Blåvandshuk
Encyclopedia
Blåvandshuk is a headland on the North Sea
coast of Jutland
northwest of Esbjerg
, and is the westernmost point of metropolitan Denmark
.
Before January 1, 2007, Blåvandshuk was also the name of a municipality (Danish
, kommune) that contained the headland. The municipality covered an area of 223 km², and had a total population of 4,378 (2005). Its latest mayor was Hans Chr. Thoning, a member of the Venstre
(Liberal Party) political party
. The main town and site of its municipal council was the town of Oksbøl.
Because Blåvandshuk is on the coast and has a peninsula
(Skallingen) which stretches to the southeast, it is surrounded by much water. To the northwest is the North Sea
. To the southeast of Skallingen is Fanø Bay (Fanø Bugt) where the island Fanø
lies. Beyond Fanø Bay is the Wadden Sea
. To the northeast of Skallingen lies Ho Bay (Ho Bugt) and the small island of Langli
.
Skallingen and the waters off its coast are protected, a part of the Wadden Sea wildlife reserve and protection area being discussed as a potential national park
. Located on Skallingen' s southwestern coast is Denmark's last minefield
, left over from Second World War
, when 1,389,289 landmines were placed in Denmark by the German occupation forces
as part of their defence line
. Approximately 10,000 of these mines, two-thirds of which are anti-personnel mines, remain in a closed-off area on the peninsula. Demining efforts are hampered by the shifting sands that can bury mines several meters underground, and the drift of the sea which has moved the beach some 200 meters to the east since the end of the war. The field will be cleared out at the latest according to the Ottawa Convention in 2009.
A significant portion of Blåvandshuk is marsh land
, moor
, dune
s, and beach
es.
Blåvandshuk municipality ceased to exist due to Kommunalreformen ("The Municipal Reform" of 2007). It was merged with former Blaabjerg
, Helle
, Varde
, and Ølgod
municipalities to form a new Varde municipality.
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
coast of Jutland
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
northwest of Esbjerg
Esbjerg
Esbjerg Municipality is a municipality in Region of Southern Denmark on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark. Its mayor is Johnny Søtrup, from the Venstre political party...
, and is the westernmost point of metropolitan Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
.
Before January 1, 2007, Blåvandshuk was also the name of a municipality (Danish
Danish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
, kommune) that contained the headland. The municipality covered an area of 223 km², and had a total population of 4,378 (2005). Its latest mayor was Hans Chr. Thoning, a member of the Venstre
Venstre (Denmark)
VenstreThe party name is officially not translated into any other language, but is in English often referred to as the Liberal Party. Similar rules apply for the name of the party's youth wing Venstres Ungdom. , full name Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti , is the largest political party in Denmark...
(Liberal Party) political party
Politics of Denmark
The Politics of Denmark takes place in a framework of a parliamentary, representative democratic, constitutional monarchy, in which the Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a multi-party system...
. The main town and site of its municipal council was the town of Oksbøl.
Because Blåvandshuk is on the coast and has a peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
(Skallingen) which stretches to the southeast, it is surrounded by much water. To the northwest is the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
. To the southeast of Skallingen is Fanø Bay (Fanø Bugt) where the island Fanø
Fanø
Fanø is a Danish island in the North Sea off the coast of southwestern Denmark, and is the very northernmost of the Danish Wadden Sea Islands...
lies. Beyond Fanø Bay is the Wadden Sea
Wadden Sea
The Wadden Sea is an intertidal zone in the southeastern part of the North Sea. It lies between the coast of northwestern continental Europe and the range of Frisian Islands, forming a shallow body of water with tidal flats and wetlands. It is rich in biological diversity...
. To the northeast of Skallingen lies Ho Bay (Ho Bugt) and the small island of Langli
Langli
Langli is a small marsh island in the Ho Bugt near Esbjerg on the Danish North Sea Coast.It is 0.8 km long and is accessible from Ho over a 3 km long causeway at low tide. Langli was up to the flood of 1634 part of a peninsula...
.
Skallingen and the waters off its coast are protected, a part of the Wadden Sea wildlife reserve and protection area being discussed as a potential national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
. Located on Skallingen
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
, left over from Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when 1,389,289 landmines were placed in Denmark by the German occupation forces
Occupation of Denmark
Nazi Germany's occupation of Denmark began with Operation Weserübung on 9 April 1940, and lasted until German forces withdrew at the end of World War II following their surrender to the Allies on 5 May 1945. Contrary to the situation in other countries under German occupation, most Danish...
as part of their defence line
Defense (military)
Defense has several uses in the sphere of military application.Personal defense implies measures taken by individual soldiers in protecting themselves whether by use of protective materials such as armor, or field construction of trenches or a bunker, or by using weapons that prevent the enemy...
. Approximately 10,000 of these mines, two-thirds of which are anti-personnel mines, remain in a closed-off area on the peninsula. Demining efforts are hampered by the shifting sands that can bury mines several meters underground, and the drift of the sea which has moved the beach some 200 meters to the east since the end of the war. The field will be cleared out at the latest according to the Ottawa Convention in 2009.
A significant portion of Blåvandshuk is marsh land
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
, moor
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
, dune
Dune
In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by wind. Dunes occur in different forms and sizes, formed by interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind...
s, and beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es.
Blåvandshuk municipality ceased to exist due to Kommunalreformen ("The Municipal Reform" of 2007). It was merged with former Blaabjerg
Blaabjerg
Until January 1, 2007, Blaabjerg was a municipality in Ribe County on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark. The municipality covered an area of 254 km², and had a total population of 6,509 . Its latest mayor was Preben Olesen...
, Helle
Helle municipality
Until January 1, 2007 Helle municipality was a municipality in Ribe County on the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark. The municipality covered an area of 281 km², and had a total population of 8,319 . Its last mayor was Gylling Haahr, a member of the Venstre political party...
, Varde
Varde
Varde Municipality is a municipality in Region of Southern Denmark on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark. Its mayor is Gylling Håhr, a member of the Venstre political party. The main town and site of its municipal council is the town of Varde. Its area is 1255.79 km²...
, and Ølgod
Ølgod
Ølgod is a town with a population of 3,950 and a former municipality in Varde municipality in Region of Southern Denmark on the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark . The municipality covered an area of 247 km², and had a total population of 11,351...
municipalities to form a new Varde municipality.