WHAT IS THIS PLACE?? - Åland Islands, Explained

The Åland Islands are extremely interesting when it comes to their geography, international status, history and culture.

Hopefully you will learn something in this video :)

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Credits:

All images and video are licensed under Creative Commons or were purchased and licensed for commercial use in this video.

Music written by Creatively eXplained all rights reserved.

© Creatively eXplained all rights reserved, 2018

[ChevronTango]

When they were designing their flag, in an act of unrivalled petulance, they made it as close to the Swedish flag as they possibly could! Love it!

[Z.DeAllen]

2:44 I died laughing 😂😂😂 Keep making these little known countries videos. I love the concise history and comic style you use.

[dergerullanderproductions]

Åland wasnt " occupied " by Sweden, for several hundred years Åland had already been inhabited by norse (swedish) peoples. There is even evidence they took place in viking raids on eastern countries.

[tepetti]

You got the location of Turku a bit wrong. You had it where Helsinki is when it actually is more to the west much closer to Åland.

[YourRoyalMajesty.]

Thank you for this. My ancestors come from Åland. They (my great great grandparents) moved to America under the name Alander, obviously not their true last name, but were so incredibly proud of where they came from they assumed the name. I can’t wait to learn more.

[Corby]

Excellent
I shared it on Twitter
Few people in the USA know anything about this

[jamesterwilliger]

I had the privilege of visiting Mariehamn last summer, and consider it one of my most cherished memories. What a truly amazing, unique place.

[Maarten]

With the Faroe Islands video, one off the best educative and informstive video's ive seen in a while. Please make some more! Maybe about Longyearbyen (Norway), Bornholm (Denmark), Isle of Man (UK) for example!

[VerbaleMondo]

Åland looks amazing, would like to go there. It seems so bleeding interesting. Cheers and love!

[rickberglund]

My great grandfather immigrated from Mariehamn, Aland to the United States in 1911. Like many Americans, I recently had my ancestry done, and to my surprise the person who did the research, told me that I was Finnish, not Swedish. Imagine my surprise, when I had to tell family members, those that are still living, that after all these years, we are not Swedish? I was disappointed, I thought Sweden had a richer past. I still consider myself Swedish, because he spoke Swedish. Imagine, this information was not passed down? My father and one of his brothers is gone, so I couldn’t ask them. My great grandfathers wife, my great grandmother was from the mainland of Finland, so I consider myself both Swedish and Finnish.

[AHVENAN]

5 seconds in and Im already disagreeing with you! Yes historically we have tried to leave Finland and instead become a paret of Sweden, but nowadays Im pretty sure most Ålanders are glad we are not a part of Sweden, sure we have our troubles with the Finnish governement and so on, mostly over the language thing, but overall I think most of us are pretty proud to be a part of what I personally think is the greatest country on earth!

And I am born and raised In the Åland Islands so I know what Im talking about!

[AHVENAN]

Also about the hembyggdsrätt, you do not have to have that to LIVE here, you just can not own your own land/house unless you have it

[xarakhan]

Love aland islands from Sweden and Iceland🇸🇪🇮🇸❤🇦🇽

[Strand]

Im from Åland and I love Finland! Suomi on paras maa!

[newgabe]

Going there in a few days. That was great!! I laughed and learned a lot

[barrysteven]

There are a lot of comments about Åland 'rejoining' Sweden and most people from Åland are commenting that the people there show no wish to be part of Sweden. I have some friends there so I already knew that was the case. I will just add something which is not mentioned in the video. Finland is officially a bilingual country with both Finnish and Swedish as official languages. Although over 90% of the population has Finnish as the first language there are Swedish speaking communities all along the west coast and around Helsinki. All kids study Swedish in school. So being Swedish speaking does not make the Åland islands a unique part of Finland and is not something that would stop someone feeling Finnish. The Swedish spoken there is a lot closer in pronunciation to 'mainland' Swedish than the very distinctive accent of Finland-Swedes though. It IS unique in that it is totally Swedish speaking rather than majority Swedish speaking. Secondly, Finland is a country anyone could be proud to be citizen of. Thirdly, I can't help feeling that by joining Sweden, Åland would just be swallowed up and become an ordinary part of Sweden without any special autonomy, which it has as part of Finland.

[BerniceHector-re]

I grew up on Åland, wonderful childhood!

[Taruchia]

This was really entertaining. Well explained. ^^ I wanted to learn via Youtube what Åland is, and thanks to you I feel a little smarter now! <3

[loretoparas]

Nice video.. God bless always. From the 🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭

[thanosboi]

I live in åland islands its very beautiful here we are considered as we are 50 years back in time big red houses near the waters you should visit Åland island