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Archipelago

    Wadden SeaNetherlands

    53°22′N 5°29′E

    West Frisian Islands

    Nederlandse Waddeneilanden

    Part of Frisian Islands

    The West Frisian Islands (Dutch: Waddeneilanden, pronounced [ˈʋɑdə(n)ˌɛilɑndə(n)] ; West Frisian: Waadeilannen) are a chain of islands in the North Sea off the northern Dutch coast, along the edge of the Wadden Sea. They continue further east as the German East Frisian Islands and are part of the Frisian Islands.

    Aerial image of Ameland (view from the west)
    Aerial image of Ameland (view from the west)

    Carsten Steger / CC BY-SA 4.0

    Chart

    68 landforms

    Overview

    The West Frisian Islands (Dutch: Waddeneilanden, pronounced [ˈʋɑdə(n)ˌɛilɑndə(n)] ; West Frisian: Waadeilannen) are a chain of islands in the North Sea off the northern Dutch coast, along the edge of the Wadden Sea. They continue further east as the German East Frisian Islands and are part of the Frisian Islands. From west to east the islands are: Noorderhaaks, Texel, Vlieland, Richel, Griend, Terschelling, Ameland, Rif, Engelsmanplaat, Schiermonnikoog, Simonszand, Rottumerplaat, Rottumeroog, and Zuiderduintjes. The Frisian Islands are nowadays mostly famous as a holiday destination. Island hopping is possible by regular ferries from the mainland and by specialised tour operators. Cycling is the most favourable means of transport on most of the islands. On Vlieland and Schiermonnikoog cars are allowed only for regular inhabitants.

    From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Census, cataloged

    • Major islands5
    • Minor islands17
    • Islets24
    • Rocks & skerries22

    Major islands

    5
    • Texel

      Texel

      Area
      159 km²
      High point
      24 m
    • Terschelling

      Terschelling

      Area
      85.2 km²
      High point
      31 m

      Terschelling (Dutch pronunciation: [tɛrˈsxɛlɪŋ] ; West Frisian: Skylge; Terschelling dialect: Schylge) is a municipality and an island in the northern Netherlands, one of the West Frisian Islands. It is situated between the islands of Vlieland and Ameland.

    • Ameland

      Ameland

      Area
      57.4 km²
      High point
      24 m

      Ameland (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈaːməlɑnt] ; West Frisian: It Amelân [ət ˈaːməlɔ̃ːn]) is a municipality and one of the West Frisian Islands off the north coast of the Netherlands. It consists mostly of sand dunes and is the third major island of the West Frisians.

    • Schiermonnikoog

      Schiermonnikoog

      Area
      43.7 km²
      High point
      20 m

      Schiermonnikoog (Dutch: [ˌsxiːrmɔnəkˈoːx] ; West Frisian: Skiermûntseach [ˌskiəmuːnˈtsɪəχ] ; Schiermonnikoog Frisian: Schiermonnikeig) is an island, a municipality and national park in the Northern Netherlands. Schiermonnikoog is one of the West Frisian Islands, and is part of the province of Friesland.

    • Vlieland

      Vlieland

      Area
      38.8 km²
      High point
      45 m

      Vlieland (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈvlilɑnt] ; West Frisian: Flylân [ˈflilɔ̃ːn]) is a municipality and island in the northern Netherlands. The municipality of Vlieland is the second most sparsely populated municipality in the Netherlands, after Schiermonnikoog.

    Minor islands

    17

    • Rottumerplaat

      Area
      8.3 km²
      High point
      14 m

    • Noorderhaaks

      Area
      4.9 km²
      High point
      2 m

    • Richel

      Area
      3.4 km²
      High point
      5 m

    • Rif

      Area
      2.8 km²
      High point
      4 m

    • Rottumeroog

      Area
      2.3 km²
      High point
      9 m

    • Engelsmanplaat

      Area
      1 km²

    • Engelschhoek

      Area
      0.89 km²

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      0.67 km²

    • Griend

      Area
      0.66 km²
      High point
      5 m

    • Zuiderduintjes

      Area
      0.42 km²
      High point
      4 m

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      0.4 km²
      High point
      2 m

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      0.23 km²

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      0.14 km²

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      0.1 km²
      High point
      2 m

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      —

      size unknown

    • Simonszand

      Area
      —

      size unknown

    • Wexalia

      Area
      —

      size unknown

    Islets

    24
    • Unnamed island2 m · 0.04 km²
    • Unnamed island0.03 km²
    • Unnamed island1 m · 0.02 km²
    • Unnamed island0.02 km²
    • Unnamed island1 m · 0.8 ha
    • Unnamed island1 m · 0.8 ha
    • Unnamed island1 m · 0.8 ha
    • Unnamed island1 m · 0.5 ha
    • Unnamed island1 m · 0.5 ha
    • Unnamed island1 m · 0.4 ha
    • Unnamed island1 m · 0.3 ha
    • Unnamed island0.3 ha

    Rocks & skerries

    22
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Hiezel<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha

    Figures

    Comparative heights

    Sea level20 m40 m60 m45 mVlieland31 mTerschelling24 mTexel24 mAmeland20 mSchiermonnikoog14 mRottumerplaat9 mRottumeroog5 mRichel5 mGriend4 mRif4 mZuiderduintjes2 mNoorderhaaks
    High points by island, metres above sea level.

    Islands by area

    0.000010.00010.0010.010.11101001,000Texel: 159 km²TexelTerschelling: 85.2 km²TerschellingAmeland: 57.4 km²AmelandSchiermonnikoog: 43.7 km²SchiermonnikoogVlieland: 38.8 km²VlielandRottumerplaat: 8.3 km²RottumerplaatNoorderhaaks: 4.9 km²NoorderhaaksRichel: 3.4 km²RichelRif: 2.8 km²RifRottumeroog: 2.3 km²RottumeroogEngelsmanplaat: 1 km²EngelsmanplaatEngelschhoek: 0.89 km²EngelschhoekUnnamed island: 0.67 km²Unnamed islandGriend: 0.66 km²GriendZuiderduintjes: 0.42 km²ZuiderduintjesUnnamed island: 0.4 km²Unnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.23 km²Unnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.14 km²Unnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.1 km²Unnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.04 km²Unnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.03 km²Unnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.02 km²Unnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.02 km²Unnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.8 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.8 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.8 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.5 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.5 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.4 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.3 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.3 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.3 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.3 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.2 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.2 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.2 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.2 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.2 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.1 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.1 haUnnamed island
    km², log scale. 3 without a known area.
    Texel159 km²
    Terschelling85.2 km²
    Ameland57.4 km²
    Schiermonnikoog43.7 km²
    Vlieland38.8 km²
    Rottumerplaat8.3 km²
    Noorderhaaks4.9 km²
    Richel3.4 km²
    Rif2.8 km²
    Rottumeroog2.3 km²
    Engelsmanplaat1 km²
    Engelschhoek0.89 km²
    Unnamed island0.67 km²
    Griend0.66 km²
    Zuiderduintjes0.42 km²
    Unnamed island0.4 km²
    Unnamed island0.23 km²
    Unnamed island0.14 km²
    Unnamed island0.1 km²
    Unnamed island0.04 km²
    Unnamed island0.03 km²
    Unnamed island0.02 km²
    Unnamed island0.02 km²
    Unnamed island0.8 ha
    Unnamed island0.8 ha
    Unnamed island0.8 ha
    Unnamed island0.5 ha
    Unnamed island0.5 ha
    Unnamed island0.4 ha
    Unnamed island0.3 ha
    Unnamed island0.3 ha
    Unnamed island0.3 ha
    Unnamed island0.3 ha
    Unnamed island0.2 ha
    Unnamed island0.2 ha
    Unnamed island0.2 ha
    Unnamed island0.2 ha
    Unnamed island0.2 ha
    Unnamed island0.1 ha
    Unnamed island0.1 ha
    Unnamed island0.1 ha
    Unnamed island0.1 ha
    Unnamed island0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Hiezel<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha

    Sources

    Facts

    • Geometry, areas and high points: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Copernicus GLO-30, via Talus.
    • Wikidata
    • Talus
    • Wikipedia

    Photographs