Åland consists of 6,500 islands and is located in the Baltic Sea between mainland Finland and Sweden. It is part of the Finnish archipelago, the largest archipelago in the world with nearly 23,000 islands and skerries. These islands are over four million years old. It is a profoundly beautiful region of red granite cliffs and white nights with more flowers per square foot than anywhere in the world. The region has a rich history and has been inhabited since 5000 B.C. Åland islanders say “The sea is our path. It is not where the road ends but where the world begins.”