Region of North Karelia
Location
North Karelia is remote and the easternmost region of the continental European Union, sharing a 302 km joint border with the Russian Federation. The region has always been characterised by its clean environment and extensive waterways. The total surface area of North Karelia is 21 585 km2 (roughly two thirds of the size of Belgium), of which 70 % is forests and 17 % lakes. The region is extremely sparcely populated (7,5 inhabitants per square kilometre. A declining and rapidly-ageing population is among the keychallanges for the region. The population is quite concentrated in area surrounding the city of Joensuu, which is regional capital of North Karelia. Joensuu city region is a home for over 65 % of North Karelian population.
People and some Specialties
North Karelia has a reputation for happy people, Karelian pasties, kantele players and large predators. North Karelia combines a reals sense of Finnishness with modern industry and diverse services. Forestry has always been one of the most important industries in this region. The Metal and stone sectors are also strong in the area. Expertise in North Karelia is not only limited to the so-called solid fields. Other trademarks of the region include music and song, with expertise in the film-making industry showing strong growth recently
North Karelia lets you live the Finnish dream: a lakeside house in the middle of the city. Plenty of space, safety and a good environment are all part of life in the region. In addition to clean nature, a good environment also means convenient traffic connections and comprehensive service network.
The Regional Council of North Karelia is a public regional authority in accordance with the Regional Development Act (national law). The areas of responsibility of the Council include:
- economic development
- regional planning
- safeguarding of regional interests
- and creation of the knowledge infrastructure.
The Regional Council of North Karelia is a federation owned by the region's 14 municipalities. It employs 50 persons (including temporary staff such as project managers). Professionals with wide experience in project management, regional development, strategy formulation and cross-border activities. The work in the office is led by Region Mayor Pentti Hyttinen
The goal of the Council is to promote regional development initiatives, the regional balance and environmentally sustainable development in co-operation with the State and the local government, businesses, universities, research institutes and non-governmental organisations.
Memberships in international organisations and networks:
- AER (Assembly of European Regions)
- AEBR (Association of European Border Regions)
- Committee of the Regions (AER)
- Eris@ (The European Regional Information Society Association)
North Karelia in a nutshell
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Population 166 000
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14 municipalities, 5 of which are cities, with Joensuu serving as the regional capital
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302 kilometrs of common border with Russia, approximately one million people cross the border at Niirala each year
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Large companies include Abloy Ltd, John Deere Ltd, Tulikivi Ltd and Broman Group
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Tourist destinations include the Koli national landscape, Bomba Karelian village in Nurmes, Outokumpu Mining museum, Finnish Stone Centre and the Taitokortteli culture block in Joensuu
19/10/10 08:01
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