North Sea, Baltic Sea and the Wadden Sea

In short: Germany has two seas: the North Sea in the northwest with tides and the Baltic Sea in the northeast, an almost tideless inland sea with low salinity. The Wadden Sea on the North Sea coast is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site.

In more detail: The North Sea is a marginal sea of the Atlantic. The Baltic is connected to it only via narrow straits and holds brackish water.

In detail

• Tides: On the North Sea ebb and flow alternate twice a day (gezeiten-ebbe-und-flut).
• Wadden Sea: The world’s largest contiguous tidal flat area, a resting place for millions of migratory birds and home to seals.
• Islands: North and East Frisian Islands and Heligoland in the North Sea; Rügen, Usedom and Fehmarn in the Baltic.
• Salinity: North Sea about 3.5%, Baltic only 0.7–1.5%.
• Pressures: Over-fertilisation, plastic waste, fishing, shipping.
• Coastal protection: Dykes protect against storm surges (wasserkreislauf, biodiversitaet-und-artenvielfalt).