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The Epic Interactive Encyclopedia 1998
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Epic Interactive Encyclopedia, The - 1998 Edition (1998)(Epic Marketing).iso
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Karelia
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1992-09-03
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Autonomous republic of the Russian Soviet
Republic (RSFSR), in NW USSR. area 172,400 sq
km/66,550 sq mi capital Petrozavodsk town
Vyborg physical mainly forested features Lake
Ladoga products fishing, timber, chemicals,
coal population (1986) 787,000 history
Karelia was annexed to Russia by Peter the
Great in 1721 as part of the grand duchy of
Finland. In 1917 part of Karelia was retained
by Finland when it gained its independence
from Russia. The remainder became an
autonomous region 1920 and an autonomous
republic 1923 of the USSR. Following the wars
of 1939-40 and 1941-44, Finland ceded 46,000
sq km/18,000 sq mi to the USSR. Part of this
territory was incorporated in the Russian
Soviet Republic and part in the Karelian
autonomous republic. 400,000 Karelians were
evacuated to Finland on Soviet annexation in
1940. In 1946 the Karelo-Finnish Soviet
Socialist Republic was set up, but in 1956
the greater part of the republic returned to
its former status as an autonomous Soviet
socialist republic.