Original materials gathered from the Republic of Karelia territory were used to compile a checklist of oribatid mites numbering 208 species belonging to 43 families. The suggested species list is typical for the boreal zone. Besides, data on fossil oribatid mites found in peat deposits are presented. All Holocene oribatid mites were identified as representatives of the modern paleoarctic fauna. Interestingly, peat deposits were found to contain species not occurring in Karelian coniferous forests at present, but encountered much further south, in mixed and deciduous forests.