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Karelians

File:Jouhikko_player.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

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Karelians (; ; ; ) are a Baltic Finnic ethnic group who are indigenous to the historical region of Karelia, which is today split between Finland and Russia. Karelians living in Russian Karelia are considered a distinct ethnic group closely related to Finnish Karelians, who are considered a subset of Finns. This distinction historically arose from Karelia having been fought over and eventually split between Sweden and Novgorod, resulting in Karelians being under different cultural spheres.

AI overview

Karelians are a Baltic Finnic ethnic group native to the historical region of Karelia, which today is divided between Finland and Russia. The split of their homeland between different powers centuries ago created distinct cultural differences, leading to Russian Karelians being recognized as a separate ethnic group while Finnish Karelians are generally considered part of the Finnish population.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Key facts

Ethnic group.group
Karelians karjalaižet karjalazet karjalaiset
Ethnic group.image
File:Jouhikko player.jpg
Ethnic group.image_caption
Karelian woman playing jouhikko
Ethnic group.pop
43,000 (2020)
Ethnic group.pop1
32,422 (2020)
Ethnic group.pop2
10,000 (1994)
Ethnic group.pop3
1,522 (2001)
Ethnic group.pop4
290 (2021)
Ethnic group.pop5
302 (2009)
Ethnic group.pop6
192 (2018)
Ethnic group.pop7
39 (2011)
Ethnic group.languages
Karelian, Livvi-Karelian, Ludian
Ethnic group.religions
Eastern Orthodox majorityLutheran minority
Ethnic group.related
Other Baltic FinnsEspecially Finnish Karelians, Izhorians, and Vepsians
Ethnonym.people
Karelians
Ethnonym.language
Karelian;Livvi-Karelian
Ethnonym.country
Karelia

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Population
88850
Image
Карельский костюм.Реконструкция.jpg
Show 2 more facts
Commons category
Karelians
native label
karjalaižet, karjalaiset
Sources (1)

via Wikidata · CC0

~18 min read

Article

12 sections
Contents
  • History
  • Middle Ages
  • Early modern period
  • Late modern period
  • Language
  • Religion
  • Demographics
  • Genetics
  • See also
  • References
  • External links
  • Notes

Karelians (; ; ; ) are a Baltic Finnic ethnic group who are indigenous to the historical region of Karelia, which is today split between Finland and Russia. Karelians living in Russian Karelia are considered a distinct ethnic group closely related to Finnish Karelians, who are considered a subset of Finns. This distinction historically arose from Karelia having been fought over and eventually split between Sweden and Novgorod, resulting in Karelians being under different cultural spheres.

In Russia, Karelians mostly live in the Republic of Karelia, where they are the designated ethnic group, and in other adjacent north-western parts of the country. They traditionally speak the Karelian language and are Eastern Orthodox Christians. There are also significant Karelian enclaves in the Tver and Novgorod oblasts, as some Karelians migrated to those areas after the Russo-Swedish War of 1656–1658.

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