Republic of Karelia

TheRepublic of Karelia,KarjalaorKarelia(Russian:Каре́лия, Ка́рьяла;Karelian:Karjala)is arepublicofRussiasituated in thenorthwestof the country.The republic is a part of theNorthwestern Federal District, and covers an area of 172,400 square kilometres (66,600 square miles), with a population of 533,121 residents.ItscapitalisPetrozavodsk.
The modern Karelian Republic was founded as an autonomous republic within the Russian SFSR, by the Resolution of the Presidium of theAll-Russian Central Executive Committee(VTsIK) on 27 June 1923 and by the Decree of the VTsIK and the Council of People's Commissars of 25 July 1923, from the Karelian Labour Commune. From 1940 to 1956, it was known as theKarelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic, one of therepublicsof theSoviet Union. In 1956, it was once again made an autonomous republic and remained part of Russia following thedissolution of the Soviet Unionin 1991.
"Karelia" derives from the name of the ethnic group—Karelians. The name "Karjala" has unknown origins, however, it is theorised that it may come from the Proto-Finnish wordkarja, meaning "herd", which was borrowed from theProto-Germanicharjaz("army"); the ending-lameans "earth".
The republic is in the northwestern part of Russia, between theWhite SeaandLake Ladoga. The White Sea has a shoreline of 630 kilometers (390 mi). It has an area of 172,400 km(66,600 sq mi). It shares internal borders withMurmansk Oblast(north),Arkhangelsk Oblast(east/south-east),Vologda Oblast(south-east/south), andLeningrad Oblast(south/south-west), and it also bordersFinland(Kainuu,Lapland,North Karelia,Northern Ostrobothnia, andSouth Karelia); the borders measure 723 km. The main bodies of water next to Karelia are the White Sea (an inlet of theBarents Sea) to the north-east andLake Onegaand Lake Ladoga both shared with neighboring Oblasts to the south. Its highest point is theNuorunenpeak at 576 m (1,890 ft).
As a part of theFennoscandian Shield's ancient Kareliancraton, most of the Republic of Karelia's surficial geology isArchaeanorPaleoproterozoic, dated up to 3.4 billion years in the Vodlozero block. This area is the largest contiguous Archaean outcrop inEuropeand one of the largest in the world.
Sincedeglaciation, the rate ofpost-glacial reboundin the Republic of Karelia has varied. Since theWhite Seaconnected to the World's oceans uplift along the southern coast ofKandalaksha Gulfhas totaled 90 m.In the interval 9,500–5,000 years ago the uplift rate was 9–13 mm/yr. Before theAtlantic period, uplift rate had decreased to 5–5.5 mm/yr, to then rise briefly before arriving at the present uplift rate is 4 mm/yr.
There are about 27,000 rivers in Karelia.Major rivers include:
There are 60,000 lakes in Karelia. The republic's lakes and swamps contain about 2,000 kmof high-quality fresh water.Lake Ladoga(Finnish:Laatokka) andLake Onega(Ääninen) are the largest lakes inEurope. Other lakes include:
The lakesLadogaandOnegaare located in the south of the republic.
White Sea coast:
In Lake Onega:
In Lake Ladoga:
The majority of the republic's territory (148,000 km(57,000 sq mi), or 85%) is composed of state forest stock. The total growing stock of timber resources in the forests of all categories and ages is 807 million m³. The mature and over-mature tree stock amounts to 411.8 million m³, of which 375.2 million m³ is coniferous.
Fifty useful minerals are found in Karelia, located in more than 400 deposits and ore-bearing layers. Natural resources of the republic includeiron ore,diamonds,vanadium,molybdenum, and others.
The Republic of Karelia is located in the Atlanticcontinental climatezone. The average temperature in January is −8.0 °C (17.6 °F) and +16.4 °C (61.5 °F) in July. Average annualprecipitationis 500–700 mm.
The Republic of Karelia includes 18 administrative-territorial units, including:
There are 818 settlements in the Republic of Karelia, including:
In 2006,the implementation of municipal reform began in the republic.
TheKarelian peopleand culture developed during theViking Agein the region to the west ofLake Ladoga. Karelians were first mentioned inSwedish sagasaround the 10th century. Russians first mentioned Karelians in 1143, they called Karelians"Korela".
Sweden's interest in Karelia began a centuries-long struggle withNovgorod(laterRussia) that resulted in numerous border changes following the many wars fought between the two, the most famous of which is thePillage of Sigtuna of 1187. In 1137 the oldest documented settlement was established, the modern-day city ofOlonets (Aunus).Karelians converted toOrthodox Christianityin 1227.The Karelians' alliance with Novgorod developed into domination by the latter in the 13th century, when Karelia became a part of Novgorod under the name of Obonezhie pyatina as an autonomy. Later Karelia had anti-Novgorodrevoltsin the 13th and 14th centuries.
Later Karelia became a part ofMuscovywhen Novgorod was annexed in the second half of the 15th century.
During theGreat Northern War (1700–1721)the modern-day capital of Karelia, the city of Petrozavodsk was founded as a cannon factory byPeter the Great.
On 9(21) September 1801Olonets Governoratewas created by order ofAlexander I.
AfterRussian emperorAlexander Ibecame theGrand Duke of Finlandfollowing theFinnish War, he transferredOld Finlandto the newly formedGrand Duchy of Finlandin 1812.This move was regarded as a means of securing support of theFinnish nobilityfor the Russian emperor.
In 1906, theUnion of White Sea Karelians(Vienan karjalaisten liitto) was created. The Union's main goal was to improve the life of the common Karelians and additionally develop their ownnationalidentity.The union was temporarily dissolved in 1911 after series of repressions done by the local government.
In 1917, theMurmansk Railroadwas built, leading to the Karelian lands becoming more strategically important. This led much ofintelligentsiato believe that the Russian tourism andImmigrationinto the region would rise, leading to furtherassimilationof the Karelians to the Russian culture.
During theFinnishand theRussian Civil Warsthe local peasantry rebelled against the new Soviet State due itsProdrazverstkapolicy, causing several squards of the "Whiteguard" to cross into theKarelianlands,where then was organized a government that later swiftly declared independence from theRussian Soviet Federative Republic, creating theUhtua Republic. Later in 1920 Finnish forces occupied Olonets, creating anotherpuppet government, which then merged with the other Karelian state into theUnited Karelian Government. The regions were reclaimed by theRed Armylater the same year, the Tartu peace was signed and the Karelian United Government was dissolved.
As many otherethnicallynon-Russian stateswithinRSFSR, the Karelia would receive autonomy within RSFSR, establishing theKarelian Labour Communeon 8 June 1920, which enjoyed a large de-facto autonomy approved byLeninin early 1921.
In 1921, anuprising was startedby theForest Guerrillasin an attempt to gain control over Karelia yet again, but it was defeated by the Soviets shortly after.
During the years of its existence, the Commune was actively educating the people, opening the schools and libraries as of theLikbezpolicy were open and maintained, the Commune was later expanded in 1923 by transferring the Kolezhemskaya, Lapinskaya, Navodnitskaya and many otherposadsfromArkhangelsk Governorate.
In 1923, the Karelian Labour Commune became theKarelian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republicdue its de-facto large autonomy, with the government of the region directly managing the local economy without having to pay its taxes to the RSFSR's state budget. The formal increase of the autonomy was firstvetoedbyPeople's Commissar for Nationalities of the RSFSR, but it was later accepted by theCentral Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
After the Likbez policy was fulfilled, the Republic now shifted its goal from educating the people to expanding the production andelectrifyingthe Republic according to theGOELROplan. The first steps were the creation of Mevezegorsky and Pudozsky tree-cutting factories, theKondopoga Paper Factory, and the launch of the Kem and the Uhtahydroelectrostations.
In the 1930s, the goal yet again shifted, now to improving the cultural and physical development and well-being of the locals by creation of many freeclinicsandhospitals, "Houses of Physical Culture", Theaters etc.
Many of the Finns who fled to Karelia were detained and most likely shot duringThe Great Purgeof 1937, with the Karelian ethnic Finns' population dropping to 21%.Karelia has one of the biggest burial sites of Stalinist purges in Russia,Sandarmokh, where possibly thousands of victims were executed.
During the Winter War, a Sovietpuppet governmentwas created in occupied territories. The Finnish Democratic Republic was to incorporate most of Finland's pre-war territories plus some western parts of the KASSR. Some members of the FDP government were also members of the KASSR government.
After theMoscow Peace Treatyterritories of theKarelian Isthmuswere transferred to the newly created Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic. After theevacuation of Finnish Karelia, the new territories were left unpopulated, so migrants fromBelarus,Ukraine, Russia, and otherSoviet republicsmoved in. To this day, this area has one of the lowest percentages of Karelian and Finnish populations in the Republic.
After the beginning ofWorld War II, mass rallies were held on the territory of the republic, at which the inhabitants of Karelia declared their readiness to stand up for the defense of the Soviet Union. Workers of theOnega Tractor Plantwrote “We will work only in such a way as to fully meet the needs of our Red Army. We will double, triple our forces and crush, destroy theGerman fascists".
On 24 June 1941, after the German army crossedZapadnaya Dvina,Finnish presidentRisto Rytiannounced declaration of war on the Soviet Union.TheFinnish armycrossed the Soviet border on 1 July.
Soon after the evacuation of border regions began, On 3 July, a republican evacuation commission was created. At its first meeting, it was decided to evacuate children under 14 out of Petrozavodsk. The same decision also refers to the evacuation of 150 families of leading party and Soviet workers in Karelia. Those residents who could work had to remain in the harvest and defense work.
By September the Finnish army already reached Petrozavodsk and captured Olonets.Petrozavodsk offensive began on 20 September. To protect the city, the7th Armyunder the command of GeneralK.A. Meretskovwas directly subordinated to the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander.
On 30 September, the position of the defenders of the city deteriorated sharply. The Finnish army managed to break through Soviet defenses and cut the highway to Kondopoga in the area of the Sulazhgorsky brick factory. In the south Finns came close to the city outskirts. On 1 October, due to the threat of encirclement, an order was received from the command to withdraw the main units defending the city.
The fighting near Petrozavodsk allowed the authorities to evacuate most of the civilian population and a significant part of the production capacities. In total, more than 500 thousand people were evacuated from the republic to the east.Petrozavodsk Universitywas temporarily relocated toSyktyvkar.
After the capture of Petrozavodsk, the capital of Soviet Karelia was transferred first to Medvezhyegorsk, then to Belomorsk. Less than 90 thousand people remained in the occupied territory, half of which are representatives of the Finno-Ugric peoples: Karelians, Vepsians, and Finns.The Finnish administrationhas officially recognized them as a "kindred" population. The rest received the status of "unrelated" people.Most of them have been put intoconcentration camps, along with communists and people who could not speak Finnish or Karelian.
Former prisoners of the camps recalled that the staff often treated them more harshly than was supposed to according to the instructions. According to them, the Finns, in the presence of children, shot prisoners and beat women, children, and the elderly. One of the prisoners told the Finnish historian Helga Seppel that before leaving Petrozavodsk, the invaders shot several young people for unknown reasons.
During the occupation, Petrozavodsk was renamed toÄänislinna.
Only a few territories of the KFSSR managed to escape the Finnish occupation: theBelomorsky,Loukhsky,Kemsky,Pudozhskyregions, as well as part of theMedvezhiegorsky, Tungudsky andUkhtaregions. By 1942, about 70 thousand people lived here.
After the end of theSiege of LeningradSoviet army was ordered to liberate Karelia.
On 21 June 1944Svir-Petrozavodsk operationstarted. On 27 June the Finnish army left Petrozavodsk. By August the Soviet army reached pre-war borders.
Then the Soviet army got pushed back again and had to end the war with the help of pressure from its allies in the Moscow Armistice.
After the end ofWorld War II, the Karelian Isthmus was incorporated into theLeningrad Oblastand the city ofAlakurttiwas transferred toMurmansk Oblast.
Afternormalization of diplomatic relations between USSR and Finlandthe status of the Karelo-Finnish SSR was changed back to the Karelian ASSR in 1956. After this Karelian, Veps, and Finnish languages began a decline in usage due to the lack of support from the state and lack of education.
The transformation of the KFSSR into the Karelian ASSR was supposed to show that the USSR did not have aggressive goals against Finland.
In 1978, aKorean Air Lines Boeing 707-321Bwas shot down over Murmansk Oblast and landed near Louhi.
The highest executive authority in the Republic of Karelia is the Head of the Republic. The acting Head of the Republic isArtur Parfenchikov, who was elected in February 2017 and laterre-elected in 2022.
The parliament of the Republic of Karelia is theLegislative Assemblycomprising fifty deputies elected for a four-year term.
The Constitution of the Republic of Karelia was adopted on 12 February 2001.
TheLegislative Assembly of the Republic of Kareliais a permanent representative and the only legislative body of state power in the Republic of Karelia.Since 2016, it consists of 36 deputies elected by the inhabitants of the republic according to a mixed electoral system: 18 deputies according to party lists (proportional system), and 18 in single-member districts (majority system) based on universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot. The term of office of deputies of one convocation is five years.
The 7th convocation waselected in September 2021and will last until 2026. Of the 36 deputies, 22 are fromUnited Russia, 4 from theCommunist Party of the Russian Federation, 2 from theLiberal Democratic Party of Russia, 4 fromA Just Russia, 2 fromYabloko, 1 fromNew People, and 1 from theParty of Pensioners.Elissan Shandalovich(United Russia) was elected Chairman.Igor Zubarev(United Russia) was elected representative of the Legislative Assembly in the Federation Council.
Executive power is exercised by:
The Head of the Republic is elected by the republic's inhabitants on the basis of universal, equal, and direct suffrage by secret ballot. The term of office is 5 years and one person cannot hold office for more than two consecutive terms.
The current head of the republic isArtur Parfenchikov(appointed by PresidentVladimir Putinon 15 February 2017; on 10 September 2017, he was elected in theelectionsfrom theUnited Russiaparty).Alexander Rakitinhas been appointed as the representative in theFederation Council.
Like everyfederal subject, Karelia has two representatives in theFederation Council: one from the legislative assembly and one from the republic's government.
As of 1 March 2010, seven Russian political parties had their branches in the Republic of Karelia:United Russia,Communist Party of the Russian Federation,Patriots of Russia,A Just Russia,Liberal Democratic Party of Russia,Yabloko, andRight Cause.The socio-political movement of theRussian People's Democratic Unionalso has its own branch.
Population:533,121 (2021 Census);643,548 (2010 Census);645,205 (2002 Census);791,317 (1989 Soviet census).
According to the 2021 Census,ethnicRussiansmake up 86.4% of the republic's population, ethnicKarelians5.5%. Other groups includeBelarusians(2.0%),Ukrainians(1.2%),Finns(0.7%),Vepsians(0.5%), and a host of smaller groups, each accounting for less than 0.5% of the total population.
Currently Russian is the onlyofficial languageof the republic.Karelian,Veps, andFinnishhave been officially recognized languages of the republic since 2004, and they arede juresupported by the government.In early 2000s Karelian and Vepslanguage nestswere created in Petrozavodsk,Kalevala, Tuksa andSheltozero,but were later shut down.Now native languages of Karelia have little support from the government.
Finnish was the secondofficial languageof Karelia from the creation of the Karelian Labour Commune up until thedissolution of the Soviet Union.Thereafter there were suggestions to raise Karelian as the second official language, but they were repeatedly turned down.
The Karelians have traditionally beenEastern Orthodox.Lutheranismwas brought to Karelia duringSweden's conquest of Kareliaand was common in regions that then belonged to Finland. Nowadays Lutherans can be found in most big settlements but they remain a minority.
Catholics have one parish in Petrozavodsk.
The PetrozavodskJewishReligious Community was registered in 1997.
Karelian Muslims were organized into Karelianmuftiatein 2001.
According to a 2012 survey,27% of the population of Karelia adheres to theRussian Orthodox Church, 2% areunaffiliatedChristians, and 1% are members ofProtestant churches. In addition, 44% of the population declared to be "spiritual but not religious", 18% isatheist, and 8% follow other religions or did not answer the question.
Karelia's economy is based onforestry,mining,tourism,agriculture,fishingandthe paper industry.
Despite being 0,4% of Russia's population, 65–70% of all Russiantroutis grown in the Republic, 26% ofiron ore pellets, 20% of paper, 12% of wood pulp and cellulose.
Karelia'sgross regional product(GRP) in 2007 was 109.5 billion rubles.The Karelian economy's GRP in 2010 was estimated at 127733.8 million rubles.Karelia's GRP in 2021 was 176 billion rubles.This amounts to 291,841 rubles per capita, which is lower thannational average.
The largest companies in the region includeKarelsky Okatysh($1319755601 of revenue in 2021),Segezha Pulp and Paper Mill($86897488 of revenue in 2021),OAO Kondopoga($20366599 of revenue in 2021).
In the structure of the gross regional product in 2017, the main types of economic activity were:mining – 17.6%; manufacturing industries – 16.9%; transportation and storage – 11.8%; wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles – 9.8%; public administration and military security; social security – 8.7%.
A fastfiber-opticcable link connecting FinnishKuhmoand KarelianKostomukshawas built in 2007, providing fast telecommunications.
In 2022, the republic's budget received 75 billion 198 million rubles of revenue. At the same time, expenses amounted to 82 billion 202 million rubles.
Tax revenues make up the majority of budget revenues and in 2008 amounted to 64% of operating income. The tax concentration is relatively high: the 10 largest taxpayers, mainly industrial enterprises, provided about 38% of all tax revenues in 2008.
The forest andwood processingsector dominates industrial activity in Karelia. A large number of small enterprises carry out timber logging whereas pulp and paper production is concentrated in five large enterprises, which produce about a quarter of Russia's total output of paper.Three largest companies in the pulp and paper sector in 2021 were:OAO Kondopoga(sales of $369314325),Segezha Pulp and Paper Mill($221317040) andRK-Grand (PitkärantaPulp Factory)($78750849).
The timber industry complex of Karelia produces 28% of the republic's industrial output.
Karelia is a region with a lot of natural resources, including metals such asgold,silver,platinum,copperandpalladium.
In 2007, extractive industries (including extraction of metal ores) amounted to 30% of the republic's industrial output.There are about 53 mining companies in Karelia, employing more than 10,000 people.One of the most important companies in the sector isAO Karelian Pellet, which is the 5th largest of Russia's 25 mining andore dressingenterprises involved in ore extraction andiron ore concentrateproduction. Other large companies in the sector wereOAO Karelnerud,Mosavtorod State Unitary Enterprise, andPitkjaranta Mining Directorate State Unitary Enterprise.
As of 2021, there were 29powerplants, of them 21 werehydroplantsand 8thermal power plants.
Due to Karelia's climate, only 1,2% of the land is used for farming. Most of the farmland is located onpodzol.
20 agricultural organizations employing 2.3 thousand people.Animal husbandryis the leading branch of agriculture in the Republic, the main areas of which are dairy cattle breeding, pig breeding, broiler poultry farming, and fur farming.
Annually agricultural enterprises of the region produce up to 59 thousand tons of milk. Based on its natural and climatic conditions, the plant growing industry is focused on the production of feed for livestock, the bulk of potatoes and vegetables are grown in small forms of management.
Fishing enterprises of Karelia produced 91.9 thousand tons of aquatic biological resources in 2021.
In the Barents Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, 89.9 thousand tons of aquatic biological resources were caught, of them 34.6 thousand tons ofcodand haddock, 34.1 thousand tons ofblue whiting, 18 thousand tons ofmackereland 1.1 thousand tons ofnorthern shrimp. 306 tons of fish were caught in the White Sea and 612 tons ofkelpandfucuswere harvested. The catch offreshwater fishamounted to 1.1 thousand tons.
Karelia is popular forinternationalanddomestic tourism.
Traditional, active,culturalandecologicaltypes of tourism are popular among tourists.
Karelia attracts ecotourists with its nature and wildernessand low population density. During the summer water tourism is also popular among many tourists.
Cultural tourism is also a big part of Karelia's tourism economy. The region attracts many tourists with its wooden architecture, local culture, and traditions.
Karelia also has the first Russianhealth resort– Martial Waters (1719).
The economy of Karelia is export-orientated. By the volume of exports per capita, Karelia is among the leading regions of Russia. More than 50% of manufactured products (and up to 100% in several industries) are exported.
The Republic's main export partners in 2001 were Finland (32% of total exports),Germany(7%),Netherlands(7%), and theUnited Kingdom(6%).Main export products were lumber (over 50%), iron ore pellets (13–15%) paper and cardboard (6–9%) and sawn timber with (5–7%). Many of Karelia's companies have received investments from Finland.
Karelia is a strategically important railroad region due to the fact that it connectsMurmanskwith the rest of Russia byKirov Railway, which waselectrifiedin 2005.
There are also railways connections with Finland inVärtsiläandKostomuksha, but they are not electrified.
Most of Karelia's railway lines are served by thePetrozavodsk branch of the Oktyabrskaya Railway, which is one of the largest budget-forming enterprises of the Republic.
All Karelian district capitals are connected by railroad, except for the Kalevalsky district and Prionezhsky district.
In total, Karelia has 1915 km of railways.
Water communications connect Karelia with theBarents,Baltic,Black, White andCaspian Seas.
White sea-Baltic Canalwas built in the 1930s to connect the Baltic and White seas. The 227 km long canal was built by the prisoners. Even though it has 19locks, the canal cannot pass vessels with adraftof more than 5 meters.The canal is a part of theVolgo-Baltic Waterway.
There are alsoriver portson the coast of the White Sea, there were plans to upgrade them toocean portsbut they were deemed too expensive.
Automobilehighway R-21 "Kola"crosses Karelia and connectsMurmanskRegion and Murmansk seaport withSt. PetersburgandMoscow.
E105European highway also goes through Karelia.
Other highways connect with Finland in Louhsky district Värtsilä and Kostomuksha.
Many of Karelian roads are stillunimproved.
Petrozavodsk Airportis the only working airport in Karelia as of 2022.
There are other airports, such as Kalevala or Kostomuksha, but they are not used or used byfirefighters.
In 2023, the incidence of cancer in Karelia amounted to 648 cases per 100,000 population. This is 88 more than in 2022.
According to Olga Ruotselainen, Deputy head of the Karelian Ministry of Health, todaymore than 20,000 people with a diagnosis of oncology are registered.
Women in Karelia most often suffer from breast cancer. Cancer of other skin growths is in second place, and colon cancer is in third place. Among men, the most common type of oncology is prostate cancer, second being cancer of the bronchi, trachea, lung, and third being skin cancer.
The healthcare system of the Republic of Karelia has 24 hospital institutions (republican and district hospitals), 5 dispensaries, the Republican Center for the Prevention and Control ofAIDSand Infectious Diseases, the Republican Blood Transfusion Station, 3 maternity and childhood care institutions, 10 outpatient clinics, 5 special type healthcare institutions, 7 social service institutions, 18 district social protection institutions, the autonomous educational institution of secondary vocational education of the Republic of Karelia Petrozavodsk Basic Medical College.
The regional target program Improvement of the Demographic Situation of the Republic of Karelia for the period 2008–2010 and up to 2015 has been adopted.
Karelia is very culturally diverse region that was influenced by Finno-Ugric,SlavicandScandinaviancultures. The main unifying factor in the formation of the culture of the region was the Orthodox religion.
A lot is being done in the Republic of Karelia today to support the interests of more than 100 nationalities inhabiting it, including Karelians, Veps and Finns. More than 60 national public associations have been registered: unions, congresses, popular movements, autonomies, friendship societies, cultural societies.There is a regional target program Karelia – the Territory of Consent, a republican target program State support of Karelian, Vepsian and Finnish languages, a public council has been established to coordinate the implementation of these programs.
Karelia is sometimes called "the songlands", as Karelian poems constitute most of the Karelo-Finnish epicKalevalaand many ofRussian Bylinaswere documented inPudozh.
The written literature of Karelia was formed at the beginning of the 20th century. In the 1930s Karelian and Veps languages gained a writing system, but during the Stalinist repressions many books in Veps and Karelian were burned and cultural figures were deported.
After the creation of the Karelian Labour Commune manyAmericanandCanadian finnsmoved to Karelia and began creating new literature. Many Karelians could understand Finnish so some authors, such as one of the most famous Karelian writersAntti Timonen, started to write in Finnish.
Writers of the Republic of Karelia are united in public organizations:
Karelian art history begun withPetroglyphs, which were created around 6,500 years ago.They became aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site, listed in 2021.
Icon painters were the first professional artists of Karelia.
Karelia has become a source of inspiration for many famous artists of the 19th–20th century such as:Ivan Shishkin,Arkhip Kuindzhi, andN. K. Roerich.
The formation of professional painting in Karelia is associated with the name of the People's Artist of theKFSSRV. N. Popov (1869–1945). In 1934, the Union of Artists of the Autonomous Karelian SSR was established, the first chairman of which was elected Yu. O. Rautanen, since 2010, the Karelian branch of the Union of Artists of Russia. As part of the Karelian department, there is an Association of Young artists and Art Historians.
Karelia is famous for its wooden architecture. Karelian architecture developed under the strong influence ofNovgorod architecture.Examples of Karelian architecture are collected in theKizhi PogostMuseum.
Later Karelian architecture was influenced by Finns, especially after the creation of the Karelian Labour Commune.
Kanteleis the most famous traditional Karelian musical instrument. InKalevalathe mageVäinämöinenmakes the first kantele from the jawbone of a giantpikeand a few hairs fromHiisi's stallion.
In 1933, the Karelian State Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra was founded. The orchestra belonged to the Karelian Radio and Television, part of the Ministry of Culture of Karelia. However, since 1997, the orchestra has been a part of the Karelian State Philharmonic Society.
In 1935, the Karelian Folk Segozer Choir (Padans), the Karelian Folk Olonets Choir Karelian birch 
([[:olo:Karjalan koivu|Karjalan koivu]]) was founded.
In 1936, the National Song and Dance Ensemble of Karelia (Kantele), the Veps Folk Choir, and the Karelian Folk Petrovsky Choir were founded.
The Pomeranian Folk Choir (Medvezhyegorsk) was founded in 1937, and the Karelian Folk Vedlozersky Choir (Vedlozero) was founded in 1938.
In 1937, the Union of Karelian Composers was founded.
In 1938, the Petrozavodsk Music College (now the Petrozavodsk Music College named after K. E. Rautio) was opened.
In 1939, the Symphony Orchestra of the Karelo-Finnish State Philharmonic was founded.
In 1967, the Petrozavodsk branch of theLeningrad State Conservatory(now the Petrozavodsk Glazunov State Conservatory) was opened.
In 1973, Honored Artist of the Republic of Karelia L. P. Budanov founded the Karelia-Brass ensemble.
Throughout the years, many Karelian, Russian, Veps, Finnish andPomorchoirs were created, such as the Karelian choir "Oma pajo" in 1990, which is still active.
There are more than twenty children's music schools in the republic, including:
Musical groups: Sattuma family ensemble, Leo Sevets, Santtu Karhu & Talvisovat, Myllärit,DrollsEarly Music Ensemble, WaTaGa.
In 1973, there were 16 cinemas in theKarelian ASSR.
In 2009, theMinistry of Culture of the Russian Federationdeveloped a digital film screening program in cities with a population of less than 500 thousand people,new cinemas were built in shopping malls. Today, out of 13 cities of the republic, cinemas are operating in all cities exceptLahdenpohya.
Only the "Karelfilm" film studio, located in Petrozavodsk, is engaged in film production in Karelia.
In 1957, the Karelian branch of the Union of Journalists of the USSR (now the Karelian branch of the Union of Journalists of Russia) was organized. In different years, the union was headed by F. A. Trofimov, A. I. Shtykov, K. V. Gnetnev, V. N. Kiryasov, V. A. Tolsky, N. N. Meshkova, A.M. Tsygankov. In 1960–1990, the creative work of the best republican journalists was awarded the annual prize named afterK. S. Eremeev. Currently, every year on the eve of the Day of the Russian Journalist, the Union of Journalists of Karelia awards two special prizes: "For skill and dignity" and "For openness to the press".
TheLegislative Assembly, the Government and the Periodika publishing house produce four newspapers in national languages:
together with the regional organizationUnion of Karelian People:
Newspapers are published in the districts of Karelia:Kostomuksha News,Prionezhye,Olonia,Novaya Kondopoga,Belomorskaya Tribune,Ladoga-Sortavala,Kalevala News,Pudozhsky Vestnik,Suoyarvsky Vestnik,Circumpolar,Soviet White Sea,Novaya Ladoga,MuezerskLes,Call,Our life,Trust,Dialogue.
Nine radio stations are located inPetrozavodsk:
Three radio stations broadcast inKostomuksha:
On 29 April 1959, the television center and the Petrozavodsk Television Studio came into operation.
Regional TV companies:
The TV channel GTRK Karelia has daily news releasesViestit – Karjalain Finnish.
According to a sociological study of the regional media market conducted in October 2013, the largest share of the media of the Republic of Karelia in terms of the number of published materials belongs to online publications – 77.3%.
and others.
Along withRussian holidays, Karelia has its officialpublic holidaysas well asunofficial holidays.