Aland | |
![]() Click here for higher resolution image | First Day Cover for ala-19970503-as-001 First day of issue: May 03, 1997 Width: 172 mm Height: 116 mm Cachet maker: Unknown Location: Bandy & Floorball From Linn's "Stamp Issuing Entities Of The World" page. Aland (1984-) Stamp-issuing status: active; Population: 21,211 (1978). A group of 6,554 tiny islands, with a combined area of 572 square miles, in the Gulf of Bothnia between Finland and Sweden. On Feb. 5, 1982, the Finnish government gave the self-governing territory of Aland the right to propose stamps and denominations to Finnish postal authorities. The first Aland issues appeared on March 1, 1984. Although Finnish stamps remain valid for use on the islands, and mixed Finnish and Aland frankings do occur there, Aland stamps may not be used in Finland. |