GREAT BEAR LAKE

great bear lake, an extensive sheet of fresh water in the north-west of canada, between 65 deg. and 67 deg. n., and 117 deg. and 123 deg. w. it is of very irregular shape, has an estimated area of 11,200 sq. m., a depth of 270 ft., and is upwards of 200 ft. above the sea. it is 175 m. in length, and from 25 to 45 in breadth, though the greatest distance between its northern and southern arms is about 180 m. the great bear river discharges its waters into the mackenzie river. it is full of fish, and the neighbouring country, though barren and uncultivated, contains quantities of game. great circle. the circle in which a sphere is cut by a plane is called a "great circle," when the cutting plane passes through the centre of sphere. treating the earth as a sphere, the meridians of longitude are all great circles. of the parallels of latitude, the equator only is a great circle. the shortest line joining any two points is an arc of a great circle. for "great circle sailing" see navigation.