Pamlico Sound ( ) in
North Carolina in the US is the largest
lagoon along the
North American East Coast, extending long and 24 to 48 km (15 to 20 miles) wide. It is part of a large, interconnected network of lagoon estuaries that includes Albemarle Sound,
Currituck Sound,
Croatan Sound, Pamlico Sound,
Bogue Sound,
Core Sound, and
Roanoke Sound. Together, these sounds, known as the Albemarle-Pamlico sound system, comprise the second largest estuary in the United States, covering over 3,000 sq. mi. of open water.(
Chesapeake Bay is the largest.) The Pamlico Sound is separated from the
Atlantic Ocean by the
Outer Banks, a row of low, sandy
barrier islands that include
Cape Hatteras National Seashore,
Cape Lookout National Seashore, and
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. The Albemarle-Pamlico Sound is one of nineteen great waters recognized by the America's Great Waters Coalition.