Hiittinen, 25 km west of Hanko

Archipelago Sea (Finnish Saaristomeri, Swedish Skärgårdshavet) is a part of the Baltic Sea between the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland, within Finnish territorial waters. It is the largest archipelago in the world by the number of islands, although the islands tend to be very small and clustered in a small area. Image File history File linksMetadata Hiittinen. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Hiittinen. ... The word Hanko may refer to Hanko, Finland, town and municipality Hanko Peninsula Hanko, a Japanese signature stamp Hanko is sometimes a misspelling of Hankou (汉口), China This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The Baltic Sea is located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. ... The Baltic Sea The Gulf of Bothnia (Fin. ... The Baltic Sea The Gulf of Finland is an arm of the Baltic Sea that extends between Finland (to the north) and Estonia (to the south) all the way to the city of Saint Petersburg in Russia, where the river Neva drains into it. ... Map of Sealand and the United Kingdom, with territorial water claims of 3nm and 12nm shown. ...

Geology

The inner archipelago is wooded.

The Archipelago Sea has a very large number of islands. The exact number of islands depends on the definition of the term "island", as the sizes of the pieces of dry land vary from small rocks peeking out of the water to large islands with several villages or even a small town. Common estimates vary between 20,000 and 50,000. (In comparison, the estimates on the number of islands in Indonesia range between 13,000 and 18,000) The area is roughly divided into inner and outher archipelagos, with the outer archipelago consisting mainly of smaller, uninhabited islands. The archipelago covers a roughly triangular area with the cities of Mariehamn, Uusikaupunki and Hanko at the corners. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1486x1028, 927 KB) Schärengebiet vor Turku (Ausschnitt) selbst fotografiert am 15. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1486x1028, 927 KB) Schärengebiet vor Turku (Ausschnitt) selbst fotografiert am 15. ... Founded 1861 Province Ã…land Region Ã…land Sub-region Mariehamn Area - Of which land - Rank 11. ... Province Western Finland Region Finland Proper Sub-region Vakka-Suomi City manager Kari Koski Official languages Finnish Area  - total  - land ranked 179th 540. ... The word Hanko may refer to Hanko, Finland, town and municipality Hanko Peninsula Hanko, a Japanese signature stamp Hanko is sometimes a misspelling of Hankou (汉口), China This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

The islands began emerging from the sea shortly after the last ice age. Due to the post-glacial rebound the process is still going on, with new skerries and island being slowly created and old ones enlarged or merged. The current rate of rebound is between 4 and 10 millimetres a year. Because the islands are made of mainly granite and gneiss, two very hard types of rock, erosion is significantly slower than rebound. Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 400 000 years For the animated movie, see Ice Age (movie). ... Changes in the elevation of Lake Superior due to glaciation and post-glacial rebound Post-glacial rebound (sometimes called continental rebound, isostatic rebound or isostatic adjustment) is the rise of land masses that were depressed by the huge weight of ice sheets during the last ice age, through a process... Look up skerry in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Close-up of granite from Yosemite National Park, valley of the Merced River Quarrying granite for the Mormon Temple, Utah Territory. ... Gneiss Gneiss (IPA: ) is a common and widely distributed type of rock formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from preexisting formations that were originally either igneous or sedimentary rocks. ... The rocky side of a mountain creek near Orosí, Costa Rica. ... Severe soil erosion in a wheat field near Washington State University, USA. For erosion as an operation of Mathematical morphology, see Erosion (morphology) Erosion is displacement of solids (soil, mud, rock and other particles) by the agents of ocean currents, wind, water, or ice by downward or down-slope movement...

Demographics and administration

Map of the Sweden/Finland Islands Euroregion

The islands are divided between the province of Western Finland and the autonomous province of Åland. The border between the provinces runs roughly along Kihti, a relatively open sea area. Together with the islands near the coast of Sweden the area forms a Euroregion. Image File history File links Aland. ... Image File history File links Aland. ... In European politics, a Euroregion is a form of transfrontier co-operation structure between two (or more) European countries. ... The Province of Western Finland is a province of Finland. ... Motto: none Anthem: Ã…länningens sÃ¥ng Capital Mariehamn Official languages Swedish Government Autonomous province  - Governor Peter Lindbäck1  - Premier Roger Nordlund Autonomy    - Declared 1920   - Recognized 19212  Accession to EU January 1, 19953 Area  - Total 13,517 km² (n/a) 5,267 sq mi   - Water (%) 89 Population  - 2005 estimate 26... In European politics, a Euroregion is a form of transfrontier co-operation structure between two (or more) European countries. ...

The number of permanent residents on the islands is roughly 60,000, with 27,000 of them living in Åland. Most municipalities in the area are monolingually Swedish-speaking or a Swedish-speaking majority. The main ports in the area are Turku on the continent, and Mariehamn on the Åland islands. Motto: none Anthem: Ã…länningens sÃ¥ng Capital Mariehamn Official languages Swedish Government Autonomous province  - Governor Peter Lindbäck1  - Premier Roger Nordlund Autonomy    - Declared 1920   - Recognized 19212  Accession to EU January 1, 19953 Area  - Total 13,517 km² (n/a) 5,267 sq mi   - Water (%) 89 Population  - 2005 estimate 26... Turku (IPA:  , Swedish:  ), founded in the 13th century, is the oldest and fifth largest city in Finland, with a population of 174,868 (as of 2005). ... Founded 1861 Province Ã…land Region Ã…land Sub-region Mariehamn Area - Of which land - Rank 11. ...

Many Finns have summer residences on the islands in the area, known for its natural beauty. Due to this the population of many islands can double or more during the summer. The summer residents are mostly Finnish-speaking in contrast to the permanent residents. Kultaranta, the official summer residence of the president of Finland is on the island of Luonnonmaa in Naantali. Kultaranta (Finnish), Gullranda (Swedish), is the summer residence of the President of Finland. ... The President of Finland is the Head of State of Finland. ... Luonnonmaa is an island in the city of Naantali, in south-western Finland. ... Naantali (Swedish Nådendal, Latin Vallis Gratiae - valley of grace), city in south-western Finland, known as the probably most important tourist centre of the country. ...

An interesting feature in the demographics on the island is the number of twins. The tendency for non-identical twin births is partly hereditary, and the necessary genes are prevalent in the archipelago. In the 18th and 19th centuries the proportion of twin births were greater than anywhere in Europe, and enormously higher than in continental Finland. The reason for this was fishing. Fish an excellent source of protein and unsaturated fat. It was also available even when crops failed. On the other hand, fishing was hazardous and caused many fatalities, increasing the benefit of multiple births. Due to the small size of the islands people often married their cousins or second cousins, allowing the necessary genes to enrich in the gene pool. angp9ej9pem8v9t8n v98nsadrghoiffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffdg 8aenmv-98nub 89-a5nu b9-5nb98nev8emvuangp9ej9pem8v9t8n v98nsadrghoiffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffdg 8aenmv-98nub 89-a5nu b9-5nb98nev8emvuangp9ej9pem8v9t8n v98nsadrghoiffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffdg 8aenmv-98nub 89-a5nu b9-5nb98nev8emvu8aenmv-98nub 89-a5nu b9-5nb98nev8emvuangp9ej9pem8v9t8n v98nsadrghoiffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffdg 8aenmv-98nub 89-a5nu b9-5nb98nev8emvuangp9ej9pem8v9t8n v98nsadrghoiffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffdg 8aenmv-98nub 89-a5nu b9-5nb98nev8emvuangp9ej9pem8v9t8n v98nsadrghoiffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffdg 8aenmv-98nub 89-a5nu b9-5nb98nev8emvuangp9ej9pem8v9t8n v98nsadrghoiffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffdg 8aenmv... Fraternal twin boys in the tub The term twin most notably refers to two individuals (or one of two individuals) who have shared the same uterus (womb) and usually, but not necessarily, born on the same day. ... For the scientific journal Heredity see Heredity (journal) Heredity (the adjective is hereditary) is the transfer of characters from parent to offspring, either through their genes or through the social institution called inheritance (for example, a title of nobility is passed from individual to individual according to relevant customs and... For a non-technical introduction to the topic, see Introduction to Genetics. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... Fishing is the activity of hunting for fish by hooking, trapping, or gathering. ... A giant grouper at the Georgia Aquarium Fish are aquatic vertebrates that are typically cold-blooded; covered with scales, and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins. ... A representation of the 3D structure of myoglobin, showing coloured alpha helices. ... An unsaturated fat is a fat or fatty acid in which there are one or more double bonds in the fatty acid chain. ... A crop is any plant that is grown in significant quantities to be harvested as food, livestock fodder, or for another economic purpose. ... For other uses, see Cousin (disambiguation). ... The term cousin typically refers to the child of ones parents sibling. ... For a non-technical introduction to the topic, see Introduction to Genetics. ... The gene pool of a species or a population is the complete set of unique alleles that would be found by inspecting the genetic material of every living member of that species or population. ...

Economy and communications

A "yellow" ferry in winter

Map of the Eastern part of the Archipelago Sea

The islands generally enjoy a high standard of living comparable to that of continental Finland. Fishing and fish processing are major industries. The archipelago is well-known for its Baltic herring and rainbow trout products. Agriculture is limited by the small size and rocky nature of the islands. However, the climate is more favourable than in continental Finland and some islands, particularly Rymättylä, are famous in the nearby continental areas for producing the first new potatoes of the summer. The significance of tourism to the economy of the islands is constantly increasing. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 443 KB) Finnish ferry in the archipelago of Turku. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 443 KB) Finnish ferry in the archipelago of Turku. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 591 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1182 × 1200 pixel, file size: 86 KB, MIME type: image/png) Saaristomeri / SkärgÃ¥rdshavet / Archipelago Sea Source: Self-made, January 6th 2007 Author: BishkekRocks File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 591 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1182 × 1200 pixel, file size: 86 KB, MIME type: image/png) Saaristomeri / SkärgÃ¥rdshavet / Archipelago Sea Source: Self-made, January 6th 2007 Author: BishkekRocks File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this... The Standard of living refers to the quality and quantity of goods and services available to people and the way these services and goods are distributed within a population. ... Species Clupea alba Clupea bentincki Clupea caspiopontica Clupea chrysotaenia Clupea elongata Clupea halec Clupea harengus Clupea inermis Clupea leachii Clupea lineolata Clupea minima Clupea mirabilis Clupea pallasii Clupea sardinacaroli Clupea sulcata Herrings are small oily fish of the genus Clupea found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Atlantic... It has been suggested that Steelhead be merged into this article or section. ... Rymättylä (IPA: ), or Rimito in Swedish, is a municipality of Finland. ... Binomial name Solanum tuberosum L. The potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a perennial plant of the Solanaceae, or nightshade, family, commonly grown for its starchy tuber. ... Tourists on OÊ»ahu, Hawaii Tourism is travel for predominantly recreational or leisure purposes, and also refers to the provision of services in support of this act. ...

The islands communities on the "Finnish" side of Kihti are linked by the Archipelago Ring Road, a chain of bridges and ferries. Islands lying farther away are linked by ferries, and in case of Åland, a small airport. The ferries are divided into two categories. The "yellow" ferries (lossi in Finnish) are free of charge and operate on short routes between adjacent (large) islands. They are raft-like in construction. The "white" ferries (yhteysalus in Finnish) are ship-like and charge a small fee. They operate on longer routes covering several smaller or more distant islands. Large cruiseferries connect the Finnish cities of Turku and Helsinki to Åland and Sweden. Pride of Bilbao, a cruise ferry operated by P&O Ferries. ... Turku (IPA:  , Swedish:  ), founded in the 13th century, is the oldest and fifth largest city in Finland, with a population of 174,868 (as of 2005). ... Founded 1550 Country Finland Province Southern Finland Region Uusimaa Sub-region Helsinki Area[1] - Of which land - Rank 185. ...

During cold winters official ice roads are established between some islands. This greatly eases transportation, as it makes it possible to simply drive a car (or even a heavy van if ice is very thick) from the continent to the islands. On the other hand, during spring and autumn there is a period of thaw (kelirikko in Finnish) when the ice is too thin even for walking, but too thick for boating. This can leave some islands lacking a pier for large ships isolated for days or weeks. Ice Road in northern British Columbia, Canada Ice roads are temporary highways formed by using frozen rivers and lake surfaces. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A van is a kind of vehicle used for transporting goods or groups of people. ...

Many important shipping lanes cross the Archipelago Sea. Navigation is made hazardous by the labyrinthine archipelago, varying depth and numerous skerries. For this reason the islands are dotted with lighthouses of varying sizes and navigational marks. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Shipping route. ... Look up skerry in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A HDR image of a traditional lighthouse For other uses, see Lighthouse (disambiguation). ...

Nature and conservation

A great crested grebe

The islands provide a unique and diverse environment for wildlife. The bigger islands resemble the coastal regions of continental Finland whereas skerries have a radically different environment. Smaller islands a devoid of trees, but still harbour rich plantlife. The environment is sunny, has a relatively long growing season and is fertilised by guano. On the other hand, nearly constant wind and thin or non-existent soil limit plant growth. The very low salinity of the Baltic Sea makes splashes of seawater more benign for plantlife. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Binomial name Podiceps cristatus (Linnaeus, 1758) The Great Crested Grebe, Podiceps cristatus, is a member of the grebe family of water birds. ... The coniferous Coast Redwood, the tallest tree species on earth. ... Divisions Green algae Chlorophyta Charophyta Land plants (embryophytes) Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Marchantiophyta—liverworts Anthocerotophyta—hornworts Bryophyta—mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) †Rhyniophyta—rhyniophytes †Zosterophyllophyta—zosterophylls Lycopodiophyta—clubmosses †Trimerophytophyta—trimerophytes Pteridophyta—ferns and horsetails Seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta—seed ferns Pinophyta—conifers Cycadophyta—cycads Ginkgophyta—ginkgo Gnetophyta—gnetae Magnoliophyta—flowering plants... In agriculture, the growing season is the period of each year when crops can be grown. ... Spreading manure, an organic fertilizer Fertilizers (British English fertilisers) are compounds given to plants to promote growth; they are usually applied either via the soil, for uptake by plant roots, or by foliar feeding, for uptake through leaves. ... The Chincha guano islands in Peru. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... suck my shlong dick cause soil is my life pedosphere is positioned at the interface of the lithosphere and biosphere with the atmosphere and hydrosphere. ... Annual mean sea surface salinity for the World Ocean. ... The Baltic Sea is located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. ...

The conditions can vary radically even within one small island. There may be small patches of fresh-water bogs, ponds of fresh water, ponds of brackish water, bushes, meadows, barren rocks, wind-beaten shores and sheltered coves on an island only a few tens of meters in diameter. Many plants have altered phenotypes due to the environment. For example, junipers on small islands grow only to a height less than 0,5 metres, but can cover several square metres. Lütt-Witt Moor, a bog in Henstedt-Ulzburg in northern Germany. ... Two people reflected in a fish pond A pond is typically a man made body of water smaller than a lake. ... Two people reflected in a fish pond A pond is typically a man made body of water smaller than a lake. ... Brackish water (less commonly brack water) is water that is saltier than fresh water, but not as salty as seawater. ... A meadow is a habitat of rolling or flat terrain where grasses predominate. ... Insert non-formatted text here Lulworth Cove, Dorset England This article is about the coastal feature. ... Individuals in the mollusk species Donax variabilis show diverse coloration and patterning in their phenotypes. ... Species Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. ...

The islands are a haven for seabirds. The species include mute swan, black guillemot, great crested grebe and numerous species of sea gulls. Recently great cormorants have spread to the archipelago and their numbers are increasing. This not necessarily viewed as a good thing by nature lovers, since great cormorants live in dense colonies which will eventually poison surrounding plantlife by their excrement. The Sooty Tern is highly aerial and marine and will spend years flying at sea without returning to land. ... Binomial name Cygnus olor (Gmelin, 1789) The Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) is a common Eurasian member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. ... Binomial name Cepphus grylle Linnaeus, 1758 The Black Guillemot or Tystie, Cepphus grylle, is a medium-sized alcid at 32-38 cm in length, and with a 49-58 cm wingspan. ... Binomial name Podiceps cristatus (Linnaeus, 1758) The Great Crested Grebe, Podiceps cristatus, is a member of the grebe family of water birds. ... Genera Pagophila Larus Rissa Creagus Xema Rhodostethia Gulls are seabirds in the family Laridae and subfamily Lari. ... Binomial name Phalacrocorax carbo Linnaeus, 1758 The Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) is a widespread member of the cormorant family of seabirds. ... Binomial name Phalacrocorax carbo Linnaeus, 1758 The Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) is a widespread member of the cormorant family of seabirds. ... The skull and crossbones symbol (Jolly Roger) traditionally used to label a poisonous substance. ... Feces (also spelled faeces or fæces) are the waste products from the digestive tract expelled through the anus during defecation. ...

The greatest threat to the environment is eutrophication caused mainly by agriculture and fish farms. This has been partly brought under control in Finland, but the effects are masked by the general decline in the condition of the Baltic Sea. Many areas of the archipelago are protected from human activity by their sheer inaccessibility. The are also many small nature conservation areas and the Southwestern Archipelago National Park, where landing to some islands is restricted only to scientists. Eutrophication is caused by the increase of chemical nutrients, typically compounds containing nitrogen or phosphorus, in an ecosystem. ... A demonstration aquaculture facility Fish farming is the principal form of aquaculture. ... Southwestern Archipelago National Park (Saaristomeren kansallispuisto) is a national park in Southern Finland. ...

History

The islands began rising from the sea (at that stage called the Yoldia Sea) 10,000 years ago. The oldest archaeological finds date back to ca. 4000 BC and represent the Pit-Comb Ware culture. Changes in the elevation of Lake Superior due to glaciation and post-glacial rebound Post-glacial rebound (sometimes called continental rebound, isostatic rebound or isostatic adjustment) is the rise of land masses that were depressed by the huge weight of ice sheets during the last ice age, through a process... Yoldia sea is a name given by geologists to a variable brackish-water stage in the Baltic sea basin that prevailed after draining of Baltic ice lake had reduced the lake level to then sea level. ... Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek: αρχαίος, archae, ancient; and λόγος, logos, knowledge) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains and environmental data, including architecture, artifacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ... (5th millennium BC – 4th millennium BC – 3rd millennium BC - other millennia) Events City of Ur in Mesopotamia (40th century BC). ... The Comb Ceramic Culture or the Pit-Comb Ware culture was a North-East European stone age culture, ca 4200 BC - 2000 BC. The name is derived from the most common decoration on the ceramic finds that look like the imprints of a comb. ...

The archipelago occupies a strategic position, guarding the approaches to Stockholm, Turku and the entire Gulf of Bothnia. Therefore they were fortified by the Swedish empire during the Middle Ages. A royal postal route used to go via the northern islands in the 16th and 17th century. In 1809 Sweden was forced to cede the islands to Russia, and they became part of the Grand Duchy of Finland. Sweden between the years 1611 and 1718 is known as the Swedish Empire. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Year 1809 (MDCCCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar). ... The Grand Duchy of Finland was a state that existed 1809–1917 as part of the Russian Empire. ...

During the Crimean war an Anglo-French force attacked and destroyed the Bomarsund castle. In the Åland convention of 1856 the Åland side of the archipelago was demilitarised. The area remains so even today. Combatants Allies: Second French Empire United Kingdom Ottoman Empire Kingdom of Sardinia Russian Empire Bulgarian volunteers Casualties 90,000 French 35,000 Turkish 17,500 British 2,050 Sardinian killed, wounded and died of disease ~134,000 killed, wounded and died of disease The Crimean War (1854–1856) was fought... Anglo-French is a term that may be used in several contexts: Nationality, eg. ... A part of the ruins Bomarsund is a 19th century fortress in Sund on the Ã…land Islands in the Baltic Sea. ... 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... In military terms, a demilitarized zone (DMZ) is an area, usually the frontier or boundary between two or more military powers (or alliances), where military activity is not permitted, usually by peace treaty, armistice or other bilateral or multilateral agreement. ...

Finland gained its independence from Russia in 1917. Shortly after, Sweden sought to annex a portion of the archipelago, precipitating the Åland crisis. The League of Nations was called in to resolve the situation, and in 1921 the League granted the sovereignty of the entire archipelago to Finland, despite the objections of the majority of Ålanders. However, Åland was give wide autonomy, and its demilitarised status was reaffirmed. The Ã…land crisis was one of the first issues the new League of Nations had to arbitrate. ... The League of Nations was an international organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference in 1919-1920. ... In military terms, a demilitarized zone (DMZ) is an area, usually the frontier or boundary between two or more military powers (or alliances), where military activity is not permitted, usually by peace treaty, armistice or other bilateral or multilateral agreement. ...

External links

• Southwestern Archipelago National Park
• Turku Archipelago
• Steamship s/s Ukkopekka cruise Naantali-Turku
• Interactive map of the ferries in Finland
• All guest harbors in the Archipelago of Turku and Aland

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Archipelago Sea

• A study about historical demographics in Finland (In Finnish). Accessed June 27th, 2006.