East Frisia

East Frisia or Eastern Friesland (German: Ostfriesland; East Frisian Low Saxon: Oostfreesland) is a coastal region in the northwest of the German federal state of Lower Saxony. It is the middle section of Frisia between West Frisia in the Netherlands and North Frisia in Schleswig-Holstein.

Administratively Ostfriesland belongs to three districts, namely Aurich, Leer, Wittmund and to the city of Emden. There are 465,000 people living in an area of 3144.26 square kilometres.

There is a chain of islands off the coast, called the East Frisian Islands (Ostfriesische Inseln). These islands are (from west to east) Borkum, Juist, Norderney, Baltrum, Langeoog, Spiekeroog and Wangerooge.

History

The geographical region of East Frisia was inhabited in Paleolithic times by reindeer hunters of the Hamburg culture. Later there were Mesolithic and Neolithic settlements of various cultures leading up to the invasion of Germanic tribes belonging to the Ingvaeonic group. Those were Chauci mentioned by Tacitus and Frisians.

Frisia

Frisia or Friesland is a coastal region along the southeastern corner of the North Sea in what today is mostly a large part of the Netherlands, including modern Friesland, and smaller parts of Germany. Frisia is the traditional homeland of the Frisians, a Germanic people who speak Frisian, a language group closely related to the English language.

Names

The names for Frisia in the local languages are:

When the French occupied Frisian territory the name for one department was Frise.

In English, both terms, Frisia and Friesland are used.

Divisions

Frisia is commonly divided into three sections:

Friesland (disambiguation)

Friesland is a province of the Netherlands.

Friesland may also refer to:

Geography

Frisia (disambiguation)

Frisia may refer to:

See also