Nickname: Sunny Island | |
|---|---|
 Beach, dune, and promenade in Ahlbeck – a distinctive seaside resort, typical for the Island of Usedom | |
 Map of the Baltic Sea with the island highlighted | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Baltic Sea |
| Area | 445 km2 (172 sq mi) |
| Length | 66.4 km (41.26 mi) |
| Width | 23.9 km (14.85 mi) |
| Coastline | 110 km (68 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 69 m (226 ft) |
| Highest point | Golm |
| Administration | |
Germany | |
| State | Mecklenburg-Vorpommern |
| District | Vorpommern-Greifswald |
| Largest settlement | Heringsdorf, Zinnowitz (settlements), Usedom (town) |
Poland | |
| Voivodeship | West Pomeranian Voivodeship |
| County | Świnoujście (city county) |
| Largest settlement | Świnoujście |
| Demographics | |
| Demonym | Usedomers |
| Population | 76,500 (2012) |
| Pop. density | 172/km2 (445/sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Poles, Germans |
Usedom (German: Usedom [ˈuːzədɔm], Polish: Uznam [ˈuznam]) is a Baltic Sea island in Pomerania, divided between Germany and Poland. It is the second largest Pomeranian island after Rügen, and the most populous island in the Baltic Sea.
It lies north of the Szczecin Lagoon estuary of the Oder river. About 80% of the island belongs to the German district of Vorpommern-Greifswald in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The eastern part and the largest city on the island, Świnoujście, are part of the Polish West Pomeranian Voivodeship. The island's total area is 445 square kilometres (172 square miles) – 373 square kilometres (144 square miles) in the German part and 72 square kilometres (28 square miles) in the Polish part. Its population is 76,500 (German part 31,500; Polish part 45,000).
With an annual average of 1,906 hours of sunshine, Usedom is the sunniest region of both Germany and Poland, and it is also one of the sunniest islands in the Baltic Sea,[1] hence its nickname "Sun Island" (German: Sonneninsel, Polish: Wyspa Słońca[2]).
The island has been a tourist destination since the Gründerzeit in the 19th century, and features resort architecture. Seaside resorts include Zinnowitz and the Amber Spas in the west, the Kaiserbad and Świnoujście in the east.
- ^ According to meteorological records of the last 30 years: Usedom is the sunniest region of Germany (German article, Süddeutsche Zeitung)
- ^ S.A., Wirtualna Polska Media (15 July 2013). "Wczasy nad morzem - Świnoujście, Uznam, Wyspa Słońca". wp.pl. Retrieved 23 March 2018.