What is Karelia?
{{multiple image | footer = The two flags of Karelia, the cultural and nationalist flag of the karelian people ''(left, with cross)'' and the official flag of the Russian [[Republic of Karelia]] ''(right, with bars)'' | align = right | direction = horizontal | header = [[Flag of Karelia|Flags of Karelia]] | image1 = Flag of Karel.svg | image2 = Flag of Karelia.svg | total_width = 240 }} [[File:Many Karelias.png|thumb|Parts of Karelia, as they are divided today]] '''[[Karelian language|Karelia]]''' ([[Karelian language|Karelian]] and [[Finnish language|Finnish]]: ''Karjala'', <small>Finnish pronunciation:</small> [ˈkɑrjɑlɑ]; [[Russian language|Russian]]: Каре́лия, <small>tr.</small> ''Karélija'', is an area in the eastern Nordic region. Most of Karelia belongs to [[Russia]] today. Small parts of Karelia belong to [[Finland]]. On the Russian side of Karelia is the [[Republic of Karelia]]. On the Finnish side are the provinces of [[North Karelia]] and [[South Karelia]]. The original people of Karelia are [[Karelians]]. Karelian people speak Karelian, a [[Finnic language]] very close to [[Finnish language|Finnish]] and [[Estonian language|Estonian]]. Karelians knew many old [[poems]]. Many poems of the Finnish book [[Kalevala]] are from the Karelians. Today in the Republic of Karelia, Karelians are a [[minority]] and Russians are a [[majority]]. Some people fear Karelian culture and language will die out, due to Soviet immigration to destroy the culture. [[Category:History of Russia]] [[Category:History of Finland]] [[Category:Karelia| ]]