Sylt

54°54′N 8°20′E / 54.900°N 8.333°E / 54.900; 8.333

Sylt
Native name:
Söl, Sild
September 2013 aerial photograph of Sylt
Geography
LocationWadden Sea
Coordinates54°54′N 8°20′E / 54.900°N 8.333°E / 54.900; 8.333
ArchipelagoNorth Frisian Islands
Major islandsSylt, Föhr, Amrum
Area99 km2 (38 sq mi)
Length38 km (23.6 mi)
Width13 km (8.1 mi)
Highest elevation52 m (171 ft)
Highest pointUwe-Düne
Administration
Germany
StateSchleswig-Holstein
DistrictNordfriesland
Demographics
DemonymSylters
Population21,000
Pop. density212/km2 (549/sq mi)
Ethnic groupsGermans, Frisians, Danes
Additional information
Official websitewww.gemeinde-sylt.de Edit this at Wikidata

Sylt (German pronunciation: [ˈzʏlt] ; Danish: Sild; Söl'ring North Frisian: Söl) is an island in northern Germany, part of Nordfriesland district, Schleswig-Holstein, well known for the distinctive shape of its shoreline. It belongs to the North Frisian Islands and is the largest island in North Frisia. The northernmost island of Germany, it is known for its tourist resorts, notably Westerland, Kampen and Wenningstedt-Braderup, as well as for its 40-kilometre-long (25-mile) sandy beach. It is frequently covered by the media in connection with its exposed situation in the North Sea and its ongoing loss of land during storm tides. Since 1927, Sylt has been connected to the mainland by the Hindenburgdamm causeway. In later years, it has been a resort for the German jet set and tourists in search of occasional celebrity sightings.[citation needed]