Wetlands
Detailed assessment of marine terrain, coastal geography, and regional landscape features
Geographic Profile and Mapped Boundaries of Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park
Examine the physical characteristics of Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park, which covers a recorded area of 4410 square kilometers. This geographic profile details the park's marine environment, coastal wetlands, and islands while providing structured data on the spatial span and interior natural features within the German territory.

Germany's largest national park protecting Europe's most important tidal wetland ecosystem
Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park
Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park is Germany's largest national park, protecting a vast expanse of tidal mudflats, salt marshes, sandbanks, and shallow waters along the Schleswig-Holstein coast of the North Sea. Established in 1985 and significantly expanded in 1999, the park stretches from the Danish-German maritime border in the north to the Elbe estuary in the south, encompassing the North Frisian Islands and the distinctive Hallig islands. The park forms part of the transboundary Wadden Sea World Heritage Site, recognized by UNESCO in 2009 for its relatively undisturbed intertidal ecosystem and unique biodiversity. With approximately 68% of its area permanently underwater and 30% consisting of mudflats that dry at low tide, the park preserves one of Europe's most significant tidal wetland systems, serving as a critical nursery ground for marine life and a major stopover for millions of migratory birds traveling the East Atlantic Flyway.
- Location
- Germany
- Park type
- National park
- Established
- 1985
- Area
- 4,410 km²
Coastal and marine territory within Germany's Schleswig-Holstein
Geography of Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park in Germany
- Countries
- Germany
- Regions
- Schleswig-Holstein
- Primary location
- Schleswig-Holstein
- Geographic setting
- Coastal · Marine
Interactive boundary geometry and recorded spatial measurements for spatial analysis.
Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park Boundary Map and Area Facts
- Boundary area
- 4,374.2 km²
- Boundary perimeter
- 790.7 km
- Northernmost point
- 55.0992° N
- Southernmost point
- 53.8659° N
- Easternmost point
- 9.015° E
- Westernmost point
- 7.9309° E
- Geographic centre
- 54.5339° N, 8.4544° E
- North–south span
- 137.3 km
- East–west span
- 70.3 km
Catalog of lowland terrain classifications and recorded natural features
Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park Terrain and Named Natural Features
Selected named natural features
Wetlands
Föhrer Schulter
Hills
Schafsberg
Bays
Königshafen
Rivers
Medemrinne
Islands
Norderoogsand
Temperate lowland coastal, wetland, and marine habitat classifications
Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park Environmental Setting and Geography
- Relief
- Lowland
- Climate
- Temperate
- Water
- Water-dominated
- Forest cover
- No forest cover
- Seasonality
- Year-round
Landscape features
Wetland · Coast · Islands · Dunes
Habitat types
Wetland · Coastal habitat · Marine habitat
Compare tidal wetland ecosystems and explore the broader geography of protected areas across the North Sea region.
Explore Related National Parks and Protected Areas Beyond Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park
North
Wadden Sea National Park: Denmark's Premier Tidal Wetland and Migratory Bird Sanctuary
Mapped boundaries and unique protected landscape exploration.
Wadden Sea National Park is a vast national park encompassing the Danish portion of the Wadden Sea, a globally significant tidal wetland. Recognized for its critical role in bird migration, hosting millions of birds annually, it features a distinctive landscape of tidal flats, salt marshes, coastal dunes, and barrier islands. This protected area offers a unique lens through which to explore dynamic coastal geography, intertidal ecosystems, and the conservation of a World Heritage Site.
- Area
- 1,466 km²
- Established
- 2010
- IUCN
- II
- Relief
- Lowland

South
Hamburg Wadden Sea National Park: North Sea Tidal Landscape and Protected Area
Explore the mapped geography of this unique coastal national park.
Hamburg Wadden Sea National Park, a vital part of the UNESCO-listed Wadden Sea, showcases a unique dynamic landscape of intertidal mudflats, sandbars, and dune islands. This protected national park provides critical habitat for numerous bird species and marine mammals, offering an unparalleled opportunity to study tidal ecosystem dynamics and coastal geography through detailed mapping and atlas exploration.
- Area
- 137.5 km²
- Established
- 1990
- IUCN
- II
- Relief
- Lowland

Southwest
Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park: Protected Coastal Landscape & Geography Atlas
Explore mapped boundaries, intertidal zones, and Lower Saxony's natural terrain.
Delve into the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park, a significant national park situated in Lower Saxony, Germany. This page serves as your atlas entry point for understanding its protected landscape, characterized by vast mudflats, salt marshes, and a crucial role as a migratory bird corridor. Discover the geographic context of this UNESCO World Heritage site and its unique intertidal ecosystem through structured map data and detailed landscape information.
- Area
- 345.8 km²
- Established
- 1986
- IUCN
- II
- Relief
- Lowland

South
Cuxhavener Küstenheiden Nature Reserve: Geography and Coastal Heathland Atlas
Protected heath mosaic on the North Sea coast of Lower Saxony
Cuxhavener Küstenheiden stands as a landmark protected area along the German coast, showcasing an expansive mosaic of dry sand heaths, wet heathlands, and coastal dunes. This nature reserve acts as a vital bridge between the inland sandy terrain and the tidal Wadden Sea, providing a sustained habitat managed for ecological integrity through large-scale grazing.
- Area
- 8.92 km²
- Established
- 1983
- IUCN
- IV
- Relief
- Lowland
Southeast
FFH-Gebiet Windberger Niederung: Exploring the Coastal Mire and Peatland Geography
Protected Natura 2000 landscape in Dithmarschen, Germany
This nature reserve encompasses a flat, post-glacial mosaic of transitional bogs and calcareous fens near the North Sea coast. Its geography is defined by low-lying terrain that spans from sea level to five meters above, showcasing the remnants of historical coastal lagoons and drained mires that now serve as a cornerstone for biotope conservation in the Schleswig-Holstein region.
- Area
- 3.63 km²
- Established
- 2004

East
Wälder der Ostenfelder Geest: Geographic Mapping of Protected Forests in Northern Germany
A twelve-parcel woodland mosaic in the Schleswig-Holstein Geest.
Wälder der Ostenfelder Geest serves as a prime example of lowland conservation. This protected area connects diverse forest types across a glacial landscape, providing a stable habitat for beech and oak woodland communities while preserving the historic character of the Bredstedt-Husumer terrain.
- Area
- 7.33 km²
- Established
- 2004
- Relief
- Lowland
- Climate
- Temperate

Southeast
Weiße Moor Nature Reserve: Coastal Marshland Geography in Schleswig-Holstein
A rare surviving raised bog and wetland restoration site
Weiße Moor stands as a critical protected area in northern Germany, preserving the last coastal marsh raised bog in the Dithmarschen district. Its 69-hectare footprint provides a study in lowland bog restoration, showcasing a transition from a central peat dome through wet heath to scrub, all set against the backdrop of an intensively managed agricultural coastal plain.
- Area
- 0.69 km²
- Established
- 1979

South
Wanhödener Moor Nature Reserve: Mapping Bog Ecology in Lower Saxony, Germany
Protected raised bog and coastal wetland landscapes
Located in the district of Cuxhaven, Wanhödener Moor represents a crucial fragment of original raised bog terrain in the North German Plain. This protected nature reserve provides insight into the historic human impact on peatlands and current conservation efforts to maintain wetland ecology and bog woodland transitions across the North Sea coastal region.
- Area
- 0.39 km²
- Established
- 1986
- IUCN
- IV
- Relief
- Lowland
Continue Exploring the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park's Geographic Context
Delve deeper into the protected landscape and mapped geography of Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park. Understand its placement within the broader North Sea region and its significance as a tidal wetland through structured atlas data. This page provides a gateway to comprehending the park's unique natural features and its conservation value, inviting further discovery of its environmental significance and geographical context.
