Fasta Åland ( fi, Manner-Ahvenanmaa or , meaning mainland Åland) is the largest and most populous island of

Åland Åland ( fi, Ahvenanmaa: ; ; ) is an Federacy, autonomous and Demilitarized zone, demilitarised region of Finland since 1920 by a decision of the League of Nations. It is the smallest region of Finland by area and population, with a size of 1 ...

, an

autonomous In developmental psychology and moral, political, and bioethical philosophy, autonomy, from , ''autonomos'', from αὐτο- ''auto-'' "self" and νόμος ''nomos'', "law", hence when combined understood to mean "one who gives oneself one's ow ...

province of

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...

. The island is home to the provincial capital

Mariehamn Mariehamn ( , ; fi, Maarianhamina ; la, Portus Mariae) is the capital city, capital of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finland, Finnish sovereignty. Mariehamn is the seat of the Government of Åland, Government and Parliament of Åland, ...

. About ninety percent of the archipelago's population lives on Fasta Åland.Statistical Yearbook of Finland 2016, p.505. Accessed 2017-02-07. http://www.stat.fi/tup/julkaisut/tiedostot/julkaisuluettelo/yyti_stv_201600_2016_16179_net.pdf Its area is difficult to estimate due to its irregular shape and coastline, but estimates range from to to over , depending on what is included or excluded. Even at the minimum estimate, Fasta Åland is Finland's largest and most populous island, with about 27,000 people. Its highest point is 129 metres (423 feet). On the east side of Fasta Åland is a large bay, Lumparn, which is now believed to be the

impact crater An impact crater is a circular depression in the surface of a solid astronomical object formed by the hypervelocity impact of a smaller object. In contrast to volcanic craters, which result from explosion or internal collapse, impact craters ...

from a meteorite impact about 1000 million years ago.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fasta Aland Islands of Åland Aland, Fasta