Geestland

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Geestland or Geest is a type of landscape in Northern Germany, the Northern Netherlands and Denmark. It is slightly hilly and sandy terrain consisting of glacial deposits left behind after the last ice age.

Geestlands are made up of moraines and sandars. They are almost always next to flat Marshlands, the Geest being higher and better protected against flood, but compared to the marsh with poor soil for agriculture. Where the Geest borders the sea directly, sand cliffs exist.

The oldest settlements in Northern Germany and Denmark lie on geestland, since it provided better protection against storm floods. Many important towns are on the boundary between geestland and marshland where people could enjoy the flood-protection of the geest but still use the much more fertile soil in the marsh.