Sottunga, municipality of Åland, Finland
Sottunga is a small municipality in an archipelago off the coast of Åland with fewer than 100 residents. The island measures only a few kilometers in each direction and consists of rocky shores, wooded patches, and several small harbors filled with fishing boats and private sailboats.
The island has been settled for more than 1,000 years and was long an important stop for sailors traveling between Finland and Sweden. In the 20th century the population fell from about 400 to fewer than 100 residents today as many people left to find work on the mainland.
The name Sottunga comes from Swedish and means "southern island". Today, boat culture and fishing shape daily life here, and visitors see moored boats and small harbor facilities everywhere, showing how closely residents are tied to the sea.
Ferries run daily from Långnäs, Lumparland, Föglö and Korpo to the island, with the journey from Långnäs taking about one hour. Those arriving by car can bring a vehicle; foot passengers travel free, and ferries have cafes on board.
The island holds the remains of old iron mines from the 19th century, showing that Sottunga was once a center for mining activities. These abandoned pits today serve as reminders of how different the island's economic foundation once was.
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