Chibi Aland- Hej

EDIT: Let's cut the chit-chat to a minimum, I've been working to update Åland's details, so here they are! I sure hope they're acceptable... ;v;

Name: Åland Islands / Ahvenanmaa
Human Name: Solveig Ahlström
Status: Autonomous Province
Capital: Mariehamn
Location: Northern Europe
Gender: Female
Languages: Swedish, English, Finnish (unfluent)
Physical Age: 13
Birthday: June 9
Height: 143 cm. - 4'8.2" in.
Religion: Evangelical Lutheran

Appearance
Åland has long, blonde hair, that could be described as coarse in feel; it is oftentimes sloppily thrown into a ponytail. The curl represents the Mariehamn ports- vital to the island's shipping industry. Fitting with her hobby of sailing, she wears a seaman-like uniform, which is blue with yellow and black stripes in some areas. It is looser in look than a military seaman uniform since the islands have been demilitarized. Along with it, a small white hat, and black shoes.

Personality and Interests
Åland can be described as tomboyish in one word, and is rather arrogant due to her high living standards and immense physical strength, despite still being a kid. She is impatient, and not very timid. Despite this, she can be very loyal to those she respects. It's hard for her to drop a grudge once it's formed.

Her interests are mainly sailing-related activities, the sea is where most of her heart is. She has a large shipping industry for an autonomous province, as well as fishing, which she enjoys doing in her spare time. The lesser half remains on land as well, as she has many farms on her islands. She keeps a little garden due to that, although would prefer to keep it to herself. Tourism is also important to her island, so she sometimes guides tourists throughout the capital of Mariehamn, where many visit by ferry.

History
Åland first came to exist in 4500 BC, when seal hunters of unknown origin came to settle on Orrdalsklint. She worked primitively with these hunters, until the Bronze Age arrived on her islands. Bronze then was very expensive, and was only used as jewelery for women until she and the settlers figured out the metal could be used for hunting tools. [In the later Bronze Age, around 700-500 BC, the most intact homes in Åland can be found in Otterböte, Kökar, and are one of the most well-preserved in all of Scandinavia.]

After this primitive age, Åland suddenly disappears from 300-500 AD. Not the physical islands, but there is no evidence stating that humans lived on the island during these times, and Åland has a particularly bad memory lapse regarding this time.

Finally in 600 AD, she reappeared when the next, permanent settlers came: Scandinavians [Sweden], from the west and southwest to farm. Up until then, she was largely unnoticed.

In 1100, the first stone church was built in Åland- Sund's Church, which was then followed by the construction of other churches on the land. (However, the architects all remain unknown.) Denmark, who was powerful during this time, sent crusades to Finland. However Åland, who was under Linköping’s Diocese's rule [A diocese in the Church of Sweden], escaped his notice.

In 1380, Kastelholm Castle was built by Bo Jonsson Grip, but it was then taken in 1440 by Karl Knutsson, who also made himself the king of Sweden in 1448. Around 1502, Denmark finally came to take Åland under his rule by conquering the castle. However, Sweden came to reclaim it, but would not be able to beat Denmark. It was later decided they would have a duel in the castle's courtyard. In the end, Denmark won the castle- but two years later, he gave up, and left the castle back in Swedish hands.

Gustav Vasa of Sweden took a particular liking to the islands, and by 1537 had cut her taxes, and even bought two big farms for himself there. After 1671, Karl XI of Sweden visted the castle, and afterward it remained disused until Russians all but destroyed it in the Great Unrest years, 1714-1721. [What was left of it was burned in 1745.]

When Sweden was a major power in the north, times became difficult for Åland in his wake. Taxes were raised, and she and her islanders found themselves manning cannons on Swedish battleships. King Karl XII's battle with Russia caused deep consequences for Åland, and she was injured in the battle of Neva river, which was inflicted in such a way that prevented her from sailing for a while since most of her seafaring population was killed then. The Russian naval fleet arrived on the islands in 1714, and the tsar Peter himself came, anchoring his fleet at Ledsund, Lemland. There, he attacked the Swedish mainland coasts, and in Åland, villages from Gävle to Norrköping were plundered, raided, and burned. The tsar Peter then engraved the date and his emblem on a granite rock in Ledsund in the name of his victory. [It can still be seen in Ledsund to this day.] The Russian naval fleet was then expelled from Åland when the Swedish fleet confronted the Russian's fleet at Flisö, Föglö. It ended in Swedish victory despite the 4 warships they lost.

In 1742, the Russians came back and conquered the islands, a period called the "Small Unrest." A majority of her people fled to Sweden, as did Åland.

The war of 1808-1809 was the worst but most courageous for Åland. In 1808, Russian troops returned a third time to occupy the land. Åland expected help from Sweden, but none came. She and some farmers, desperate, decided to take this matter into their own hands. On March 6th, 1808, Åland and her farmers had marched to capture the Russian officer in charge, but he fled upon hearing of their coming. Pumped by this little victory, the islanders marched on to Bomarsund's fort, where the Russian troops were placed. They fled to Töftö, but farmers were waiting for them there as well, and the soldiers were attacked and taken prisoner. On May 10th, Åland and the bravest of her farmers sailed to Kumlinge, where the Kumlinge battle then took place in order to oust the Russians entirely. Losing only 2 out of 450 untrained Åland farmers, they captured the entire Russian unit of 500 men, who were taken prisoner. When 6,000 Swedish soldiers came to the islands at last, the fighting had already been done and won. King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden even visited the islands to show his appreciation to the Ålanders who had shown such courage.

However, this victory was short-lived, and in 1809, a unit of 17,000 Russian soldiers marched on the ice to the islands, overwhelming the Swedish forces on the island. Åland and Finland were later given over to Russia in the wake of Sweden's loss.

Åland's location has strategic value to it, and Russia used this to his advantage very soon in 1830. Plans were made to create a two-story fort at Bomarsund, also armed with 88 cannons. Half-finished in 1854, the fort was destroyed by the powerful French and English naval fleet during the Krim war, much to Åland's joy.

Immediately afterward, Åland hoped for a reunion with Sweden, and made her wishes known to him and the king, but he remained guarded, concerned that it might provoke another attack from the Russians. However at the Peace Conference of Paris, King Oscar I of Sweden mentioned that he wished for this reunion as well. This reunion was not granted, however, the Åland Convention was established in 1856, which did not allow Russia to build any more forts in Åland.

During World War I, 1914-1918, Russia violated the convention by building small forts and trenches all over Åland. They were built from discipline from the Russian troops while Åland and her islanders were forced to build them. In 1918, Finland declared independence from the Russian Empire as it crumbled, and Åland was apart of the formerly autonomous Finland, and was thus released as well. Once again, Åland and her islanders hoped to be reunited with Sweden.

Julius Sundblom, who was in charge, created a petition to be later presented to the Swedish king about this wish, getting the vast majority of the Åland to sign it. The islanders and Åland herself were so dedicated to returning to Sweden, they created an illegal council in June 8, 1918 in Mariehamn, with Carl Björkman as chairman. In 1920, Sundblom and Björkman went to Sweden to give the petition to the Swedish government, but upon returning to Mariehamn, the men were greeted by Finnish law, who arrested them for "attempted high treason." (They were later released.)

Finnish authorities later issued an order for military service from Åland, but the inhabitants vehemently refused, and some retreated to Sweden, others going on strike. This is what sparked Åland's burning hatred for Finland, which has lessened recently, but is still very much there. Finally, the issue was presented to the League of Nations, and it was decided in 1921 that Finland held sovereignty over Åland. This further deepened her dislike for Finland, but the preservation of her Swedish language and culture was guaranteed, and she would be hereby demilitarized.

Autonomy was established in 1922 and has since began smoothing relations betwen Åland and Finland, but only a little. After the 1950's, the shipping and tourism industries boomed, and are still doing so today. This has created a very high living standard, and one could think that despite all the hardships, Åland had made it out stronger than ever.

Other Facts
- Åland possesses special recipes for beer and pancakes (Ålandspannkaka), the island specialties besides seafood.

-Although the Euro is the currency on Åland, the Swedish krona is in wide circulation.

-Once on the coasts in 2010, a 200 year-old ship full of old bottles of champagne and beer was found and salvaged. The beer is being studied, and the champagne was auctioned off for a large sum of money for each bottle.

((Some more might be added later <:'D))

Hetalia c. Hidekaz Himaruya