Map of Estonia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: 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 and many other countries - 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 the West. It joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004, formally joined the OECD in late 2010, and adopted the euro as its official currency on 1 January 2011.


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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: 45,228 km²
Land: 42,388 km²
Water: 2,840 km²
Note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea
Comparative: about twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries
Total: 657 km
Border countries: (2) Latvia 333 km; Russia 324 km

Coastline: 3,794 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: limits as agreed to by Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Sweden, and Russia

Climate: maritime; wet, moderate winters, cool summers

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

Elevation
Highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m
Lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
Mean elevation: 61 m

Natural resources: oil shale, peat, rare earth elements, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud

Land use
Agricultural land: 22.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 14.9% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 7.2% (2018 est.)
Forest: 52.1% (2018 est.)
Other: 25.7% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 km² (2016)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 60 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 790 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 4.5 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 12.81 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Natural hazards: sometimes flooding occurs in the spring

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


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Population
Distribution: a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations: 1,202,762 (2023 est.)
Growth rate: -0.74% (2023 est.)
Below poverty line: 21.7% (2018 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Estonian(s)
Adjective: Estonian

Ethnic groups: Estonian 68.7%, Russian 24.8%, Ukrainian 1.7%, Belarusian 1%, Finn 0.6%, other 1.6%, unspecified 1.6% (2011 est.)

Languages: Estonian (official) 68.5%, Russian 29.6%, Ukrainian 0.6%, other 1.2%, unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)

Religions: Orthodox 16.2%, Lutheran 9.9%, other Christian (including Methodist, Seventh Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal) 2.2%, other 0.9%, none 54.1%, unspecified 16.7% (2011 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 15.56% (male 95,732/female 91,384)
15-64 years: 62.27% (male 376,599/female 372,380)
65 years and over: 22.17% (2023 est.) (male 94,291/female 172,376)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 58.3
Youth dependency ratio: 26.1
Elderly dependency ratio: 32.3
Potential support ratio: 3.1 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 44.7 years (2023 est.)
Male: 41.5 years
Female: 47.9 years

Population growth rate: -0.74% (2023 est.)

Birth rate: 8.5 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate: 13.1 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution: a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations

Urbanization
Urban population: 69.8% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: -0.03% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 454,000 TALLINN (capital) (2023)

Environment
Current issues: air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; however, the amounts of pollutants emitted into the air have fallen dramatically and the pollution load of wastewater at purification plants has decreased substantially due to improved technology and environmental monitoring; 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
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 6.35 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 16.59 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 0.99 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.55 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 28.2 years (2020 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 5 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Male: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.1 years (2023 est.)
Male: 73.5 years
Female: 82.9 years

Total fertility rate: 1.62 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 100% of population
Improved rural: NA
Improved total: 99.6% of population
Unimproved urban: 0% of population
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: 0.4% of population (2020 est.)

Current health expenditure: 7.8% of GDP (2020)

Physicians density: 3.47 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Hospital bed density: 4.6 beds/1,000 population (2018)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban:
Unimproved urban:

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: intermediate (2020)
Vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 21.2% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 11.65 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 1.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 4.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 1.13 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 29.7% (2020 est.)
Male: 36.3% (2020 est.)
Female: 23% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 0.4% (2013/15)

Education expenditures: 6.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99.9%
Male: 99.9%
Female: 99.9% (2021)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 16 years
Male: 15 years
Female: 17 years (2020)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 17.1% (2021 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 16.5%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 17.8%


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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 (while occupied by the USSR)
Etymology: the country name may derive from the Aesti, an ancient people who lived along the eastern Baltic Sea in the first centuries A.D.

Government type: parliamentary republic

Capital
Name: Tallinn
Geographic coordinates: 59 26 N, 24 43 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
Etymology: the Estonian name is generally believed to be derived from "Taani-linn" (originally meaning "Danish castle", now "Danish town") after a stronghold built in the area by the Danes; it could also have come from "tali-linn" ("winter castle" or "winter town") or "talu-linn" ("home castle" or "home town")

Administrative divisions:

Dependent areas

Independence: 24 February 1918 (from Soviet Russia); 20 August 1991 (declared from the Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia and established its statehood; 20 August 1991 was the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union restoring its statehood

Constitution
History: several previous; latest adopted 28 June 1992, entered into force 3 July 1992
Amendments: proposed by at least one-fifth of Parliament members or by the president of the republic; passage requires three readings of the proposed amendment and a simple majority vote in two successive memberships of Parliament; passage of amendments to the "General Provisions" and "Amendment of the Constitution" chapters requires at least three-fifths majority vote by Parliament to conduct a referendum and majority vote in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2015

Legal system: civil law system

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Estonia
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; age 16 for local elections

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Alar KARIS (since 11 October 2021)
Head of government: Prime Minister Kaja KALLAS (since 26 January 2021)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament
Elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); if a candidate does not secure two thirds of the votes after 3 rounds of balloting, then an electoral college consisting of Parliament members and local council members elects the president, choosing between the 2 candidates with the highest number of votes; if a president is still not elected, the process begins again; election last held on 30-31 August 2021 (next to be held in 2,026); prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open- list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 5 March 2023; next elections 7 March 2,027
Election results:

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 19 justices, including the chief justice, and organized into civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional review chambers)
Judge selection and term of office: the chief justice is proposed by the president of the republic and appointed by the Riigikogu; other justices proposed by the chief justice and appointed by the Riigikogu; justices appointed for life
Subordinate courts: circuit (appellate) courts; administrative, county, city, and specialized courts

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Kristjan PRIKK (since 7 July 2021)
In the us chancery:
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108
In the us email address and website:
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador George P. KENT (since 21 February 2023)
From the us embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15,099 Tallinn
From the us mailing address: 4,530 Tallinn Place, Washington DC 20,521-4,530
From the us telephone: [372] 668-8,100
From the us FAX: [372] 668-8,265
From the us email address and website:

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white; various interpretations are linked to the flag colors; blue represents faith, loyalty, and devotion, while also reminiscent of the sky, sea, and lakes of the country; black symbolizes the soil of the country and the dark past and suffering endured by the Estonian people; white refers to the striving towards enlightenment and virtue, and is the color of birch bark and snow, as well as summer nights illuminated by the midnight sun

National symbols: barn swallow, cornflower; national colors: blue, black, white

National anthem
Name: "Mu isamaa, mu onn ja room" (My Native Land, My Pride and Joy)
Lyrics/music: Johann Voldemar JANNSEN/Fredrik PACIUS
Note: adopted 1920, though banned between 1940 and 1990 under Soviet occupation; the anthem, used in Estonia since 1869, shares the same melody as Finland's but has different lyrics

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural)


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Economy overview: advanced service-based EU and OECD economy; regional trade and telecommunications leader; recently rejected Baltic sea rail tunnel from Tallinn to Helsinki; flat income taxation; substantial welfare system; balanced budget culture; business-friendly climate

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 50.3% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 20.4% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 24% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 2.2% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 77.2% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -74% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2.8% (2017 est.)
Industry: 29.2% (2017 est.)
Services: 68.1% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: wheat, milk, barley, rapeseeds, rye, oats, peas, potatoes, pork, triticale

Industries: food, engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textiles; information technology, telecommunications

Industrial production growth rate: 7.13% (2021 est.)

Labor force: 704,700 (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate:

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 17.1% (2021 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 16.5%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 17.8%

Population below poverty line: 21.7% (2018 est.)

Gini index
Coefficient distribution of family income: 30.8 (2019 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10%: 2.3%
Highest 10%: 25.6% (2015)

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $12.282 billion (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $12.269 billion (2019 est.)
Surplus  or deficit: -0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 20.69% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Public debt:
Note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities, including sub-sectors of central government, state government, local government, and social security funds

Revenue
From forest resources: 0.85% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

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:
Partners: Finland 12%, United States 9%, Latvia 9%, Sweden 8%, Russia 6% (2021)
Commodities: broadcasting equipment, coal tar oil, refined petroleum, cars, prefabricated buildings, lumber (2021)

Imports:
Partners: Russia 15%, Finland 10%, Germany 10%, Latvia 7%, Lithuania 6% (2021)
Commodities: refined petroleum, cars, coal tar oil, electricity, lumber, broadcasting equipment (2021)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

Debt external:

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification-total population: 100% (2021)
Installed generating capacity: 3.03 million kW (2020 est.)
Consumption: 9.172 billion kWh (2020 est.)
Exports: 3.722 billion kWh (2020 est.)
Imports: 7.367 billion kWh (2020 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 375 million kWh (2020 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 55.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources solar: 2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources wind: 14.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 27.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Coal
Production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Consumption: 3,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
Exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Imports: 3,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 21,800 bbl/day (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 27,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products exports: 27,150 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products imports: 35,520 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Consumption: 417.106 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Imports: 417.276 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 4.924 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 44,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 3.979 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 901,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 76.329 million Btu/person (2019 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 265,944 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 22 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 1,980,838 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 149 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media: the publicly owned broadcaster, Eesti Rahvusringhaaling (ERR), operates 3 TV channels and 5 radio networks; growing number of private commercial radio stations broadcasting nationally, regionally, and locally; fully transitioned to digital television in 2010; national private TV channels expanding service; a range of channels are aimed at Russian-speaking viewers; in 2016, there were 42 on-demand services available in Estonia, including 19 pay TVOD and SVOD services; roughly 85% of households accessed digital television services

Internet
Country code: .ee
Users total: 1.183 million (2021 est.)
Users percent of population: 91% (2021 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 415,610 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 31 (2020 est.)


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Military expenditures:

Military and security forces:

Military service age and obligation: 18-27 for compulsory military or governmental service for men; conscript service requirement 8-11 months depending on education; non-commissioned officers, reserve officers, and specialists serve 11 months; women can volunteer, and as of 2018 could serve in any military branch (2023)
Note 1: conscripts comprise approximately 3,000-3,300 of the Estonian military's 7,000 active-duty personnel and serve in all branches, except for the Air Force; after conscript service, reservists are called up for training every 5 years; Estonia has had conscription since 1991
Note 2: in 2020, women comprised about 10% of the full-time professional military force; the National Defense League includes a Women's Voluntary Defense Organization of about 3,000 members

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 14
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 31,981 (2018)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: ES

Airports: 18 (2021)
With paved runways: 13
With paved runways note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
With unpaved runways: 5
With unpaved runways note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Heliports: 1 (2021)

Pipelines: 2,360 km gas (2016)

Railways
Total: 1,441 km (2020) 225 km electrified

Roadways
Total: 58,412 km (2011) (includes urban roads)
Paved: 10,427 km (2011) (includes 115 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 47,985 km (2011)

Waterways: 335 km (2011) (320 km are navigable year-round)

Merchant marine
Total: 70 (2022)
By type: general cargo 2, oil tanker 3, other 65

Ports and terminals
Major seaports: Kuivastu, Kunda, Muuga, Parnu Reid, Sillamae, Tallinn


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Disputes international: Russia and Estonia in May 2005 signed a technical border agreement, but Russia in June 2005 recalled its signature after the Estonian parliament added to its domestic ratification act a historical preamble referencing the Soviet occupation and Estonia's pre-war borders under the 1920 Treaty of Tartu; Russia contends that the preamble allows Estonia to make territorial claims on Russia in the future, while Estonian officials deny that the preamble has any legal impact on the treaty text; Russia often criticizes the Estonian Government over alleged mistreatment of ethnic Russians in Estonia; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Estonia implements strict Schengen border rules with Russia

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 50,450 (Ukraine) (as of 17 December 2023)
Stateless persons: 70,604 (2022); note - following independence in 1991, automatic citizenship was restricted to those who were Estonian citizens prior to the 1940 Soviet occupation and their descendants; thousands of ethnic Russians remained stateless when forced to choose between passing Estonian language and citizenship tests or applying for Russian citizenship; one reason for demurring on Estonian citizenship was to retain the right of visa-free travel to Russia; stateless residents can vote in local elections but not general elections; stateless parents who have been lawful residents of Estonia for at least five years can apply for citizenship for their children before they turn 15 years old

Illicit drugs: producer of synthetic drugs; 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