Karelia
/kəˈriːliə/noun
A historical region of northern Europe, divided mainly between Finland and Russia.
Did you know?Karelia’s oral rune-singing tradition supplied much of the material for the Kalevala, Finland’s national epic, including myths of heroes, spells, and cosmic creation.
Etymological Timeline
Early Medieval Period
Finnic
*Karjala
“The reconstructed ancestral Finnic form of the region’s name; its ultimate origin remains disputed.”
Medieval Period
Old East Slavic
Корѣла
“A historical Slavic form referring to the Karelians or their territory.”
15th–16th Century
Finnish
Karjala
“The Finnish name for Karelia, the homeland of the Karelian people.”
16th Century
Swedish
Carelen
“A Swedish form of the regional name, reflecting Sweden’s historical contact and rule in parts of Karelia.”
Modern English
English
Karelia
“The conventional English name for the region spanning southeastern Finland and northwestern Russia.”