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German Bight

geography Maturity 7-9 Next article →

The German Bight is a large part of the North Sea.

German Bight
German Bight

It sits in the southeastern corner of the sea. The land of the Netherlands is to its south. Germany sits to the south and the east. The Jutland peninsula is also to the east. To the north and west, the area meets the Dogger Bank. This place contains many islands, like the Frisian and Danish Islands. The Wadden Sea is about ten to twelve kilometres wide here.

Germany (1), Elbe, Trischen
Germany (1), Elbe, Trischen

Nature is very important in this part of the sea. Much of the area is part of the Wadden Sea. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for nature. Germany has three national parks to protect this special place. They are the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park. There is also the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park. Finally, there is the small Hamburg Wadden Sea National Park. This park is mostly around the island of Neuwerk.

Many people visit the German Bight for fun. It is one of Germany's most popular places for tourists. People love to go mudflat hiking with a guide. This is a special way to see the wet ground. Local fishing is also a big job for people here. They catch shellfish like oysters. They also fish for a small shrimp called Crangon crangon.

The water is also a busy place for big ships. Ships use the bight to reach the Port of Hamburg. They travel through the Elbe River estuary to get there. Other big ports include Bremerhaven, Emden, and Wilhelmshaven. Wilhelmshaven has the only deepwater port in Germany. Ships often use tidal channels called "Priel" to move. Because tides move the sand, people must dredge the paths. This keeps the lanes open for the large ships.

Working in the sea helps provide power and fuel. Germany has one offshore oil rig called Mittelplate. There are also offshore wind farms like Alpha Ventus. These wind farms catch the steady winds at sea. They make more power than wind turbines on land. Some islands are even easy to reach by rail. The island of Sylt has a track called the Hindenburgdamm. Some residents even use their own small rail vehicles to travel.

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File:German Bight.jpg
German Bight.jpg
File:Germany (1), Elbe, Trischen.jpg
Germany (1), Elbe, Trischen.jpg
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