The demographic development in the Åland Islands
Kenth Häggblom, Statistics Åland
The Åland Islands is an autonomous, demilitarized and Swedish speaking territory that belongs to Finland and joined the European Union in 1995. Inhabitants: 26,530, of which 40 per cent in the capital Mariehamn, 92 per cent Swedish speaking and 70 per cent born in Åland. The service-industries employ 75 per cent. GDP per capita: 34,000 EUR. After World War II there was a strong urbanisation and the population declined due to emigration. About 1970 the situation changed as a result of the economic development (ferry traffic and tourism). The population has increased every year since then, mainly due to a migration surplus, and has grown twice as fast as in Finland and Sweden. The important shipping sector has developed as a result of Åland´s insular location and today it is possible to preserve the tax-free sales on board the ferries because Åland stands outside the EU tax union.
See paper
Presented in Poster Session 3