Karjala

Karjala is the Finnish name for Karelia, a historic and cultural region located in the eastern part of Finland and extending into northwestern Russia. In contemporary Finland, Karjala commonly refers to the areas that form the two administrative regions of North Karelia (Pohjois-Karjala) and South Karelia (Etelä-Karjala). The broader Karelia region stretches beyond Finland’s borders to the Karelian Isthmus and the area around Lake Ladoga, reflecting long-standing historical and cultural ties across the Finnish–Russian border.

The region has played a central role in Finnish history and identity. Karelia has experienced substantial border shifts in the 20th century; after the Winter War (1939–1940) and the Continuation War (1941–1944), Finland ceded portions of Karelia to the Soviet Union, and many Karelians were evacuated or resettled as a consequence.

Linguistically, the Karelian language, a Finnic language closely related to Finnish, is spoken by some inhabitants of the Karelia area and is recognized as a regional language in Finland. The Karelia region exhibits distinct local traditions and dialects within North and South Karelia, reflecting its mixed Finnish and broader Karelian heritage.

Beyond geography, Karjala is used in cultural and historical contexts to evoke Karelia’s heritage, including place names, literature, and organizations that reference the region’s history and identity.