Aland Population, Main Cities and Geography

By | January 27, 2023

Åland: municipalities and population

Communities

The island state of Åland is divided into 16 municipalities, whereby a distinction can be made between rural and archipelago municipalities. The rural communities are those on the main island of Fasta Åland.

The main island island Fasta Åland covers an area of 1,010 km². Since it is connected to the nearby islands by bridges, they are counted as part of Fasta Fasta Åland – such as Eckerö. The highest point on the island is the Orrdalsklint with a height of 129 m. In addition to the capital Mariehamn, the following municipalities are in the Fasta Åland area.

Rural communities

  • Eckerö with around 900 residents (www.eckero.ax)
  • Finström with around 2,300 residents (www.finstrom.ax)
  • Geta with around 460 residents (www.geta.ax)
  • Hammarland with around 1,300 residents (www.hammarland.ax)
  • Jomala with around 3,500 residents (www.jomala.ax)
  • Lemland with around 1,600 residents (www.lemland.ax)
  • Lumparland with around 350 residents (www.lumparland)
  • Saltvik with around 1,750 residents (www.saltvik.ax)
  • Sund with around 1,000 residents (www.sund.ax)

Archipelago communities

  • Brändö with around 500 residents (www.brando.ax)
  • Föglö with around 600 residents (www.foglo.ax)
  • Kumlinge with around 400 residents (www.kumlinge.ax)
  • Kökar with around 300 residents (www.kokar.ax)
  • Sottunga with around 130 residents (www.sottunga.ax)
  • Vårdö with around 400 residents (www.vardo.ax)

Population

According to Countryaah website, the population of Åland is around 29,000, with the majority living on the main island of Fasta Åland.

Religious affiliation

The Ålanders belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church, along with about 12% of the non-denominational. Åland has been part of the Finnish Diocese of Porvoo, which is responsible for looking after the Swedish-speaking regions of Finland, since 1923.

Other religious communities are free churches with about 0.6%, the Jehovah’s Witnesses with 0.18% or the Roman Catholic Church with just 0.14%.

National language

Around 90% of the population speak Scherdisch, about 6% Finnish and the rest various other languages. The official language is Swedish, although the archipelago belongs to Finland.

Ethnic groups

Over 30% of the population were born outside of Åland. Anyone who was born here or has lived for more than 5 years can receive the Åland “Hembygdsrätt” – a kind of citizenship

Åland: geography, general map

The autonomous island state of Åland in the Baltic Sea, which belongs to Finland, is nevertheless largely Swedish-speaking and is divided into 16 municipalities. The archipelago separates the Baltic Sea from the Gulf of Bothnia. Åland comprises around 20,000 islands and skerries, 6,700 of which have names and only around 60 are inhabited. Check topmbadirectory for politics, flags, famous people, animals and plants of Aland.

General overview

The largely Swedish-speaking autonomous island state of Åland, which belongs to Finland, is divided into 16 municipalities, whereby a distinction can be made between rural and archipelago municipalities. The archipelago separates the Baltic Sea from the Gulf of Bothnia. Because of the numerous small islets and larger stones in the archipelago, larger ships can only pass west of the archipelago – with the exception of the archipelago ferries.

Recreational boaters have to navigate extremely well and should only drive into the archipelago in light and with good visibility

The main island of Åland is the approximately 1,010 km² large island “Fasta Åland”, which is connected to the nearby islands by bridges and which are therefore included in Fasta Åland – such as Eckerö. In addition to the capital Mariehamn, the following municipalities are in the Fasta Åland area. Mariehamn was founded in 1861 and named after Maria Alexandrovna (1824-1880) – the wife of the city’s founder, Tsar Alexander II (1818-1881). The municipality with the most residents is Mariehamn Jomala with around 3,500 residents after the capital. Jomala is located in the south of the main island. With around 130 residents, Sottunga is not only the smallest municipality in Åland but also in all of Finland.

Rural communities

  • Eckerö with around 900 residents (www.eckero.ax)
  • Finström with around 2,300 residents (www.finstrom.ax)
  • Geta with around 460 residents (www.geta.ax)
  • Hammarland with around 1,300 residents (www.hammarland.ax)
  • Jomala with around 3,500 residents (www.jomala.ax)
  • Lemland with around 1,600 residents (www.lemland.ax)
  • Lumparland with around 350 residents (www.lumparland)
  • Saltvik with around 1,750 residents (www.saltvik.ax)
  • Sund with around 1,000 residents (www.sund.ax)

Archipelago communities

  • Brändö with around 500 residents (www.brando.ax)
  • Föglö with around 600 residents (www.foglo.ax)
  • Kumlinge with around 400 residents (www.kumlinge.ax)
  • Kökar with around 300 residents (www.kokar.ax)
  • Sottunga with around 130 residents (www.sottunga.ax)
  • Vårdö with around 400 residents (www.vardo.ax)

Map, Aland

Area, highest mountain

The entire Åland archipelago covers an area of 13,517 km² – with a land area of 1,527 km².

The highest point of the archipelago is the “Orrdalsklint” in the municipality of Saltvik in the northeast of the main island Fasta Åland at a height of 129 m.

Tidal range

The tidal range of the Baltic Sea is here in the Gulf of Bothnia at about a decimeter and is practically barely noticeable

Longitude and latitude

Åland extends roughly over the following geographical latitude (abbreviation Δφ) and geographical longitude (abbreviation Δλ):

Δφ = approx. 59 ° 50` – 60 ° 36` north latitude Δλ = approx. 019 ° 19 ‘- 021 ° 05’ east longitude

You can find detailed information on this subject under Longitude and Latitude.

The highest point of the sun in Mariehamn

Mariehamn lies at a north latitude of around φ = 60 °.

If the sun is at the tropic, i.e. at δ = 23.5 °, summer starts in Mariehamn, this is June 21. Then for the highest annual position of the sun at noon according to Eq. 1 (see position of the sun):

60 ° = (90 ° – h) + 23.5 °

so:

H = 53.5 °

At 53.5 °, the sun in Mariehamn has the highest level of the entire year above the horizon (more precisely: above the horizon).

Aland Population