Åland Post issued a spectacular stamp illustrating Åland’s path to autonomy. This special item celebrates the centennial year of Åland autonomy that starts on 9 June 2021 and culminates on 9 June 2022. It shows two of the leaders of the Åland Movement, Julius Sundblom and Carl Björkman, and the Council of the League of Nations in the background. The stamp item also illustrates two mountain pines, symbolizing Åland's self-will and stubbornness. The artist behind this stamp is Jonas Wilén.
The Åland Islands unite more than 6,500 islands and islets, each of which has its own name, and about 65 of them are inhabited. More than 29 thousand people live here. The third part of the population lives in the administrative center - Mariehamn. Meanwhile, the smallest municipality in the Åland Islands - Sottunga - has a population of only about 90 people. As an autonomy, this region has the right to make its own laws and decisions on many key issues. International treaties stipulate that the Åland Islands form a demilitarized neutral zone, which is an example of how an autonomous minority culture can flourish within a larger nation.
