History of Åland

The Åland Islands occupy a position of great strategic importance, commanding as they do both one of the entrances to the port of and the approaches to the Gulf of Bothnia, in addition to being situated proximate to the Gulf of Finland.

Due to forebulge effect after the Ice Age icecaps melted, the area round Åland is rising at several millimeters per year.

As the result of abundant Anopheles claviger mosquitoes, malaria was endemic in Åland for at least 150 years, with severe malaria outbreaks being recorded in the 17th century, and in 1853 and 1862.

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