KLAIPEDA COUNTY, LITHUANIA / KALININGRAD OBLAST, RUSSIA

The Curonian Spit is a unique creation of nature. About 98 kilometers long and only 0.4 to 4 kilometers wide, this sand dune peninsula separates the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea. It is an impressive natural landscape with dunes that are constantly changing and shifting due to wind and waves. Its southern portion lies in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia and its northern part in the south-western Klaipėda County, Lithuania. It is a beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site shared by the two countries.

Many birds use the Curonian Spit as their migration route from North-East Southwards; between 10 and 20 million birds fly over the feature during spring and fall migrations, and many pause to rest or breed. On the ground, Russian, Lithuanian and Polish inhabitants try to demarcate their territory on the ever-changing sandy surface.