Märket is a 3.3-hectare uninhabited skerry in the Baltic Sea shared by Sweden and Finland, with a lighthouse as its salient humanmade feature. It has the strangest border for a small island.
Märket is a 3.3-hectare uninhabited skerry in the Baltic Sea shared by Sweden and Finland, with a lighthouse as its salient humanmade feature. It has the strangest border for a small island.
There’s a reason for this border shape actually! I forgot what it was but there’s definitely a reason.
AdorableKittenPup on
Whoa that border is wild lol, I never knew islands could be shared like that! 🤯Whoa that border is wild lol, I never knew islands could be shared like that! 🤯
Karpsten on
Ignoring the strange international border, I think it’s kinda funny that the Swedish part of the island is actually divided between two different counties.
Drejan74 on
It’s to protect against the Russians. If they want to invade us they have to go through Finland, then Sweden, then Finland, then Sweden, then Finland to reach Sweden.
HoboToast on
The interlocking shape keeps the two countries from drifting apart.
Die_Steiner on
I’ve been there. Its just a rock with no vegetation but the inside of the lighthouse was cool.
GareththeJackal on
There is a lighthouse on that island that Finland claimed, but both ountries still insisted the island be shared 50/50., leading to the very strange border. That’s how we solve border disputes here in the nordic countries.
MannersCount on
I love learning from interesting posts like this; thank you!
udsd007 on
I’ve seen it from the Turku-Nynäshamn ferry. It’s a frequent destination for amateur radio DXpeditions.
9 Comments
There’s a reason for this border shape actually! I forgot what it was but there’s definitely a reason.
Whoa that border is wild lol, I never knew islands could be shared like that! 🤯Whoa that border is wild lol, I never knew islands could be shared like that! 🤯
Ignoring the strange international border, I think it’s kinda funny that the Swedish part of the island is actually divided between two different counties.
It’s to protect against the Russians. If they want to invade us they have to go through Finland, then Sweden, then Finland, then Sweden, then Finland to reach Sweden.
The interlocking shape keeps the two countries from drifting apart.
I’ve been there. Its just a rock with no vegetation but the inside of the lighthouse was cool.
There is a lighthouse on that island that Finland claimed, but both ountries still insisted the island be shared 50/50., leading to the very strange border. That’s how we solve border disputes here in the nordic countries.
I love learning from interesting posts like this; thank you!
I’ve seen it from the Turku-Nynäshamn ferry. It’s a frequent destination for amateur radio DXpeditions.