If you’ve ever wandered around the Scandinavian coast before, there’s a chance you’ve spotted a few islands and archipelagos around. But, have you ever explored them before? One of the most interesting collections of islands makes up the Åland Islands archipelago – which you’ll find between Finland and Sweden if you’re touring the area.
If you’ve never heard of the island group before, don’t worry – in this Åland Islands facts guide, I’ll take you through everything you need to know about the archipelago, what it’s like to visit, and if anyone calls the area home. If you’re planning a tour of Scandinavia any time soon, you might want to take a quick detour and keep your camera handy!
Without further ado, then, here are some fascinating facts about the Åland Islands you might want to keep in mind for quizzes, travelling, or general ice breakers.
1. The islands are close to Finland and Sweden.
As mentioned, you’ll find the Åland Islands close between Finland and Sweden, with the archipelago technically being an autonomous area that’s right at the opening to the Gulf of Bothnia.
The islands are technically to the southwest of Finland, while they’re about 40km out east from Sweden’s coast. Fittingly, they’re found in the Åland Sea – but what got named first?
2. The group has a main island.
As with many archipelagos, there is one large island that dominates the others in the Åland Islands group. Fittingly, again, it’s called Åland Island – which reportedly accounts for at least 70% of the total land area of the islands, total. It’s a rugged landscape out here with lots of granite and soil!
It’s also assumed that the vast majority of the population of the Åland Islands lives in Åland itself, sometimes called Fasta or Main Åland Island by the locals. That accounts for about 90% of the people who call the archipelago home, at last count!
The total land area of the Åland Islands measures just over 1,550 square km, and the next two biggest islands in the group are called Eckerö and Lemland.
3. The local cuisine is well worth trying!
As you’d expect, the Åland Islands are home to some seriously unique culinary creations. For example, the archipelago is famous for its Åland pancake, a traditional dish that’s usually served with whipped cream and prune jam.
People living on the Åland Islands even named the dish the cuisine of choice for the century – upon the area’s 100th birthday! However, you’ll also want to check out the crisps on the Åland Islands, too – the archipelago has the oldest factory making these potato delights in the whole of Finland.
4. It’s a paradise for walkers.
While you might assume that the Åland Islands are ideal for snowy sports and photography first, there’s actually lots here for hikers and nature enthusiasts, too. If you’re looking for a Scandinavian walking holiday and are coming up short, you’ll probably be pleased to hear that there are over 30 specific well-kept trails that welcome walkers across the year.
Just make sure you pack your hiking boots before you visit and take your time carefully around the landscape! You’ll likely be treading on lots of granite – after all, it’s something the main island is well known for producing. The red type of granite, in fact, is ubiquitous across the main island’s roads!
5. Very few people live across the other Åland Islands.
We’ve talked a lot so far about the main Åland Island, but what about the others in the archipelago? Well, much of it is actually uninhabited – meaning there won’t be many AirBnB spots out here!
It’s thought that there are a staggering 6,500 or more uninhabited islands across the Åland archipelago, with only 35 of them being inhabited. Much of the Åland Islands’ area is uninhabitable thanks to the rockery and reefland.
At the last count, the Åland Islands are said to be home to around 30,000 people or more, meaning there are around 20 people for every square km, if you take into account the desolate areas!
6. The area manages itself.
As mentioned, the Åland Islands are regarded as a singular autonomous entity. That means it’s responsible for its own running and governance, and it even has its own parliament outside of Finland.
The people of the Åland Islands are governed by officials who are elected to the Lagtinget, a body where you’ll also find an executive council. Although the Åland Islands run separately to Finland, the area does also elect someone to act as a representative in Finland’s parliament, and there are some powers that Finland’s government retains.
The area was officially granted its autonomy back in 1920 after a League of Nations meeting.
7. The Åland Islands have a strong connection to Sweden.
While the Åland Islands naturally fall within Finland’s physical region and the governing bodies here have close relationships with the Finnish government, there are actually a few clear links between the archipelago and its other neighbour, Sweden.
Specifically, Swedish is the official language – and it’s also the language in which citizens sing their national anthem, ‘Ålänningens sång’, written and established as the nation’s song all the way back in 1922.
The area also has its own Swedish name, which is Landskapet Åland. Among the Finnish, the area is known as Ahvenanmaan maakunta. For such a small collection of islands, it certainly has more than a few different names!
8. It’s easily Finland’s smallest region.
While the Åland Islands are regarded as autonomous, they are frequently also included as part of the physical Finnish area. With that in mind, the islands have the record for being Finland’s smallest territory.
The area is said to be home to about 0.54% of the total population of Finland at the last count, and it also accounts for a similar proportion of the land total! It’s also a demilitarised area split off from Finland.
Interestingly, it’s also Finland’s only area where the majority of people speak Swedish. I’d already mentioned that Swedish is the official language here, and I’m not making any small estimates – nine out of ten people in the Åland Islands speak the language.
9. The islands are completely defenseless – technically.
As mentioned, the Åland Islands are demilitarised, which means the area doesn’t have any kind of military defense or personnel. In fact, people on the islands aren’t affected by mandatory national military service that affects other citizens.
It’s thought that the Åland Islands’ status as a demilitarised zone first came about thanks to talks and treaties raised after World War I and then again during World War II. Its initial demilitarising came about thanks to the end of the Crimean War and the Peace of Paris declarations.
Therefore, its status as a non-military zone is quite well protected!
10. It’s possibly Europe’s disc golfing capital.
Yes, believe it or not, one of the national pastimes of the Åland Islands is disc golf! Disc golf is a sport where, instead of hitting a golf ball, you throw a frisbee or disc to try and hit a marker within so many tries. It’s a very precise sport, much like golf – and it’s got a massive following out here and elsewhere.
It’s such a big deal in the Åland Islands that there are at least 11 courses dedicated to the sport scattered across the archipelago, some even with sea views and access. You don’t even need to bring your own kit, because the main tourist information centre has kits they loan out to tourists!
11. If you don’t have GPS, pay attention to how the locals give directions.
Interestingly, the way in which directions are given in the Åland Islands might be a little different to what you expect elsewhere. That’s because most people here tend to refer to the points of the compass and the direction of wind.
The Åland Islands are fairly small, as established, but there are plenty of islands to explore, and if you don’t have a map or GPS to refer to, it’s worth reaching out to someone who can help – if not, again, the tourist information center!
12. You might not have to learn the lingo to get by in the Åland Islands.
Although the main language spoken here is Swedish, the vast majority of people who live here speak English, too. That said, as you always should when visiting a new area or country, try and learn some of the local language and terms. After all, it’ll show that you’re interested in immersing yourself with their culture!
The Åland Islands seem to have their own dialect that’s thought to be close to that of what people speak in Uppland over in Sweden. However, people who live here are also aware that English has had a massive influence all the same!
13. You can usually travel by bus or ferry here.
As you might expect, getting around the Åland Islands is going to mean traversing some waterways at one point or another. Thankfully, there are bus and other public transport links on the mainland, and at the end of the roads, you can jump off and board a ferry.
Interestingly, it’s completely free for you to travel on ferries across the Åland Islands if you do so without a vehicle! If you’re travelling on foot, you can explore as much of the archipelago as you’d like without having to make a payment. There’s a charge if you take bikes, cars, etc. on board ferries.
You can also book stays in some accommodation across the Åland Islands when you travel, so if you intend to take in as many of the islands as possible, it’s highly recommended that you do so!
14. Get to know the buses in Mariehamn.
The capital of the main island (and therefore the Åland Islands in general) is Mariehamn, and it’s here where you will find the hub for most of the archipelago’s various transport comings and goings. In fact, there are five different bus lines that run across the islands – hopefully not too many to keep track of!
You can even take buses from Mariehamn out into the countryside across the islands – there really is tons to explore here despite how relatively small the islands are in surface area! Keep your eyes peeled, therefore, for carriages making up what’s known as the Mariehamnsbussen.
15. It’s easy to get cycling around the islands, too.
As well as being a paradise for hikers, you can also take your bike for some long rides around the Åland Islands. Despite the fairly rocky destination, there are tons of biking trails that are always being built on and extended.
Most of the Åland Islands’ bicycle trails are fairly short, however, you’re always guaranteed of a fantastic view or two across the land and sea. It’s easy to rent bicycles in Åland when you arrive, and you can even take specific bike ferries across the different islands in the north if you wish. However, make sure to look out for them in the summer months.
You can, of course, also rent cars in the Åland Islands – and you can even add a mobile home if you want to explore the archipelago without having to get out and check in and out of hotels!
16. There’s tons of interesting ancient history out there.
The Åland Islands have proven to be fascinating for historians and archaeologists, particularly as there seems to be evidence of people settling here as far back as the Iron and Bronze ages.
Fans of vikings, however, will be thrilled to know that there’s certainly evidence of viking settlers having lived and died on the Åland Islands. There’s several viking graveyards, for example, and history tells us that the archipelago was taken over by missionaries and followers of the Russian tsar, variously, over the years.
In fact, Russian forces even began setting up fortresses here in the 19th century – though the Crimean War would see the only major settlement built completely destroyed. Thanks to peace accords and demilitarisation, there have been no attempts to rebuild such fortifications here since.
17. There’s a rowing contest held between Sweden and Finland here every year.
In the spirit of friendly competition and in honour of a specific slice of the Åland Islands’ history, Finland and Sweden set up an annual competition here to row against each other – specifically, taking place between Eckerö and Grisslehamn, based in Sweden.
This competition isn’t just in the name of sport, however, it actually harks back to a time when post between Sweden and Finland used to get carried across the Åland sea! This mail process was still active towards the very end of the 19th century. Thankfully, communication is more efficient nowadays – but it’s nice to look back at traditions sometimes!
18. It’s a great place to visit if you want to dip into maritime history and culture, too.
As you might expect, there’s quite a large focus on maritime culture and seafaring history out in the Åland Islands. So much so, visitors can take in some of the most defining moments of seagoing history by visiting the area’s museum ship!
Known as Pommern, this spectacular boat has four masts and is considered something of a rarity thanks to its condition. And, how many museums have you visited that are built into boats? Count them up, I’ll wait!
19. Åland has a very specific place in the European Union.
Thanks to Finland becoming a member state of the European Union, the Åland Islands benefit from membership, too. In fact, the citizens of Åland held a referendum to decide on whether or not to join back in 1994. They voted in favour!
20. There are 16 different municipalities here.
Again, for as small as the Åland Islands are, there are quite a few different municipal areas split across the region! The main city, Mariehamn, is the capital and is said to be home to more than 40% of the Åland population.
However, there are other principalities in Föglö, Jomala, Geta, Finström, Saltvik, Sund, Lemland, Hammarland, Eckerö, Brändö, Lumparland, Vårdö, Kökar, Kumlinge, and Sottunga!
FAQs About the Åland Islands
Who owns the Åland Islands?
The Åland Islands technically belong to Finland as they form part of their extended territory. However, the islands form an autonomous region, meaning that while they are part of Finland, they oversee their own government and laws.
How do I get to the Åland Islands?
You can usually reach the Åland Islands by travelling via ferry, usually from Sweden or Finland. However, there are also connections from Estonia if you’re travelling from elsewhere in Europe.
Do you need a car in the Åland Islands?
No – there is ample public transport in the Åland Islands thanks to the regions’ extensive bus network, and there are ferries that travel between the main islands. However, if you wish to drive here, you can – and you can even hire a car out of Mariehamn, the capital of the Åland Islands.
Further reading
https://visitaland.com/en/
https://www.norden.org/en/information/about-aland
Do you know any fun facts about Åland Islands? Share them in the comments below!