Finström

Finström is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland.

The municipality has a population of 2,457 of which 94.0% speak Swedish and 3.7% Finnish as their first language. The municipality covers an area of 127.99 km² of which 6.61 km² is water, while the population density is 20.2 inhabitants per km².

The municipality is unilingually Swedish.

Godby is the second biggest built-up area in Åland after Mariehamn, inhabited by 900 people, or one-thirds of the municipality's population. A pharmacy, banks, a post office, a swimming hall and a health center are among the amenities that can be found in Godby.

History

Finström was widely inhabited in the Viking era. The church of St. Michael is one of the oldest in Åland with the oldest parts dating from the 12th century. Grelsby kungsgård was the place where king Gustavus Vasa stayed with his entourage of 312 people for a few days in the spring of 1556. King Gustaf IV Adolf also stayed there for six weeks in the summer of 1808 prior to the loss of Finland to Russia.

Geography

Finström is right in the middle of mainland Åland and is bordered by a total of five municipalities: Sund to the east, Saltvik to the northeast, Geta to the north, Hammarland to the west and Jomala to the south.

Långsjön, the largest lake in Åland, is located in the municipality, as is the Almskogen nature reserve. Notable bays include Kasviken and Ödkarbyviken.

Economy

Godby is by far the center of Finström's economy. The biggest employer in the municipality is Optinova with 130 employees. Tourism is also an important line of business.

Agricultural products grown especially in the northern parts of Finström include apples and various vegetables, and fishing is also a source of income for some.

External links

* [http://www.finstrom.aland.fi/ Municipality of Finström] - Official website