Fasta Åland ( fi, Manner-Ahvenanmaa or , meaning mainland Åland) is the largest and most populous island of
Åland, an
autonomous
In developmental psychology and moral, political, and bioethical philosophy, autonomy, from , ''autonomos'', from αὐτο- ''auto-'' "self" and νόμος ''nomos'', "law", hence when combined understood to mean "one who gives oneself one's ow ...
province of
Finland. The island is home to the provincial capital
Mariehamn
Mariehamn ( , ; fi, Maarianhamina ; la, Portus Mariae) is the capital of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. Mariehamn is the seat of the Government and Parliament of Åland, and 40% of the population of Åland live in ...
. About ninety percent of the archipelago's population lives on Fasta Åland.
[Statistical Yearbook of Finland 2016, p.505. Accessed 2017-02-07. http://www.stat.fi/tup/julkaisut/tiedostot/julkaisuluettelo/yyti_stv_201600_2016_16179_net.pdf ] Its area is difficult to estimate due to its irregular shape and coastline, but estimates range from
to to over , depending on what is included or excluded. Even at the minimum estimate, Fasta Åland is Finland's largest and most populous island, with about 27,000 people. Its highest point is 129 metres (423 feet).
On the east side of Fasta Åland is a large bay,
Lumparn
Lumparn (fi. ''Lumpari'') is a large bay devoid of islands in the main island of Åland, Finland, bordered by Sund to the north, Lumparland to the east, Lemland to the south and Jomala to the west.
Description
Most of the bay fills a nine k ...
, which is now believed to be the
impact crater from a meteorite impact about 1000 million years ago.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fasta Aland
Islands of Åland
Aland, Fasta