotage Authorities |website=Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System |access-date=May 18, 2015 |archive-date=December 31, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231201541/http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/business-and-industry/pilotage_authorities.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=US. Coast Pilot 6 |date=2018 |publisher=NOAA |pages=160}}</ref> In places, a vessel less than {{convert|25|ft}} offshore can find itself in over {{convert|200|ft}} of water. Conversely, rocks and shoals less than {{convert|2|ft|cm|spell=in}} underwater can be found in the center of otherwise deep waters. Due to the great number of rocks and shoals just above or below the water's surface, navigation outside of the marked channels at night can be dangerous.

Before the introduction of the [[zebra mussel]], visibility of only {{convert|10|to|15|ft}} was usual, slightly decreasing as the years passed. Water clarity improved markedly in the mid-1990s with the arrival of zebra mussels, which feed on algae. The water is so clear in some areas a rocky bottom can be observed in {{convert|80|ft}} of water. The area has several shipwrecks, and although most are over {{convert|100|ft}} underwater, some are a mere {{convert|15|ft|m}} down and can be seen from the surface.

=== Population centers ===
The single largest city in the region is [[Kingston, Ontario]], which has a metropolitan population of more than 170,000 (2021). The city marks the western end of the region in Canada, while [[Brockville]], Ontario, to the east, is the other large population center. The American region along the river is much less dense; the largest city is [[Watertown, New York]], which has a population of 25,000 (2020) and is {{convert|20|miles|spell=in}} inland. There are a number of seasonal communities which grow significantly in the summer, like [[Thousand Island Park]] in New York.

'''In New York, United States'''<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Visit 1000 Islands: There's More To Discover |url=https://visit1000islands.com/ |access-date=2022-05-27 |website=Visit 1000 Islands |language=en-US}}</ref>

This region is within [[Jefferson County, New York|Jefferson County]]:
{{Div col|colwidth=12em}}
* [[Alexandria Bay, New York|Alexandria Bay]]
* [[Cape Vincent, New York|Cape Vincent]]
* [[Clayton, New York|Clayton]]
* [[Henderson, New York|Henderson Harbor]]
* [[Sackets Harbor, New York|Sackets Harbor]] 
* Northern Tug Hill 
* [[Watertown, New York|Watertown]]
{{Div col end}}
'''In Ontario, Canada<ref name=":0" />'''

This region includes the southern areas of [[Frontenac County|Frontenac]] and [[United Counties of Leeds and Grenville|Leeds & Grenville]] counties:
{{Div col|colwidth=12em}}
* [[Brockville]]
* [[Gananoque]]
* [[Kingston, Ontario|Kingston]]
* [[Prescott, Ontario|Prescott]]
* [[Thousand Islands Parkway]]
{{Div col end}}

===Notable islands===
[[File:ThousandIslands2022OSM.png|thumb|upright=1.5|Detailed map of the Thousand Islands]]
* The largest island in the group, [[Wolfe Island (Ontario)|Wolfe Island]], is entirely in Ontario. Other large islands in the archipelago include New York's [[Grindstone Island]] and [[Wellesley Island]], and Ontario's [[Howe Island]].
* Adjacent to Wolfe Island but part of New York is [[Carleton Island]], the site of a ruined fort, [[Fort Haldimand]], built in 1779 by the British during the American Revolutionary War. The island was captured by three American soldiers during the [[War of 1812]] and remains part of the United States.
* [[Deer Island (Thousand Islands)|Deer Island]], about {{convert|2|mi|km|spell=in}} north of [[Alexandria Bay]], is owned by the secret society of [[Skull and Bones]].
* A pair of islands southwest of [[Grenadier Island (Saint Lawrence River)|Grenadier Island]] are collectively called [[Zavikon Island]]. A popular but incorrect<ref>{{cite news| first=Jay |last=Clarke |title=Retreat to the river on the St. Lawrence islands |newspaper=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |page=I09 |date=July 17, 1983 |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB295CC1F714200&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |access-date = October 3, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Shortest International Bridge |date=October 11, 2011 |publisher=Twelve Mile Circle |url=http://www.howderfamily.com/blog/shortest-international-bridge/ |access-date=October 15, 2011}}</ref> tale is that the larger island is in Canada, while the smaller one is in the United States, and the foot bridge between them is the shortest international bridge in the world.<ref>{{cite book |last=Chan |first=Elise D. |title=Jefferson County |year=2007 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=978-0-7385-3547-0 |page=58}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/businessline/2000/03/13/stories/101372s3.htm |title=The Venice of America |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] Business Line |date=March 13, 2000 |access-date=September 9, 2007}}</ref> Zavikon Island is entirely in Canada and belongs to the [[Leeds and Grenville United Counties, Ontario|Leeds and Grenville]] municipal unit.<ref>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611145113/http://www.onterm.gov.on.ca/geo/details_e.asp?letter=z&ind=1 |archive-date=June 11, 2011 |url=http://www.onterm.gov.on.ca/geo/details_e.asp?letter=z&ind=1 |title=ONTERM GeoNames Index: Zachary Islands&nbsp;— Zigzag Island |publisher=Government of Ontario |access-date=October 3, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www4.rncan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/FDFZU |title=Natural Resources Canada - Place Names - Zavikon Island |publisher=Natural Resources Canada |access-date=September 17, 2015}}</ref><!-- Note: The U.S. Government doesn't recognize any place called Zavikon in its territory: http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic -->
* [[Longue Vue Island]] is the only artificial island in the region.
* [[Ironsides Island]] is home to one of the largest [[great blue heron]] [[rookeries]] in northern New York State, where over one thousand herons return to breed each April.<ref name=TNC_herons>{{cite web |url=http://www.nature.org/aboutus/travel/almanac/nea.php?requestedstate=New%20York |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070517235631/http://www.nature.org/aboutus/travel/almanac/nea.php?requestedstate=New%20York |archive-date=May 17, 2007 |title=Natural Events Almanac - New York |website=The Nature Conservancy |access-date=September 12, 2015}}</ref> The uninhabited rocky island near [[Alexandria Bay, New York]], is owned by [[The Nature Conservancy]] and was listed as a [[National Natural Landmark]] in 1967.<ref name=NPS_NLL>{{cite web |url=http://www.nature.nps.gov/nnl/site.cfm?Site=IRIS-NY |title=National Natural Landmark - Ironsides Island |website=National Park Service |date=June 28, 2012 |access-date=September 12, 2015 |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305130423/http://www.nature.nps.gov/nnl/site.cfm?Site=IRIS-NY |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Calumet Island]] is near [[Clayton, New York]]. The privately owned island formerly featured a "castle" mansion belonging to New York tobacco tycoon Charles G. Emery, and later hosted a marina in the 1960s.<ref name=life>{{cite web |url=http://www.thousandislandslife.com/BackIssues/Archive/tabid/393/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/641/Calumet-Islands-Lost-Castle.aspx |title=Calumet Island's Lost Castle |magazine=Thousand Islands Life |date=February 13, 2011 |author=Lunman, Kim |access-date=September 6, 2016}}</ref><ref name=SteelKing>{{cite web |url=http://www.1000islandssteelking.com/1000-islands-calumet-island-marina-in-the-1960s/ |title=1000 Islands - Calumet Island marina in the 1960s |website=1000 Islands Boating |date=June 2, 2012 |access-date=September 6, 2016}}</ref>
* [[Just Room Enough Island]] is the smallest inhabited island in the world.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/worlds-smallest-inhabited-island-is-about-the-size-of-a-tennis-court/ar-BBGB7Ao?li=BBmkt5R&ocid=spartanntp|title=World's Smallest Inhabited Island Is About the Size of a Tennis Court|website=www.msn.com|access-date=2018-01-13}}</ref>