Karelia
Karelia (Karelian and Finnish: Karjala [ˈkɑrjɑlɑ]; Russian: Каре́лия, romanized: Kareliya [kɐˈrʲelʲɪjə], historically Коре́ла, Korela [kɐˈrʲelʲə]; Swedish: Karelen [kɑˈreːlen]) is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Russia (including the Soviet era), Finland, and Sweden. It is currently divided between northwestern Russia (the federal subjects of the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast) and Finland (the regions of South Karelia, North Karelia, and the eastern portion of Kymenlaakso).
Use of name
Various subdivisions may be called Karelia.
The Republic of Karelia is a Russian federal subject, including East Karelia, with a chiefly Russian Orthodox population.
Within present-day Finland, Karjala refers to the
Geography
Karelia stretches from the
The border between Karelia and
metropolitan area, but in 1812–1940 the Russo-Finnish border.On the other side of
.In historical texts, Karelia is sometimes divided into East Karelia and West Karelia, which are also called
Tver Karelia denotes the villages in the Tver Oblast that are inhabited by Tver Karelians.
Inhabited localities
- Republic of Karelia
- Petrozavodsk (Петрозаводск, Petroskoi, from late 1941 to 1944 known as Äänislinna/Onegaborg to Finns)
- Belomorsk (Беломорск, Sorokka)
- Medvežyegorsk (Медвежьегорск, Karhumäki)
- Kalevala (Калевала, Uhtua)
- Kem (Кемь, Vienan Kemi, compare with Kemi)
- Kostomukša (Костомукша, Kostamus)
- Kondopoga (Кондопога, Kontupohja)
- Sortavala (Сортавала, Sortavala, Sordavala)
- Suojarvi (Суоярви, Suojärvi)
- Segeža (Сегежа, Sekehe)
- Pitkjaranta (Питкяранта, Pitkäranta)
- Olonec (Олонец, Aunus)
- Karelian Isthmus
- Vyborg (Выборг, Viipuri, Viborg)
- Priozersk (Приозерск, Käkisalmi, Kexholm)
- Primorsk (Примо́рск, Koivisto, Björkö)
- Svetogorsk (Светого́рск, Enso)
- South Karelia
- Imatra
- Joutseno
- Lappeenranta (Villmanstrand)
- North Karelia
History
During the Early Middle Ages, settlers from western Finland mixed with the local population to form the Karelian ethnic group. Possible migration from elsewhere may also have contributed to the Karelian ethnic composition.[4]
Archeological evidence indicates that Karelian inhabitation was highest along the western shore of Lake Ladoga and the Karelian Isthmus, with multiple cemeteries and other archeological discoveries dating from AD 600 to AD 800. In South Karelia, the number of archeological discoveries from this time period is lower, though permanent inhabitation was nonetheless present. Lappee, South Karelia has been continuously inhabited for approximately 2,000 years. In North Karelia, only one archeological discovery from this time period has been found, dating to the eighth century. The considerably higher number of archeological discoveries in these regions from AD 800 to AD 1050 indicates that the Karelian population grew and expanded rapidly during this time.[5]
Karelia was bitterly fought over by Sweden and the
In the Treaty of Stolbovo of 1617, large parts of Russian Karelia were ceded to Sweden. Conflicts between the new Swedish rulers and the indigenous population of these areas led to an exodus: thousands of Karelians, including the ancestors of the Tver Karelians, emigrated to Russia.
The
At the beginning of the
The former Karelian ASSR was incorporated into a new
The portion of Viipuri Province that remained within Finland following the Second World War was renamed Kymi Province, and kept this name from 1945 to 1997. The eastern part of this province is now the region of South Karelia, while the western portion is part of Kymenlaakso.
In 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the ASSR became the Republic of Karelia.[citation needed]
Politics
Karelia is politically divided between Finland and Russia. The
There are some small groups of Finns campaigning for closer ties between Finland and Karelia: for instance, in the Karjalan Liitto (Karelian League) and ProKarelia.
Demographics
On the Finnish side, the area is Finnish-speaking. The South Karelian dialects of the Finnish language (closely related to the Karelian language) are spoken in South Karelia. The eastern Savonian dialects are spoken in North Karelia, part of the group of dialects spoken in Eastern and Central Finland.[6]
Karelians evacuated from the part of Finnish Karelia ceded to Russia were resettled all over Finland. Today about one million people in Finland can trace their roots in the area ceded to the Soviet Union after World War II. In Finland, about 5,000 people speak the Karelian language.
Culture
- Kalevala
- Karelian Bear Dog
- Karelian hot pot
- Karelian language
- Karelian pasties
- Karelo-Finnish Laika
- Music of Karelia
Tourism
Russian Karelia is a regular destination for international tourism due to its unique architectural, cultural and historical sites such as Kizhi and Valaam.[8] The region is visited by tourists in both summer and winter when possible activities include riding in a sled behind a dog team and running from the banya to an ice hole and back. Summer hikers can visit the Kivach waterfall or the Demon's Chair plateau.[9]
In South Karelia, Lappeenranta is a popular destination for Russian tourists, with 1.5 million visiting annually.[10] Imatrankoski in Imatra has been a tourist attraction since the late 18th century, when the Empress of Russia Catherine the Great visited the site in 1772.
See also
- Asbestos-ceramic, a type of pottery made in Karelia and the vicinity.
- History of Finland
- Karelianism, a cultural movement in the Grand Duchy of Finland.
- Karelia Suite, a collection of pieces by the composer Jean Sibelius.
- Viipuri, a soldier and recipient of the Mannerheim Cross during the Continuation War, who later served with the German and American armies.
- Karelian pony, horse breed native to Russia.
References
- ^ "Манселькя". Great Soviet Encyclopedia.
- ^ Uino, Pirjo (1997). Ancient Karelia. Helsinki: Suomen muinaismuistoyhdistyksen aikakausikirja 104. p. 118.
- ^ Uino, Pirjo (1997). Ancient Karelia. Helsinki: Suomen muinaismuistoyhdistyksen aikakausikirja 104. p. 16.
- ISBN 978-951-37-7468-4.
- ISBN 978-951-37-7468-4.
- ^ Savolainen, Erkki (1998). "1.6 Savolaismurteiden alue" [1.6 Savo dialect area]. Suomen murteet (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 6 October 1999. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
- ^ Savolainen, Erkki (1998). "1.7 Kaakkoismurteiden alue" [1.7 South-Eastern dialect area]. Suomen murteet (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 4 October 1999. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
- ^ "Karelia Tourism Information". Karelia Tourism Portal. Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
- ^ VSEVOLOD, PULYA (12 March 2010). "Karelia will return in your dreams". Russia Beyond the Headlines. Archived from the original on 16 May 2019. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
- ^ "7 Reasons to Visit Lappeenranta". Lappeenranta Tourism Portal. Archived from the original on 27 November 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
- ^ "History of Koli National Park". nationalparks.fi. Archived from the original on 27 November 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
Bibliography
- "They Took My Father," by Mayme Sevander and Laurie Hertzel, a history of Finnish Americans who emigrated to Soviet Karelia during the Great Depression.
- Wikidata Q113529996
- ISBN 978-0-19-503361-8.
External links
- Karelians (The Peoples of the Red Book)
- Tracing Finland's eastern border – ThisisFINLAND
- Saimaa Canal links two Karelia – ThisisFINLAND
- Regional flag
- Visitkarelia.fi – Information about travel, tourism and other fields in North Karelia
- Information about Southern Karelia travel
- Pielis.ru – travel information about North Karelia region and City of Joensuu
- Karelia will return in your dreams Archived 11 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine Article about Karelia with photos and useful tourist information.
- Genocide in Soviet Karelia: Stalin's Terror and the Finns of Soviet Karelia Archived 9 December 2020 at the Wayback Machine
- Their Ideals Were Crushed. A Daughter's Story of the Säde Commune in Soviet Karelia.