Vlieland

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Vlieland
Flylân
—  Municipality  —
The lighthouse of Vlieland

Flag

Coat of arms
Location of Vlieland in the Netherlands
Coordinates: 53°16′28″N 4°58′47″E / 53.27444°N 4.97972°E / 53.27444; 4.97972
Country Netherlands
Province Friesland
Area(2006)
 • Total 315.79 km2 (121.9 sq mi)
 • Land 40.01 km2 (15.4 sq mi)
 • Water 275.78 km2 (106.5 sq mi)
Population (1 January, 2007)
 • Total 1,135
 • Density 28/km2 (72.5/sq mi)
  Source: CBS, Statline.
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Satellite image
Beach at dusk

Vlieland (About this sound pronunciation ; West Frisian: Flylân) is a municipality in the northern Netherlands. The municipality of Vlieland has only one major town: Oost-Vlieland (West Frisian: East-Flylân). It is the second-least densely populated municipality in the Netherlands (after Schiermonnikoog).

Vlieland is one of the West Frisian Islands, lying in the Wadden Sea. It is the second island from the west in the chain, lying between Texel and Terschelling. Vlieland was named after the Vlie.

Contents

[edit] Travel

Vlieland can be reached by ferry from the Frisian town of Harlingen. The ferry ride takes about 1.5 hours and crosses the Wadden Sea and part of the North Sea. Tourists are not allowed to bring cars with them on the ferry. Another ferry runs between De Cocksdorp on Texel and the westernmost point of Vlieland. The most common form of transport on the island is the bicycle; a network of cycle paths criss-crosses the island. A bus service runs from the ferry terminal to the village and campgrounds after the arrival of a ferry, and some time before departure. There is a very small heliport near the village, but it is only used for SAR flights.

[edit] Landscape

The majority of the landscape of the island consists of dunes, but there are some wooded areas and small meadows. A large part of the island, the western part, consists mainly of sand and is referred to as the 'Sahara of the north'.

[edit] Towns

St. Nicolas church (Nicolaas Kerk) in Oost-Vlieland

There is only one village on the island, Oost-Vlieland. A second village, West-Vlieland, was lost to the sea in 1736.

[edit] Tourism

Tourism is the main source of income on Vlieland. There are approximately 15 hotels, and several hundred apartments and holiday homes. Vlieland has two campgrounds.

[edit] External links


Coordinates: 53°16′28″N 4°58′47″E / 53.27444°N 4.97972°E / 53.27444; 4.97972


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