http://www.north-karelia-traveling.com
http://www.kareliaexpert.com
http://www.lomasuomi.fi/pohjoiskarjala
2. NORTH KARELIA
North Karelia is the easternmost province of Finland. North Karelia is also
the easternmost part of the European Union. It is roughly the size of the Netherlands
(21, 500 sq. km) with a population of approximately 180, 000 inhabitants. North
Karelia is divided into municipalities, each offering various cultural and exotic
seasonal travel activities from river rafting to wilderness survival experiences
throughout the year.
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Links: http://www.north-karelia-traveling.com http://www.kareliaexpert.com http://www.lomasuomi.fi/pohjoiskarjala |
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3. CITY OF JOENSUU
At the heart of North Karelia lies Joensuu, the administrative centre of the
province. Joensuu means iethe mouth of the riverlu and, true to its name, it
straddles the Pielisjoki River at the place where it empties into Lake Pyhäselkä.
Throughout the centuries Karelian traders have travelled along the Pielisjoki
River. Joensuu was founded by Czar Nikolai I of Russia in 1848. During the 1800's,
Joensuu was a city of manufacture and commerce. When in 1860 the city received
special rights to commerce and the restrictions against industry were removed,
local sawmills started to grow and prosper. Water traffic was improved by the
building of the Saimaa Canal. Thus, lively commerce between the regions of North
Karelia, St. Petersburg and Middle Europe was made possible. At the end of the
last century, Joensuu was one of the largest harbour cities in Finland.
During the last few decades, the small agrarian town has developed into a vital
centre of the province. Investments in education have been important actions
in this development. The University of Joensuu has been one of the secrets for
the vitality of the city and of all North Karelia. Subsequently, the Polytechnic
and especially the Joensuu Science Park Ltd. (http://www.carelian.fi/eng/ )
have contributed to this development. Diversified international cooperation
in science, industry and commerce benefits the whole region.
The nearness of
the eastern border has been an important factor in the history of the city and
the whole region. The Republic of Karelia is once again a significant
area for cooperation with nearby regions in Russia. Export companies in Joensuu
continue the traditions in foreign trade of the last century. Today's export
articles include locks, plastic casing for mobile phones, forest harvesting
machines and products of the telematics and graphics industries. Joensuu in
a Nutshell:
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Inhabitants (September 2000) Area km2 Population density inhab./km2 Foreign citizens living in Joensuu Biggest employers |
51 648 120.3 (of which more than 30% is water) 629 847 (year 1999) City of Joensuu, North Karelian Hospital District, University of Joensuu, Abloy Ltd, Finnish Railways, Perlos Group, Schauman Wood Ltd. |
The city itself
offers many possibilities for different kinds of activities. The landmarks of
Joensuu include the Town Hall, designed by Eliel Saarinen, the Summer Festival
Centre with its festival stage and, naturally, the market square.
The square bustles with life all year round, but is really at its liveliest
during the summer months. There is something going on just about every day.
High-quality cultural events and the clean environment increase the attractiveness
of the city.
More information can be obtained from the Joensuu Tourist Office located in
Carelicum and from the web pages of the city of Joensuu http://www.jns.fi/.
There is also a web cam so that you can see what is happening at the market
place; the "live" picture changes every 20 seconds!