Ameland is a municipality and one of the West Frisian Islands off the north coast of the Netherlands. It consists mostly ofsand dunes. It is the third major island of the West Frisians. It neighbours islandsTerschelling to the West and Schiermonnikoog to the East. This includes the smallEngelsmanplaat and Rif islands to the East.
Ameland is, counted from the west, the fourth inhabited Dutch Wadden island and belongs to the Friesland/Fryslan province. The whole island falls under one municipality, which carries the same name. The Wadden islands form the border between the North sea and the Wadden sea which lies on the south side of the island file. As of 31 December 2008, the municipality of Ameland had 3,466 inhabitants (source: CBS). The inhabitants are called Amelanders
