Sandbanks in the Wadden Sea, Netherlands

This satellite image shows the ever-moving sandbanks in the shallow Wadden Sea in the north of the Netherlands. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site last year, this unique region is one of the largest wetlands in the world. As this satellite image shows, the sandbanks are bordered by relatively deep channels and gullies, which provide a route for boats crossing between the islands and mainland.

SPOT-4 acquired this image on 8 May 2006 with a spatial resolution of 20 m. SPOT-4 is supported by ESA as a 'Third Party Mission', which means ESA utilises its multi-mission European ground infrastructure and expertise to acquire, process and distribute data from the satellite to its wide user community.