The northwestern and western sides of R�gen are also highly indented, but a little flatter. Offshore are the larger islands of Hiddensee and Ummanz as well as the smaller islands �he Liebitz and Heuwiese. Sand removal and deposition by the Baltic Sea has to be constantly countered by dredging operations to the north and south of Hiddensee, otherwise Hiddensee would merge with R�gen within a few years.
The heartland of R�gen is gently rolling, and the area is characterized primarily by agriculture. East of the town of Bergen auf R�gen the land climbs to 90 m above NN (at Rugard where there is an observation tower) and to 107 m above NN in the southeastern hill country of the Granitz. The soil on R�gen is very fertile and productive, particularly in Wittow, the granary of the island. There are major coal-producing regions. R�gen is dotted with many glacial erratic boulders, of which the 22 largest belong to legally-protected geotopes
