Ameland

Ameland It Amelân
Municipality
Satellite image of Ameland
Flag Coat of arms
Location in Friesland
Coordinates: 53°27′N 5°46′E / 53.450°N 5.767°E / 53.450; 5.767Coordinates: 53°27′N 5°46′E / 53.450°N 5.767°E / 53.450; 5.767
Country	Netherlands
Province	Friesland
Government
• Body	Municipal council
• Mayor	Albert de Hoop (D66)
Area
• Total	268.50 km2 (103.67 sq mi)
• Land	58.83 km2 (22.71 sq mi)
• Water	209.67 km2 (80.95 sq mi)
Elevation	4 m (13 ft)
Population (May 2014)
• Total	3,591
• Density	61/km2 (160/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Amelander
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postcode	9160–9164
Area code	0519
Website	www.ameland.nl

Ameland (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈaːməlɑnt]; West Frisian: It Amelân) is a municipality and one of the West Frisian Islands off the north coast of the Netherlands. It consists mostly of sand dunes. It is the third major island of the West Frisians. It neighbours islands Terschelling to the west and Schiermonnikoog to the east. This includes the small Engelsmanplaat and Rif islands to the east.

Ameland is, counted from the west, the fourth inhabited Dutch Wadden island and belongs to the Friesland/Fryslan province. The whole island falls under one municipality, which carries the same name. The Wadden islands form the border between the North sea and the Wadden sea which lies on the south side of the island file. The municipality of Ameland had a population of 3,591 in 2014. The inhabitants are called Amelanders.

The island has four villages, and one small part-village.

There were two other villages: Oerd and Sier, but these were flooded and now lie in the sea. The name of these villages live on in MS Oerd and MS Sier, which are the names of the ferries to the island. From west to east:

The population of each village of the island as of 2008^[update]:

First mentioned as Ambla in the eighth century, it paid tribute to the county of Holland until in 1424 its lord, Ritske Jelmera, declared it a "free lordship" (vrijheerschap).