Curonian Spit - Definition and Overview

The Curonian Spit (Lit. Kuršių Nerija) is a sandbank 100 km long that stretches from Sambian Peninsula to Klaipeda (German Memel). Half of it is Russian, the other Lithuanian territory. The spit is not connected to mainland Lithuania. A ferry connects Smiltyne, located on the spit, with the port town of Klaipeda.

The Curonian Spit is home to the highest sand dunes in Europe.

Deforestation of the spit due to overgrazing, timber harvesting, and building of boats for the siege of Kaliningrad in 1757 led to the dunes taking over the spit and burying entire villages. Revegetation and reforestation efforts were begun in 1825, and much of the spit is now covered with forests.

In 2000, the Curonian Spit became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The largest town on the Lithuanian side is Nida, a popular holiday resort, mostly frequented by Lithuanian and German tourists.

External links

• UNESCO World Heritage Site Curonian Spit (http://whc.unesco.org/sites/994.htm)
• Kuršių Nerija National Park (http://www.nerija.lt/en/)

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