Republic of Karelia

The Republic of Karelia (Russian: Респу́блика Каре́лия, Karelian: Karjalan Tazavalda, Finnish: Karjalan Tasavalta and in Vepsian: Karjalan Tazovaldkund) or Karelia is one of the twenty-four republics of Russia. It has an area of 172,400 km² and a population of 629,771. Its capital is Petrozavodsk. It is located in the North West district. It borders Finland to the northwest, Murmansk to the north, the White and Archangel Seas to the east, Vologda to the south, and Leningrad to the southwest. It has about 27,000 rivers and about 60,000 lakes, including the Ladoga and Onega. Until 1947, the westernmost part belonged to Finland, but that year, through the Treaty of Paris, it was annexed to the USSR.

History

The name of the country derives from the Finnish population of the Karelians who mainly inhabited these lands until 1939, and from 1920 to 1939 the region of the Aunis Isthmus, where the city of Vyborg/Viipuri is located, which previously belonged to Finland. After the invasion by the USSR, some 400,000 people (which was almost the entire population) took refuge in neighboring Finland. At present most of the inhabitants are of Russian origin.

In 1947, through the Treaty of Paris, the annexations of the USSR became official internationally, with which the Karel-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic was created. In 1956 this Soviet republic ceased to exist and was annexed to the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic as the Autonomous Republic of Karelia. When the USSR disintegrated in 1991 it became part of the Russian Federation under the name "Republic of Karelia".

Since the late 1990s, there has been a greater debate in Finnish society about whether or not to ask Russia to reincorporate Karelia into Finland, lost after the war with the USSR and the 1947 Treaty of Paris. However, other political currents maintain that Karelia should become independent from the Russian Federation and form a new Nordic country.

Geography

The republic is located in the northwestern part of Russia, on the Karelian Isthmus, in an intermediate position between the White Sea basin and the Baltic Sea basin. The region, very flat and with glacial relief, has a great abundance of lakes (including Ladoga and Onega) and coniferous forests.

• Area: 172 400 km2a surface similar to that of Uruguay.
• Borders:
  • Internal: with the following federal subjects: Múrmansk oblast (N), Arjanguelsk oblast (E/SE), Vólogda oblast (SE/S) and Leningrad oblast (S/SW);
  • International: Finland (SW/W/NW), with a borderline length of 723 km;
  • Water: White Sea (an entrance to the sea of Barents) (N/NE/E), with a coastline of 630 kilometers; Lake Onega (SE) and Lake Ládoga (SW);
• Highest point: the Nuorunen peak, with 576 m.

Rivers

There are about 27,000 rivers in Karelia. The main ones are:

• The Vodla (Vodlajoki), with 149 km, that drains Lake Vodlózero.
• The Kem (Kemijoki, with 191 km, although with one of its tributaries, the Čirka-Kem', reaches 410 km, being the longest river of those crossing the republic.
• The Kovda (Koutajoki), with 233 km, that drains Lake Topozero.
• The Shuya (Suojoki), with 194 km, that drains Lake Suojärvi.
• The Suna (Suunujoki), with 280 km, which is born on Lake Kivijärvi and where the Kivach waterfalls are located (Kivatšun vesiputous).
• The Vyg (Uikujoki), with 237 km

Lakes

The regions of North Carelia and South Carelia are in Finland and the Republic of Carelia in Russia. The isthmus of Carelia is now part of the Oblate of Leningrad.

There are about 60,000 lakes in Karelia. The republic's lakes and swamps contain around 2,000 km³ of high-quality fresh water. Lake Ladoga (Finnish: Laatokka) and Lake Onega (Ääninen) are the largest in Europe. Other lakes are:

• The VygozeroUikujärvi), with 1250 km2
• The TopozeroTuoppajärvi), with 986 km2
• The Segozero (Seesjärvi), with 906 km2
• The PiaozeroPäjärvi), with 659 km2
• The SyamozeroSämäjärvi), with 265-270 km2
• The Nyukozero (Nuokkijärvi), with 214-230 km2

National Parks

• Vodlozero National Park, with a protected area of 5206.83 km2, shared with the Arjanguelsk Oblate;
• Kalevala National Park
• Paanajärvi National Park, with 1043.7 km2;

Economy

Its economy is based on logging, fishing, the use of granite and marble quarries, and hydroelectric power.

Natural resources

Most of the territory of the republic (148,000 km², 85%) is made up of state forests. The total volume of growth of timber resources in forests of all categories and ages is 807 million m³. The stock of wood from mature trees amounts to 411.8 million m³, of which 375.2 correspond to coniferous trees.

Fifty useful minerals are found in Karelia, located in ore beds and more than 400 deposits. The main natural resources of the republic are iron ore, diamonds, vanadium and molybdenum.

Climate

The Republic of Karelia lies in the Atlantic continental climate zone. The average temperature in January is -8.0 °C and 16.4 °C in July. The annual average rainfall is 500-700 mm.

Subdivisions

Republic Raions.

Comprising two "cities of republican importance" (cities not belonging to any raion: Petrozavodsk and Kostomushka) and sixteen raions or municipal districts:

• Belomorsk (capital: Belomorsk)
• Raion of Kalevala (capital: Kálevala)
• Kem Raion (capital: Kem)
• Kondopoga Raion (capital: Kondopoga)
• Lajdenpojia (capital: Lajdenpojia)
• Louji Raion (capital: Louji)
• Medvezhegorsk (capital: Medvezhegorsk)
• Raion of Muyezersky (capital: Muyezersky)
• Raion of Olónets (capital: Olónets)
• Pítkiaranta (capital: Pítkiaranta)
• Raion of Prionezhski (administrative branch: Petrozavodsk)
• Raion of Priazha (capital: Priazha)
• Púdozh (capital: Púdozh)
• Seguezha Raion (capital: Seguezha)
• Raion of Sortavala (capital: Sortavala)
• Raion of Suoyarvi (capital: Suoyarvi)

Demographics

According to the 2010 Census data, it has a population of 643,548 inhabitants and a low population density, with just 3.65 people per square kilometer.

Ethnic groups

According to the 2010 census, Russians make up 82.2% of the region's total, while the second majority, Karelians, make up around 7.4%. Other groups include: Belarusians (3.8%), Ukrainians (2%), Finns (1.4%), Vepsians (0.5%), and other minorities (<0.5%).