Saaremaa is the largest and most populous island in Estonia. Measuring 2,673 km2 (1,032 sq mi), its population is 31,435. The main island of the West Estonian archipelago, it is located in the Baltic Sea, south of Hiiumaa island and northwest of the Gulf of Riga. The administrative centre of the island, and of the Saare County, is the town of Kuressaare, which in January 2018 had 13,276 inhabitants. From the 13th century until the first half of the 20th century, the island of Saaremaa was known in most of the world by variants of its other historical name Ösel.
The island of Vilsandi in Saaremaa Parish of Estonia's Saare County is located in the Baltic Sea. It covers an area of some 9 square km and is the westernmost populated island in Estonia. The surrounding waters are shallow and rocky and many ships travelling the Baltic have perished nearby. The island of Vilsandi can be reached by boat, by truck having suitable clearance or on foot by wading from Saaremaa. Much of the island is now part of Vilsandi National Park, which grew from a bird reserve founded in 1910. It is a highly sensitive ecosystem due to the use of the area by many migratory birds as a breeding and nesting ground. Hunting is absolutely prohibited. This park is a popular tourist destination not only for local Estonians, but also people of Finland who are visiting Estonia in greater and greater numbers.
Soomaa National Park is a national park in south-western Estonia. Soomaa protects 390 km², the park was created in 1993. Soomaa has been an Important Bird Area since 1989, a Ramsar site of protected wetlands since 1997 and a Natura 2000 area since 2004.
Sør-Spitsbergen National Park encompasses the southern end of Spitsbergen island in the Svalbard archipelago, Norway. The park was opened in 1973 and includes Wedel Jarlsberg Land, Torell Land and Sørkapp Land. Over 65% of the region is ice cap, with much of the rest tundra.
Phang Nga Bay is a 400 km2 (150 sq mi) bay in the Andaman Sea between the island of Phuket and the mainland of the Kra Isthmus of southern Thailand. Since 1981, an extensive section of the bay has been protected as the Ao Phang Nga National Park. The park is in Phang Nga Province, at 8°17′N98°36′E.
The Zapata Swamp is located on the Zapata Peninsula in the southern Matanzas Province of Cuba, in the municipality of Ciénaga de Zapata. It is located less than 150 kilometres (93 mi) southeast of Havana.
Matsalu National Park is a nature reserve and national park situated in the Lääne and Pärnu counties of Estonia. Matsalu National Park spans an area of 486.1 km2 (187.7 sq mi), comprising Matsalu Bay, the Kasari River delta, the village of Matsalu and surrounding areas.
Protected areas of Estonia are regulated by the Nature Conservation Act, which was passed by the Estonian parliament on April 21, 2004 and entered into force May 10, 2004. Overall Estonia has 15403 protected areas covering 21% of the country land and 18% of it marine and coastal territory, including 6 national parks: Lahemaa National Park, Karula National Park, Soomaa National Park,Vilsandi National Park, Matsalu National Park, and Alutaguse National Park
Estonia is a small, heavily forested country situated on the Baltic Sea. It is a part of the Euro-Siberian region of terrestrial Palearctic realm, and the Temperate Northern Atlantic marine ecoregion.
Vesiloo is a small, uninhabited Estonian island in the Baltic Sea. Its coordinates are 58°23′45″N21°50′35″E.
Harilaid Peninsula is a peninsula on the northwest coast of the island of Saaremaa in Estonia. It should not be confused with the islet of Harilaid which lies between the islands of Vormsi and Hiiumaa.
Nootamaa is a small, uninhabited island in the Baltic Sea belonging to the country of Estonia. It marks the westernmost part of Estonia's territorial boundary.
Loona is a village in Saaremaa Parish, Saare County in western Estonia.
Innarahu is a small, uninhabited Baltic Sea islet belonging to Estonia.
Koerakuiv is a small islet in the Baltic Sea belonging to the country of Estonia. Koerakuiv lies just off the northwest coast of the island of Saaremaa, and is administratively part of Atla village in Saaremaa Parish, Saare County and is also part of Vilsandi National Park.
Salavamaa also known as Salava is a small island in the Baltic Sea belonging to the country of Estonia. Salavamaa lies just off the northwest coast of the island of Saaremaa, and is administratively part of Atla village in Saaremaa Parish, Saare County and is also part of Vilsandi National Park.
Laidevahe Nature Reserve is a nature reserve situated on Saaremaa in western Estonia, in Saare County.
Vilsandi Lighthouse is a lighthouse located on the island of Vilsandi, in Estonia. The lighthouse was built in 1809, making it the oldest lighthouse on the coastline of the Baltic Sea in Saare County. In 1907 the lighthouse keeper became Artur Toom, which founded the first protected area in the small island of Vaika. Artur Toom ended his service of lighthouse keeper in 1941. In 1957 the lighthouse was renovated.
Kandalaksha Nature Reserve is a Russian 'zapovednik' on the south shore of Kandalaksha Bay in the Murmansk and Karelia regions on the opening to the White Sea. The reserve also includes two small sectors on the northern coast of the Kola peninsula on the Barents Sea; notably, the warm Atlantic current causes the northern sectors on the Barents Sea to be warmer than the more southerly White Sea sectors. Over 550 islands are covered in the boundaries of the reserve. It is one of the oldest nature reserves in Russia, created in 1932 to protect the marine habitats and waterfowl of the region, particularly the eider. The reserve is situated in the Kandalakshsky District, Kolsky District, and Lovozersky District of Murmansk Oblast. The nearest city, Kandalaksha, is at the northwest entrance to the Kandalaksha Gulf, about 5 km from the nearest point in the reserve. Since 1976, the reserve has been part of the Ramsar wetland site of international importance "Kandalaksha Bay". It covers an area of 70,530 ha (272.3 sq mi).
Artur Toom was an Estonian ornithologist and conservationist who worked on the island of Vilsandi which later became Vilsandi National Park. He was arrested following the Soviet occupation of Estonia and died in Usollag Gulag labor camp.
