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 - 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.

Geographic coordinates: 59 00 N 26 00 E

Area
Rank: 133
Comparative: slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined

Coastline: 3,794 km

Climate: maritime; wet moderate winters cool summers

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

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

Irrigated land: 40 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 21.1 km³ (2005)

Natural hazards: sometimes flooding occurs in the spring

Geography
Note: the mainland terrain is flat boggy and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1500 islands

Population: 1,274,709 (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 156
Growth rate: -0.65% (2012 est.)
Growth rate rank: 224
Below poverty line: 17.5% (2010)

Ethnic groups: Estonian 68.7% Russian 25.6% Ukrainian 2.1% Belarusian 1.2% Finn 0.8% other 1.6% (2008 census)

Languages: Estonian (official) 67.3% Russian 29.7% other 2.3% unknown 0.7% (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)

Population growth rate: -0.65% (2012 est.)
Rank: 224

Birth rate: 10.43 births/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 183

Death rate: 13.6 deaths/1000 population (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 16

Net migration rate: -3.33 migrant(s)/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 179

Environment
Current issues: 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 1/20 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 1400 natural and manmade lakes the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 163

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 117

Total fertility rate: 1.44 children born/woman (2012 est.)
Rank: 197

Physicians density: 3.409 physicians/1000 population (2008)

Hospital bed density: 5.71 beds/1000 population (2008)

Sanitation facility access:
Unimproved:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 1.2% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 42
People living with hivaids: 9,900 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 97
Deaths: fewer than 500 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 85

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 14.4% (2004)
Rank: 38

Education expenditures: 4.9% of GDP (2007)
Rank: 61

Government type: parliamentary republic

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)

Independence: 20 August 1991 (declared); 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

Constitution: adopted 28 June 1992

Legal system: civil law system

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

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

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

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (chairman appointed for life by Parliament)

Political parties and leaders: Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR]; Estonian Greens (Rohelised) [Aleksander LAANE]; Estonian Conservative People's Party (Konservatiivne Rahvaerakond) or EKRE [Margo MILJAND]; Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) [Andrus ANSIP]; Social Democratic Party or SDE [Sven MIKSER]; Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica (Isamaa je Res Publica Liit) or IRL [Urmas REINSALU]

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) ICRM IDA 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 WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

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

Economy overview: Estonia a member of the European Union and the eurozone since 2004 has a modern market-based economy and one of the higher per capita income levels in Central Europe and the Baltic region. Estonia's successive governments have pursued a free market pro-business economic agenda and have wavered little in their commitment to pro-market reforms. The current government has followed sound fiscal policies that have resulted in balanced budgets and low public debt. The economy benefits from strong electronics and telecommunications sectors and strong trade ties with Finland Sweden Russia and Germany. Tallinn's priority has been to sustain high growth rates - on average 8% per year from 2003 to 2007. Estonia's economy fell into recession in mid-2008 with GDP contracting 14.3% in 2009 as a result of an investment and consumption slump following the bursting of the real estate market bubble and a decrease in export demand as result of economic slowdown in the rest of Europe. Estonia rebounded nearly 8% in 2011 and the Estonian economy now has one of the higher GDP growth rates in Europe. Estonia adopted the euro on 1 January 2011.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 113

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 134

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 60

Agriculture products: grain potatoes vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish

Industrial production growth rate: 18% (2011 est.)
Rank: 3

Labor force: 675,900 (2012 est.)
Rank: 153

Unemployment rate: 12.5% (2011 est.)
Rank: 125

Population below poverty line: 17.5% (2010)

Distribution of family income gini index: 37 (1999)
Rank: 108

Budget
Surplus or deficit: -2.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 82

Taxes and other revenues: 37% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 61

Public debt: 5.9% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 143

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 5% (2011 est.)
Rank: 92

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 6.1% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 141

Stock of narrow money: $6.744 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 89

Stock of broad money: $11.73 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 100

Stock of domestic credit: $19.14 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 85

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 97

Current account balance: $477 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 48

Exports: $16.78 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 78
Commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 21% wood and wood products 9% metals 9% furniture 7% vehicles and parts 5% food products and beverages 4% textiles 4% plastics 3%
Partners: Sweden 17% Finland 16.3% Russia 11.9% Latvia 8.6% Germany 4.9% Lithuania 4.9% (2011)

Imports: $17.09 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 80
Commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 22% mineral fuels 18% chemical products 3% foodstuffs 6% plastics 6% textiles 5%
Partners: Finland 13.4% Latvia 11.6% Sweden 11.3% Germany 10.9% Lithuania 8.7% Poland 7.2% China 4.7% (2011)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $207.5 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 157

Debt external: $24.98 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 73

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $16.56 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 76

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $7.359 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 60

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 12.89 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 89
Consumption: 7.755 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 97
Exports: 4.354 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 32
Imports: 1.1 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 59
Installed generating capacity: 2.661 million kW (2009 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 91
Generation sources fossil fuels: 94.6% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 69
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 84
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 146
Generation sources other renewable sources: 5.1% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 34

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 7,700 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 83
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 107
Crude oil imports: 0.01 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 86
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 128

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products production rank: 143
Products consumption: 26,340 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 122
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products exports rank: 174
Products imports: 23,270 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products imports rank: 100

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Production rank: 124
Consumption: 701 million m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 97
Exports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 191
Imports: 701 million m³ (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 65
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2012 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 133

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 20.56 million Mt (2010 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 82

Telephones
Main lines in use: 471,900 (2011)
Main lines in use rank: 101
Mobile cellular: 1.863 million (2011)
Mobile cellular rank: 142

Broadcast media: the publicly-owned broadcaster Eesti Rahvusringhaaling (ERR) operates 2 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; high penetration rate for cable TV services with more than half of Estonian households connected (2008)

Internet
Country code: .ee
Hosts: 865,494 (2012)
Hosts rank: 49
Users: 971,700 (2009)
Users rank: 102

Military expenditures: 2% of GDP (2005 est.)
Rank: 69

Military service age and obligation: obligation for compulsory service ages 16-60 with conscription 'likely' ages 18-27; service requirement 8-11 months (2009)

Airports: 18 (2012)
Rank: 139

Heliports: 1 (2012)

Pipelines: gas 859 km (2010)

Railways
Rank: 85

Roadways
Rank: 75

Waterways: 335 km (320 km are navigable year round) (2011)
Rank: 91

Merchant marine
Rank: 89

Ports and terminals: Kuivastu Kunda Muuga Parnu Reid Sillamae Tallinn

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 demands better treatment of the Russian-speaking population in Estonia; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border Estonia implements 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