ALAND ISLANDS, an archipelago at the entrance to the Gulf of Bothnia, about 25m. from the coast of Sweden, and 15m. from that of Finland. Area 5 51 sq.m., with a population of 2 7,3 75 in 193o. The group which forms the Finnish department of Aland (Ahvenanmaa), consists of nearly 3o0 islands, of which about 8o are inhabited, the remainder being desolate rocks. These islands form a continuation of a dangerous granite reef extending along the south coast of Finland. They formerly belonged to Sweden, and in the neighbourhood the first victory of the Russian fleet over the Swedes was gained by Peter the Great in 1714. They were ceded to Russia in 1809, and remained Russian until 1917, when Finland was proclaimed an independent and sovereign State. The population centres chiefly in the island of Aland, upon which is situated the small town of Mariehamn. The inhabitants, hardy seamen and fishermen, are mostly of Swedish descent. The surface of the islands is generally sandy, the soil thin and the climate keen; yet Scotch fir, spruce and birch are grown; and rye, barley, flax and vegetables are produced. Great numbers of cattle are reared; and cheese, butter and hides, as well as salted meat and fish, are exported. There are several excellent harbours (notably that of Ytternas), which were of great im portance to Russia from the fact that they are frozen up for a much briefer period than those on the coast of Finland.
History.—When,by an article of the Treaty of Fredrikshavn (Friedrichshamn), Sept. 5-17, 1809, the islands were ceded to Russia, together with the territories forming the grand-duchy of Finland on the mainland, the Swedes were unable to secure a provision that the islands, occupying a position of great strategic importance in relation to the entrance to Stockholm and to the Gulf of Bothnia, should not be fortified. The question was a vital one for Great Britain's trade as well. In 1854, accordingly, during the Crimean War, an Anglo-French force destroyed the fortress of Bomersund. By the "Aland Convention," between Great Britain, France and Russia on March 3o, 1856, it was stipulated that "the Aland islands shall not be fortified, and that no military or naval establishments shall be maintained or created on them." By the 33rd article of the Treaty of Paris (1856) this convention, annexed to the final act, was given "the same force and validity as if it formed part thereof." In 1906 it was asserted that Russia, under pretext of stopping the smuggling of arms into Finland, was massing considerable forces at the islands. The question of the Aland islands created discussion in 1907 and 1908 in connection with new North sea agreements, and Russia con sidered the 1856 convention rather humiliating. But it was plainly shown by other powers that they did not propose to regard it as open to question, and the point was not officially raised.
Under the tsardom the islands were united with Finland until the latter country declared her independence in 1917. In Dec. 1917, the Aland islanders claimed the right of self-determina tion on their own account, and unofficial plebiscites showed a vote in favour of reunion with Sweden. Finland granted the islands autonomy on May 7, 1920, but refused to contemplate their secession. In June the leaders of the secession movement were arrested for high treason, and Finnish troops were sent to the island. As this situation was producing a state of serious ten sion between Finland and Sweden, Great Britain drew the atten tion of the Council of the League of Nations to the movement on June 19, 192o.
With the consent of the two interested governments, the Council asked a special commission of jurists whether the question was international or the exclusive concern of Finland. This com mission declared the question international, whereupon the Coun cil despatched a special commission of inquiry to the spot. This commission reported against the claim of the islanders to secede from Finland, but declared that the islanders formed a distinct group within the Finnish body politic, and suggested that the maintenance of Finnish sovereignty ought to be made conditional upon the incorporation in the autonomy law of May 7, 192o, of five specific guarantees. The commission also reported in favour of a new convention, to be signed by all the Baltic powers, for the neutralization and demilitarization of the Aland Islands, to re place the earlier international convention of March 3o, 1856.
This report was accepted by the Council and the two interested governments. An agreed text of the five guarantees was subse quently inserted in the Finnish law, and was placed under the supervision of the Council of the League. The new neutralization convention was negotiated at a conference held at Geneva from Oct. 10-20, and it came into force on April 6, 1922.
of Nations Official Journal Special Supple ments Nos. i and 3 (192o) ; O. Andersson, Les origines de la question d'Aland (192o) ; British White Paper, Cd. 1,68o (1922) ; Baron M. de Taube, Une page inedite de l'histoire moderne du probleme baltique (1924) ; A. J. Toynbee, Survey of International Affairs, z92o-23, PP. 234-238 (1925) ; L. H. Tingsten, Aland ur militarisk och politisk synpunkt frdn i8o8 till vdra dagar (1925).