North Karelia

Last updated
North Karelia
Pohjois-Karjala (Finnish)
Norra Karelen (Swedish)
Region
Region of North Karelia
Pohjois-Karjalan maakunta
Landskapet Norra Karelen
North karelia flag.svg
Flag
Pohjois-Karjala.vaakuna.svg
Coat of arms
Pohjois-Karjala sijainti Suomi.svg
North Karelia on a map of Finland
Coordinates: 63°00′N30°00′E / 63.000°N 30.000°E / 63.000; 30.000
Country Finland
Historical province Karelia
Capital Joensuu
Area
 • Total21,584.41 km2 (8,333.79 sq mi)
Population
 (2023)
 • Total162,312
 • Density7.5/km2 (19/sq mi)
GDP
[1]
 • Total€4.814 billion (2015)
 • Per capita€29,174 (2015)
Time zone UTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+3 (EEST)
ISO 3166 code FI-13
NUTS 133
Regional animal Brown bear
Regional bird Cuckoo
Regional fishLake salmon
Regional flower Prickly rose
Regional stone Soapstone
Regional lake Lake Pielinen
Website pohjois-karjala.fi

North Karelia (or Northern Karelia, Finnish : Pohjois-Karjala; Swedish : Norra Karelen) is a region in eastern Finland. It borders the regions of Kainuu, North Savo, South Savo and South Karelia, as well as Russia's Republic of Karelia. It is the easternmost region of Finland and shares a 300 kilometres (190 mi) border with Russia. [2] The city of Joensuu is the capital and the largest settlement of the region.

Contents

North Karelia has successfully reduced chronic diseases through public health measures. [3] [4] In the 1960s Finland led industrialized nations in heart disease mortality rates; North Karelia had Finland's highest incidence. In 1972 a long-term project was undertaken which targeted this risk in North Karelia. [5] The resulting improvement in public health is still considered remarkable, a model for the rest of the nation. [6] North Karelia is also known as the most sociable region in Finland. [7]

View from a hill in Koli National Park, the most famous tourist attraction in North Karelia Koli hill view.jpg
View from a hill in Koli National Park, the most famous tourist attraction in North Karelia

History

The borders of remote North Karelia were formed gradually. Important border foundations were the Treaty of Stolbovo (1617) for the eastern border and the Treaty of Teusina (1595) for the western border. The border was finally established in the Treaty of Nystad (1721), where North Karelia was separated from the "other Karelias" that remained on Russia's side. [8]

Regional identity began to form gradually in the 18th century. In 1767, the häradshövding (judge) used the name Pohjois-Karjala (North Karelia). The residents also called themselves the men of the province and drew up their own regulations in Finnish for the border guard, showing their separateness. Administratively, North Karelia belonged to different counties in the 18th century, but it had its own "North Karelia county". This self-administration set it apart from other regions. The separation was further strengthened when North Karelia was formed into its own province in 1960. North Karelia became its own region in 1994. Instead, North Karelia province was abolished in 1997 and its functions were transferred to the Eastern Finland province. [8]

Historical province

Heraldry

The coat of arms of North Karelia is composed of the arms of Karelia.

Municipalities

The region of North Karelia consists of 13 municipalities, five of which have city status (marked in bold).

Municipalities on the map

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Municipalities
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Over 30 000 inhabitants
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Over 10 000 inhabitants
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Over 3 000 inhabitants
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 < 3 000 inhabitants
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Cities and municipalities of North Karelia.

Sub-regions

Joensuu sub-region

Central Karelia sub-region

Pielinen Karelia sub-region

Education

Institutions of higher education in North Karelia include:

Politics

Results of the 2019 Finnish parliamentary election in North Karelia:

The song "Pohjois-Karjala" ("North Karelia") by the Finnish pop rock band Leevi and the Leavings tells the story of an urban man who dreams of returning to his native region of North Karelia. [9] It has become such a big hit in North Karelia that it is almost perceived as a regional song. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Finland Province</span> Place in Finland

Eastern Finland was a province of Finland from 1997 to 2009. It bordered the provinces of Oulu, Western Finland and Southern Finland. It also bordered Russia to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joensuu</span> City in North Karelia, Finland

Joensuu is a city in Finland and the regional capital of North Karelia. It is located in the eastern interior of the country and in the Finnish Lakeland. The population of Joensuu is approximately 78,000, while the sub-region has a population of approximately 127,000. It is the 12th most populous municipality in Finland, and the ninth most populous urban area in the country.

The former Province of Eastern Finland in Finland was divided into three regions, 11 districts and 49 municipalities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karelia</span> Area of northern Europe

Karelia is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Russia, Finland, and Sweden. It is currently divided between northwestern Russia and Finland.

The 13 municipalities of the North Karelia Region in Finland are divided on three sub-regions:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heinävesi</span> Municipality in North Karelia, Finland

Heinävesi is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the North Karelia region. The municipality has a population of 3,003 and covers an area of 1,319.58 square kilometres (509.49 sq mi) of which 288.71 km2 (111.47 sq mi) is water. The population density is 2.92 inhabitants per square kilometre (7.6/sq mi). Neighbouring municipalities are Savonlinna, Varkaus, Leppävirta, Tuusniemi, Outokumpu and Liperi. The city of Joensuu is located 81 kilometres (50 mi) northeast of Heinävesi. The municipality is unilingually Finnish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juuka</span> Municipality in North Karelia, Finland

Juuka is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the North Karelia region. The municipality has a population of 4,258 and covers an area of 1,846.58 square kilometres (712.97 sq mi) of which 344.78 km2 (133.12 sq mi) is water. The population density is 2.84 inhabitants per square kilometre (7.4/sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaavi</span> Municipality in Northern Savonia, Finland

Kaavi is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the Northern Savonia region. Kaavi is also a part of historical Karelia. The municipality has a population of 2,628 and covers an area of 789.59 square kilometres (304.86 sq mi) of which 115.49 km2 (44.59 sq mi) is water. The population density is 3.9 inhabitants per square kilometre (10/sq mi). It is 60 kilometres (37 mi) from Kuopio and 90 kilometres (56 mi) from Joensuu. Neighbouring municipalities are Kuopio, Juuka, Outokumpu, Polvijärvi and Tuusniemi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kontiolahti</span> Municipality in North Karelia, Finland

Kontiolahti is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the North Karelia region, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) north of Joensuu. The municipality has a population of 15,135 and covers an area of 1,029.82 square kilometres (397.62 sq mi) of which 230.1 km2 (88.8 sq mi) is water. The population density is 18.92 inhabitants per square kilometre (49.0/sq mi). Neighbouring municipalities are Joensuu, Juuka, Lieksa, Liperi and Polvijärvi. The municipality is unilingually Finnish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lieksa</span> Town in North Karelia, Finland

Lieksa is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located in the North Karelia region. The municipality has a population of 10,229 and covers an area of 4,067.60 square kilometres (1,570.51 sq mi) of which 649.14 km2 (250.63 sq mi) is water. The population density is 2.99 inhabitants per square kilometre (7.7/sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liperi</span> Municipality in North Karelia, Finland

Liperi is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the North Karelia region. Liperi is a community of 11,964 with the growth rate of 83 newcomers in 11 months in 2007. The population density is 16.45 inhabitants per square kilometre (42.6/sq mi). The municipality covers an area of 1,161.23 square kilometres (448.35 sq mi) of which 434.33 km2 (167.70 sq mi) is water.

<span title="Finnish-language text"><span lang="fi" style="font-style: normal;">Nurmes</span></span> Town in North Karelia, Finland

Nurmes is a town and municipality of Finland, located in the county of North Karelia. The town has a population of 9,132 and covers an area of 1,854.78 square kilometres (716.13 sq mi) of which 253.7 km2 (98.0 sq mi) is water. The population density is 3.8 inhabitants per square kilometre (9.8/sq mi). Neighbouring municipalities are Juuka, Kuhmo, Lieksa, Rautavaara and Sotkamo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polvijärvi</span> Municipality in North Karelia, Finland

Polvijärvi is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the North Karelia region. The municipality has a population of 4,063 and covers an area of 958.32 square kilometres (370.01 sq mi) of which 154.22 km2 (59.54 sq mi) is water. The population density is 5.05 inhabitants per square kilometre (13.1/sq mi). Neighbouring municipalities are Juuka, Kaavi, Kontiolahti, Liperi, Outokumpu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rääkkylä</span> Municipality in North Karelia, Finland

Rääkkylä is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the North Karelia region. The municipality has a population of 1,903, which make it the smallest municipality in North Karelia in terms of population. It covers an area of 699.68 square kilometres (270.15 sq mi) of which 272.01 km2 (105.02 sq mi) is water. The population density is 4.45 inhabitants per square kilometre (11.5/sq mi). The municipality is unilingually Finnish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pielinen</span> Lake in North Karelia, Finland

Pielinen is the fourth largest lake of Finland, with a drainage basin area of 12,823 km2 (4,951 sq mi) equally distributed between eastern Finland and Russia. The creation of the lake and its outlet is attributed to a post-glacial isostatic rebound, which resulted in uplift of the land. As is common in Finnish lakes, the lake's color is dark, due to the high proportion of bogs present in the catchment of the drainage basin that drains humic substances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Savonian dialects</span> Group of dialects of Finnish

The Savonian dialects are forms of the Finnish language spoken in Savonia and other parts of Eastern Finland. Finnish dialects are grouped broadly into Eastern and Western varieties; Savonian dialects are of the Eastern variety.

The Province of North Karelia was a province of Finland from 1960 to 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pielisjärvi</span> Former municipality in Northern Karelia Province, Finland

Pielisjärvi is a former municipality in the region of North Karelia in Finland. The municipality had 16,150 inhabitants in 1970. Pielisjärvi was a Finnish-speaking municipality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Finnic incantations</span> Traditional form of medicine in the Finnic-speaking world

Finnic incantations or charms are a body of traditional literature in the Finnic languages whose purpose was to effect magical change on the world. They were most often used to ward off diseases and injuries and to ensure economic prosperity in farming, hunting, fishing and cattle-raising, though spells were used in various social situations and everyday tasks. Such incantations were in widespread use from the first extensive documentation of Finnic-language cultures around the late eighteenth century through to the advance of modernisation in the early twentieth; one marker of this popularity is that more than 30,000 verse spells were collected from Finland and Karelia and published in the series Suomen Kansan Vanhat Runot.

References

  1. ↑ Regions and Cities > Regional Statistics > Regional Economy > Regional GDP per Capita, OECD.Stats. Accessed on 16 November 2018.
  2. ↑ "North Karelia". English.
  3. ↑ "The North Karelia Project: 30 years successfully preventing chronic diseases" (PDF). International Diabetes Federation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  4. ↑ Willingham, Emily (2018). "Finland's bold push to change the heart health of a nation". Knowable Magazine. doi: 10.1146/knowable-030718-023701 .
  5. ↑ Puska, P; Salonen, JT; Nissinen, A; Tuomilehto, J; Vartiainen, E; Korhonen, H; Tanskanen, A; Rönnqvist, P; Koskela, K; Huttunen, J (1983). "Change in risk factors for coronary heart disease during 10 years of a community intervention programme (North Karelia project)". Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 287 (6408): 1840–4. doi:10.1136/bmj.287.6408.1840. PMC   1550066 . PMID   6423038. After the second world war cardiovascular diseases, predominantly coronary heart disease, became the leading public health problem in most of the industrialised world. Mortality statistics and other studies showed that in the 1960s the highest heart disease mortality rates were observed in Finland, predominantly in men. Within Finland the highest rates were registered in eastern Finland and were particularly high in the county of North Karelia.
  6. ↑ "THE NORTH KARELIA PROJECT: FROM NORTH KARELIA TO NATIONAL ACTION". National Institute for Health and Welfare (Finland). Archived from the original on 2014-07-15. Retrieved 2012-08-05. In first five years of the North Karelia Project, for example, most of the reduction in cigarette smoking took place in the first year of the programme; most hypertensive individuals who brought their blood pressure under control achieved this by the end of the third year; dietary changes took place gradually over a five-year period; and, as noted earlier, at the end of five years, a net reduction in risk-factor levels was observed. Concerning mortality, CHD incidence and mortality rates started to decline surprisingly quickly after the start of the intervention in North Karelia. In the rest of the country, a similar decline started several years later. Thus a significant net change in favour of North Karelia was observed, especially in 1974 to 1979 (Salonen et al, 1983). Thereafter, although the decline in North Karelia continued, the net decline was gradually reduced. Thus maximal difference in favour of the intervention area was observed some 5-8 years after its start (Puska et al, 1995). For cancer mortality, a net reduction in favour of North Karelia could be observed much later, i.e., 5 to 10 years after the intervention commenced.
  7. ↑ "Ever heard the saying "quiet like a Finn"?". December 15, 2020.
  8. 1 2 Ojajärvi, Pentti. "Pohjois-Karjala 300 vuotta" (PDF) (in Finnish). Pohjois-Karjalan maakuntaliitto. Retrieved 2024-04-23.
  9. ↑ Kling, Joni (2013-10-29). "Leevi and the Leavings Top 40: #4 Pohjois-Karjala (1986)". NRGM (in Finnish). Retrieved 2021-07-02.
  10. ↑ Jarva, Hannu. "Muhkea paketti Leevi and the Leavingsia". Karjalainen (in Finnish). Retrieved 2021-07-02.[ permanent dead link ]
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