Saaremaa

82914 km2

 

Kesselaiu limestone cliff is a part of the West-Estonian klint
http://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilt:Kesselaiu_pank.JPG

The landscape region is formed of the biggest island Saaremaa and 710 smaller islets around it (e.g. Vesitükimaa, Linnusitamaa, etc)

Saaremaa and Muhu islands are connected by the dam road

Formed during the different stages of the Baltic sea, by the waves and winds

Islets are mostly limestone heights, abraded by glacial flow and waves

Thin Quaternary cover

Coastal rocks of bioherm limestone - West-Estonian klint (Panga cliff, Üügu cliff, etc)

West-Saaremaa Upland and Sõrve peninsula as a glacial edge formations

Topography: washed limestone and till plains, capes and small bays, bays or abraded plains developed into paludified meadows and forests; coastal meadows ; shallow lakes as a result of land uplift; Mändjala dune ridges, Kaali meteorite crater

Juniper thickets, pine, spruce and oak forests; broadleaf elm-maple-lime forest on Abruka island

The biggest city: Kuressaare with 70% of the popluation of the island

Vilsandi National Park - to protect marine and coastal communities

Kaugatoma-Lõo Landscape Protection area - to protect alvar communities

Viidumäe Nature Protection Area - to protect unique habitats (e.g. Rhinanthus osiliensis)