Åland à la (post)Carte

Postcard

Åland is an autonomous region of Finland. Åland consists of more than 6,700 islands situated midway between Sweden and Finland.

Although the people of Åland speak Swedish, this autonomous territory is part of Finland. Åland has its own flag, has issued its own postage stamps since 1984, runs its own police force, and is a member of the Nordic Council.

The current population of 28,000 live on only 65 islands.  Over 40 per cent live in the only town and capital Mariehamn. The archipelago is largely made up of coastal rock slopes and heather moorland, and has large areas of pine forests. Only about nine per cent of Åland is arable land.

The postcard shows 4 typical Åland dishes: Åland Panncake, Gravlax, Pickled fish and Smoked Åland flounder.

Stamp

Georg August Wallin (1811 – 1852), also known as Abd al-Wali was a Finnish (born in Åland) orientalist, explorer and professor remembered for his journeys in the Middle East during the 1840s.