Sylt

Sylt (zilt, Ger. zült) [key], island (1994 pop. 5,543), 36 sq mi (93 sq km), Schleswig-Holstein, N Germany, in the North Sea. It is the largest of the North Frisian Islands and is connected by a causeway to the mainland; the two main towns are Westerland, a popular seaside tourist spot, and Kampen, a wealthier resort. Except in its cultivated western tip, the island is covered by dunes and heathland; fishing, agriculture, and tourism are the chief industries. Fortified in the 1930s, Sylt was one an early air target of the Allies during World War II. Erosion is an ongoing problem.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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