SYLT

German island in the North Sea, largest and northernmost of the North Frisian Islands, occupying an area of 38 square miles (99 square km). It is connected by rail with the mainland via the Hindenburgdamm (causeway), which is 7 miles (11 km) long. More than 22 miles (35 km) long, Sylt is in some places only 0.5 mile (1 km) wide, but from the centre of its east coast a beaklike peninsula juts toward the Schleswig-Holstein mainland. A magnificent beach extends along the smooth west coast, where the Red Cliffs of glacial moraine rise to 98 ft (30 m). The island is dotted with prehistoric megalithic tombs and other structures. There are a few small farms with dairy cattle and sheep and scattered villages such as Keitum; but tourism is the economic mainstay, based on resorts such as List, Westerland, and Wenningstedt-Braderup. Pop. (1991) 20,535.