National Park and World Heritage

National Park Wadden Sea - Nature of Global Significance

Rømø is situated right in the middle of the Wadden Sea National Park, which, with its 1,459 km², is Denmark's largest national park. The vast majority of the national park, around 80 percent, consists of marine areas. The land areas make up about 300 km² and include Rømø and its neighboring islands Mandø, Fanø, and Langli, as well as the Marbæk area north of Esbjerg, the Skallingen peninsula, various river valleys, and a series of marsh areas, with Ribemarsken and Tøndermarsken being the largest. Altogether, the Wadden Sea National Park encompasses a range of distinctive landscape types, such as tidal flats, sandbanks, salt marshes, beaches, dune landscapes, heaths, marshes, and geest areas.

The difference between low tide and high tide averages about one and a half meters, and the tides are the main driving force in the Wadden Sea. Twice a day, one billion cubic meters of water flow in and out of the Danish part of the Wadden Sea. The tides flood the vast tidal flats, creating an enormous biological production, in combination with sunlight—initially of microscopic algae, which form the food base for countless worms, mussels, snails, and crustaceans.

So, even though the tidal flat might seem dead and monotonous at first glance, this is far from the case. Most animals live buried in the seabed and have adapted to the significant fluctuations in temperature, currents, and moisture.

The enormous quantities of bottom-dwelling animals provide a rich source of food for a diverse animal and bird life. About 12 million waders, geese, and ducks pass through the Wadden Sea each year on their migration between breeding grounds in the north and wintering grounds in the south. The Wadden Sea is also a nursery area for a large portion of the North Sea's fish population, and at the top of the food chain, you’ll find seals—and humans.

Rich Cultural (Heritage)

However, the Wadden Sea National Park is not only about nature. Historically, there are traces of humans dating back to ancient times, and one of the national park's gems, Ribe, is Denmark's oldest town. In general, the Wadden Sea area is rich in cultural heritage and vibrant, living culture. The maritime cultural heritage, with special types of boats adapted to the shallow waters and strong sailing traditions, forms a significant chapter of its own. The area's unique character is also reflected in a particular architectural culture, which can be found both on Rømø and the other islands, as well as on the mainland coast.

Visit the Wadden Sea National Park website

World Heritage Wadden Sea

The Wadden Sea is not only a national park; it also holds World Heritage status. In fact, the UN organization UNESCO designated the Wadden Sea as a World Heritage Site in 2009, although initially, this applied only to the German and Dutch parts. Five years later, in June 2014, the Danish Wadden Sea was also included in the designation. A key point is that we share this World Heritage with the Netherlands and Germany: Three countries – one World Heritage.

The Wadden Sea contains the largest contiguous tidal flats anywhere on the globe. The area, which stretches about 500 kilometers from Blåvandshuk in Denmark to Den Helder in the Netherlands, is characterized by immense dynamism, with tides and winds constantly reshaping the landscape. At the same time, the Wadden Sea is of vital importance to numerous animal and plant species, with immense biological diversity. UNESCO characterizes it as having Outstanding Universal Value. The Wadden Sea's designation as a World Heritage Site is also a recognition of the work that Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands have undertaken for over four decades to protect the area.

The boundaries of the Wadden Sea World Heritage Site largely align with those of the Wadden Sea National Park, though there are exceptions. The World Heritage area primarily includes the sea and tidal flats, while the national park also encompasses land areas such as Rømø and Tøndermarsken.

Learn more about the Wadden Sea World Heritage