In 2003, 2100 people were employed in the public sector alone, and the sector is estimated to account for more than half of the total employment. Shipping accounts for nearly 20% of the total employment (Dahlstrom et al. In general, women's income is lower than that of men - an average of 82% of men's income (ASUB 2012: 4) One explanation is that more women than men are in part-time employment. Thus, the Alandic women only account for 43% of the total taxable income in the islands of the 2012 tax year (ASUB 2015: 15); however, there is a slight tendency towards bridging this gap (ASUB 2012: 17).