Background: After centuries of Swedish 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.

Geographic coordinates: 59 00 N 26 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Comparative: slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined

Coastline: 3,794 km

Climate: maritime wet moderate winters cool summers

Terrain: marshy lowlands

Natural resources: shale oil (kukersite) peat phosphorite amber cambrian blue clay limestone dolomite arable land

Irrigated land: 110 km² (1996 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding occurs frequently in the spring

Population: 1,431,471 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: -0.59% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: 6.3% (1994 est.)

Ethnic groups: Estonian 65.1% Russian 28.1% Ukrainian 2.5% Byelorussian 1.5% Finn 1% other 1.8% (1998)

Languages: Estonian (official) Russian Ukrainian English Finnish other

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran Russian Orthodox Estonian Orthodox Baptist Methodist Seventh-Day Adventist Roman Catholic Pentecostal Word of Life Jewish

Population growth rate: -0.59% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 8.45 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 13.55 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.79 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 est.)

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 1400 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

Infant mortality rate: 12.92 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.19 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Tallinn

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 (Kuessaare) Tartumaa (Tartu) Valgamaa (Valga) Viljandimaa (Viljandi) Vorumaa (Voru)

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

Judicial branch: National Court chairman appointed by Parliament for life

Political parties and leaders: Center Party or K [Edgar SAVISAAR chairman]; Coalition Party and Rural Union or KMU [Andrus OOVEL chairman]; Country People's Party [Arnold RUUTEL]; Moderates or M [Andres TARAND]; Reform Party or RE [Siim KALLAS chairman]; Union of Pro Patria or Fatherland League (Isamaaliit) [Mart LAAR chairman]; United People's Party or UPPE [Viktor ANDREJEV chairman]

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

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

Economy overview: In 1999 Estonia experienced its worst year economically since it regained independence in 1991 largely because of the impact of the August 1998 Russian financial crisis. Estonia joined the WTO in November 1999 - the second Baltic state to join - and continued its EU accession talks. GDP is forecast to grow 4% in 2000. Privatization of energy telecommunications railways and other state-owned companies will continue in 2000. Estonia expects to complete its preparations for EU membership by the end of 2002.

Real gdp growth rate: -0.5% (1999 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,600 (1999 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: 785,500 (1999 est.)
By occupation industry: 20%
By occupation agriculture and forestry: 11%
By occupation services: 69% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 11.7% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: 6.3% (1994 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.7% (1999 est.)

Exports: $2.5 billion (f.o.b. 1999)
Commodities: machinery and appliances 19% wood products 15% textiles 13% food products 12% metals 10% chemical products 8% (1999)
Partners: Sweden 19.3% Finland 18.8% Russia 8.8% Latvia 8.8% Germany 7.3% US 2.5% (1999)

Imports: $3.4 billion (f.o.b. 1999)
Commodities: machinery and appliances 26% foodstuffs 15% chemical products 10% metal products 9% textiles 8% (1999)
Partners: Finland 23% Russia 13.2% Sweden 10% Germany 9.1% US 4.7 (1999)

Debt external: $270 million (January 1996)

Exchange rates: krooni (EEK) per US$1 - 15.417 (January 2000) 4.678 (1999) 14.075 (1998) 13.882 (1997) 12.034 (1996) 11.465 (1995); note - krooni are tied to the German deutsche mark at a fixed rate of 8 to 1

Electricity
Production: 8.742 billion kWh (1998)
Consumption: 7.58 billion kWh (1998)
Exports: 700 million kWh (1998)
Imports: 150 million kWh (1998)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 476,078 (yearend 1998)
Mobile cellular: 246,000 (yearend 1998)

Telephone system: foreign investment in the form of joint business ventures greatly improved telephone service; Internet services available throughout most of the country; about 150,000 unfilled subscriber requests

Internet
Service providers isps: 6 (1999)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $70 million (FY99)
Percent of gdp: 1.2% (FY99)

Airports: 5 (1997 est.)

Pipelines: natural gas 420 km (1992)

Waterways: 320 km perennially navigable

Disputes international: Estonian and Russian negotiators reached a technical border agreement in December 1996 which has not been signed or ratified as of 1 January 2000

Illicit drugs: 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; possible precursor manufacturing and/or trafficking