Average age of the population is 36,5, able to work population is 471,3 thousand, retired people 215,0 thousand people.

National structure of the population:
the Russians - 73,6%, the Karelians - 10%, the Byelorussians - 7%, the Ukrainians - 3,6%, the Finns - 2,3%, Veps - 0,8%.

The republic consists of 19 sovereign territories, 808 populated areas. A sovereign territory is led by the Head, elected in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Karelia through direct secret voting.

In Karelia there are 3 cities of republican significance, (Petrozavodsk-282,9 thousand, Kostomuksha- 32,5 thousand, Sortavala-20,2 thousand), 4 towns and districts of republican significance (Kem and Kemsky district, Kondopoga and Kondopozhsky district, Pitkyaranta and Pitkyarantsky district, Segezha and Segezhsky district), 11 districts including Kalevalsky national one), 1 volost (Vepska national volost) with the status of administrative and territorial unit, 11 settlements of town type.