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East Frisian Islands

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Overview

The East Frisian Islands (German: Ostfriesische Inseln, pronounced [ˈɔstˌfʁiːzɪʃə ˈɪnzl̩n] ; West Frisian: Eastfryske eilannen; Saterland Frisian: Aastefräiske Ailounds) are a chain of islands in the North Sea, off the coast of East Frisia in Lower Saxony, Germany. The islands extend for some 90 kilometres (56 mi) from west to east between the mouths of the Ems and Jade / Weser rivers and lie about 3.5 to 10 kilometres (2.2 to 6.2 mi) offshore. Between the islands and the mainland are extensive mudflats, known locally as Watten, which form part of the Wadden Sea. In front of the islands are Germany's territorial waters, which occupy a much larger area than the islands themselves. The islands, the surrounding mudflats and the territorial waters (The Küstenmeer vor den ostfriesischen Inseln nature reserve) form a close ecological relationship. The island group makes up about 5% of the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park.

The largest island by surface area is Borkum, located at the western end of the chain; the other six inhabited islands are from west to east: Juist, Norderney with the largest town in the islands, Baltrum, Langeoog, Spiekeroog and Wangerooge. There are also four other small, uninhabited islands: Lütje Hörn east of Borkum, Memmert and Kachelotplate southwest of Juist, Minsener Oog, a dredged island southeast of Wangerooge, and Mellum at the eastern end of the island chain which, following the boundary revision by the Federal Office for Nature Conservation, no longer belongs to the East Frisian Islands, but to the mudflats of the Elbe-Weser Triangle (Watten im Elbe-Weser-Dreieck).

Facts

Rank

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Coordinates

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Source

WBP almanac

External sources

Wikivoyage Wikipedia

Media

From Wikipedia1,566 words

WBP editorial3

A quieter rhythm on the mudflats

The intertidal expanses that separate the islands from the mainland are a playground for those who prefer walking to wheeling. At low tide, the Watten stretches become a flat, salty plain where you can follow the tracks of migrating birds or the occasional seal haul‑out. Bring sturdy, waterproof boots and a simple tide‑table; the water can rush in with surprising speed. On the far side, the sea‑ward side of the islands offers a stark contrast: wind‑swept dunes dotted with sparsely planted grasses that sway under the same breezes that drive the ferry across the channel. This juxtaposition of open water and dune silence gives a sense of being suspended between two worlds, something guidebooks often overlook.

Frisian flavour beyond the postcard

While the islands are administratively German, the Frisian heritage colours everyday life in language, cuisine and customs. In the small hamlets you’ll hear West Frisian phrases slipped into German conversation, a reminder of the region’s reluctant autonomy. Look for the local fish stew, a simple broth enriched with freshly caught herring and a splash of regional rye beer, served in low‑crowned ceramic bowls. Seasonal festivals on Norderney and Juist often feature traditional wooden boats called "Klausenboote," used for centuries to ferry goods across the shallow waters. Engaging with locals during these events provides a tactile link to a maritime culture that has survived the ebb and flow of the Wadden Sea.

Comparative coastal experience

Travelers familiar with the Dutch Wadden islands will note subtle differences on the German side. The East Frisian stretch tends to host larger, more fully equipped resorts on islands like Borkum, yet retains pockets of untouched shoreline on the lesser‑known islands such as Baltrum. The wind regime is slightly stronger, making the area a favoured spot for kite‑surfers and wind‑surfers seeking steady gusts without the crowds of the Dutch counterpart. Additionally, the German nature‑reserve framework imposes stricter access limits to certain dune habitats, encouraging visitors to plan ahead and respect designated pathways—a practice that enhances the sense of stewardship over the fragile coastal ecosystem.

Introduction

Chain of German islands in the North Sea East Frisian IslandsNative name: Ostfriesische Inseln (German)Eastfryske eilannen (West Frisian)Aastefräiske Ailounds (Saterland Frisian)GeographyLocationWadden SeaTotal islands12Major islandsBorkum, NorderneyAdministrationGermanyStateLower SaxonyDistrictsLeerAurichWittmundFrieslandDemographicsEthnic groupsGermans, Frisians The East Frisian Islands (German: Ostfriesische Inseln, pronounced [ˈɔstˌfʁiːzɪʃə ˈɪnzl̩n] ⓘ; West Frisian: Eastfryske eilannen; Saterland Frisian: Aastefräiske Ailounds) are a chain of islands in the North Sea, off the coast of East Frisia in Lower Saxony, Germany. The islands extend for some 90 kilometres (56 mi) from west to east between the mouths of the Ems and Jade / Weser rivers and lie about 3.5 to 10 kilometres (2.2 to 6.2 mi) offshore. Between the islands and the mainland are extensive mudflats, known locally as Watten, which form part of the Wadden Sea. In front of the islands are Germany's territorial waters, which occupy a much larger area than the islands themselves. The islands, the surrounding mudflats and the territorial waters (The Küstenmeer vor den ostfriesischen Inseln nature reserve) form a close ecological relationship. The island group makes up about 5% of the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park. The largest island by surface area is Borkum, located at the western end of the chain; the other six inhabited islands are from west to east: Juist, Norderney with the largest town in the islands, Baltrum, Langeoog, Spiekeroog and Wangerooge. There are also four other small, uninhabited islands: Lütje Hörn east of Borkum, Memmert and Kachelotplate southwest of Juist, Minsener Oog, a dredged island southeast of Wangerooge, and Mellum at the eastern end of the island chain which, following the boundary revision by the Federal Office for Nature Conservation, no longer belongs to the East Frisian Islands, but to the mudflats of the Elbe-Weser Triangle (Watten im Elbe-Weser-Dreieck).

Overview of the islands and sand flats

[edit] The chain of the East Frisian Islands off the coast of Lower Saxony The following table contains basic information about the islands and sand flats (Sandplaten). The uninhabited and unparished sand flats are highlighted in yellow. Coat of arms Island/Sand flat Municipality District Areain km2 (2004/05) Distance to the mainlandin km (2004) Populationas at: 31 December 2008 Population densityper km2 Borkum Town of Borkum Leer 30.74 10.5 5,186 169 Kachelotplate not municipalised no data uninhabited − Lütje Hörn Island of Lütje Hörn¹ Leer 0.1 12.5 uninhabited − Memmert North Sea island of Memmert¹ Aurich 4.3 13 uninhabited − Juist Juist Aurich 16.43 8 1,696 103 Norderney Town of Norderney Aurich 26.29 3 5,810 221 Baltrum Baltrum Aurich 6.5 4.5 488 75 Langeoog Langeoog Wittmund 19.67 5 1,953 99 Spiekeroog Spiekeroog Wittmund 18.25 6.5 781 43 Wangerooge Wangerooge Friesland 7.94 6,5 923 116 Minsener Oogartificially dredged Butjadingen² Wesermarsch 2.2 3.5 uninhabited − Mellum³ Butjadingen² Wesermarsch 4.9 6 uninhabited − East Frisian Islands 134.35 − 16,837 129 ¹ unparished area² former parish of Langwarden, which was incorporated in 1974 into Butjadingen (today the Gemarkung of Langwarden)³ east of the outer Jade, after the boundary revision by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation no longer part of the East Frisian Islands, but belongs to the mudflats in the Elbe-Weser Triangle Watten im Elbe-Weser-Dreieck. Norderney is the remaining part of Buise, which was almost entirely engulfed by the sea in the 17th century. Lütje Hörn east of Borkum is in constant danger of being washed away. In 2003 the German Coastal Defence (NLWK) announced that the sandbank Kachelotplate can now be called an island too, because it is no longer regularly flooded by high tide. However, it is not larger than 2 km2 and will remain unsettled. Kachelotplate is located north of the mouth of the Ems river. Most of the islands do not allow cars. The exceptions are Borkum and Norderney, which are also the most crowded islands. There are no bridges connecting the mainland with the islands. Each island is accessible by ferry. Borkum and Norderney, the Nazi labour camps on Alderney, were named after the islands. The islands and the surrounding sea are part of the Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park.

Effects of storms and currents

[edit] Aerial view of Wangerooge Even though today they are established islands, some of them continue to be in motion. On the East Frisian island of Juist for example, since the year 1650 there are five different proven sites for the church, as the spot for rebuilding the church had to keep pace with the ever-moving island. At times, Juist even consisted of two islands, which eventually grew back together. The island of Wangerooge in the last 300 years has moved a distance equivalent to its own length to the east, its church tower, destroyed at the outbreak of World War I apparently moving from east to west. In this process, land is slowly eroded on the western coasts, while sediments are deposited on the eastern coasts. As a result, western coasts are increasingly protected by human action. The canals between the islands serve as passages for the tides, so that in these places the scouring action of current prevents the islands gradually joining one to another. Storm surges[edit] The East Frisian Islands and its population have been subject to storm surges for centuries. Prominent examples include the Christmas Flood 1717, the February Flood 1825 and the New Years Flood 1855 each of which caused many fatalaties. More recent examples are the Storm Surge of 1962 and the All-Saints Day Flood 2006. Both of these storm surges hit multiple East Frisian Islands and led to severe destruction. Due to global warming, storm surges have increased in frequency which multiplies the destruction and amount of sand being swept away by them. Sea level rise[edit] The worldwide sea level rise resulting from global warming, also presents an imminent threat to the existence of large parts of the East Frisian Islands. Located only a few meters above sea level (German: Normalhöhennull - NHN) researchers warn that Borkum, Juist, Norderney, Spiekeroog and Langeoog as well as large parts of Föhr could be flooded one day. The slowly shrinking land on the islands is also one of the reasons for the climb in real estate prices. The residents of the Islands try to mitigate the consequences of sea level rises and storm surges with the help of expensive technological processes i.e. land reclamation or preliminary sand fills.

Economy and politics

[edit] Number of Tourists 2024 Island Guests Overnight stays Borkum 300.889 2.245.256 Juist 134.375 869.305 Norderney 573.785 3.778.172 Baltrum 57.187 416.446 Langeoog 233.659 1.567.576 Spiekeroog 87.490 613.925 Wangerooge 123.987 880.186 total 1.511.372 10.370.866 Nowadays the main economic pillar of the islands is almost exclusively tourism . They are popular travel destinations with well-developed touristic infrastructure which led to the islands all being state recognized sea spa towns. During the Covid-19 pandemic on the islands, like many other touristic destinations, struggled with the sudden loss of income and so the dangers of an economy solely based on tourism became visible. Traditionally the islands economy was based on fishing and agriculture. Both have become economically unimportant or almost obsolete toward the end of the 20th Century. Norderneys milk industry for example was given up in 1978. In small measure hay is still being produced today as food for horses. Another minor economic branch parallel to tourism is the health sector with medical rehabilitation centers as well as balneological and other therapeutic institutions. The biggest East Frisian Island Borkum had to face a loss of over 20 percent of its jobs when its marine base closed in 1996. Many islanders were relocated to other military bases. Wangerooge and Minsener Oog are geographically counted as part of the East Frisian Islands but politically they belong to the district Friesland and not East Frisia. East of the islands right before the Weser estuary is the sand bank Hoher Knechtsand located, which used to be an island. Other islands in Lower Saxony which are not counted as part of the East Frisian Islands are the artificial wadden islands Langlütjen I und II.

Cooperation

[edit] Due to their similarities different forms of social, political and economic collaboration have developed between the seven populated islands. Under the name "Insulaner unner sück" (Islanders among themselves) cultural associations have been meeting annually since 1977 on one of the islands for joint events and discussions. The islands mayors, spa town directors (German: Kurdirektoren) and council members also meet once or twice per year for the so-called "insularen Erfahrungsaustausch" (Exchange of experiences among islanders). In some cases they also take joint positions on political issues, such as opposing the building of coal power plants in Eemshaven and Wilhelmshaven as well as speaking out against natural gas drillings in the North Sea. Joint company[edit] After leaving the Nordsee GmbH (German for 'North Sea GmbH') the seven populated islands founded the Ostfriesische Inseln GmbH (OFI - German for 'East Frisian Island GmbH') in 2017 as joint destination marketing company. The companys aim is to streamline touristic marketing and represent the islands interest in politically and socially. Shareholders of the company are the local spa town administrations and shipping companies. Since 2025 Corina Habben and Wilhem Loth are CEOs of the company. Predecessor of the OFI was the Werbegemeinschaft Ostfriesische Inseln GbR (German for 'Marketingcommunity East Frisian Islands GbR').