Åland Ahvenanmaa | |
---|---|
Region of Åland Ahvenanmaan maakunta (Finnish) Landskapet Åland (Swedish) | |
Motto: "Islands of Peace"[verification needed][1] | |
Anthem: "Ålänningens sång" (Swedish) (English: "Song of the Ålander") | |
![]() Location of Åland within Finland | |
Sovereign state | Finland |
Autonomy granted | 7 May 1920[2] |
First Regional Assembly (Autonomy Day) | 9 June 1922[3][4] |
EU accession | 1 January 1995 |
Capital and largest city | Mariehamn 60°07′N 019°54′E / 60.117°N 19.900°E |
Official languages | Swedish |
Demonym(s) |
|
Government | Devolved parliamentary autonomous region |
• Governor | Peter Lindbäck |
• Premier | Veronica Thörnroos |
Legislature | Lagting |
Area | |
• Total | 1,580[5] km2 (610 sq mi) (unranked) |
Highest elevation | 129.1 m (423.6 ft) |
Population | |
• 2020 estimate | 30,129[6] (223rd) |
• Density | 19.07/km2 (49.4/sq mi) |
GDP (PPP) | 2007 estimate |
• Total | $1.563 billion[7] |
• Per capita | $55,829 |
GDP (nominal) | estimate |
• Total | US$1,282,093,196 |
• Per capita | US$42,553[8] |
HDI (2017) | 0.900[9] very high |
Currency | Euro (€) (EUR) |
Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) |
Date format | dd.mm.yyyy |
Driving side | right |
Calling code | +358 18 |
ISO 3166 code | |
Internet TLD | .ax |
Website | www.aland.ax |
Åland (Finnish: Ahvenanmaa: [ˈɑhʋenɑnˌmːɑː]; Swedish: [ˈǒːland] (listen); Finland Swedish: [ˈoːlɑnd]) is an autonomous and demilitarised region of Finland since 1920 by a decision of the League of Nations.[2] It is the smallest region of Finland by area and population, with a size of 1,580 km2, and a population of 30,129, constituting 0.51% of its land area and 0.54% of its population. Its only official language is Swedish and the capital city is Mariehamn.
Åland is situated in an archipelago, called the Åland Islands, at the entrance to the Gulf of Bothnia in the Baltic Sea belonging to Finland. It comprises Fasta Åland on which 90% of the population resides[10] and about 6,500 skerries and islands to its east.[11] Of Åland's thousands of islands, about 60-80 are inhabited. Fasta Åland is separated from the coast of Roslagen in Sweden by 38 kilometres (24 mi) of open water to the west. In the east, the Åland archipelago is contiguous with the Finnish archipelago. Åland's only land border is located on the uninhabited skerry of Märket, which it shares with Sweden.[12] From Mariehamn, there is a ferry distance of about 160 kilometres (100 mi) to Turku, a coastal city of mainland Finland, and also to Stockholm, the capital of Sweden.
Åland's autonomous status means that those provincial powers normally exercised by representatives of the central Finnish government are largely exercised by its own government. The current demilitarised, neutral position of Åland dates back to the days of the Paris Peace Treaty after the Åland War in the 1850s.[13] 2022 marked the 100th anniversary of the autonomous status.[14]
Autonomy[edit]
The autonomous status of Åland was affirmed by a decision made by the League of Nations in 1921 following the Åland Islands dispute. It was reaffirmed within the treaty admitting Finland to the European Union. By law, Åland is politically neutral and entirely demilitarised, and residents are exempt from conscription to the Finnish Defence Forces. Åland was granted extensive autonomy by the Parliament of Finland in the Act on the Autonomy of Åland of 1920, which was later replaced by new legislation by the same name in 1951 and 1991. The constitution of Finland defines a "constitution of Åland" by referring to this act. Åland remains exclusively Swedish-speaking by this act.[15] Although a referendum to join the European Union had been held in mainland Finland on 16 October 1994, Åland held a separate vote on 20 November as they were a separate customs jurisdiction. EU membership was approved by 73.64% of voters.[16] In connection with Finland's admission to the European Union, a protocol was signed concerning Åland that stipulates, among other things, that provisions of the European Community Treaty shall not force a change of the existing restrictions for foreigners (i.e., persons who do not enjoy "home region rights"—hembygdsrätt—in Åland) to acquire and hold real property or to provide certain services.[17]
Etymology[edit]
Åland's original name was in the Proto-Norse language *Ahvaland which means 'land of water'[citation needed]. Proto-Germanic ahwō is related to the Latin word for water, aqua. In Swedish, this first developed into Áland and eventually into Åland, literally 'river land'—even though rivers are not a prominent feature of Åland's geography. The Finnish and Estonian names of the area, Ahvenanmaa and Ahvenamaa ('perch-land', from Finnish avenet, for the type of fish), are seen to preserve another form of the old name.[18]
Another theory suggests that the Finnish Ahvenanmaa would be the original name of the archipelago, from which the Swedish Åland derives.[19]
The official name, Landskapet Åland, means 'the Region of Åland'; landskap is cognate to English landscape.
History[edit]
Swedish Empire 1157–1809
Russian Empire 1809–1917
Finland 1917–present
Members of the Neolithic Comb Ceramic culture started settling the archipelago some 7000 years ago, after the islands had begun to re-emerge from the sea after being pushed down by the weight of the continental ice of the latest ice-age. Two Neolithic cultures met on Åland: the Comb Ceramic culture and the later Pit-Comb Ware culture which spread from the west.[citation needed][20]
Stone Age and Bronze Age people obtained food by hunting seals and birds, fishing, and gathering plants. They also started agriculture early on. In the Iron Age, contacts with Scandinavia increased.[citation needed] From the Iron Age, Åland has six hillforts. From the Viking age there are over 380 documented burial sites.[20]
By mistake, the coat of arms of Åland were originally granted to the Swedish island province of Öland in 1560, and display a golden red deer (that doesn't live in Åland) on a blue field.[21] This is traditionally surmounted by a comital coronet of the elder Swedish style.[22]
Along with Finland, Åland formed part of the territory ceded to Russia by Sweden under the Treaty of Fredrikshamn in September 1809. As a result, they became part of the semi-autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland (1809–1917). During negotiations, Sweden failed to secure a provision that the islands not be fortified. The issue was important not only for Sweden but also for the United Kingdom, which as a result of the Treaty of 1809 became concerned that a Russian military presence on the islands could threaten Britain's commercial interests in its trade passing through the Baltic.[citation needed]
In 1832, Russia started to fortify the islands, with the great fortress of Bomarsund. In 1854, as part of the campaign in the Baltic during the Crimean War against Russia, a combined British and French force of warships and marines captured and destroyed the fortress during the Åland War. The 1856 Treaty of Paris demilitarised the entire Åland archipelago.[13]
During the Finnish Civil War, in 1918, Swedish troops intervened as a peacekeeping force between the Russian troops stationed on the islands and "White" and "Red" Finnish troops who came from Finland over the frozen sea. Within weeks, the Swedish troops gave way to German troops who occupied Åland at the request of the "White" (conservative) Senate of Finland.
After 1917, the residents of Åland worked towards having them ceded to Sweden. In 1919 96.4% of the voters in Åland signed a petition for secession from Finland and for integration with Sweden, with over 95% in favour.[23] Swedish nationalist sentiments had strengthened particularly as a result of the anti-Swedish tendencies in Finland and as a result of Finnish nationalism fueled by Finland's struggle to retain its autonomy and resistance against Russification. The conflict between the Swedish-speaking minority and the Finnish-speaking majority on the Finnish mainland, prominent in Finnish politics since the 1840s, contributed to the apprehension of the Åland population about a future within Finland.
Finland, however, declined to cede the islands and instead offered the islanders an autonomous status. Nevertheless, the residents did not approve the offer, and in 1921 the dispute over the islands went before the newly formed League of Nations. The latter decided that Finland should retain sovereignty over the province, but that Åland should be made an autonomous territory. One of the important proponents of a diplomatic solution to the case was Nitobe Inazō, who was one of the Under-Secretaries General of the League and the director of the International Bureaux Section, in charge of the International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation.[24] The Åland convention of 20 October 1921, signed by Sweden, Finland, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Denmark, Poland, Estonia, and Latvia, was the first international agreement achieved by the League.[25] Thus, Finland was obliged to ensure the residents of Åland the right to maintain the Swedish language, as well as their own culture and local traditions. The convention of 1921 established the neutral status of Åland by international treaty, prohibiting the placing of military installations or forces on the islands.[26] Åland's Regional Assembly convened for its first plenary session in Mariehamn on 9 June 1922;[3] today, the day is celebrated as Self-Government Day of Åland.[4]
The islanders' disappointment about insufficient support from Sweden in the League of Nations, Swedish disrespect for Åland's demilitarised status in the 1930s, and some feelings of a shared destiny with Finland during and after the Second World War, changed their perception of their relationship with Finland from "a Swedish province in Finnish possession" to "an autonomous part of Finland".[27][failed verification]
Because of the condition of neutrality under the 1921 Convention, the islanders enjoyed safety at sea during the war of 1939–1945, as their merchant fleet sailed both for the Allied countries and for Nazi Germany. Consequently, Åland shipping was not generally attacked, as the various military forces rarely knew which cargo was being carried or to whom.
Finland marked the 150th anniversary of the demilitarisation of Åland by issuing a high-value commemorative coin, the €5 150th Anniversary of Demilitarisation of Åland commemorative coin, minted in 2006. The obverse depicts a pine tree, a typical feature of Åland. The reverse features a boat's stern and rudder, with a dove perched on the tiller, a symbol of 150 years of peace.
Politics[edit]
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20220703041159im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/%C3%85lands_lagting.jpg/220px-%C3%85lands_lagting.jpg)
Åland is governed according to the Act on the Autonomy of Åland and international treaties. These laws guarantee the region's autonomy from Finland, which has ultimate sovereignty over them, as well as a demilitarised status. The Government of Åland, or Landskapsregering, answers to the Parliament of Åland, or Lagting, in accordance with the principles of parliamentarism.[15]
Åland has its own flag and has issued its own postage stamps since 1984.[28] It runs its own police force, and is an associate member of the Nordic Council.[29] Åland is demilitarised, and the population is exempt from conscription. Although Åland's autonomy preceded the creation of the regions of Finland, the autonomous government of Åland also has responsibility for the functions undertaken by Finland's regional councils. Åland Post provides postal services to the islands, and is a member of the Small European Postal Administration Cooperation. Åland is considered a separate "nation" for amateur radio purposes and have their own call sign prefix granted by Finland, OH0
, OF0
and OG0
(last character is zero).[30]
Åland is guaranteed representation in the Finnish parliament, to which they elect one representative. Åland also has a different system of political parties from the mainland.
Homeschooling, which has been effectively banned in Sweden since 2011, is allowed by the Finnish government. Due to the islands' proximity to Sweden and because they are Swedish-speaking, a number of Swedish homeschooling families have moved from the Swedish mainland to Åland, including Jonas Himmelstrand, the chairman of the Swedish association for homeschooling.[31]
After a reform of the electoral law, Åland was to introduce internet voting in 2019 for expat voters in the parliamentary elections, considering opening the use of the same system for the next elections (2023) to all the voters.[32] However, its use was cancelled at the last minute due to a lack of evidence of the trustability of the system.[33]
Åland's parties include a separatist party called the Future of Åland (Swedish: Ålands Framtid), whose main program includes driving autonomous Åland into a completely independent state.[34][35]
Åland and the EU[edit]
Åland held its own referendum on membership of the European Union on 20 November 1994. A majority of Ålanders voted in favour of membership, and it followed Finland into the Union in 1995. A special Åland protocol regulates Åland's position within the EU. It has some important exceptions, concerning the right of non-Ålanders to own real estate and the right of non-Ålandic companies to establish themselves in the region, and concerning EU tax legislation. The last item's derogation means that Åland is considered a third country for tax purposes, which has had the most important effect of allowing the profitable sale of tax-exempt goods on ferries to and from Sweden and Finland to continue. Membership of the EU is questioned by the Ålanders, who were left without any compensation for the transfer of power from self-government to both Finland and the EU that resulted from membership, which has contributed to a deterioration in relations between the authorities in Åland, Finland, and the EU.[citation needed]
Administration[edit]
The State Department of Åland represents the Finnish central government and performs many administrative duties. It has a somewhat different function from the other Regional Administrative Agencies, owing to its autonomy. Before 2010, the state administration was handled by the Åland State Provincial Office.
Åland has its own postal administration but still uses the Finnish five-digit postal code system, using the number range 22000–22999, with the prefix AX. The lowest numbered postal code is for the capital Mariehamn, AX 22100, and the highest AX 22950 for Jurmo.
Municipalities[edit]
Åland contains 16 municipalities. Over forty percent of all inhabitants live in Mariehamn, the capital.[36]
Mariehamn
- Population: 11,736
- Population: 11,736
Jomala
- Population: 5,509
- Population: 5,509
Finström
- Population: 2,642
- Population: 2,642
Lemland
- Population: 2,133
- Population: 2,133
Saltvik
- Population: 1,810
- Population: 1,810
Hammarland
- Population: 1,624
- Population: 1,624
Sund
- Population: 1,020
- Population: 1,020
Eckerö
- Population: 934
- Population: 934
Föglö
- Population: 501
- Population: 501
Geta
- Population: 506
- Population: 506
Vårdö
- Population: 462
- Population: 462
Brändö
- Population: 449
- Population: 449
Lumparland
- Population: 376
- Population: 376
Kumlinge
- Population: 313
- Population: 313
Kökar
- Population: 224
- Population: 224
Sottunga
- Population: 105
- Population: 105
Population as 31 December 2021.[37]
Geography[edit]
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20220703041159im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2c/Vandring_%C3%85land.jpg/220px-Vandring_%C3%85land.jpg)
Åland occupies a position of strategic importance, as it commands one of the entrances to the port of Stockholm, as well as the approaches to the Gulf of Bothnia, in addition to being situated near the Gulf of Finland.
The Åland archipelago includes nearly three hundred habitable islands, of which about 60-80 are inhabited; the remainder are merely some 6,200 skerries and desolate rocks.[11] The archipelago is connected to Åboland archipelago in the east (Finnish: Turunmaan saaristo, Swedish: Åbolands skärgård)—the archipelago adjacent to the southwest coast of Finland. Together they form the Archipelago Sea. To the West from Åland is the Sea of Åland and to the North is the Bothnian Sea.
The surface of the islands is generally rocky and the soil thin due to glacial stripping at the end of the most recent ice age.[11] The islands also contain many meadows that are home to many different kinds of insects, such as the Glanville fritillary butterfly.
Åland's landmass occupies a total area of 1,527 square kilometres (590 sq mi).[39] Ninety per cent of the population live on Fasta Åland, which is also the site of the capital town of Mariehamn. Fasta Åland is the largest island in the archipelago. Its area is difficult to estimate due to its irregular shape and coastline, but estimates range from 740 square kilometres[11] to 879 square kilometres[40] to over 1,010 square kilometres, depending on what is included or excluded. There are several harbours.
During the Åland Islands dispute, the parties sought support from different maps of the area. On the Swedish map, the most densely populated main island dominated, and many skerries were left out. On the Finnish map, many smaller islands or skerries were, for technical reasons, given a slightly exaggerated size. The Swedish map made the islands appear to be closer to the mainland of Sweden than to Finland; the Finnish map stressed the continuity of the archipelago between the main island and mainland Finland, while a greater gap appeared between the islands and the archipelago on the Swedish side. One consequence is the often repeated number of "over 6,000" skerries that was given authority by the outcome of the arbitration.[citation needed]
Many animals that live in the islands are not native. Animals such as elk and other species of deer were introduced in the 20th century.
Climate[edit]
Åland has a humid continental climate (Dfb) that is influenced by its maritime position, especially in summer. While summers are cooler than on both the Swedish and Finnish mainland, winters see little difference to the adjacent parts of Sweden and are only narrowly milder than in mainland Finland.
Climate data for Mariehamn Airport (normals 1991-2020, extremes 1914 - present) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 10.9 (51.6) |
10.5 (50.9) |
17.0 (62.6) |
21.1 (70.0) |
27.1 (80.8) |
29.4 (84.9) |
31.3 (88.3) |
30.7 (87.3) |
24.8 (76.6) |
19.0 (66.2) |
16.6 (61.9) |
11.1 (52.0) |
31.3 (88.3) |
Average high °C (°F) | 1.0 (33.8) |
0.4 (32.7) |
3.1 (37.6) |
8.0 (46.4) |
13.4 (56.1) |
17.5 (63.5) |
20.8 (69.4) |
20.0 (68.0) |
15.5 (59.9) |
9.6 (49.3) |
5.2 (41.4) |
2.5 (36.5) |
9.8 (49.6) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | −1.3 (29.7) |
−2.3 (27.9) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
3.8 (38.8) |
8.9 (48.0) |
13.3 (55.9) |
16.8 (62.2) |
16.1 (61.0) |
11.8 (53.2) |
6.8 (44.2) |
3.2 (37.8) |
0.4 (32.7) |
6.4 (43.5) |
Average low °C (°F) | −4.3 (24.3) |
−5.5 (22.1) |
−3.7 (25.3) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
4.0 (39.2) |
8.6 (47.5) |
12.2 (54.0) |
11.6 (52.9) |
7.8 (46.0) |
3.5 (38.3) |
0.6 (33.1) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
2.7 (36.9) |
Record low °C (°F) | −32.3 (−26.1) |
−32.9 (−27.2) |
−25.0 (−13.0) |
−18.9 (−2.0) |
−6.5 (20.3) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
0.1 (32.2) |
−0.5 (31.1) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
−11.8 (10.8) |
−20.0 (−4.0) |
−28.9 (−20.0) |
−32.9 (−27.2) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 53 (2.1) |
35 (1.4) |
38 (1.5) |
31 (1.2) |
35 (1.4) |
53 (2.1) |
52 (2.0) |
76 (3.0) |
61 (2.4) |
70 (2.8) |
71 (2.8) |
59 (2.3) |
634 (25) |
Average precipitation days | 17 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 155 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 39 | 74 | 130 | 207 | 297 | 296 | 312 | 235 | 163 | 91 | 41 | 26 | 1,911 |
Source 1: FMI climatological normals for Finland 1991-2020[41] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: record highs and lows 1961- present[42] |
Economy[edit]
Åland's economy is heavily dominated by shipping, trade and tourism. Shipping represents about 40% of the economy, with several international carriers owned and operated from Åland. Most companies aside from shipping are small, with fewer than ten employees. Farming and fishing are important in combination with the food industry. A few high-profile technology companies contribute to a prosperous economy. Wind power is rapidly developing, aiming at reversing the direction in the cables to the mainland in coming years. In December 2011, wind power accounted for 31.5% of Åland's total electricity usage.[citation needed]
The main ports are the Western Harbour of Mariehamn (south), Berghamn (west) and Långnäs on the eastern shore of the Main Island. Fasta Åland has the only four highways in Åland: Highway 1 (from Mariehamn to Eckerö), Highway 2 (from Mariehamn to Sund), Highway 3 (from Mariehamn to Lumparland) and Highway 4 (from Finström to Geta).
Mariehamn served as the base for the last large oceanic commercial sailing-ships in the world. Their final tasks involved bringing Australian wheat to Great Britain, a trade which Åland shipowner Gustaf Erikson kept going until 1947. The ships latterly made only one round-trip from South Australia to Britain per year, (the grain race), after each marathon voyage going back to Mariehamn to lay up for a few months. The ship Pommern, now a museum in Mariehamn, was one of these last vessels.
The abolition of tax-free sales on ferry boats travelling between destinations within the European Union made Finland demand an exception for Åland on the European Union value-added tax rules. The exception allows for maintained tax-free sales on the ferries between Sweden and Finland (provided they stop at Mariehamn or Långnäs) and at the airport, but has also made Åland a different tax-zone, meaning that tariffs must be levied on goods brought to the islands. Two million people visit Åland every year - but most of them just for a few hours before the ferry returns again, or the passengers change from one ship to another.[44]
Unemployment was 3.9% in January 2014[45]
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20220703041159im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/%C3%85landsbanken%2C_Mariehamn%2C_2019_%2801%29.jpg/220px-%C3%85landsbanken%2C_Mariehamn%2C_2019_%2801%29.jpg)
The Finnish State also collects taxes, duties and fees in Åland. In return, the Finnish Government places a sum of money at the disposal of the Åland Parliament. The sum is 0.5% of total Government income, excluding Government loans. If the sum paid to the Finnish state exceeds 0.5%, then any amount above goes back to the Parliament of Åland as "diligence money".[46] In 2010 the amount of taxes paid by Åland Islanders comprised 0.7% of the total taxes paid in Finland.[47]
According to Eurostat, as of 2006[update] Åland was the 20th-wealthiest of the EU's 268 regions, and the wealthiest in Finland, with a GDP per inhabitant 47% above the EU mean.[48][49]
Bank of Åland is headquartered on the island.
The euro is the sole legal tender (as with the rest of Finland), although most businesses in Åland unofficially accept the Swedish krona.[50]
The COVID-19 pandemic caused a sharper decrease in the total volume of the economy of Åland than for the neighbouring Sweden or Finland (mainland). Since the pandemic, the economy of Åland has been on a trajectory of recovery.[51]
Demographics[edit]
Ethnicity and language[edit]
Most inhabitants speak Swedish (the sole official language) as their first language: 86.5% in 2019, while 4.7% spoke Finnish. The language of instruction in publicly financed schools is Swedish. (In the rest of Finland, bilingual municipalities provide schooling both in Finnish and in Swedish.) For information about the dialect, see Åland Swedish.
The ethnicity of the Ålanders and the correct linguistic classification of their language remain somewhat sensitive and controversial. Ålanders may be considered either ethnic Swedes or Swedish-speaking Finns, but their language is closer to the Uppländska dialect of Sweden than to Finland Swedish.[citation needed] (See Languages of Sweden.)
Regional citizenship or the right of domicile (hembygdsrätt) is a prerequisite for voting, standing as a candidate for the Legislative Assembly, or owning and holding real estate situated in unplanned areas of Åland.[15]
Education[edit]
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20220703041159im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/%C3%85lands_lyceum_May_2016_04.jpg/220px-%C3%85lands_lyceum_May_2016_04.jpg)
In 2010, there were 22 primary schools in Åland. Eight of them covered both upper and lower secondary schools, two were upper secondary schools and 12 were primary schools (grades 1–6).[52] There exists two places of post-primary studies on the islands: the traditional high school of Ålands Lyceum or the Åland vocational high school, which offers a double degree in high school and vocational studies. Of these, Ålands Lyceum is a relatively large high school; according to the 2018 statistics of the education administration, as many as 432 high school students studied there.[53] The schools on Åland also include Ålands folkhögskola and other several primary and secondary schools.[54] Åland University of Applied Sciences teaches about 600 students[55] in maritime, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, IT, finance, hotels, restaurants and health care.[56] The maritime education of Åland are all part of Alandica Shipping Academy.[57]
The education in Åland is similar to that of Finland and the Nordics, and the language of education on Åland is officially Swedish. Finnish language has been a compulsory subject in upper secondary school, but optional in primary school; however, 80 per cent of students have chosen it. In 2006, it was proposed to remove the compulsory Finnish language from upper secondary schools.[58]
Religion[edit]
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20220703041159im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3d/Jomala_church_2_retouched.jpg/220px-Jomala_church_2_retouched.jpg)
The majority of the population, 70.5%, belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.[59] Åland contains Finland's oldest Christian churches, including St. Olaf's Church, Jomala, which dating from the late 13th century is likely to be the oldest in Finland.[60] Åland's largest church is the Church of St. John in Sund, dating from shortly after.[61]
Culture[edit]
Literature[edit]
The most famous writers in Åland are Anni Blomqvist, known for her five-volume Stormskärs-Maja series,[62] Sally Salminen, whose best-known work is the 1936 novel Katrina,[63] and Ulla-Lena Lundberg, who has described her native Kökar. Each of these works are set in Åland.
Cinema and television[edit]
A 2016 historical drama film Devil's Bride, directed by Saara Cantell, takes place in the 17th century in Åland during the witch hunts.[64] It won the Best Foreign Language Film Award at the Toronto Female Eye Film Festival in 2017.[65] Also, a 2013 drama film Disciple, directed by Ulrika Bengts, is set in Åland.[66][67]
Sport[edit]
In association football Åland national team competes in the biennial Island Games, which it hosted in 1991 and 2009. Åland also hosted the 1974 and 1977 Women's Nordic Football Championship. Competitions and teams are organised by the Åland Football Association which also organise the Ålands Cup for clubs.
Women's football club Åland United, founded in 2004, and men's IFK Mariehamn are Åland's leading football clubs. IFK play in the Veikkausliiga, Finland's highest football league. Both clubs play at the Wiklöf Holding Arena in Mariehamn.
Other smaller clubs include FC Åland, IF Finströms Kamraterna, IF Fram and Lemlands IF.
Åland hosted the 2017 and 2018 Paf Masters, an annual bonspiel-women's curling tournament hosted in Eckerö.
The Åland Stags is Åland's only rugby union club.
Heraldry[edit]
The coat of arms of Åland features a golden red deer on a blue field. This is traditionally surmounted by a comital coronet of the elder Swedish style.[22] The arms borne today by Åland were originally by mistake granted to the island province of Öland in 1560, displaying a golden red deer on a blue field.[21]
Notable people[edit]
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20220703041159im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/Georg_August_Wallin_%281811-1852%29%2C_Scandinavian_orientalist_and_explorer.jpg/170px-Georg_August_Wallin_%281811-1852%29%2C_Scandinavian_orientalist_and_explorer.jpg)
- Anni Blomqvist, author
- Adelina Engman, football player
- Robert Helenius, boxer
- Johan Hellström, boxer
- Karl Emanuel Jansson, painter
- Peter Lindbäck, politician and governor
- Ulla-Lena Lundberg, author
- Robert Mattson, shipowner and businessman
- Pehr Henrik Nordgren, composer
- Joel Pettersson, painter and author
- Sally Salminen, author
- Annica Sjölund, football player
- Veronica Thörnroos, politician
- Georg August Wallin, professor, explorer and orientalist
- Atos Wirtanen, politician and journalist
See also[edit]
- Åland Islands dispute
- Åland Islands official football team
- Åland Swedish
- Åland War
- Åland's Autonomy Day
- Battle of Åland Islands
- Coat of arms of Åland
- Flag of Åland
- Government of Åland
- Invasion of Åland
- Languages of Åland
- Paf (Ålands Penningautomatförening)
- Provincial Governors of Finland
- Public holidays in Åland
- Transport on the Åland Islands
- Bibliography of the Åland Islands
- Index of Åland-related articles
- Outline of the Åland Islands
Further reading[edit]
- Barros, James - The Aland Islands Question: Its Settlement by the League of Nations.[68]
- Mead, W. R. - Saltvik: Studies from an Aland Parish.[69]
- Sederholm, J. J. - On Migmatites and Associated Pre-Cambrian Rocks of Southwestern Finland, Part III: The Aland Islands.[70]
References[edit]
- ^ Tim Vickery, Associated Press (18 July 2004) Deseret News.
- ^ a b Hurst Hannum (1993). "Agreement between Sweden and Finland Relating to Guarantees in the Law of 7 May 1920 on the Autonomy of the Aaland Islands". Basic Documents on Autonomy and Minority Rights. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. p. 141. ISBN 0-7923-1977-X.
- ^ a b "Ahvenanmaa pähkinänkuoressa". Ahvenanmaa – ahaa! (in Finnish). 2007. p. 3.
- ^ a b "Ahvenanmaan historiaa lyhyesti". Pohjola Norden (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 29 January 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
- ^ "Ennakkoväkiluku sukupuolen mukaan alueittain, helmikuu.2016". Pxnet2.stat.fi. Archived from the original on 10 April 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ Tilastokeskus. "Population". tilastokeskus.fi. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
- ^ "Välkommen till ÅSUB! - Ålands statistik- och utredningsbyrå". Asub.ax. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
- ^ "Facts about Åland | Nordic cooperation". norden.org. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
- ^ "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
- ^ "The Aland Islands". Osterholm.info. 9 May 2012. Archived from the original on 9 May 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ a b c d Scheffel, Richard L.; Wernet, Susan J., eds. (1980). Natural Wonders of the World. United States of America: Reader's Digest Association, Inc. p. 3. ISBN 0-89577-087-3.
- ^ An account of the border on Märket and how it was redrawn in 1985 appears in Hidden Europe Magazine, 11 (November 2006) pp. 26–29, ISSN 1860-6318
- ^ a b "Uneasy Sweden and the Menace of Prussianism; An Analysis of the Scandinavian Situation in View of Kaiser's Reported Ambition to Make the Baltic a German Lake" (PDF). Query.nytimes.com. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
- ^ "100 years of autonomy: Åland celebrates". Nordic Labour Journal. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ a b c "Act on the Autonomy of Åland" (PDF). Finlex. 1991. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
- ^ Åland-Inseln (Finnland), 20. November 1994 : Beitritt zur EU Direct Democracy
- ^ "Åland in the European Union". Europe Information. Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. 2013. p. 7. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
- ^ Virrankoski, Pentti (2001). Suomen historia. Ensimmäinen osa. SKS. ISBN 951-746-321-9. p. 59.
- ^ Lars Hulden (2001) Finlandssvenska bebyggelsenamn; Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland. ISBN 951-583-071-0.
- ^ a b "åland, the history". Aland Museum. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
- ^ a b Nevéus, Clara; Wærn, Jacques de (1992). Ny Svensk Vapenbok (in Swedish). Stockholm, Sweden: Streiffert & Co Bokförlag HB. p. 32. ISBN 91-7886-092-X.
- ^ a b "Maakuntien vaakunat" (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 21 February 2007. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
- ^ ch, Beat Müller, beat (at-sign) sudd (dot). "Åland-Inseln (Finnland), ??. Juni 1919 : Anschluss an Schweden [in German]". Sudd.ch. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
- ^ Margery Post Abbott, Mary Ellen Chijioke, Pink Dandelion & John William Oliver: Historical Dictionary of the Friends (Quakers), p. 246. Scarecrow Press, 2011. ISBN 0810868571.
- ^ F. S. Northedge, The League of Nations: Its Life and Times, 1920–1946 (Holmes & Meier, 1986, ISBN 978-0-7185-1316-0), pp 77, 78
- ^ Elgán, Elisabeth (2015). Historical Dictionary of Sweden. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 26. ISBN 9781442250710.
- ^ The recognition of states: law and practice in debate and evolution, Thomas D. Grant, illustrated, Greenwood Publishing Group, 1999, ISBN 0-275-96350-0, ISBN 978-0-275-96350-7, pp. 129–30
- ^ "Product catalogue". Aland Stamps. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
- ^ "The 2007 Session of the Nordic Council". European Tribune. 2007. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
- ^ "International Prefixes". Radio Society of Great Britain. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
- ^ "Allt fler hemundervisare flyttar till Åland". Ålandstidningen. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ Krimmer, R., Duenas-Cid, D., Krivonosova, I., Serrano, R. A., Freire, M., & Wrede, C. (2019, September 27). Nordic Pioneers: facing the first use of Internet Voting in the Åland Islands (Parliamentary Elections 2019).
- ^ Duenas-Cid, David; Krivonosova, Iuliia; Serrano, Radu; Freire, Marlon; Krimmer, Robert (7 May 2020). "Tripped at the Finishing Line: The Åland Islands Internet Voting Project". In Krimmer, Robert; Volkamer, Melanie; Beckert, Bernhard; Küsters, Ralf; Kulyk, Oksana; Duenas-Cid, David; Solvak, Mihkel (eds.). Electronic Voting. Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Vol. 12455. Springer International Publishing. pp. 36–49. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-60347-2_3. ISBN 978-3-030-60346-5. S2CID 221911723 – via Springer Link.
- ^ Viva Åland! Independence Dream Not Dead, But More Autonomy Comes First
- ^ "Wednesday's papers: Åland's separatists take heart, housing market warning and pig farm vaccinations". Yle Uutiset. 4 October 2017.
- ^ "The special status of Åland". Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Guide, Copyright-The World Beach. "Degersand Beach / Finland". World Beach Guide.
- ^ "Statistical Yearbook of Finland 2016" (PDF). Stat.fi. p. 505. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
- ^ Europe, Council of (1 January 2012). Biodiversity and Climate Change: Reports and Guidance Developed Under the Bern Convention. Council of Europe. p. 251. ISBN 9789287170590.
- ^ "FMI normals 1991-2020" (PDF). fmi.fi. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
- ^ "FMI open data". FMI. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
- ^ https://helda.helsinki.fi/bitstream/handle/10138/15734/2009nro8.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y[bare URL PDF]
- ^ Åland: many travellers, far fewer overnighters, Nordic Labour Journal, 27 June 2019
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Lagtingets uppgifter". Lagtinget.ax. 22 October 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
- ^ "Om landskapet Åland tillkommande skattegottgörelse för 2010" (PDF). 13 March 2013. Archived from the original on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Europe's Regions" (PDF). 20 August 2012. Archived from the original on 20 August 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Ahvenanmaa on EU:n 20. vaurain alue". Helsingin Sanomat. 19 February 2009. Archived from the original on 8 November 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2009.
- ^ Symington, Andy; Bain, Carolyn; Bonetto, Cristian; Ham, Anthony & Kaminski, Anna (2013), Scandinavia, Lonely Planet
- ^ "Ekonomisk översikt hösten 2020 | Ålands statistik- och utredningsbyrå" (in Swedish). Asub.ax. 9 October 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- ^ "Grundskolor på Åland" (in Swedish). Ålands kommunförbund. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- ^ "Lukiokoulutuksen oppilaat". vipunen.fi (in Finnish). Opetushallinnon tilastopalvelu Vipunen. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- ^ "Skolor på Åland | Utbildningsbyrån". utbildning.ax. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
- ^ "Info om Högskolan på Åland". ha.ax (in Swedish). Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- ^ "Studera på Åland" (in Swedish). AMS – arbetsmarknad – Studierna. Archived from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- ^ "ASA | Alandica Shipping Academy". ASA (in Swedish). Retrieved 22 November 2021.
- ^ "Pakkosuomi uhan alla Ahvenanmaalla". Sveriges Radio. Sveriges Radio Sisuradio. 2006. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- ^ Key figures on population by region in 1990-2020 Statistics Finland
- ^ "Saint Olaf's Church". Alluring World. 8 July 2017.
- ^ "Churches in Åland". Muuka.com. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
- ^ "Anni Blomqvist". authorscalendar.info.
- ^ "Romanen Katrina var bara början - Sally Salminen var så mycket mer" säger Ulrika Gustafsson som skrivit en biografi över småbrukardottern från Vårdö som blev författare mot alla odds (in Swedish)
- ^ "Devil's Bride - Brosmark". Brosmark.com. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- ^ "Best Foreign Feature". Elinpetersdottir.com. June 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- ^ "Kotiapulaisesta kirjailijaksi" (in Finnish). Uusi Suomi. 2008. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- ^ "Oppipoika (2013)". Elokuvauutiset (in Finnish). Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- ^ Upton, A. F. (July 1970). "Review". The English Historical Review. Oxford University Press. 85 (336): 631. doi:10.1093/ehr/lxxxv.336.631-a. JSTOR 563263.
- ^ Coleman, Alice (December 1964). "Review". The Geographical Journal. Blackwell Publishing on behalf of The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers). 130 (4): 571–572. doi:10.2307/1792320. JSTOR 1792320.
- ^ Grogan, Robert (October–November 1935). "Review". The Journal of Geology. The University of Chicago Press. 43 (7): 784. Bibcode:1935JG.....43..784G. doi:10.1086/624372. JSTOR 30057950.
External links[edit]
Media related to Åland at Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Atlas of Åland
- Official website (in English)
- Government of Åland (in Swedish)
- B7 Baltic Islands Network Archived 13 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- The example of Åland, autonomy as a minor protector The Åland example: autonomy protects a minority
- Ålandstidningen (local newspaper)