After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US - it regained its freedom in 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with Western Europe. It joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Location
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia
Geographic coordinates
59 00 N, 26 00 E
Map references
Europe
Area
total
45,226 sq km
land
43,211 sq km
water
2,015 sq km
note
includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined
Land boundaries
total
633 km
border countries
Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km
Coastline
3,794 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
exclusive economic zone
limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states
Climate
maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers
Terrain
marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south
air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted to the air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 80% less than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to water bodies in 2000 was one twentieth the level of 1980; in connection with the start-up of new water purification plants, the pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations
Environment - international agreements
party to
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands
Population
1,315,912 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
15% (male 101,430/female 95,658)
15-64 years
67.5% (male 423,664/female 464,813)
65 years and over
17.5% (male 76,344/female 154,003) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
39.4 years
male
36 years
female
42.9 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
-0.635% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
10.17 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
13.3 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
-3.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.911 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.496 male(s)/female
total population
0.842 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
7.59 deaths/1,000 live births
male
8.77 deaths/1,000 live births
female
6.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
72.3 years
male
66.87 years
female
78.07 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.41 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
1.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
7,800 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality
noun
Estonian(s)
adjective
Estonian
Ethnic groups
Estonian 67.9%, Russian 25.6%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Belarusian 1.3%, Finn 0.9%, other 2.2% (2000 census)
Religions
Evangelical Lutheran 13.6%, Orthodox 12.8%, other Christian (including Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal) 1.4%, unaffiliated 34.1%, other and unspecified 32%, none 6.1% (2000 census)
Languages
Estonian (official) 67.3%, Russian 29.7%, other 2.3%, unknown 0.7% (2000 census)
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
99.8%
male
99.8%
female
99.8% (2000 census)
Country name
conventional long form
Republic of Estonia
conventional short form
Estonia
local long form
Eesti Vabariik
local short form
Eesti
former
Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type
parliamentary republic
Capital
name
Tallinn
geographic coordinates
59 25 N, 24 45 E
time difference
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions
15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond)
Harjumaa (Tallinn), Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide), Jogevamaa (Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere), Parnumaa (Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa (Kuressaare), Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi), Vorumaa (Voru)
note
counties have the administrative center name following in parentheses
Independence
20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday
Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia; 20 August 1991 was the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union
Constitution
adopted 28 June 1992
Legal system
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens
Executive branch
chief of state
President Toomas Hendrik ILVES (since 9 October 2006)
head of government
Prime Minister Andrus ANSIP (since 12 April 2005)
cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament
elections
president elected by Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); if a candidate does not secure two-thirds of the votes after three rounds of balloting in the Parliament, then an electoral assembly (made up of Parliament plus members of local governments) elects the president, choosing between the two candidates with the largest percentage of votes; election last held 23 September 2006 (next to be held in the fall of 2011); prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament
election results
Toomas Hendrik ILVES elected president on 23 September 2006 by a 345-member electoral assembly; ILVES received 174 votes to incumbent Arnold RUUTEL's 162; remaining 9 ballots left blank or invalid
Legislative branch
unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 4 March 2007 (next to be held in March 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - Estonian Reform Party 27.8%, Center Party of Estonia 26.1%, Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica 17.9%, Social Democratic Party 10.6%, Estonian Greens 7.1%, Estonian People's Union 7.1%, other 5%; seats by party - Reform Party 31, Center Party 29, Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica 19, Social Democrats 10, Estonian Greens 6, People's Union 6
Judicial branch
National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)
Political parties and leaders
Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR]; Estonian Greens; Estonian People's Union (Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN]; Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) [Andrus ANSIP]; Estonian United Russian People's Party or EUVRP [Yevgeniy TOMBERG]; Social Democratic Party (formerly People's Party Moodukad or Moderates) [Ivari PADAR]; Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica (Isamaa je Res Publica Liit) [Tonis LUKAS and Taavi VESKIMAGI]
2131 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone
[1] (202) 588-0101
FAX
[1] (202) 588-0108
consulate(s) general
New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
Ambassador Stanley Davis PHILLIPS
embassy
Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn
mailing address
use embassy street address
telephone
[372] 668-8100
FAX
[372] 668-8134
Flag description
pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white
Economy - overview
Estonia has a modern market-based economy with strong ties to the West. It is a WTO and EU member and pegs its currency to the euro. The economy benefits from strong electronics and telecommunications sectors and is greatly influenced by developments in Finland, Sweden, and Germany, three major trading partners. The current account deficit remains high; however, the state budget is essentially in balance, and public debt is low.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$26.85 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$13.89 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
11.4% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$20,300 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
3.4%
industry
28%
services
68.6% (2006 est.)
Labor force
673,000 (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
11%
industry
20%
services
69% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate
4.5% (2006)
Population below poverty line
5% (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
1.9%
highest 10%
28.5% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
33 (2003)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.4% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
32.4% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$5.994 billion
expenditures
$5.718 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
Public debt
3.6% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products
Industries
engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile; information technology, telecommunications
Industrial production growth rate
8% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production
9.29 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel
99.8%
hydro
0.1%
nuclear
0%
other
0.2% (2001)
Electricity - consumption
6.846 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports
2.141 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports
347 million kWh (2004)
Oil - production
6,819 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption
60,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports
0 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports
54,000 bbl/day (2004)
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
1.44 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports
1.44 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Current account balance
-$1.919 billion (2006 est.)
Exports
$9.68 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities
machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles 14%, food products 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001)
Exports - partners
Finland 18.4%, Sweden 12.4%, Latvia 8.9%, Russia 8.1%, US 5.5%, Germany 5.1%, Lithuania 4.8%, Gibraltar 4.7% (2006)
Imports
$12.03 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities
machinery and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%, textiles 10.3%, foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001)
Imports - partners
Finland 18.2%, Russia 13.1%, Germany 12.4%, Sweden 9%, Lithuania 6.4%, Latvia 5.7% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$2.344 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external
$13.94 billion (30 June 2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$108 million (2000)
Currency (code)
Estonian kroon (EEK)
Currency code
EEK
Exchange rates
krooni per US dollar - 12.473 (2006), 12.584 (2005), 12.596 (2004), 13.856 (2003), 16.612 (2002)
note: the krooni is pegged to the euro
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
442,000 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
1.445 million (2005)
Telephone system
general assessment
foreign investment in the form of joint business ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in the digital mode; Internet services are available throughout most of the country
domestic
a wide range of high quality voice, data, and Internet services is available throughout the country
international
country code - 372; fiber-optic cables to Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched service; 2 international switches are located in Tallinn (2001)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios
1.01 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations
3 (2001)
Televisions
605,000 (1997)
Internet country code
.ee
Internet hosts
52,241 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
38 (2001)
Internet users
690,000 (2005)
Airports
24 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
12
over 3,047 m
1
2,438 to 3,047 m
7
1,524 to 2,437 m
1
914 to 1,523 m
3 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
12
over 3,047 m
1
1,524 to 2,437 m
2
914 to 1,523 m
4
under 914 m
5 (2006)
Heliports
1 (2006)
Pipelines
gas 859 km (2006)
Railways
total
958 km
broad gauge
958 km 1.520 m/1.524-m gauge (2005)
Roadways
total
56,856 km
paved
13,384 km (includes 99 km of expressways)
unpaved
43,472 km (2004)
Waterways
500 km (2006)
Merchant marine
total
35 ships (1000 GRT or over) 388,723 GRT/98,393 DWT
by type
cargo 7, passenger/cargo 26, petroleum tanker 2
foreign-owned
4 (Denmark 2, Norway 2)
registered in other countries
72 (Antigua and Barbuda 12, Bahamas 1, Belize 3, Cyprus 6, Dominica 11, Isle of Man 2, Liberia 1, Malta 4, Norway 1, Panama 3, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 25, Slovakia 1, Vanuatu 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals
Kopli, Kuivastu, Muuga, Tallinn, Virtsu
Military branches
Estonian Defense Forces: Land Force, Navy, Air Force, Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit, KL) (2006)
Military service age and obligation
compulsory military service for men between 19 and 28; conscription lasts 11 months for junior NCOs and reserve platoon leaders; reserve officers and designated specialists have a different conscript service obligation; Estonia has committed to retaining conscription for men up to 2010 and, unlike Latvia and Lithuania, has no plan to transition to a contract armed forces; 17 years of age for volunteers; reserve commitment up to the age of 60 (2006)
Manpower available for military service
males age 18-49
291,696
females age 18-49
304,961 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 18-49
200,382 (in 2004, 51% of the young men called up for service were determined to be unfit; main obstacles to conscription were psychiatric and behavioral)
females age 18-49
250,351 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 15-49
11,146
females age 18-49
10,605 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
2% (2005 est.)
Disputes - international
Russia recalled its signature to the 1996 technical border agreement with Estonia in 2005, rather than concede to Estonia's appending prepared a unilateral declaration referencing Soviet occupation and territorial losses; Russia demands better accommodation of Russian-speaking population in Estonia; Estonian citizen groups continue to press for realignment of the boundary based on the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty that would bring the now divided ethnic Setu people and parts of the Narva region within Estonia; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Estonia must implement the strict Schengen border rules with Russia
Illicit drugs
growing producer of synthetic drugs; increasingly important transshipment zone for cannabis, cocaine, opiates, and synthetic drugs since joining the European Union and the Schengen Accord; potential money laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking is a concern, as is possible use of the gambling sector to launder funds; major use of opiates and ecstasy
