Editing Koochiching County, Minnesota (section)

==Geography==
[[File:Voyageurs National Park.jpg|thumb|Voyageurs National Park]]
Koochiching County lies on the northern edge of Minnesota. Its northern border abuts the south border of [[Canada]] (across the [[Rainy River (Minnesota-Ontario)|Rainy River]]). The Rainy River flows west-northwestward along its north border, being fed by several rivers which drain from the county into the Rainy: [[Rat Root River]] drains the east central part of the county; Little Fork River flows northward through the eastern part of the county; Big Fork River flows northward through the east-central part of the county; Black River flows northward through the central part of the county; Rapid River and East Fork Rapid River flow north-northwestward through the western part of the county, joining in the northwestern part of the county shortly before exiting the county's west line to discharge into the Rainy, just west of the county's northwestern corner.

The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, with swampy areas where [[Lake Agassiz]] basin was deepest. There are also deposits of [[peat]] from 1½ to 50 feet in the low areas. The fairly level soil is broken by ledges of [[precambrian]] rock. [[Bedrock]] in the area includes Ely [[Greenschist|greenstone]] and greenstone schists that are said to be among the oldest on the planet.<ref name="KCM">[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Koochiching+County,+MN/@48.0499369,-94.1648987,61689m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x52a4deb0cc08c181:0x2b4145d2cc741737!8m2!3d48.1816012!4d-93.648322 ''Koochiching County MN''  Google Maps (accessed March 17, 2019)]</ref> The terrain slopes to the north, with its highest point on the western part of its southern border at {{convert|1,515|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL.<ref>{{Cite web |title="Find an Altitude/Koochiching County MN"  Google Maps (accessed March 17, 2019) |url=https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521043409/https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |archive-date=May 21, 2019 |access-date=March 17, 2019}}</ref> The county has a total area of {{convert|3154|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|3104|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|50|sqmi}} (1.6%) is water.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_27.txt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921060200/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_27.txt |archive-date=September 21, 2013 |access-date=October 18, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> It is the second-largest county in Minnesota by land area (second to neighboring [[St. Louis County, Minnesota|St. Louis County]]) and third-largest by total area.

===Major highways===
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* [[Image:US 53.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 53|U.S. Highway 53]]
* [[Image:US 71.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 71|U.S. Highway 71]]
* [[Image:MN-1.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 1]]
* [[Image:MN-6.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 6]]
* [[Image:MN-11.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 11]]
* [[Image:MN-46.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 46]]
* [[Image:MN-65.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 65]]
* [[Image:MN-217.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 217]]
{{div col end}}

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col}}
* [[Rainy River District, Ontario]] - north
* [[St. Louis County, Minnesota|Saint Louis County]] - east
* [[Itasca County, Minnesota|Itasca County]] - south
* [[Beltrami County, Minnesota|Beltrami County]] - southwest
* [[Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota|Lake of the Woods County]] - northwest
{{div col end}}

===Protected areas===
Source:<ref name=KCM/>
{{div col}}
* East Rat Root River Scientific and Natural Area
* Lost River Peatland Scientific and Natural Area
* Myrtle Lake Peatland Scientific and Natural Area
* Pine Island State Forest
* Smoky Bear State Forest
* South Black River Peatland Scientific and Natural Area
* [[Superior National Forest]] (part)
* [[Voyageurs National Park]] (part)
{{div col end}}

===Lakes===
Source:<ref name=KCM/>
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* Bartlett Lake
* Battle Lake
* Cameron Lake
* Clear Lake
* Dark Lake
* Franklin Lake
* Larson Lake
* Little Constance Lake
* Little Lake
* Lost Lake
* Moose Lake
* Myrtle Lake
* Nett Lake (part)
* Pine Lake
* Pocquette Lake
* [[Rainy Lake]] (part)
* Rat Root Lake
* Seretha Lake
* Silversack Lake
* Teufer Lake
{{div col end}}