Yoshkar-Ola vs Lappeenranta

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Yoshkar-Ola (Mari and Russian: Йошкар-Ола) is the capital city of the Mari El Republic, Russia. Yoshkar-Ola means red city in Mari and was formerly known as Tsaryovokokshaysk (Царёвококшайск) before 1919, as Krasnokokshaysk (Краснококшайск) between 1919 and 1927 (both after the Malaya Kokshaga River, which runs through the city) and Charla (Чарла) (old Mari).

Yoshkar-Ola was established as a military fortress in 1584, following the Russian conquest of the Mari region. It is currently one of the centers of the Finno-Ugric people and the administrative center of the Yoshkar-Ola city district.

Source: Wikipedia

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Lappeenranta (Swedish: Villmanstrand) is a city and municipality situated on the shore of the lake Saimaa in southeastern Finland, about 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the Russian border. It belongs to the region of South Karelia. With approximately 72,000 inhabitants (31 July 2020) Lappeenranta is the 13th largest city in Finland, after incorporating the previous municipalities of Lappee and Lauritsala in 1967, Nuijamaa in 1989, Joutseno in 2009, and Ylämaa in 2010. Lappeenranta is known as an international university city in Finland with Lappeenranta University of Technology and Saimaa University of Applied Sciences which together have approximately 13,000 students from 68 countries.

Lappeenranta is also a commercial centre of South-East Finland and the meeting point of the EU and Russia, 215 kilometres (134 mi) from both Helsinki and St. Petersburg. Location on the southern shore of Lake Saimaa makes the city the region's centre for tourism. Lappeenranta is the second most visited city by Russian tourists in Finland after Helsinki and it competes with Helsinki for the largest share of tax-free sales in Finland. Lappeenranta is a model for renewable energies and a clean living environment. Lappeenranta was the only Finnish city among the 14 finalists in the international Earth Hour City Challenge 2014, organized by WWF.

Source: Wikipedia