Åland ( , ; ) is an
autonomous
In developmental psychology and moral, political, and bioethical philosophy, autonomy is the capacity to make an informed, uncoerced decision. Autonomous organizations or institutions are independent or self-governing. Autonomy can also be defi ...
and
demilitarised region of
Finland
Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...
. Receiving its autonomy by a 1920 decision of the
League of Nations
The League of Nations (LN or LoN; , SdN) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference (1919–1920), Paris Peace ...
,
it is the smallest
region of Finland
Finland is divided into 19 regions (; )
which are governed by regional councils that serve as forums of cooperation for the municipalities of each region. The councils are composed of delegates from the municipal councils. The main tasks of ...
by both area () and population (30,541), constituting 0.51% of Finland's land area and 0.54% of its population. Its only official language is
Swedish and the
capital city
A capital city, or just capital, is the municipality holding primary status in a country, state (polity), state, province, department (administrative division), department, or other administrative division, subnational division, usually as its ...
is
Mariehamn
Mariehamn ( , ; ; ) is the capital of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. Mariehamn is the seat of the Government and Parliament of Åland, and 40% of the population of Åland live in the city. It is mostly surrounded b ...
.
Åland is situated in an
archipelago
An archipelago ( ), sometimes called an island group or island chain, is a chain, cluster, or collection of islands. An archipelago may be in an ocean, a sea, or a smaller body of water. Example archipelagos include the Aegean Islands (the o ...
, called the Åland Islands, at the entrance to the
Gulf of Bothnia
The Gulf of Bothnia (; ; ) is divided into the Bothnian Bay and the Bothnian Sea, and it is the northernmost arm of the Baltic Sea, between Finland's west coast ( East Bothnia) and the northern part of Sweden's east coast ( West Bothnia an ...
in the
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...
. It comprises
Fasta Åland
Fasta Åland ( or , meaning mainland Åland) is the largest and most populous island of Åland, an autonomous province of Finland. The island is home to the provincial capital Mariehamn. About ninety percent of the archipelago's population lives ...
, on which 90% of the population resides, and about 6,500
skerries
A skerry is a small rocky island, usually defined to be too small for habitation.
Skerry, skerries, or The Skerries may also refer to:
Geography
Northern Ireland
*Skerries, County Armagh, a List of townlands in County Armagh#S, townland in Coun ...
and islands to its east,
of which about 60–80 are inhabited. Fasta Åland is separated from the coast of
Roslagen
Roslagen is the name of the coastal areas of Uppland province in Sweden, which also constitutes the northern part of the Stockholm archipelago.
Historically, it was the name for all the coastal areas of the Baltic Sea, including the eastern par ...
in Sweden by of open water to the west. In the east, the Åland archipelago is
contiguous
Contiguity or contiguous may refer to:
*Contiguous data storage, in computer science
*Contiguity (probability theory)
*Contiguity (psychology)
*Contiguous distribution of species, in biogeography
*Geographic contiguity
Geographic contiguity is t ...
with the
Finnish archipelago
The Archipelago Sea (, ) is a part of the Baltic Sea between the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland and the Sea of Åland, within Finnish territorial waters. By some definitions it contains the largest archipelago in the world by the number o ...
. Åland's only land border is located on the uninhabited skerry of
Märket, which it shares with Sweden. From Mariehamn, there is a ferry distance of about to
Turku
Turku ( ; ; , ) is a city in Finland and the regional capital of Southwest Finland. It is located on the southwestern coast of the country at the mouth of the Aura River (Finland), River Aura. The population of Turku is approximately , while t ...
, a coastal city of
mainland Finland
Mainland Finland (, ) is a term used in statistics and in other contexts to describe the continental parts of Finland, an area which excludes Åland. In legal contexts, the relation between the mainland and Åland is depicted by the word pair ''the ...
, and also to
Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
, the capital of Sweden.
Åland's autonomous status means that those provincial powers normally exercised by representatives of the central
Finnish Government
The Finnish Government (; ; ) is the executive branch and cabinet of Finland, which directs the politics of Finland and is the main source of legislation proposed to the Parliament. The Government has collective ministerial responsibility an ...
are largely exercised by
its own government. The current demilitarised,
neutral position of Åland dates back to the
Paris Peace Treaty
The Paris Peace Treaties () were signed on 10 February 1947 following the end of World War II in 1945. The Paris Peace Conference lasted from 29 July until 15 October 1946. The victorious wartime Allied powers (principally the United Kingdom, ...
after the
Åland War in the 1850s.
Autonomy
The
dispute over Åland's status led to the
League of Nations
The League of Nations (LN or LoN; , SdN) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference (1919–1920), Paris Peace ...
affirming its autonomous status in 1921. This autonomy was reaffirmed in the treaty admitting
Finland
Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...
to the
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
. By law, Åland is politically neutral and entirely demilitarised. Consequently, its residents are exempt from
conscription
Conscription, also known as the draft in the United States and Israel, is the practice in which the compulsory enlistment in a national service, mainly a military service, is enforced by law. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it conti ...
into the
Finnish Defence Forces
The Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) (; ) are the military of Finland. The Finnish Defence Forces consist of the Finnish Army, the Finnish Navy, and the Finnish Air Force. In wartime, the Finnish Border Guard becomes part of the Finnish Defence For ...
.
The
Parliament of Finland
The Parliament of Finland ( ; ) is the Unicameralism, unicameral and Parliamentary sovereignty, supreme legislature of Finland, founded on 9 May 1906. In accordance with the Constitution of Finland, sovereignty belongs to the people, and that ...
initially granted Åland extensive autonomy through the Act on the Autonomy of Åland in 1920. This act was subsequently updated with new versions in 1951 and 1991. The
constitution of Finland
The Constitution of Finland ( or ) is the supreme source of national law of Finland. It defines the basis, structures and organisation of government, the relationship between the different constitutional organs, and lays out the fundamental right ...
refers to this act, establishing it as the basis for Åland's specific constitutional framework. The Act also mandates that Åland remains exclusively
Swedish-speaking.
Åland held
a separate referendum on joining the
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
on 20 November 1994 (after the
mainland Finland referendum on 16 October), as it constituted a distinct customs jurisdiction. Membership was approved by 73.64% of voters.
[Åland-Inseln (Finnland), 20. November 1994 : Beitritt zur EU](_blank)
Direct Democracy Finland's accession treaty includes a specific protocol for Åland. This protocol ensures that
EU law
European Union law is a system of Supranational union, supranational Law, laws operating within the 27 member states of the European Union (EU). It has grown over time since the 1952 founding of the European Coal and Steel Community, to promote ...
does not override existing restrictions on non-residents (individuals without Ålandic home region rights, ) acquiring or holding real property, or providing certain services within Åland.
Etymology
Åland's hypothetical name in the
Proto-Norse language
Proto-Norse (also called Ancient Nordic; Danish and ; ; ; ) was an Indo-European language spoken in Scandinavia that is thought to have evolved as a northern dialect of Proto-Germanic in the first centuries CE. It is the earliest stage of a c ...
was . The
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic (abbreviated PGmc; also called Common Germanic) is the linguistic reconstruction, reconstructed proto-language of the Germanic languages, Germanic branch of the Indo-European languages.
Proto-Germanic eventually developed from ...
root is related to the Latin word for water, . In Swedish, the name evolved from to , meaning "river land"—despite rivers not being a notable feature of the archipelago.
The
Finnish and
Estonian
Estonian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Estonia, a country in the Baltic region in northern Europe
* Estonians, people from Estonia, or of Estonian descent
* Estonian language
* Estonian cuisine
* Estonian culture
See also ...
names for the region, and (meaning "perch land," from Finnish , a type of fish), are believed to preserve an alternative version of the old name.
Several theories exist regarding the origin of the Finnish name . Some suggest it is a Finnish adaptation of the Swedish name Åland, others that it is the original form from which Åland developed, and some that it emerged independently.
[Huldén, Lars (2001). ''Finlandssvenska bebyggelsenamn''. Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland. .]
The official name, , means "the Region of Åland." The word is a
cognate
In historical linguistics, cognates or lexical cognates are sets of words that have been inherited in direct descent from an etymological ancestor in a common parent language.
Because language change can have radical effects on both the s ...
of the English "landscape."
History
People from the
Comb Ceramic culture
The Comb Ceramic culture or Pit-Comb Ware culture, often abbreviated as CCC or PCW, was a northeast European culture characterised by its Pit–Comb Ware. It existed from around 4200 BCE to around 2000 BCE. The bearers of the Comb Ceramic cultu ...
began settling the Åland Islands around 7000 years ago, after the land started rising from the sea following the
last Ice Age. Åland became a meeting point for two Neolithic cultures: the Comb Ceramic culture and the later
Pit–Comb Ware culture, which spread from the west.
During the
Stone Age
The Stone Age was a broad prehistory, prehistoric period during which Rock (geology), stone was widely used to make stone tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years and ended b ...
and
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...
, people lived by hunting seals and birds, fishing, and gathering plants. Farming also began early. From the
Iron Age
The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...
, six hillforts remain on Åland. More than 380 burial sites from the
Viking Age
The Viking Age (about ) was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonising, conquest, and trading throughout Europe and reached North America. The Viking Age applies not only to their ...
have been documented.
Construction of
Kastelholm Castle began in the 1380s. In 1505, Danish naval officer
Søren Norby
Søren Norby, self-styled as Severin Norbi (died 1530), was a Danish leading naval officer in the fleets of Danish kings Hans I and Christian II. He commandeered the greatest ship of the Danish fleet in naval wars against Sweden and Lübeck. Nor ...
captured it during a raid. The
Kastelholm witch trials were held there in 1665 and 1668.
The
coat of arms of Åland
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.
History
First known symbol of the Åland islands is a seal from 1326 depicting Saint Ol ...
was originally meant for the Swedish island of
Öland
Öland (, ; ; sometimes written ''Oland'' internationally) is the second-largest Swedish island and the smallest of the traditional provinces of Sweden. Öland has an area of and is located in the Baltic Sea just off the coast of Småland. ...
in 1560 but was assigned to Åland by mistake. It shows a golden
red deer
The red deer (''Cervus elaphus'') is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or Hart (deer), hart, and a female is called a doe or hind. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Ir ...
(not native to Åland) on a blue
field
Field may refer to:
Expanses of open ground
* Field (agriculture), an area of land used for agricultural purposes
* Airfield, an aerodrome that lacks the infrastructure of an airport
* Battlefield
* Lawn, an area of mowed grass
* Meadow, a grass ...
.
Traditionally, it is topped with a
comital
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
coronet from the older Swedish heraldic style.
In 1809, Sweden ceded Åland and Finland to the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
under the
Treaty of Fredrikshamn
The Treaty of Fredrikshamn, or the Treaty of Hamina, was a peace treaty concluded between Sweden and Imperial Russia on 17 September 1809. The treaty concluded the Finnish War and was signed in the Finnish town of Fredrikshamn ( Hamina). Russia ...
. The islands became part of the
Grand Duchy of Finland
The Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland. It existed from 1809 to 1917 as an Autonomous region, autonomous state within the Russian Empire.
Originating in the 16th century as a titular grand duchy held by the Monarc ...
, which existed until 1917. Sweden had hoped Åland would remain unfortified, but no such clause was included.

In 1832, Russia began building the fortress of
Bomarsund on Åland. During the
Crimean War
The Crimean War was fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, the Second French Empire, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Kingdom of Sardinia (1720–1861), Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont fro ...
in 1854, British and French forces captured and destroyed it. The
Treaty of Paris (1856)
The Treaty of Paris of 1856, signed on 30 March 1856 at the Congress of Paris (1856), Congress of Paris, brought an end to the Crimean War (1853–1856) between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, the United Kingdom of G ...
then demilitarised the archipelago.
Russia later remilitarised Åland during
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
to guard against a German invasion.

In 1918, during the
Finnish Civil War
The Finnish Civil War was a civil war in Finland in 1918 fought for the leadership and control of the country between Whites (Finland), White Finland and the Finnish Socialist Workers' Republic (Red Finland) during the country's transition fr ...
, Swedish troops landed on Åland as a
peacekeeping
Peacekeeping comprises activities, especially military ones, intended to create conditions that favor lasting peace. Research generally finds that peacekeeping reduces civilian and battlefield deaths, as well as reduces the risk of renewed w ...
force between Russian soldiers and Finnish
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
and
Red
Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–750 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a seconda ...
forces. Soon after,
German troops occupied the islands at the request of the Finnish White Senate. The only major battle was the near the village of
Godby in
Finström
Finström is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland. The municipality has a population of () of which speak Swedish and Finnish as their first language. The municipality covers an area of of which is water. The populat ...
.
After 1917, Ålanders campaigned to join Sweden. In 1919,
a petition signed by 96.4% of voters supported leaving Finland and uniting with Sweden. This was partly due to anti-Swedish policies in Finland and growing
Finnish nationalism
Finnish nationalism was a central force in the history of Finland starting in the 19th century. The Finnish national awakening in the mid-19th century was the result of members of the Swedish-speaking upper classes deliberately choosing to promo ...
, driven by the country’s struggle against
Russification
Russification (), Russianisation or Russianization, is a form of cultural assimilation in which non-Russians adopt Russian culture and Russian language either voluntarily or as a result of a deliberate state policy.
Russification was at times ...
.
The long-standing
conflict between Finland’s Swedish- and Finnish-speaking communities added to Ålanders’ concerns.
Finland rejected the petition but offered Åland autonomy. Ålanders refused, and the case went to the
League of Nations
The League of Nations (LN or LoN; , SdN) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference (1919–1920), Paris Peace ...
in 1921. The League ruled that Finland would keep
sovereignty
Sovereignty can generally be defined as supreme authority. Sovereignty entails hierarchy within a state as well as external autonomy for states. In any state, sovereignty is assigned to the person, body or institution that has the ultimate au ...
but must give Åland political autonomy. A key diplomat behind the decision was
Nitobe Inazō
was a Japanese agronomist, diplomat, political scientist, politician, and writer. He studied at Sapporo Agricultural College under the influence of its first president William S. Clark and later went to the United States to study agricultural ...
, an Under-Secretary General of the League and director of the
International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation
The International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation, sometimes League of Nations Committee on Intellectual Cooperation, is an advisory organisation for the League of Nations which promotes international exchange between scientists, researche ...
.
The
Åland convention
Åland ( , ; ) is an Federacy, autonomous and Demilitarized zone, demilitarised region of Finland. Receiving its autonomy by a 1920 decision of the League of Nations, it is the smallest region of Finland by both area () and population (30,54 ...
of 20 October 1921, signed by Sweden, Finland, and several European countries, was the League’s first major international agreement. It guaranteed Ålanders’ rights to their language, culture, and traditions, and declared Åland a neutral and demilitarised zone.
Åland’s
Regional Assembly held its first session in
Mariehamn
Mariehamn ( , ; ; ) is the capital of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. Mariehamn is the seat of the Government and Parliament of Åland, and 40% of the population of Åland live in the city. It is mostly surrounded b ...
on 9 June 1922.
That day is now celebrated as
Self-Government Day of Åland.
Thanks to its neutral status, Åland’s merchant fleet could sail for both the
Allies
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not an explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are calle ...
and
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. Ships were generally not attacked, as their destinations and cargoes were often unknown.
In 2006, Finland marked 150 years of Åland’s demilitarisation by issuing a €5
commemorative coin
A commemorative coin is a coin issued to commemorate some particular event or issue with a distinct design with reference to the occasion on which they were issued. Some coins of this category serve as collector's items only, while most commemora ...
. The obverse shows a pine tree, common in Åland, while the reverse depicts a boat’s stern and rudder with a dove on the tiller—symbolising 150 years of peace.
Politics
Self-government
Åland's political system is based on the Act on the Autonomy of Åland and related international agreements. These guarantee Åland wide-ranging self-rule, while Finland retains ultimate sovereignty.
The
Government of Åland
The Government of Åland () is the executive authority of Åland, an autonomous region of Finland. It is led by the Premier of Åland (), who is elected by the Parliament of Åland ().
Åland Premiers
* Carl Björkman (politician), Carl Björ ...
() is responsible to the
Parliament of Åland
The Parliament of Åland (''Ålands lagting'') is the unicameral legislature of Åland, an autonomous, Swedish-speaking region of Finland. The Lagting has 30 members who make laws for Åland and oversee its government.
Committees
Most parli ...
() under a
parliamentary system
A parliamentary system, or parliamentary democracy, is a form of government where the head of government (chief executive) derives their Election, democratic legitimacy from their ability to command the support ("confidence") of a majority of t ...
. As Åland's autonomy predates Finland's current
regional system, it also performs many functions handled by regional councils in mainland Finland.
Elections and parties
Åland holds one seat in the
Parliament of Finland
The Parliament of Finland ( ; ) is the Unicameralism, unicameral and Parliamentary sovereignty, supreme legislature of Finland, founded on 9 May 1906. In accordance with the Constitution of Finland, sovereignty belongs to the people, and that ...
. Its political system operates separately from mainland Finland's and includes distinct parties such as the
Future of Åland (), which advocates full independence.
Public services and symbols
Åland maintains
its own flag and operates its postal service through
Åland Post since 1984. Åland Post is part of the
Small European Postal Administration Cooperation network.
The region also has its own police force and is an associate member of the
Nordic Council
The Nordic Council is the official body for formal inter-parliamentary Nordic cooperation among the Nordic countries. Formed in 1952, it has 87 representatives from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden as well as from the autonomo ...
. Åland also uses distinct
call sign prefixes for amateur radio (e.g.,
OH0
).
Civil rights
Homeschooling is permitted in Åland, attracting families from Sweden, where stricter regulations apply.
Authorities planned to introduce internet voting for overseas voters in the 2019 parliamentary election, with broader use considered for 2023. The project was later abandoned due to security concerns.
European Union
Åland held a separate
referendum
A referendum, plebiscite, or ballot measure is a Direct democracy, direct vote by the Constituency, electorate (rather than their Representative democracy, representatives) on a proposal, law, or political issue. A referendum may be either bin ...
on
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
membership on 20 November 1994. With majority support, it joined the EU alongside Finland in 1995. The Åland Protocol defines a special relationship, granting exceptions for land ownership, local business laws, and tax regulations. Åland is treated as a third-country territory for taxation, allowing
duty-free
A duty-free shop or store is a retail outlet whose goods are exempt from the payment of certain local or national taxes and duties, on the requirement that the goods will be sold to travelers who will take them out of the country, who will ...
sales on ferries between Åland, Finland, and Sweden.
Administration
Governor and state office
The
State Department of Åland
The State Department of Åland () is a department of the Finnish central government for the administration of Åland, with a status corresponding to a Regional State Administrative Agency elsewhere in Finland. It replaced the Åland State Prov ...
represents Finland's national government in the region and manages tasks that in mainland Finland are handled by regional agencies. Before 2010, these duties belonged to the
Åland State Provincial Office The State Provincial Office on the Åland Islands ({{Lang, sv, Länsstyrelsen på Åland) represented the central government of Finland within the Åland Islands region. It operated from 1918 until 2009.
Unique Functions Due to Autonomy
Åland po ...
.
The Governor is appointed by the President of Finland after consulting the
Lagting Speaker. If no agreement is reached, the Lagting proposes five candidates for the President to choose from.
Municipalities
Åland comprises 16 municipalities, with over 40% of residents concentrated in the capital
Mariehamn
Mariehamn ( , ; ; ) is the capital of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. Mariehamn is the seat of the Government and Parliament of Åland, and 40% of the population of Åland live in the city. It is mostly surrounded b ...
.
*
Mariehamn
Mariehamn ( , ; ; ) is the capital of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. Mariehamn is the seat of the Government and Parliament of Åland, and 40% of the population of Åland live in the city. It is mostly surrounded b ...
, population: 11,786
▼ (2023)
*
Jomala
Jomala is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland. In terms of population, it is the next largest after Mariehamn, the capital of Åland.
The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The ...
, population: 5,743
▲ (2023)
*
Finström
Finström is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland. The municipality has a population of () of which speak Swedish and Finnish as their first language. The municipality covers an area of of which is water. The populat ...
, population: 2,670
▲ (2023)
*
Lemland
Lemland is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland.
The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is .
The municipality is unilingually Swedish.
The Lemström ch ...
, population: 2,102
▲ (2023)
*
Saltvik
Saltvik is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland. The total area is 1 161,8 km2, of which 150,7 km2 is land, 4,7 km2 lakes and 1006,4 km2 sea.
The archipelago north of Saltvik is perhaps the most beauti ...
, population: 1,800
▼ (2023)
*
Hammarland
Hammarland ( in Swedish) is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous region of Finland. Its entire population of people
() speak Swedish, with 90% having it as their first language (31 December 2008). Hammarland is known for its historic church ...
, population: 1,612
▲ (2023)
*
Sund, population: 1,013
▼ (2023)
*
Eckerö
Eckerö is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. The municipality has a population of
() and covers an area of of
which
is water. The population density is
.
The municipality is unilingually Swedish an ...
, population: 942
▼ (2023)
*
Föglö
Föglö is a group of islands and municipality in Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland.
The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is .
The municipality is unilingually Swedis ...
, population: 507
▼ (2023)
*
Geta
Geta may refer to:
Places
*Geta (woreda), a woreda in Ethiopia's Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region
*Geta, Åland, a municipality in Finland
*Geta, Nepal, a town in Attariya Municipality, Kailali District, Seti Zone, Nepal
*Get� ...
, population: 505
▼ (2023)
*
Vårdö
Vårdö is an island municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland.
The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (di ...
, population: 450
▼ (2023)
*
Brändö
Brändö is an island Municipalities of Finland, municipality of Åland, Finland. Characteristics of Brändö are the numerous assembly of islands and islets, most important of which are linked by bridges and causeways. The municipality has a pop ...
, population: 442
▼ (2023)
*
Lumparland
Lumparland is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland. It is the smallest municipality on mainland Åland.
The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . The mu ...
, population: 386
▼ (2023)
*
Kumlinge
Kumlinge is a municipality and group of islands in Åland, an autonomous region of Finland. The main island is also named Kumlinge. The name is thought to mean "rocky passage".
As of 31 December 2023, Kumlinge had a population of 320 and a tota ...
, population: 305
▼ (2023)
*
Kökar, population: 223
▼ (2023)
*
Sottunga, population: 102
▼ (2023)
2023 population statistics. Arrows denote demographic trends since last census.
Geography
Åland occupies a strategic position at the entrance to the port of
Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
, near the
Gulf of Bothnia
The Gulf of Bothnia (; ; ) is divided into the Bothnian Bay and the Bothnian Sea, and it is the northernmost arm of the Baltic Sea, between Finland's west coast ( East Bothnia) and the northern part of Sweden's east coast ( West Bothnia an ...
and close to the
Gulf of Finland
The Gulf of Finland (; ; ; ) is the easternmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It extends between Finland to the north and Estonia to the south, to Saint Petersburg—the second largest city of Russia—to the east, where the river Neva drains into it. ...
.
The Åland archipelago consists of nearly 300 habitable islands, of which about 60 to 80 are inhabited. The rest—more than 6,000—are small
skerries
A skerry is a small rocky island, usually defined to be too small for habitation.
Skerry, skerries, or The Skerries may also refer to:
Geography
Northern Ireland
*Skerries, County Armagh, a List of townlands in County Armagh#S, townland in Coun ...
and bare rocks.
The archipelago continues eastward into the
Åboland
Åboland () is a sub-region in the archipelago of the Southwest Finland region in south-western Finland.
Åboland and Turunmaa are also informal names of the region, but in this context Särkisalo () is normally included and in the Finnish nam ...
region, part of the
Archipelago Sea
The Archipelago Sea (, ) is a part of the Baltic Sea between the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland and the Sea of Åland, within Finnish territorial waters. By some definitions it contains the List of archipelagos by number of islands, larges ...
off Finland’s southwest coast. West of Åland lies the
Sea of Åland
The Åland Sea (or the Sea of Åland; , ) is a waterway in the southern Gulf of Bothnia, between Åland and Sweden. It connects the Bothnian Sea with the Baltic Proper, Baltic Sea proper. The western part of the basin is in Swedish territorial w ...
; to the north is the
Bothnian Sea
The Bothnian Sea (; ) links the Bothnian Bay (also called the Bay of Bothnia) with the Baltic Sea, Baltic proper. Kvarken is situated between the two. Together, the Bothnian Sea and Bay make up a larger geographical entity, the Gulf of Bothnia, ...
.

The terrain is mostly rocky, with thin soil shaped by glacial activity at the end of the last ice age.
Meadows and pastures host many insects, including the
Glanville fritillary
The Glanville fritillary (''Melitaea cinxia'') is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is named for Eleanor Glanville, the naturalist who discovered it, and the checkerboard pattern on its wings. These butterflies live in almost all of Eur ...
butterfly.
The total land area of Åland is .
About 90% of the population lives on
Fasta Åland
Fasta Åland ( or , meaning mainland Åland) is the largest and most populous island of Åland, an autonomous province of Finland. The island is home to the provincial capital Mariehamn. About ninety percent of the archipelago's population lives ...
, the largest island and location of the capital
Mariehamn
Mariehamn ( , ; ; ) is the capital of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. Mariehamn is the seat of the Government and Parliament of Åland, and 40% of the population of Åland live in the city. It is mostly surrounded b ...
. Its area is estimated at between
and , depending on definition. Some sources list over . The island contains several harbours.

During the
Åland Islands dispute
The Åland Islands dispute () was a political conflict between Sweden and Finland over the Åland Islands after World War I. Most Ålanders wanted to reunite with Sweden, but in 1921 the League of Nations decided that the islands would stay unde ...
, Swedish and Finnish maps portrayed the region differently. The Swedish maps focused on the main island and downplayed surrounding skerries, making Åland appear closer to Sweden. Finnish maps emphasized continuity with the Finnish archipelago by showing more small islands and inflating their size. This influenced the popular figure of “over 6,000” skerries, widely repeated since the arbitration.
Some wildlife, such as
elk
The elk (: ''elk'' or ''elks''; ''Cervus canadensis'') or wapiti, is the second largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. ...
and other deer species, were introduced in the 20th century and are not native to the islands.
Climate
Åland has a
humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...
(), strongly influenced by its maritime setting. Summers are cooler than on the mainland of Sweden and Finland, while winters are only slightly milder than in adjacent parts of Finland.
Economy
Overview

Åland’s economy relies heavily on shipping, trade, and
tourism
Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...
. Shipping makes up about 40% of the economy, with several international shipping companies based in Åland. Outside of shipping, most businesses are small, often with fewer than ten employees. Farming and fishing are also important and support a local food industry. A few technology firms contribute to economic growth.
Infrastructure and transport
Wind power is a growing sector, with plans to reverse the direction of energy transmission to the mainland in the future. In December 2011, wind energy supplied 31.5% of Åland’s electricity needs.

Major ports include the
Western Harbour in
Mariehamn
Mariehamn ( , ; ; ) is the capital of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. Mariehamn is the seat of the Government and Parliament of Åland, and 40% of the population of Åland live in the city. It is mostly surrounded b ...
,
Berghamn in the west, and
Långnäs
Långnäs is a port in Lumparland on the eastern mainland of Åland, about 30 km over the road away from Åland's capital Mariehamn. Road ferries to Kumlinge (Snäckö) and Galtby via Föglö (Överö) and Kökar start here. Långnäs is an ...
on the eastern shore of the main island. Åland’s road network includes four
highways
A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It includes not just major roads, but also other public roads and rights of way. In the United States, it is also used as an equivalent term to controlled-access highway, or ...
:
Highway 1 to
Eckerö
Eckerö is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. The municipality has a population of
() and covers an area of of
which
is water. The population density is
.
The municipality is unilingually Swedish an ...
,
Highway 2 to
Sund,
Highway 3
The following highways are numbered 3, H-3, PRI-3, AH3, E03 and R3. For roads numbered A3, see A3 roads. For roads numbered M3, see M3 (disambiguation)#Roads, M3. For roads numbered N3, see N3 (disambiguation)#Roads, N3. For roads numbered 3A, see ...
to
Lumparland
Lumparland is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland. It is the smallest municipality on mainland Åland.
The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . The mu ...
, and
Highway 4 to
Geta
Geta may refer to:
Places
*Geta (woreda), a woreda in Ethiopia's Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region
*Geta, Åland, a municipality in Finland
*Geta, Nepal, a town in Attariya Municipality, Kailali District, Seti Zone, Nepal
*Get� ...
.
Mariehamn was once a hub for the last large commercial sailing ships. These ships, owned by Åland shipowner
Gustaf Erikson, carried wheat from Australia to Britain until 1947. After each trip, they returned to Mariehamn to rest and prepare for the next voyage. The
''Pommern'', now a museum ship in Mariehamn, was one of these vessels.
Fiscal and tax system
When the EU banned
duty-free
A duty-free shop or store is a retail outlet whose goods are exempt from the payment of certain local or national taxes and duties, on the requirement that the goods will be sold to travelers who will take them out of the country, who will ...
sales on ferries within the union, Finland secured a special exception for Åland. Åland is outside the
EU VAT area, which allows tax-free sales on ferries that stop at Mariehamn or Långnäs and at the airport. As a result, Åland is treated as a separate tax zone, and customs duties apply to goods entering the islands. Åland receives about two million visitors each year, although most stay only a few hours during ferry stopovers or transfers.
Taxes, fees, and duties are collected in Åland by the Finnish government. In return, the national government allocates funds to the Åland Parliament. This amount is set at 0.5% of total state revenue (excluding loans). If Åland contributes more than 0.5%, the surplus is returned to Åland as "diligence money". In 2010, Åland residents paid 0.7% of all taxes in Finland.
Employment and workforce
As of January 2025, Åland’s unemployment rate was 5.4%. The employment rate was 79.8% in 2011 and 81.4% in 2024.
Key industries and enterprises
The
euro
The euro (currency symbol, symbol: euro sign, €; ISO 4217, currency code: EUR) is the official currency of 20 of the Member state of the European Union, member states of the European Union. This group of states is officially known as the ...
is the official currency, but many businesses also accept the
Swedish krona
The krona (; plural: ''kronor''; sign: kr; code: SEK) is the currency of Sweden. Both the ISO code "SEK" and currency sign "kr" are in common use for the krona; the former precedes or follows the value, the latter usually follows it but, espec ...
. In 2006,
Eurostat
Eurostat ("European Statistical Office"; also DG ESTAT) is a department of the European Commission ( Directorate-General), located in the Kirchberg quarter of Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. Eurostat's main responsibilities are to provide statist ...
ranked Åland the 20th wealthiest of the EU's 268 regions and the wealthiest in Finland, with GDP per person 47% above the EU average.
Bank of Åland is headquartered in Mariehamn. The government also owns
Paf, a gambling operator based in the capital.
Economic impact of COVID-19
The
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
caused a sharper economic decline in Åland than in mainland Finland or Sweden. Since then, Åland’s economy has gradually recovered.
Demographics
Swedish is the sole
official language
An official language is defined by the Cambridge English Dictionary as, "the language or one of the languages that is accepted by a country's government, is taught in schools, used in the courts of law, etc." Depending on the decree, establishmen ...
of Åland and was spoken as a
first language
A first language (L1), native language, native tongue, or mother tongue is the first language a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period hypothesis, critical period. In some countries, the term ''native language'' ...
by 86% of the population in 2021. Fewer than 5% spoke
Finnish. In publicly funded schools, the language of instruction is Swedish. In the rest of Finland, bilingual municipalities provide instruction in both Finnish and Swedish. For details on the local dialect, see
Åland Swedish.
The ethnic classification of Ålanders remains a subject of debate. They are sometimes described as ethnic
Swedes
Swedes (), or Swedish people, are an ethnic group native to Sweden, who share a common ancestry, Culture of Sweden, culture, History of Sweden, history, and Swedish language, language. They mostly inhabit Sweden and the other Nordic countries, ...
or as part of the
Swedish-speaking population of Finland
The Swedish-speaking population of Finland (whose members are called by many names—see below; ; ) is a linguistic minority in Finland. They maintain a strong identity and are seen either as a separate cultural, ethnic or linguistic group or ...
. Linguistically, the Åland dialect is closer to the
Uppland
Uppland is a historical province or ' on the eastern coast of Sweden, just north of Stockholm, the capital. It borders Södermanland, Västmanland and Gästrikland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea.
The name literally ...
dialects of eastern Sweden than to mainland
Finland Swedish
Finland Swedish or Fenno-Swedish (; ) is a Variety (linguistics), variety of the Swedish language and a closely related group of Swedish dialects spoken in Finland by the Swedish-speaking population of Finland, Swedish-speaking population, common ...
, though this distinction is not universally agreed upon.
Right of domicile () is required to vote in elections to the
Parliament of Åland
The Parliament of Åland (''Ålands lagting'') is the unicameral legislature of Åland, an autonomous, Swedish-speaking region of Finland. The Lagting has 30 members who make laws for Åland and oversee its government.
Committees
Most parli ...
, stand as a candidate, or own real estate in rural areas.
In 2021, 17.3% of residents had a foreign background—the highest proportion of any region in Finland. Most came from Sweden (7% of Åland's total population), followed by Romania and Latvia.
Age structure
Education
In 2010, Åland had 22
primary school
A primary school (in Ireland, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, South Africa, and Singapore), elementary school, or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ...
s. Twelve were lower-level schools (grades 1–6), eight included both lower and upper
secondary education
Secondary education is the education level following primary education and preceding tertiary education.
Level 2 or ''lower secondary education'' (less commonly ''junior secondary education'') is considered the second and final phase of basic e ...
, and two were upper secondary schools only.
Post-primary education is provided by two main institutions:
Ålands lyceum, a traditional academic upper secondary school (gymnasium), and the Åland Vocational School, which offers a dual program combining general and vocational studies. According to 2018 statistics from the Finnish education authority, Ålands lyceum had 432 students enrolled.
Other institutions include and several additional primary and secondary schools across the islands.
Higher education is offered by the
Åland University of Applied Sciences
Åland ( , ; ) is an Federacy, autonomous and Demilitarized zone, demilitarised region of Finland. Receiving its autonomy by a 1920 decision of the League of Nations, it is the smallest region of Finland by both area () and population (30,54 ...
, which enrolls around 600 students.
Fields of study include maritime studies, mechanical and electrical engineering, information technology, business, hospitality, and health care.
All maritime education is coordinated through the
Alandica Shipping Academy.
The education system in Åland follows the Finnish and broader
Nordic model. The official language of instruction is Swedish.
Finnish has traditionally been compulsory in upper secondary schools but optional at the primary level. As of 2006, about 80% of primary students still chose to study Finnish. That year, a proposal was made to remove Finnish as a compulsory subject in upper secondary schools.
Religion

As of 2020, 70.5% of Åland's population were members of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (; ) is a national church of Finland. It is part of the Lutheranism, Lutheran branch of Christianity. The church has a legal position as a national church in the country, along with the Orthodox Church o ...
.
Åland has some of the oldest churches in Finland.
St. Olaf's Church, Jomala, built in the late 13th century, is generally considered the oldest surviving church building in the country.
The largest medieval church in Åland is the
Church of St. John the Baptist, Sund, located in
Sund. Built shortly after St. Olaf’s, it remains one of the most significant historical churches in the region.
Culture
Literature
Writers from Åland include
Anni Blomqvist, known for her five-volume series '', and
Sally Salminen, whose 1936 novel ''
Katrina'' received international recognition.
Ulla-Lena Lundberg has also written about her native
Kökar. Many of these works are set in Åland.
Cinema and television
The 2016 historical drama film ''
Devil's Bride'', directed by Saara Cantell, is set in 17th-century Åland during the
witch trials
A witch hunt, or a witch purge, is a search for people who have been labeled witches or a search for evidence of witchcraft. Practicing evil spells or incantations was proscribed and punishable in early human civilizations in the Middle East. ...
. The film received the Best Foreign Language Film Award at the 2017
Female Eye Film Festival in Toronto.
Another film set in Åland is the 2013 drama ''
Disciple
A disciple is a follower and student of a mentor, teacher, or other figure. It can refer to:
Religion
* Disciple (Christianity), a student of Jesus Christ
* Twelve Apostles of Jesus, sometimes called the Twelve Disciples
* Seventy disciples in t ...
'', directed by . The film has been covered in Finnish-language media, including an archived feature from ''Uusi Suomi'' about Bengts's career path, and a DVD review in ''Elokuvauutiset''.
Sport

The
Åland national football team competes in the biennial
Island Games
The Island Games (currently known as the NatWest International Island Games for sponsorship reasons) are biennial international multi-sports events organised by the International Island Games Association (IIGA). Competitor teams each represent ...
, which Åland hosted in 1991 and 2009. Åland also hosted the 1974 and 1977 editions of the
Women's Nordic Football Championship. The
Åland Football Association
The Åland Football Association () is the governing body of Association football, football in Åland. ÅFF is not a member of UEFA or FIFA, but is a member of the Football Association of Finland and has the status of a Finnish District Football A ...
organizes football activities, including the
Åland Cup for local clubs.
The main football clubs are
Åland United
Åland United is a Finnish women's football club based in Lemland, Åland. They compete in the Kansallinen Liiga, the premier women's football league in Finland.
In 2004 Åland's clubs Lemlands IF and IF Finströms Kamraterna decided to st ...
(women's) and
IFK Mariehamn
IFK Mariehamn is a Finnish football club based in Mariehamn, the capital of the Åland Islands. It plays in the Finnish Premier Division (''Veikkausliiga''), winning their first title in 2016. The club is managed by Gary Williams, and it plays ...
(men's), the latter of which plays in the
Veikkausliiga
Veikkausliiga () is a professional association football league in Finland and the highest level of the Finnish football league system. The league comprises the top 12 clubs of the country. Its main sponsor is the Finnish national betting agenc ...
, Finland's top league. Both teams play at the Wiklöf Holding Arena in
Mariehamn
Mariehamn ( , ; ; ) is the capital of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. Mariehamn is the seat of the Government and Parliament of Åland, and 40% of the population of Åland live in the city. It is mostly surrounded b ...
.
Other clubs include:
*
FC Åland
FC Åland is a football club from Sund, Åland. The club was formed in 1992 after the merger of IFFK and Sunds IF (SIF). The team reached its present form in 2012, when Hammarlands IK and IF Fram merged their men's first teams with SIFFK. At ...
*
IF Finströms Kamraterna
IF Finströms Kamraterna (''also known as'' IF Finströmskamraterna and abbreviated IFFK) is a sports and football club in Åland
Åland ( , ; ) is an Federacy, autonomous and Demilitarized zone, demilitarised region of Finland. Receivin ...
*
IF Fram
IF Fram is a football club located in Saltvik in Åland. They no longer participate in the Finnish football league system but take part in the Swedish football league system.
Background
Idrottsföreningen Fram are based in the municipality ...
*
Lemlands IF
Åland hosted the following editions of the women's curling tournament
Paf Masters
The Paf Masters is an annual bonspiel, or curling tournament, sponsored by Paf (company), Paf, held at the Vianor Curlingcenter in Eckerö of Åland (Finland). It has been a part of the Women's World Curling Tour since 2017. The tournament is hel ...
in
Eckerö
Eckerö is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. The municipality has a population of
() and covers an area of of
which
is water. The population density is
.
The municipality is unilingually Swedish an ...
:
*
2017 Paf Masters Tour
*
2018 Paf Masters Tour
The Åland Stags is the only
rugby union
Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...
club on the islands.
Disc golf is also widely played.
Heraldry
The
coat of arms of Åland
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.
History
First known symbol of the Åland islands is a seal from 1326 depicting Saint Ol ...
shows a golden
red deer
The red deer (''Cervus elaphus'') is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or Hart (deer), hart, and a female is called a doe or hind. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Ir ...
on a blue
field
Field may refer to:
Expanses of open ground
* Field (agriculture), an area of land used for agricultural purposes
* Airfield, an aerodrome that lacks the infrastructure of an airport
* Battlefield
* Lawn, an area of mowed grass
* Meadow, a grass ...
, traditionally topped with a comital
coronet
In British heraldry, a coronet is a type of crown that is a mark of rank of non-reigning members of the royal family and peers. In other languages, this distinction is not made, and usually the same word for ''crown'' is used irrespective of ra ...
. The same arms were mistakenly granted to the Swedish province of
Öland
Öland (, ; ; sometimes written ''Oland'' internationally) is the second-largest Swedish island and the smallest of the traditional provinces of Sweden. Öland has an area of and is located in the Baltic Sea just off the coast of Småland. ...
in 1560.
Notable people
Arts, literature, and public life
*
Sara Holmsten
Sara Holmsten (1713–1795) was a Swedish memoirist and member of the Moravian Church also known as the Evangelical Brotherhood.
Life and work
Sara Holmsten was the daughter of a farmer living on the Baltic island of Åland, (then Sweden but n ...
(1713–1795), writer
*
Frans Peter von Knorring (1792–1875), priest and social reformer
*
Georg August Wallin (1811–1852), explorer and orientalist
*
Karl Emanuel Jansson
Karl Emanuel Jansson (7 July 1846, in Finström – 1 June 1874, in Jomala) was a Finnish painter, primarily of Genre art, genre scenes.
Biography
His father worked as a farmer. His initial inspiration to pursue an artistic career came from the pa ...
(1846–1874), painter
*
Robert Mattson (1851–1935), shipowner and businessman
*
Gustaf Erikson (1872–1947), shipowner known for his windjammer fleet
*
Joel Pettersson (1892–1937), painter and author
*
Atos Wirtanen
Atos Kasimir Wirtanen (27 January 1906 in Saltvik – 10 March 1979) was a Finnish people, Finnish left-wing intellectual, journalist, member of Parliament of Finland, Finnish parliament (1936–1953) and cultural critic.
Life
Wirtanen was born i ...
(1906–1979), politician and journalist
*
Sally Salminen (1906–1976), author; three-time
Nobel Prize in Literature
The Nobel Prize in Literature, here meaning ''for'' Literature (), is a Swedish literature prize that is awarded annually, since 1901, to an author from any country who has, in the words of the will of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, "in ...
nominee
*
Ture Bengtz
Ture Bengtz (1907 – November 10, 1973) was a Finnish-American artist associated with the Boston Expressionist School, an influential teacher at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and director of the Art Complex Museum in Duxbury ...
(1907–1973), Finnish-American Expressionist artist
*
Ville Salminen
Veikko Oskari Ville Salminen (2 October 1908, Mariehamn – 28 November 1992, Quarteira) was a Finland, Finnish film actor, director, writer and producer. He was the father of comedic actor Ville-Veikko Salminen and cinematographer Timo Salminen. ...
(1908–1992), film actor and director
*
Anni Blomqvist (1909–1990), novelist
*
Jaakko Suolahti
Jaakko Suolahti (18 January 1918 – 28 January 1987) was a Finnish classical scholar and historian Suolahti was one of the leading classicists during his time and reached international recognition within the areas of political- and social cultu ...
(1918–1987), classical scholar
*
Pehr Henrik Nordgren
Pehr Henrik Nordgren (19 January 1944 – 25 August 2008) was a Finnish composer.
Life
Pehr Henrik Nordgren was born in Saltvik, Åland, on 19 January 1944. received composition lessons starting from 1958 in Helsinki and studied musicology at t ...
(1944–2008), composer
*
Ulla-Lena Lundberg (born 1947), author
*
Peter Lindbäck
Peter Lindbäck (born 14 June 1955, Helsinki) was the governor of Åland.
He was born in 1955 and studied at the University of Helsinki, from which he graduated in law in 1981.
Lindbäck was appointed governor of Åland on 5 March 1999 when his ...
(born 1955), Governor of Åland (1999–present)
*
Stefan Lindfors (born 1962), industrial designer and sculptor
*
Veronica Thörnroos
Veronica Thörnroos (born 16 July 1962) is a Finnish politician from Åland. She served as the Premier of Åland, a position she has held from 25 November 2019 to 11 December 2023. Prior to entering politics, Thörnroos worked as a nurse.
Poli ...
(born 1962), politician; head of government since 2019
*
Jeremy Duns
Jeremy Duns (born 10 December 1973) is a British author of spy fiction and the history of espionage.
Early life
Duns was born in Manchester and lived in New Zealand, India, Indonesia and Nigeria before the age of 10. He studied at St Catherine's ...
(born 1973), British author of spy fiction
Sport
*
Kaarlo Mäkinen
Kaarlo Mäkinen (14 May 1892 – 11 May 1980) was a Finnish wrestler who competed at the 1920, 1924 and 1928 Olympics in freestyle wrestling. In 1920 he was eliminated in the preliminary round in the featherweight event. After that he moved to ...
(1892–1980), Olympic freestyle wrestler (1924, 1928)
*
Frej Liewendahl (1902–1966), Olympic gold medallist in track and field (1924)
*
Johan Hellström
Karl Johan "Jonni" Hellström (13 May 1907 – 6 November 1988, Verdun, Montreal, Canada) was a Finland, Finnish Boxing, boxer who competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics.
"The Fighting Finn" was born in Mariehamn and died in Canada.
In 1928 he ...
(1907–1989), Olympic boxer (1928)
*
Daniel Sjölund (born 1983), footballer (380 club and 37 national appearances)
*
Annica Sjölund (born 1985), footballer (67 national appearances)
*
Robert Helenius
Robert Gabriel Helenius (born 2 January 1984) is a Finnish professional boxer. At regional level, he has held multiple heavyweight
Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling.
Boxing Professional
Male boxers who ...
(born 1984), professional heavyweight boxer
*
Adelina Engman
Adelina Viktoria Engman (born 11 October 1994) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A Femminile club Como and the Finland national team.
Club career
Engman made her debut for Åland United in NIG 2009. I ...
(born 1994), footballer (84 national appearances)
See also
*
Åland's Autonomy Day
Åland's Autonomy Day (or Åland's Self-Government Day; ) is celebrated annually on 9 June in memory of Åland County Council's (since 1993 Parliament of Åland, Åland's Parliament) first meeting on this date in 1922.[Battle of Åland Islands
The Battle of Åland Islands, or the Battle of Gotland, which occurred in July 1915, was a naval battle of World War I between the German Empire and the Russian Empire, assisted by a submarine of the British Baltic Flotilla. It took place in ...]
*
Flag of Åland
The flag of Åland (; ) is a yellow or gold Nordic cross flag, Nordic cross with another red cross inside on a blue background with the vertical bar shifted towards the hoist side. It is intended to resemble the Flag of Sweden, Swedish flag Def ...
*
Provincial Governors of Finland
The governor (, or ) of a province of Finland headed the activities of the State Provincial Office (, or ) until the end of 2009, when the provinces were abolished. The governors were appointed by the President. Many former ministers including ...
*
Public holidays in Åland
*
Bibliography of the Åland Islands
*
Index of Åland-related articles
*
Outline of the Åland Islands
Outline or outlining may refer to:
* Outline (list), a document summary, in hierarchical list format
* Code folding, a method of hiding or collapsing code or text to see content in outline form
* Outline drawing, a sketch depicting the outer edge ...
References
Further reading
*
*
*
External links
*
*
*
*
Government of ÅlandB7 Baltic Islands NetworkThe example of Åland, autonomy as a minor protectorThe Åland example: autonomy protects a minority
Ålandstidningen(local newspaper)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aland
Geography of Scandinavia
Finnish islands in the Baltic
Historical provinces of Finland
Provinces of Finland (1917–1997)
Provinces of Finland (1997–2009)
Members of the Nordic Council
NUTS 1 statistical regions of the European Union
NUTS 2 statistical regions of the European Union
States and territories established in 1920
Autonomous regions
Countries and territories where Swedish is an official language
Swedish-speaking population of Finland
Demilitarized zones
1920 establishments in Europe
Former disputed islands