Koos (island)
Koos is the largest of several small islands in the Bay of Greifswald, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It has an area of 772 hectares and a maximum elevation of just above three meters.<ref name=map>Map of Koos, elevation and settlements detailed</ref> The island is a largely uninhabited natural reserve with restricted access.<ref>Declaration of Koos as part of a Naturschutzgebiet "Insel Koos, Kooser See und Wampener Riff" {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=list/> It is separated from the mainland by Kooser Bucht and Kooser See, two bays connected by a tiny strait, Beek.<ref name=map/>
In 1241, Barnuta, prince of Rügen, granted Koos (then "Chosten") to Eldena abbey (then "Hilda"),<ref>Christian Lübke, Struktur und Wandel im Früh- und Hochmittelalter: eine Bestandsaufnahme aktueller Forschungen zur Germania Slavica, Franz Steiner Verlag, 1998, p. 308, Template:ISBN</ref> later it became a possession of the Hanseatic town of Greifswald, located a few kilometers southward. A medieval burgh has been suggested on the isle, but not verified.<ref>Christian Lübke, Struktur und Wandel im Früh- und Hochmittelalter: eine Bestandsaufnahme aktueller Forschungen zur Germania Slavica, Franz Steiner Verlag, 1998, p.305, Template:ISBN</ref> A 17th-century Dutch settlement had disappeared in the 18th century. Koos is administered by the nearby town of Greifswald.<ref name=list>The island is off limits to the general public; driving to the island with a motor vehicle is only permitted to authorised individuals. Detailed list of protected areas within the Greifswald city limits</ref>