Aland. Information.
Åland is an autonomous and demilitarised region of Finland. Area - 1500 sq. km. Population - 30 344 (2021) Capital - Mariehamn On Åland, there are six hillforts from Viking age. There was extensive trade with other areas, as far as Arabia. Åland Islands might have been occupied by Eric the Saint, other sources claim Åland was already an integral part of Sweden. The first stone churches where built in th 1300s to 1400s on Åland. When construction began on Kastelholm Castle is not exactly known but it most likely began in the 1380s Kastelholm is first mentioned in 1388 In 1507 the Danish naval officer Søren Norby would capture Kastelholm castle. Many battles would take place between the Danish and Swedish over Kastelholm between 1521 - 1523. Gustav Vasa would make Åland a royal castle county in 1537. Gustav Vasa would also establish 3 large breeding farm estates. Catholicism came to an end on Åland and monasteries would be closed and the churces and monasteries had give their silver to the state. Åland would become part of the Swedish Empire and many Ålanders would be enrolled for war. The postal service was given a permanent route which would go from Stockholm to Turku through Åland. During the Great Northern War many Ålanders fled west from the advancing Russians. The Battle of Grengam would take place in Åland during the Great Northern war on 7 August 1720. During the Napoleonic Wars, the Russians would occupy Åland in 1808. The Treaty of Fredrikshamn would be signed by Russia and Sweden. Finland and Åland are ceded to Russia. In 1854, as part of the campaign in the Baltic during the Crimean War against Russia, a combined British and French force of warships and marines captured and destroyed the fortress during the Åland War. The 1856 Treaty of Paris demilitarised the entire Åland archipelago. During the Finnish Civil War, in 1918, Swedish troops intervened as a peacekeeping force between the Russian troops stationed on the islands and "White" and "Red" Finnish troops who came from Finland over the frozen sea. Within weeks, the Swedish troops gave way to German troops who occupied Åland at the request of the "White" (conservative) Senate of Finland. The only remarkable battle fought in Åland during the civil war included the Battle of Godby near the village of Godby in Finström. The autonomous status of Åland was affirmed by a decision made by the League of Nations in 1921 following the Åland Islands dispute. It was reaffirmed within the treaty admitting Finland to the European Union. By law, Åland is politically neutral and entirely demilitarised, and residents are exempt from conscription to the Finnish Defence Forces. Åland was granted extensive autonomy by the Parliament of Finland in the Act on the Autonomy of Åland of 1920, which was later replaced by new legislation of the same name in 1951 and 1991. The constitution of Finland defines a "constitution of Åland" by referring to this act. Åland remains exclusively Swedish-speaking by this act. Although a referendum to join the European Union had been held in mainland Finland on 16 October 1994, Åland held a separate vote on 20 November as they were a separate customs jurisdiction. EU membership was approved by 73.64% of voters. In connection with Finland's admission to the European Union, a protocol was signed concerning Åland that stipulates, among other things, that provisions of the European Community Treaty shall not force a change of the existing restrictions for foreigners (i.e., persons who do not enjoy "home region rights"—hembygdsrätt—in Åland) to acquire and hold real property or to provide certain services. Currency : 1 € ( until 1999 1 Finnish Markka (FIM) = 100 penny).
Full information about new stamps of
Aland
you can find at site:
alandstamps.com
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