ÅLAND
Åland is an autonomous, demilitarised, Swedish-speaking region of Finland.  Åland consists of more than 6,500 islands and skerries, of which 6,400 are larger than 3,000 m2.
The largest island is the main island of Åland, which makes up 70 per cent of the Islands’ total land area and is home to 90 per cent of the population.  The longest distance from north to south is 50 km and from east to west 45 km. Despite its relatively small size, there are 912 km of public roads in Åland.

The population of Åland is currently at an all-time high. According to a travel memoir written by F.W. Radloff in the 18th century there were 11,000 people in the Islands at this time, spread across 80 different islands. In 1905 the number had grown to 22,000, living on 150 islands. Over the centuries many islands have been linked to each other or with the main island through bridges and embankments while others have been depopulated. The current population of 26,200 live on only 65 islands. Over 40 per cent live in the only town, Mariehamn.


GEOGRAPHY
Location:  Northern Europe, island group in the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Finland
Geographic coordinates:  60 00 N, 20 00 E
Area:
Total: 13,517 km²
Water: 11,990 km²
Land: 1,527 km²
Land boundaries:  0 km
Coastline:  NA
Climate:  Comparative cold winters and cool summers
Terrain:  Low-lying islands, some low peaks, a typical fault-fissure landscape, with wide-stretching valleys and fault cliffs.
Elevation extremes:  Lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
Highest point: Orrdals klint 129m
Natural resources:  Timber, fish
Land use:  Arable land: 12%
Permanent crops: 0%
Forests: 58%
Other: 29% (2006 est.)
Irrigated land:  0 km²
Natural hazards:  NA
Environment - current issues:  NA
Gegraphy - note:  Archipelago of appr. 6 500 islands, of which 60 are inhabited

PEOPLE
Population:  26 923 (31.12.2006)
Median age:
Total: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA
Birth rate:  11 births/1,000 population
Death rate:  9.6 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:  NA
Life expectancy at birth:
Total population: 81.1 years
Male: 78.8 years
Female: 81.1 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:  2.24 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Nationality:  Noun: Alandic (singular and plural)  Adjective: Alandic
Ethnic groups:  Scandinavian
Religions:  Evangelical Lutheran 88.5 %
Others 0.7%
None 10.8%
Language:  Swedish
Literacy:
Definition: NA
Total population: NA

GOVERNMENT
Country name:
Conventional long form: Aland Islands
Conventional short form: Aland
Local short form: Åland
Dependency status:  Part of the republic of Finland; self-governing overseas administrative division of Finland since 1922.  Autonomy Act is revised in 1951.
Capital:  Mariehamn
Administrative divisions:  None (part of the Republic of Finland; self-governing overseas administrative division of Finland); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 16 municipalities
Independence:  None (part of the Republic of Finland; self-governing overseas administrative division of Finland).
National holiday:  Självständighetsdagen (Independence Day), December 6th
Constitution:  1 March 2000 (Finnish Constitution)
Legal system:  Finnish civil law system based on Swedish law; Supreme Court may request legislation interpreting or modifying laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
Chief of state: President:  Tarja Halonen (President of Finland), represented by Governor Peter Lindbäck
Election results: Viveca Eriksson elected prime minister.
Note: coalition of Centern and Liberalerna.
Head of government: Prime Minister Viveca Erikson (since October 2007)
Cabinet: Ålands Landskapsregering, appointed by the Lagting (parliament).

Legislative branch:  Unicameral Parliament or Lagting of Åland (30 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)
Election results: Seats in the Parliamant:  Centre Party: 8 seats, Liberal Party: 10 seats, Social Democrats:  3 seats, FS (Moderate Party):  3 seats, Independents: 4 seats,  ÅF (Future of Åland):  2 seats.
Elections: last held October 2007 (next to be held no later than October 2011)
Judicial branch:  None
Political parties:
Åländsk Center (The Centre Party), Liberalerna (The Liberal Party), Ålands socialdemokrater (The Social Democrat’s Party)  Frisinnad Samverkan (The Moderate Party), Obunden samling (Independent Party),  Ålands framtid (Future of Åland).

Flag description:  Blue with a red cross outlined in yellow extending to the edges of the flag.