Editing Ammerland

{{short description|District in Lower Saxony, Germany}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Expand German|topic=geo|date=June 2020}}
{{more citations needed|date=March 2013}}
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{{coord|53.25|7.92|display=title|format=dms}}

{{Infobox District DE
| image_skyline =Oldenburg nach Bad Zwischenahn Landesgartenschau 29.JPG
| name=Ammerland
| state=Lower Saxony
| capital=[[Westerstede]]
| area=728
| Kreisschlüssel    = 03451
| district_admin    = Karin Harms
| admin_party       = 
| carsign=WST
| url= [http://www.ammerland.de ammerland.de]
| map={{Germany district OSM map |parent_subdivision = Q1197}}
|image_coa = Wappen Landkreis Ammerland.svg
|image_flag = File:Flagge Landkreis Ammerland.svg
}}
'''Ammerland''' is a [[districts of Germany|district]] in [[Lower Saxony]], [[Germany]]. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise) the city of [[Oldenburg (city)|Oldenburg]] and the districts of [[Oldenburg (district)|Oldenburg]], [[Cloppenburg (district)|Cloppenburg]], [[Leer (district)|Leer]], [[Friesland (district)|Friesland]] and [[Wesermarsch]].

== History ==
The "Ammerland" was first mentioned in the 10th century. The word is believed to derive from ''Ameri'', which is an old word meaning "swamp". In the time of [[Viking]] raids small ring-like castles were built in order to protect the defenceless hamlets.

For many years there was little interest in this swampy region. In the 14th century it became part of the [[County of Oldenburg]]. The counts established strongholds in the region, which was the frontier against the lands of the untamable [[Frisia]]ns.

The district was established in 1933 in the rough borders of the historical region.

== Geography ==
Ammerland is characterised by a very flat countryside, many fens and swamps, and many [[windmill]]s. The latter are a symbol of the district, which calls itself sometimes the "land of windmills".

The central point of the district is the [[Zwischenahner Meer]] located near the resort town of [[Bad Zwischenahn]], a lake with an area of 5.5&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> (''Meer'' is the German word for "sea", but in the local [[Low German]], as in Dutch, it means [[mere (lake)]], pond).

==Coat-of-arms==

The [[coat-of-arms]] displays:
* top left: the red stripes from the arms of the counts of [[Grand Duchy of Oldenburg|Oldenburg]]
* top right: the golden cross of the County of '''Bentinck''' (1733–1818 in [[Varel]]; Wiefelstede was a part of this county)
* bottom left: the acorn symbolising the common [[oak]]s of the Ammerland
* bottom right: the red zigzag lines are an ancient symbol of the Ammerland

Its [[blazon]] is: "Quarterly Or and Azure, I: two bars Gules; II: a [[Greek cross]] Or; III: an oak stem with [[leaf]] and [[acorn]] Or; IV: two bars dancetty Gules".

== Cities and municipalities ==
{{Imagemap Germany district WST|Municipalities in WST.svg|300px{{!}}thumb{{!}}Clickable map of towns and municipalities in the district}}

{|
|-
! Cities
! Municipalities
|- valign=top
||
#[[Westerstede]]
||
#[[Apen]]
#[[Bad Zwischenahn]]
#[[Edewecht]]
#[[Rastede]]
#[[Wiefelstede]]
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category-inline|Landkreis Ammerland}}
* {{Official website|http://www.ammerland.de/}} {{in lang|de}}
* [http://www.ammerland-touristik.de/ Parklandschaft Ammerland Tourism website] {{in lang|de}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130715025942/http://www.nordseemusikanten.de/sff/ffinfo.htm Führs & Fröhling Website] {{in lang|de}}

{{Germany districts lower saxony}}
{{Regions of Lower Saxony}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Ammerland| ]]
[[Category:Districts of Lower Saxony]]