ÅLAND - Geography and history
The islands of Åland form an autonomous territory in the northern Baltic about half-way between the Finnish and the Swedish mainlands. Åland comprises a main island (mainland Åland) and vast numbers of islands, skerries and reefs. In all, there are some 6 500 islands, of which approx. 60 are inhabited. The total area of the archipelago is 6 784 km2, of which 1 527 km2 is land.
Åland is primarily low-lying with gently rolling hills. Many woodlands have been cleared for farming.
In the early years of Swedish rule, Åland was a relatively independent region, but it was later linked administratively to Finland. Along with Finland, Åland became part of the Russian Empire in 1809. The islands were demilitarised by the middle of the nineteenth century. When Finland claimed its independence in 1917, there was a strong movement in Åland to join Åland to Sweden. The dispute over Åland's position between Finland and Sweden was referred to the League of Nations, which decided in June 1921 that Åland was to become a part of Finland. At the same time, however, extensive home rule was granted to the territory.
The official language of Åland is Swedish, which is spoken by 93% of the islanders. The archipelago has its own flag and stamps. Ålanders also have a kind of a regional 'citizenship' of their own and the islanders are exempted from military service.
Åland on the road to prosperity
The geographical position of Åland between Sweden and Finland has guaranteed that the area has had commercial and cultural ties with both West and East. As early as the 11th century, Åland was an important stopover on the North Baltic trade route. Traffic between Finland and Sweden has also traditionally gone through Åland. The islanders have indeed felt that they are part of the Swedish-speaking part of Scandinavia.
During the last decade, the archipelago became one of the most affluent regions in Finland. It also emerged relatively unscathed from the deep recession of the early 1990s. GDP has risen steadily and employment is good.
Population and wealth concentrated in mainland Åland
The Åland way of life looks different depending on whether it is viewed from the city of Mariehamn and the mainland, or the small island municipalities.
About 90% of the population live in mainland Åland. Mariehamn is not only the sole city of Åland; it is also the political, administrative and economic centre. It has also profited from internal migration, as the urbanization in the 1950s and 1960s concentrated Åland's population in the capital. At the moment, the town is home to nearly half of all Ålanders. Other population concentrations are located in the mainland municipalities north of Mariehamn: here, too, the number of inhabitants is showing a rise. The areas suffering from weak population development are the outer islands. The island municipalities have lost working age people. As a result, their inhabitants are ageing and are now the oldest people in Åland.
The service professions are the main providers of work in Åland today. 85% of the people in Mariehamn earn their living from the service industry, mainly shipping, trading and tourism. The public sector is also an important employer. Agriculture and manufacturing are located outside Mariehamn.
The income level is highest in Mariehamn and second highest in the neighbouring municipalities within convenient commuting distance from the capital. It is lowest in the northern and eastern coastal municipalities of the mainland and in the outer archipelago. Many people in the outer islands are employed in inter-island ferry traffic. Jobs are also created by tourism and fish farming.
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