Curonian Spit
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Curonian spit map
The Curonian Spit (Lit. Kuršių Nerija, Rus. Куршская коса) is a 98 km long sand dune peninsula that stretches from Sambian Peninsula to Klaipeda. Part of the territory of the peninsula belongs to Lithuania while the other part is in Russia. The spit is not connected to mainland Lithuania. A ferry connects Smiltyne, located on the spit, with the port town of Klaipeda.
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Curonian spit photo
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.
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In 2000, the Curonian Spit became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ecosystem of the preserve is endangered by Russian industrial oil exploration and production plant.
The largest town on the spit is Nida in Lithuania, a popular holiday resort, mostly frequented by Lithuanian and German tourists.