Borkum

Ancient Lighthouse of Borkum

Borkum is the westernmost of the East Frisian islands. It belongs to the German Land of Lower Saxony and is located in the North Sea, at the mouth of the Ems River.

The island is situated between two straits, the Westereems to the west (separating it from Memmert) and the Ostereems to the east (on the other side of which is Rottumeroog). To the north it has the North Sea, while to the south it is bathed by the Wadden Sea. Despite being off the coast of the Dutch province of Groningen, it belongs to the federal state of Lower Saxony (Germany).

It has an area of 30.6 km² and a population of 5,583 inhabitants (2003), concentrated in a single town, which is also called Borkum.

Only residents have the right to drive.

The first German offshore wind power plant since 2005 is planned to be built here.

Climate

As the only one of the East Frisian islands, Borkum is under the influence of the North Sea all year round thanks to its 30 km distance from the mainland. The maritime climate is influenced by the Gulf Stream and the westerly wind zone with correspondingly high humidity throughout the year. This ensures a varied climate, with plenty of sun and wind, but also occasional rain and showers.