East Frisian Islands

The East Frisian Islands are a group of German North Sea islands. They are lined up in front of the Lower Saxon mainland coast, along the East Frisian Islands. The archipelago extends over 90 kilometers in length from west to east between the mouths of the Ems and Jade or the Weser, and between 3,5 and 10 km upstream from the mainland. Between the islands and the mainland are extensive tidal areas, they take on a greater area than the islands themselves the islands in front is the territorial sea. The islands, the surrounding watt as well as the territorial sea ( nature reserve " territorial sea in front of the East Frisian Islands " ) are in a close ecological relationship. The island group is part of the largest Wadden Sea in the North Sea and comprises about 5 percent of the national park Wadden Sea. Geographically represent the East Frisian Islands, the main units 613 dar.

The largest area is the westernmost island of Borkum, the other inhabited islands are from west to east: Juist, Norderney with the largest city on the islands, Baltrum, Langeoog, Spiekeroog Wangeroog ( mnemonic, from east to west: what seaman Is In Nanni In bed? ). Furthermore, there are four more small uninhabited islands: Lütje Horn east of Borkum, Memmert and Kachelotplate southwest of Insel Juist, Minsener Oog as set rinsed island southeast of Wangerooge and Mellum on the eastern edge of the island chain, for according to the definition by the Federal Office conservation is not part of the East Frisian Islands, but to Watten in the Elbe -Weser triangle.

Overview of the islands and sandbanks

The following table lists basic information about the islands and sandbanks to find. The uninhabited and not inkommunalisierten sandbanks are highlighted in yellow.

Structure and Formation

The islands have the raging sea on sandy beaches. Inside, they consist of dune formations of different ages, while they go to the mainland side facing in salt marshes for watts. After today favored " Platen hypothesis", today's islands only the result of marine sediment by the forces of currents, waves, wind and storm surges. This resulted from the antique to split off from the mainland and development of the Wadden Sea. " Geest cores " as the North Frisian islands, they have not (any longer ). Where available, Geest cores were beautiful post in the younger Atlantikum and Subboreal ( 2000 to 5000 years ago) covered by marine sediments.

By lying between the islands Seegatten the water flowing tide due to the islands over to the flats and back to the lake. In these Tiderinnen the tidal currents are very strong. Due to the prevailing main flow from west to east gnaws the water on the western side of the islands, while deposits at the eastern sand and the islands tend to be magnified. Overall, this leads to a Ostbewegung from an average of a few meters per year, with some islands migrate more than others ( for example Spiekeroog hardly Wangerooge contrast, more).

Memmert, Lütje Horn, Mellum and Minsener Oog are uninhabited. The latter was applied only at the beginning of the 20th century to protect the fairway of the Jade Wilhelmshaven artificial. The small island Lütje horn near Borkum is severely threatened by the lake. The Kachelotplate between Borkum and Juist is a sandbank.

The islands of Norderney, Baltrum, Langeoog, Spiekeroog Wangeroog are accessible during low tide by mudflats from the mainland. At low tide the mudflats with the exception of some waters ( creeks ) becomes dry to the mainland.

Norderney is the eastern end of the former island Buise. Other former East Frisian Islands are Burchana and Bant.

Economy and Politics

The East Frisian Islands are popular tourist and excursion destinations. Traditional fishing is there mainly operated.

Wangerooge is no longer in political Ostfriesland, but in the Oldenburg Friesland, but is regarded geographically to the East Frisian Islands.

Upstream from the east of the East Frisian Islands, the Weser estuary, is the high sand High Knechtsand, who was formerly an island. More in Lower Saxony, but no longer belonging to the East Frisian Islands Islands are artificial islands Watt Langlütjen I and II