THOUSAND ISLANDS

group of more than 1,500 small isles in the St. Lawrence River, North America, extending for a distance of 80 miles (128 km) from the Prince Edward Peninsula to Brockville, Ont., Can. Those on the west side, including Amherst, Wolfe (49 square miles [127 square km], the largest), Howe, Simcoe, and Grenadier, are mostly Canadian; those on the east, including Grindstone, Wells, and Carleton, are in New York, U.S. They form a traditional recreational area. Some are privately owned. The St. Lawrence Islands National Park embraces several of the Canadian islands and part of the Ontario shoreline. Surveyed in 1818, many were given names associated with the War of 1812. Thousand Islands International Bridge (1938) spans the river between Collins Landing, N.Y., and Ivy Lea, Ont., east of Ganonoque.