Map of Aland
Aland is a country in the world with its capital at Mariehamn, home to about 30,836 people across 1,583 km². The interactive map below plots 1 cities and towns recorded for Aland in YearMaps.
- Population
- 30,836
- Area
- 1,583 km²
- Capital
- Mariehamn
Interactive Map of Aland
Centred on Mariehamn at 60.0970° N, 19.9490° E. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Aland
Åland ( AW-lənd, Swedish: [ˈǒːland] ; Finnish: Ahvenanmaa) is an autonomous and demilitarised region of Finland. Receiving its autonomy in 1920, it is the smallest region of Finland by both area (1,580 km2 or 610 sq mi) and population (30,654), constituting 0.51% of Finland's land area and 0.54% of its population. Its 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. It comprises Fasta Åland, on which 90% of the population resides, and about 6,500 skerries and islands to its east, of which about 60–80 are inhabited. Fasta Åland is separated from the coast of Roslagen in Sweden by 38 km (20+1⁄2 nautical miles) 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. From Mariehamn, there is a ferry distance of about 160 km (86 nautical miles) 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 Paris Peace Treaty after the Åland War in the 1850s.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Åland (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Aland in Depth
History
People from the Comb Ceramic culture 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 and Bronze Age, people lived by hunting seals and birds, fishing, and gathering plants. Farming also began early. From the Iron Age, six hillforts remain on Åland. More than 380 burial sites from the Viking Age have been documented.
Construction of Kastelholm Castle began in the 1380s. In 1505, Danish naval officer Søren Norby captured it during a raid. The Kastelholm witch trials were held there in 1665 and 1668.
Geography
Åland occupies a strategic position at the entrance to the port of Stockholm, near the Gulf of Bothnia and close to the Gulf of Finland.
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 and bare rocks. The archipelago continues eastward into the Åboland region, part of the Archipelago Sea off Finland's southwest coast. West of Åland lies the Sea of Åland; to the north is the Bothnian Sea.
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 butterfly.
The total land area of Åland is 1,527 km2 (590 sq mi).
Economy
Åland's economy relies heavily on shipping, trade, and tourism. 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.
Wind power is a growing sector, with plans to reverse the direction of energy transmission to the mainland in the future. In 2023, wind energy supplied 52.2% of Åland's electricity needs.
Demographics
The population of Åland has grown steadily over the years. The right of domicile is inherited at birth if one or both parents hold it. Immigrants who have lived in Åland for at least five years, hold Finnish citizenship and can demonstrate a sufficient knowledge of Swedish are eligible to apply for this status.
Right of domicile (hembygdsrätt) is required to vote in elections to the Parliament of Åland, stand as a candidate, or own real estate in rural areas.
In 2024, 21% of residents had a foreign background—the highest proportion of any region in Finland. Most came from Sweden (11% of Åland's total population), followed by Romania and Latvia.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Åland (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Aland: Key Facts
| Official language | Swedish |
|---|---|
| Head of government | Katrin Sjögren |
| Internet domain | .ax |
| Highest point | Orrdalsklint |
Facts from Wikidata Q5689 (CC0).
History of Aland: Empires and States
The atlas records 6 polities whose mapped territory included part of Aland, from Kingdom of Sweden in 1250 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom of Sweden | 1250–1611 CE | Nearly all |
| Kalmar Union | 1402–1525 CE | Nearly all |
| House of Oldenburg | 1450–1458 CE | Nearly all |
| Swedish Empire | 1612–1808 CE | Nearly all |
| The Russian Empire | 1809–1916 CE | Nearly all |
| Republic of Finland | 1918–2024 CE | Nearly all |
Historical Maps of Aland
Aland on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Aland
The Åland Islands in the Baltic Sea are known for their extensive maritime history, relatively warm and sunny weather compared to the rest of the region, and popular outdoor activities. Although the islands are part of Finland, they form a self-governing autonomous territory. The islands' approximately 30,000 inhabitants (2021) mostly speak a local dialect of Swedish.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Åland (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Aland
1 city recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mariehamn | 10,682 | Finström | Admin-0 region capital |
Largest Islands of Aland
1 island recorded. Ranked by mapped area. An island divided between countries is listed under each, with the area of the whole island.
| # | Name | Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Åland | 585 km² | Island |
Aland: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Aland?
- The capital of Aland is Mariehamn.
- What is the population of Aland?
- Aland has a population of about 30,836, the #217 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: Wikidata.
- How big is Aland?
- Aland covers 1,583 km², ranking #185 by area, with about 19 people per square kilometre.
- What is the largest city in Aland?
- Mariehamn is the largest city in Aland, with a metropolitan population of about 10,682.