Actually, they are not a booze paradise as such - I think their booze is as heavily taxed as in Sweden or Finland - but they count as third country in relation to EU customs rules which means you can sell duty-free on the way to and from Åland. So they have excellent communications as long as you don't mind travelling with drunk people.
As for specialities they are a de-militarised zone since the Crimean war and the inhabitants are excempt from military duty. They have cultural self-government including language, which means that they are not dual-language, they are Swedish-only.
Also they have rules on real estate ownership that would violate EU rules if they did not have an exception. I believe you first have to become naturalised Ålänning before you can buy real estate, thus avoiding the islands becoming a collection of holiday homes. A vote for PES is a vote for EPP! A vote for EPP is a vote for PES! Support the coalition, vote EPP-PES in 2009!
Stockholm is the largest port for passengers in Sweden (p.12). Umeå-Vasa had in 2007 70 500 trips out of the about 9.5 million passengers a year between Sweden and Finland (p.11). In Stockholm is probably included Kapellskär-Nådendal, that does not pass Åland and is probably on the same scale as Umeå-Vasa.
Stockholm to or by way of Mariehamn (Åland), in effect the party boats, dwarfs everything. A vote for PES is a vote for EPP! A vote for EPP is a vote for PES! Support the coalition, vote EPP-PES in 2009!
