Fasta Åland (Finnish: Manner-Ahvenanmaa or Ahvenanmanner, meaning mainland Åland) is the largest and most populous island of Åland, an autonomous province of Finland. The island is home to the provincial capital Mariehamn. About ninety percent of the archipelago's population lives on Fasta Åland.[1] Its area is difficult to estimate due to its irregular shape and coastline, but estimates range from 740 square kilometres (290 sq mi)[2] to 879 square kilometres (339 sq mi)[3] to over 1,010 square kilometres (390 sq mi), depending on what is included or excluded. Even at the minimum estimate, Fasta Åland is Finland's largest and most populous island, with about 27,000 people. Its highest point is 129 metres (423 feet).
Native name: Fasta Åland | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Fasta Åland | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Baltic Sea |
| Coordinates | 60°08′53″N 19°47′18″E / 60.14806°N 19.78833°E |
| Archipelago | Åland |
| Area | 685 km2 (264 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
Finland | |
| Province | Åland |
| Largest settlement | Mariehamn (pop. 11,048) |
On the east side of Fasta Åland is a large bay, Lumparn, which is now believed to be the impact crater from a meteorite impact about one billion years ago.[4]
References
edit- ^ Statistical Yearbook of Finland 2016, p.505. Accessed 2017-02-07. http://www.stat.fi/tup/julkaisut/tiedostot/julkaisuluettelo/yyti_stv_201600_2016_16179_net.pdf Archived 2017-02-11 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Scheffel, Richard L.; Wernet, Susan J., eds. (1980). Natural Wonders of the World. United States of America: Reader's Digest Association, Inc. p. 3. ISBN 0-89577-087-3.
- ^ Europe, Council of (2012-01-01). Biodiversity and Climate Change: Reports and Guidance Developed Under the Bern Convention. Council of Europe. p. 251. ISBN 9789287170590.
- ^ Svensson, N.-B. (1993). "Lumparn Bay: A Meteorite Impact Crater in the Aland Archipelago, Southwest Finland". Meteoritics. 28 (3): 445. Bibcode:1993Metic..28S.445S.