Map of Estonia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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Background: In and out of Swedish and Russian control over the centuries, this little Baltic state was re-incorporated into the USSR after German occupation in World War II. Independence came with the collapse of the USSR in 1991; the last Russian troops left in 1994. Estonia thus became free to promote economic and political ties with Western Europe. The position of ethnic Russians (29% of the population) remains an issue of concern to Moscow.


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

Geographic coordinates: 59 00 N, 26 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 45,226 km²
Land: 43,211 km²
Water: 2,015 km²
Note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea
Comparative: slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined

Land boundaries
Total: 633 km
Border countries: (2) Latvia 339 km; , Russia 294 km

Coastline: 3,794 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive economic zone: limits to be fixed in coordination with neighboring states
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Terrain: marshy, lowlands

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

Natural resources: shale oil (kukersite), peat, phosphorite, amber, cambrian blue clay

Land use
Arable land: 27%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 7%
Forests and woodland: 48%
Other: 18% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 110 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: flooding occurs frequently in the spring

Geography


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Population: 1,436,558 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: -1.14% (1997 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Estonian(s)
Adjective: Estonian

Ethnic groups: Estonian 64.2%, Russian 28.7%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Byelorussian 1.5%, Finn 1%, other 1.9% (1995)

Languages: Estonian (official), Latvian, Lithuanian, Russian, other

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran, others include Baptist, Methodist, 7th Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Word of Life, 7th Day Baptist, Judaism

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 19% (male 141,814; female 136,895)
15-64 years: 67% (male 460,067; female 495,935)
65 years and over: 14% (male 65,302; female 136,545) (July 1997 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: -1.14% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 9.04 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 14.08 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.4 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: air heavily polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products, chemicals at former Soviet military bases; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas are heavily affected by organic waste; coastal sea water is polluted in many locations

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 14.1 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 68.38 years
Male: 62.39 years
Female: 74.67 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.29 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 100%
Male: 100%
Female: 100% (1989 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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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: republic

Capital: Tallinn

Administrative divisions: 15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond):Harju maakond (Tallinn), Hiiu maakond (Kardla), Ida-Viru maakond (Johvi), Jarva maakond (Paide), Jogeva maakond (Jogeva), Laane maakond (Haapsalu), Laane-Viru maakond (Rakvere), Parnu maakond (Parnu), Polva maakond (Polva), Rapla maakond (Rapla), Saare maakond (Kuessaare), Tartu maakond (Tartu), Valga maakond (Valga), Viljandi maakond (Viljandi), Voru maakond (Voru)
Note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Dependent areas

Independence: 6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 24 February (1918)

Constitution: adopted 28 June 1992

Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Lennart MERI (since 21 October 1992)
Head of government: Prime Minister Tiit VAHI (acting since NA March 1995; confirmed 17 April 1995)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament
Elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; if he or she does not secure two-thirds of the votes after 3 rounds of balloting, 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 August-September 1996 (next to be held fall 2001); prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament
Election results: Lennart MERI elected president by an electoral assembly after Parliament was unable to break a deadlock between MERI and RUUTEL; percent of electoral assembly vote - Lennert MERI 61%, Arnold RUUTEL 39%

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held 5 March 1995 (next to be held NA 1999)
Election results: percent of vote by party - KMU 32.22%, RE 16.18%, K 14.17%, Pro Patria and ERSP 7.85%, M 5.98%, Our Home is Estonia and Right-Wingers 5.0%; seats by party - KMU 41, RE 19, K 16, Pro Patria 8, Our Home is Estonia 6, M 6, Right-Wingers 5

Judicial branch: National Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NACC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Lauri LEPIK
In the us chancery: 2,131 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108
In the us consulates general: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Lawrence P. TAYLOR
From the us embassy: Kentmanni 20, Tallinn EE 0001
From the us mailing address: American Embassy, Tallinn; PSC 78, Box T; APO AE 9,723
From the us telephone: [372] (6) 312-021
From the us FAX: [372] (6) 312-025

Flag description: pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Estonia continues to experience strong economic growth after its economy bottomed out in 1993. Bolstered by a widespread national desire to reintegrate into Western Europe, Estonia has adhered to disciplined fiscal and financial policies and has led the FSU countries in pursuing economic reform. Monthly inflation has been held to 2% in 1995-96. Following four years of decline, Estonia's GDP grew at 3% in 1995 and 1996. Despite these positive economic indicators, the current account deficit is widening. The resident IMF representative in Estonia has been worried since early 1996 about a rising public sector deficit boosted by local government spending. Small- and medium-scale privatization is essentially complete, and large-scale privatization is progressing gradually. In 1996, Estonia's national airline was privatized; in 1997 Estonia plans to privatize large infrastructure, i.e., Eesti Energia, Tallinn Port, Estonian Telecom, and Oil Shale. Estonia has successfully reoriented its trade toward the West, two-thirds of exports now going to Western markets. Estonia's free trade policies were the cornerstone of its negotiations with the European Union, and led to the signing of an association agreement in June 1995. Estonia was the only Baltic state not to have a transition period imposed by the EU prior to its implementation of a free trade agreement.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,560 (1996 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 10%
Industry: 37%
Services: 53% (1993 est.)

Agriculture products: potatoes, fruits, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish

Industries: oil shale, shipbuilding, phosphates, electric motors, excavators, cement, furniture, clothing, textiles, paper, shoes, apparel

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)

Labor force
Total: 750,000 (1992)
By occupation industry and construction: 42%
By occupation agriculture and forestry: 20%
By occupation other: 38% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 5% (1996 official est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $620 million
Expenditures: $582 million, including capital expenditures of $N/A (January-October 1995)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports
Total value: $2 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
Commodities: textiles 16%, food products 16%, machinery and equipment 16%, metals 9% (1995)
Partners: Finland, Russia, Sweden, Germany, Latvia (1995)

Imports
Total value: $3.1 billion (c.i.f., 1996)
Commodities: machinery and equipment 29%, foodstuffs 14%, minerals 13%, textiles 13%, metals 12% (1995)
Partners: Finland, Russia, Sweden, Germany (1995)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $270 million (January 1996)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: krooni (EEK) per US$1 - 12.6 (January 1997), 12.410 (December 1996), 12.034 (1996), 11.465 (1995), 12.991 (1994), 13.223 (1993; note - krooni are tied to the German deutsche mark at a fixed rate of 8 to 1


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Electricity
Capacity: 3.29 million kW (1994)
Production: 8.6 billion kWh (1994)
Consumption per capita: 4,005 kWh (1995 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones: 400,000 (1994 est.)

Telephone system: system is antiquated; improvements are being made piecemeal, with emphasis on business needs and international connections; there are still about 150,000 unfulfilled requests for subscriber service
Domestic: substantial investment has been made in cellular systems which are operational throughout Estonia
International: international traffic is carried to the other former Soviet republics by landline or microwave radio relay and to other countries partly by leased connection to the Moscow international gateway switch and partly by a new Tallinn-Helsinki fiber-optic, submarine cable which gives Estonia access to international circuits everywhere; access to the international packet-switched digital network via Helsinki

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $35 million (1995)
Percent of gdp: 1.5% (1995)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 22 (1994 est.)
With paved runways total: 10
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 7
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3 (1994 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 12
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 5 (1994 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines: natural gas 420 km (1992)

Railways
Total: 1,018 km common carrier lines only; does not include dedicated industrial lines
Broad gauge: 1,018 km 1.520-m gauge (132 km electrified) (1995)

Roadways

Waterways: 500 km perennially navigable

Merchant marine
Total: 55 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 364,492 GRT/478,441 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 31, container 4, oil tanker 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 6, short-sea passenger 4 (1996 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: Estonian and Russian negotiators reached a technical border agreement in December 1996, which Estonia is prepared to sign and ratify in January 1997; Estonia had claimed over 2,000 km² territory in the Narva and Pechory regions in Russia - based on boundary established under the 1920 Peace Treaty of Tartu

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Southwest Asia and the Caucasus, and cocaine from Latin America to Western Europe and Scandinavia