The North Frisian Islands and the Wadden Sea
Today’s Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features the North Frisian Islands, also known as the Wadden Islands, located just off the coast of northern Europe.
The Frisian islands stretch from the northwest of the Netherlands through Germany to the west of Denmark. The archipelago is divided into three regions – East, West, and North Frisian Islands.
The low-lying islands form a unique zone between the mainland and the North Sea known as the Wadden Sea – the largest unbroken system of intertidal sand and mud flats in the world.
The Wadden Sea is a UNESCO world heritage site that is considered one of the most important areas for migratory birds in the world, and is home to thousands of plant and animal species.
The North Frisian Islands include Sylt, Föhr, Amrum, and Pellworm. The largest of the islands is Sylt in Northern Germany. Sylt is well known for the distinctive shape of its shoreline. It extends more than 35 kilometers in length, yet in some places, is only one kilometer wide.
The image was captured on June 1, 2020 by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.
Image Credit: ESA
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By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer
