After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940, 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.

Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia

59 00 N, 26 00 E

total: 45,226 sq km
land: 43,211 sq km
water: 2,015 sq km
note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea

total: 633 km
border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km

3,794 km

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with neighbouring states

maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers

marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m

oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud

arable land: 12.05%
permanent crops: 0.35%
other: 87.6% (2005)

40 sq km (2003)

sometimes flooding occurs in the spring

air polluted with sulphur 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

the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands

1,324,333 (July 2006 est.)

0-14 years: 15.2% (male 103,367/female 97,587)
15-64 years: 67.6% (male 427,043/female 468,671)
65 years and over: 17.2% (male 75,347/female 152,318) (2006 est.)

total: 39.3 years
male: 35.8 years
female: 42.6 years (2006 est.)

-0.64% (2006 est.)

10.04 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

13.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

-3.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female
total population: 0.84 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

total: 7.73 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.91 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

total population: 72.04 years
male: 66.58 years
female: 77.83 years (2006 est.)

1.4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

1.1% (2001 est.)

7,800 (2003 est.)

less than 200 (2003 est.)

noun: Estonian(s)
adjective: Estonian

Estonian 67.9%, Russian 25.6%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Belarusian 1.3%, Finn 0.9%, other 2.2% (2000 census)

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)

Estonian (official) 67.3%, Russian 29.7%, other 2.3%, unknown 0.7% (2000 census)

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

conventional long form: Republic of Estonia
conventional short form: Estonia
local long form: Eesti Vabariik
local short form: Eesti
former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic

parliamentary republic

Tallinn

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

20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 is the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia; 20 August 1991 is the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union

adopted 28 June 1992

based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens

unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 2 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - Center Party of Estonia 25.4%, Res Publica 24.6%, Estonian Reform Party 17.7%, Estonian People's Union 13%, Pro Patria Union (Fatherland League) 7.3% People's Party Moodukad 7%; seats by party - Res Publica 26, Center Party 20, Reform Party 19, Estonian People's Union 13, Pro Patria Union 7, Social Democrats (formerly People's Party Moodukad) 6, non-affiliated (Social Liberals and independents) 10

National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)

Estonia, as a new member of the World Trade Organization and the European Union, has transitioned effectively to a modern market economy with strong ties to the West, including the pegging of 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.

$21.92 billion (2005 est.)

$12.28 billion (2005 est.)

7.4% (2005 est.)

$16,400 (2005 est.)

agriculture: 4.1%
industry: 29.1%
services: 66.8% (2005 est.)

670,000 (2005 est.)

agriculture: 11%
industry: 20%
services: 69% (1999 est.)

9.2% (2005 est.)

lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 29.8% (1998)

37.2 (2000)

4% (2005 est.)

27.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

revenues: $5.126 billion
expenditures: $5.017 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)

3.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish

engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile; information technology, telecommunications

7.3% (2004 est.)

9.017 billion kWh (2003)

7.024 billion kWh (2003)

1.562 billion kWh (2003)

200 million kWh (2003)

6,100 bbl/day (2003 est.)

25,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

1.41 billion cu m (2003 est.)

1.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)

-$1.403 billion (2005 est.)

$7.439 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles 14%, food products 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001)

Finland 23.1%, Sweden 15.3%, Germany 8.4%, Latvia 7.9%, Russia 5.7%, Lithuania 4.4% (2004)

$9.189 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

machinery and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%, textiles 10.3%, foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001)

Finland 22.1%, Germany 12.9%, Sweden 9.7%, Russia 9.2%, Lithuania 5.3%, Latvia 4.7% (2004)

$1.852 billion (2005 est.)

$10.09 billion (30 June 2005 est.)

$108 million (2000)

Estonian kroon (EEK)

calendar year

444,000 (2004)

1,255,700 (2004)

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; two international switches are located in Tallinn (2001)

AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (2001)

3 (2001)

.ee

50,440 (2005)

670,000 (2005)

26 (2005)

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 (2005)

total: 14
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 6 (2005)

1 (2005)

gas 859 km (2004)

total: 958 km
broad gauge: 958 km 1.520 m/1.524-m gauge (132 km electrified) (2004)

total: 56,849 km
paved: 13,303 km (including 99 km of expressways)
unpaved: 45,546 km (2003)

500 km (2005)

total: 35 ships (1000 GRT or over) 267,319 GRT/92,993 DWT
by type: cargo 10, passenger/cargo 23, petroleum tanker 2
foreign-owned: 4 (Denmark 1, Finland 1, Norway 2)
registered in other countries: 71 (Antigua and Barbuda 12, The Bahamas 1, Belize 5, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 3, Dominica 8, Georgia 1, Isle of Man 2, Malta 4, Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 1, Panama 3, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 25, Slovakia 1, Vanuatu 1) (2005)

Kopli, Kuivastu, Muuga, Tallinn, Virtsu

Estonian Defense Forces: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force and Air Defense Staff, Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops), Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit), Maritime Border Guard, Coast Guard; note - Border Guards and Ministry of Internal Affairs become part of the Estonian Defense Forces in wartime; the Coast Guard is subordinate to the Ministry of Defense in peacetime and the Estonian Navy in wartime

in 2005, Russia refuses to sign the 1996 technical border agreement with Estonia when Estonia prepares 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

transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Southwest Asia and the Caucasus via Russia, cocaine from Latin America to Western Europe and Scandinavia, and synthetic drugs from Western Europe to Scandinavia; increasing domestic drug abuse problem; possible precursor manufacturing and/or trafficking; potential money laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking is a concern, as is possible use of the gambling sector to launder funds