Editing Schleswig-Holstein (section)

==Geography==
{{See also|List of places in Schleswig-Holstein}}
[[File:Schleswig-Holstein.png|thumb|left|Topographic map of Schleswig-Holstein]]

Schleswig-Holstein lies on the base of [[Jutland Peninsula]] between the [[North Sea]] and the [[Baltic Sea]]. Strictly speaking, "Schleswig" refers to the German Southern Schleswig ({{langx|de|link=no|Südschleswig}} or ''Landesteil Schleswig'', {{langx|da|Sydslesvig}}), whereas Northern Schleswig is in Denmark ([[South Jutland County]], [[Region of Southern Denmark]]). The state of Schleswig-Holstein further consists of Holstein, as well as [[Lauenburg]] and the formerly independent city of Lübeck.

Schleswig-Holstein borders Denmark ([[Region of Southern Denmark|Southern Denmark]]) to the north, the North Sea to the west, the Baltic Sea to the east, and the German states of [[Lower Saxony]], Hamburg, and [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]] to the south.

In the western part of the state, the lowlands have virtually no hills. The [[North Frisian Islands]], as well as almost all of Schleswig-Holstein's North Sea coast, form the [[Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park]] (''Nationalpark Schleswig-Holsteinisches Wattenmeer'') which is the largest national park in Central Europe.

The Baltic Sea coast in the east of Schleswig-Holstein is marked by bays, [[fjord]]s, and cliff lines. Rolling hills (the highest elevation is the Bungsberg at {{convert|168|m|disp=or}}) and many lakes are found, especially in the eastern part of Holstein called the [[Holstein Switzerland]] and the former Duchy of Lauenburg (''Herzogtum Lauenburg''). The longest river besides the [[Elbe]] is the [[Eider (river)|Eider]].

Schleswig-Holstein has the lowest quota of forest covered area, it is only '''11.0%''' (national average 32.0%), which is even lower than in the city-states of [[Hamburg]] and [[Bremen (state)|Bremen]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Bundeswaldinventur|url=https://bwi.info/|language=de|access-date=9 April 2021|archive-date=4 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204023302/https://bwi.info/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The German Islands of [[Sylt]], [[Föhr]], [[Pellworm]], [[Amrum]], [[Heligoland]] and [[Fehmarn]] are part of Schleswig-Holstein, with the latter being the largest and the only Island of Schleswig-Holstein located on the east coast.<ref name="Landesportal Schleswig-Holstein-3">{{Cite web |title=Zahlen zu Natur & Umwelt |url=http://www.schleswig-holstein.de/DE/LandLeute/ZahlenFakten/_documents/naturUmwelt.html?nn=eb621c67-24ca-4717-ab20-a709981b72a9 |access-date=17 April 2022 |website=Landesportal Schleswig-Holstein |language=de |archive-date=2 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220302120154/https://www.schleswig-holstein.de/DE/LandLeute/ZahlenFakten/_documents/naturUmwelt.html?nn=eb621c67-24ca-4717-ab20-a709981b72a9 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Heligoland]] is Germany's only high-sea island.<ref name="Landesportal Schleswig-Holstein-3" /><gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:Sylt02 ellenbogen.jpg|Geest (Island Sylt)
File:Seestermüher Marsch.JPG|Seestermüher Marsh
File:Eckernförde Strand Brücke.jpg|Eckernförde Bay
File:Nationalpark - Schleswig-Holsteinisches Wattenmeer.jpg|Wadden Sea 
File:Ausblick Parnaßturm - panoramio.jpg|Schleswig-Holsteinische Schweiz
File:Luftbildaufnahme Kieler Förde Bickrichtung Hörn.jpg|Kieler Förde
</gallery>