Karelia

Karelia is a region in northern Europe that straddles the border between Finland and Russia. The Russian portion is the Republic of Karelia, a federal subject of Russia with its capital at Petrozavodsk. The Finnish portion, historically known as Finnish Karelia, lies to the west of the border in present-day Finland. After the wars of 1939–1945, border changes moved parts of Karelia to the Soviet Union, leaving the two countries with different portions of the historic region.

Geography and environment: Karelia features a boreal forest landscape with numerous lakes and rivers. The largest lakes are Ladoga and Onega; the Karelian Isthmus lies between them and extends toward the Gulf of Finland. The region’s environment supports rich biodiversity and a long-standing forestry tradition.

History: The area was originally inhabited by Karelians, a Finnic people. It passed under the influence of Novgorod, then Sweden, before becoming part of the Russian Empire within the Grand Duchy of Finland. Following Finland’s independence, the territorial and population shifts of the 1940s resulted in western Karelia areas being ceded to the Soviet Union.

People and culture: The Karelian language, a Finnic language closely related to Finnish, has been spoken by Karelians alongside Russian and Finnish. Karelia is also renowned for folklore such as the Kalevala, traditional music, crafts, and a distinctive northern European cultural heritage.

Economy and infrastructure: The economy centers on forestry and timber processing, hydroelectric power, and paper production. Tourism is sustained by lakes, forests, and cultural heritage tied to Karelia’s history and landscape.