The West Frisian Islands (; fry, Waadeilannen) are a chain of
island
An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An isla ...
s in the
North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian ...
off the
Dutch coast, along the edge of the
Wadden Sea. They continue further east as the
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
East Frisian Islands and are part of the
Frisian Islands.
From west to east the islands are:
Noorderhaaks,
Texel,
Vlieland,
Richel,
Griend
Griend (; West Frisian: ''Gryn'') is a small uninhabited Dutch island in the Wadden Sea, lying around 12 kilometres south of Terschelling. It is one of the West Frisian Islands, and belongs to the municipality of Terschelling. The island cur ...
,
Terschelling,
Ameland
Ameland (; West Frisian: It Amelân) is a municipality and one of the West Frisian Islands off the north coast of the Netherlands. It consists mostly of sand dunes. It is the third major island of the West Frisians. It neighbours islands Ter ...
,
Rif,
Engelsmanplaat,
Schiermonnikoog
Schiermonnikoog (; fry, ) 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. It is situated between the islands of Ameland ...
,
Simonszand,
Rottumerplaat,
Rottumeroog, and
Zuiderduintjes.
The islands Noorderhaaks and Texel are part of the
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions out ...
of
North Holland
North Holland ( nl, Noord-Holland, ) is a province of the Netherlands in the northwestern part of the country. It is located on the North Sea, north of South Holland and Utrecht, and west of Friesland and Flevoland. In November 2019, it had a ...
. The islands Vlieland, Richel, Griend, Terschelling, Ameland, Rif, Engelsmanplaat, and Schiermonnikoog are part of the province of
Friesland
Friesland (, ; official fry, Fryslân ), historically and traditionally known as Frisia, is a province of the Netherlands located in the country's northern part. It is situated west of Groningen, northwest of Drenthe and Overijssel, north of ...
. The small islands Simonszand, Rottumerplaat, Rottumeroog, and Zuiderduintjes belong to the province of
Groningen
Groningen (; gos, Grunn or ) is the capital city and main municipality of Groningen (province), Groningen province in the Netherlands. The ''capital of the north'', Groningen is the largest place as well as the economic and cultural centre of t ...
.
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.
Geography
The island chain represents the remains of a glacially formed sandbank, and may have once been the former coastline of Holland, before it was breached and flooded to form the
Waddenzee many thousands of years ago.
See also
*
List of lighthouses in Friesland
*
References
External links
*
*
{{Coord, 53, 22, N, 5, 20, E, region:NL_type:isle_scale:1000000, display=title
Islands of the Netherlands
Frisian Islands