Geopolitics of autonomous spaces: the case of the Åland Islands ; Géopolitique des espaces autonomes : le cas des îles Åland

Open Access

Abstract

National hearing the article aims to show how the Åland Islands constituted a historic and diplomatic border between Sweden and Russia by putting Swedish neutrality at stake. The islands are not convened for their resources but for their geographical location. They subsequently became a subject of discussions between the newly independent Finland and Sweden. Their status as a region associated with the European Union and their specific cultural characteristics (Swedish as an official language with political dependence on the Finnish Parliament) make it an autonomous area, the status of which has been regularly changed. ; ISSN : 1761-7677 Automne 2008 ; National hearing the article aims to show how the Åland Islands constituted a historic and diplomatic border between Sweden and Russia by putting Swedish neutrality at stake. The islands are not convened for their resources but for their geographical location. They subsequently became a subject of discussions between the newly independent Finland and Sweden. Their status as a region associated with the European Union and their specific cultural characteristics (Swedish as an official language with political dependence on the Finnish Parliament) make it an autonomous area, the status of which has been regularly changed. ; the article points out how Åland islands were a historical and diplomatic border between Russia and Sweden. The status of this archipelago had an impact on the integrity of the Swedish neutrality; afterwards, Finland, which was independent, began to discuss with Sweden on the particularity of these islands. It is an autonomous region (associate partner to the European Union and political dependence to the Finnish parliament) whose status was regularly changed. ; National hearing the article aims to show how the Åland Islands constituted a historic and diplomatic border between Sweden and Russia by putting Swedish neutrality at stake. The islands are not convened for their resources but for their geographical location. They subsequently became a ...