This photo was taken due to the beautiful sunset over the Wadden sea. Photo by Maltebo02 on Wikimedia

Top 10 Interesting Facts about the Wadden Islands


 

The Wadden Islands which are also known as the Frisian Islands or the Wadden Sea Islands, form the archipelago at the eastern edge of the North Sea in northwestern Europe. These islands stretch from the northwest of the Netherlands through Germany to the west of Denmark.

The Wadden Islands usually shield the mudflat region on the Wadden Sea. The large parts of the sea usually fall dry during low tide from the North Sea.

The Frisian Islands along with the mainland coast in the German Bight form the Frisia homeland. This term is used for the islands where the Frisian language is spoken.

The Wadden Islands is generalised as the entire archipelago which include the Dutch-speaking islands of Texel and Vlieland. Danish Wadden Sea Islands in the far north to the west coast of Jutland also form part of the Wadden archipelago.

Several parts of the Frisian Islands are protected areas and an international wildlife nature reserve is coordinated to protect the environment. In some parts of the islands, there is natural gas and oil drilling.

Here are the top 10 Interesting Facts about the Wadden Islands;

1. There is an Archipelago at the Eastern edge of the North Sea

The Wadden Islands have several names including the Frisian Islands or Wadden Sea Islands. These are remarkable areas.

These three are part of the archipelago which extends to the eastern edge of the North Sea in northwestern Europe. The cluster of these islands makes the Wadden Sea even more special.

2. The Islands Border Three Countries

The North Frisian Islands. Photo by European Space Agency on Wikimedia

The Wadden Islands are not only occupying the Netherlands area only. This archipelago stretches across three countries making them more special.

The Wadden Islands stretch from the Netherlands, through Germany and to the west of Denmark. Along the mainland coast in the German Bight, the islands form the region of Frisia.

This is the homeland of the Frisian people between German and Dutch. The other side of the islands is composed Dutch-speaking population.

They are made up of Texel and Vlieland. On the other side of the islands, Danish-speaking people are extending to the west coast of Jutland.

3. A Large Population of People Inhabit the Extensive Wadden Islands

The combination of the Wadden Islands brings together an extensive area of land. The Wadden Islands occupies 1047.49 kilometres squared.

Quite a large number of people inhabit the Wadden Islands. The population of Wadden Islands is eighty-one thousand, three hundred and forty-one people.

This is an impressive population of people living on these islands. The population density makes it more comfortable for other people to relocate and live within.

4. the Wadden Islands are in Continuous Apparent Movement

The Wadden Sea and Sylt Islands are on the radar. Photo by DRL on Wikimedia

Some Geographic studies have shown that there are several things taking place on the Wadden Islands. It is believed that the Islands are in continuous apparent movement.

One of the most important movements of the Wadden Islands is migration. This is the slow but certain movement of the islands from the West side to the East side.

What is more phenomenal is that the West side of the islands is disappearing slowly. On the East side, even bigger and large sand banks are arising.

It is believed that this movement of the islands is the main reason why several villages are on the West side. At the start, the villages were located centrally, but some houses and villages disappeared into the sea.

5. Some Hooked Shaped Shoals Arise from the Wadden Islands Movement

There is always an impact on the movement of the Wadden Islands. The second movement of the islands has always led to the development of hook-shaped shoals.

Hook-shaped sand ridges arise which change their form as the sea arm keeps moving. New shoals such as the Noorderhaaks and Zuiderhaaks have risen from the movements.

6. Plans for Constructing a Causeway from Frisian Holwerd were Unsuccessful

Ludag: slipway by the Eriskay causeway Edit this at Structured Data on Commons. Photo by Chris Downer on Wikimedia

The Wadden Islands stretch from the Frisian side to Ameland. There were early plans to connect these regions which never ended successfully.

In 1872, there were plans to construct a causeway from the Frisian Holwerd to Ameland. These were not very successful.

The causeway suffered several damages shortly after beginning construction. In 1882, a storm damaged the causeway leading to abandonment. The dam was almost entirely eroded which led to leaving the plan to save lives.

7. A Shipwreck was Unearthed from the Waters of Wadden Islands

There have been several explorations along the waters of the Wadden Islands. Researchers have been searching for any mysterious artefacts or shipwrecks.

In April 2019, a shipwreck believed to be from the 16th century was unearthed by Dutch maritime investigators. This discovery was during explorations for container ship MSC Zoe that had been lost in January 2019.

Holland’s National Office for Cultural Heritage reports that this ship was built around 1540 in the Netherlands. There were copper plates with an emblem of the Fugger family and wooden beams with a sleek hull about thirty metres long.

8. Part of the Islands are Protected Areas

Phoenix Islands Protected Area (Kiribati). Photo by Ron Van Oers on Wikimedia

The large Wadden Islands are habitats for marine life. Some marine animals which are at risk of extinction inhabit part of these islands.

Most of these islands are environmentally protected areas. The international wildlife nature reserve has been coordinating with Netherlands, Germany and Denmark to ensure that these areas are well protected.

9. Mining Takes Place in Part of Wadden Islands

There are natural resources in some vicinity of the Wadden Islands. Natural gas and oil have been found in some parts of the Wadden Islands.

The drilling of these important natural resources has always been taking place around the Islands. However, the vicinity of the Ems, Weser and Elbe estuaries has faced major challenges.

Ship traffic and the intensity of the drilling have led to tension and conflict between wildlife protection acts and economic values. To settle these challenges, wildlife and natural environment organisations were formulated.

10. Beautiful Beaches Lie Along the Wadden Islands

the beautiful island of Brač in the Adriatic sea. Photo by Saman Bahmani on Wikimedia

These islands have a serene environment for the residents and tourists. During the summer seasons, several tourists visit these islands to enjoy the climate and also relax on the beaches.

The beautiful beaches do not only attract tourists but also some friendly sea animals. This is the best place to tour.

The Wadden Islands will always be of great importance to the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. The history of these islands is remarkable which makes people eager to explore them more.

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