Geography
Area: 45,226 sq. km. (17,462 sq. mi.); about the size of New Hampshire
and Vermont.
Cities: Capital--Tallinn (pop. 397,150). Other cities--Tartu
(101,190); Narva (67,752); Kohtla-Jarve (46,765); Parnu (44,781);
Viljandi (20,509). The last population census was held in 2000.
Terrain: Flat, average elevation 50 m. Elevation is slightly higher in
the east and southeast. Steep limestone banks and 1,520 islands mark
the coastline. Land use--9.5% arable land, 47,4% forest and
woodland, 22% swamps and bogs, 21.5% other. Coastal waters are
somewhat polluted.
Climate: Temperate, with four seasons of near-equal length. Annual
precipitation averages 50-75 cm.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Estonian(s).
Population: 1.367 million.
Annual growth rate: 0.4%. Birth rate--9.3/1,000. Death rate--13.6/1,000.
Migration--616 persons (1999). Density--30/sq. km. Urban
dwellers--70%.
Ethnic groups: Estonians 65%, Russians 28%, Ukrainians 2.5%,
Belarusians 1.4%, Finns 0.9%, other 2.2%.
Christian singles note-Religions: Lutheran; the Estonian Apostolic
Orthodox, subordinated to Constantinople; the Estonian Orthodox,
subordinated to the Moscow Patriarchate; Baptist.
Languages: Estonian (official).
Education: Years compulsory--9. Attendance--218,600
students at 550 schools, plus 50,800 university students. Literacy--98.2%.
Health: Infant mortality rate--8.4 deaths/1,000 live births. Life
expectancy--65 yrs. men, 76 yrs. women.
Work force: 704,500.
Government
Type: Parliamentary democracy.
Constitution: On June 28, 1992 Estonians ratified a constitution based
on the 1938 model, offering legal continuity to the Republic of
Estonia prior to Soviet occupation.
Branches: Executive--president (chief of state), elected by
Parliament every 5 years; prime minister (head of government). Legislative--Riigikogu
(Parliament--101 members, 4-year term). Judicial--Supreme
Court.
Administrative regions: 15 counties, 42 towns, and 205 municipalities.
Political parties/coalitions: Estonian Center Party--Chairman,
Edgar Savisaar; Estonian Reform Party--Chairman, Siim Kallas/Coalition;
Pro Patria Union--Chairman, Mart Laar; Estonian People's
Union--Chairman, Villu Reiljan/Coalition; Moderates--Chairman,
Ivari Padar; Estonian United People's Party--Chairman, Jevgeni
Tomberg; Estonian Social Democratic Labor Party--Chairman, Tiit
Toomsalu; Estonian Independence Party--Chairman, Vello Leit; Res
Publica--Chairman, Juhan Parts/Coalition; Estonian Christian
People's Party--Chairman, Aldo Vinkel; Russian Party in Estonia--Chairman,
Stanislav Cherepanov; Estonian Democratic Party--Chairman, Jaan
Laas; Republican Party--Chairman, Kristjan-Olari Leping.
Suffrage: Universal at 18 years of age; noncitizen residents may vote
in municipal elections.
Government budget: $2.3 billion.
Defense: 2% of GDP.
National holidays: Jan. 1 (New Year's Day), Feb. 24 (Independence
Day), Good Friday, Easter Sunday, May 1 (May Day), Whitsunday, June 23
(Victory Day--anniversary of Battle of Vonnu in 1919), June 24
(Midsummer Day), Aug. 20 (Day of Restoration of Independence), Dec. 25
(Christmas Day), Dec. 26 (Boxing Day).
Economy
GDP (2003): $8.3 billion (World Bank).
Growth rate (2003): 5.1%
Per capita GDP (2003): $ 6,071.
Inflation (2003): 1.3%.
Unemployment (2003): 10%.
Natural resources: Oil shale, phosphorite, limestone, blue clay.
Agriculture (3% of 2001 GDP): Products--livestock production
(milk, meat, eggs) and crop production (cereals and legumes, potatoes,
forage crops). Cultivable land--433,100 hectares.
Industry (26% of 2002 GDP): Types--engineering, electronics,
wood and wood products, and textiles.
Services (70% of 2002 GDP): Transit, information technology (IT),
telecommunications.
Trade: Exports (2002)--$4.3 billion. Partners--Finland
20%, Sweden 12%, Russia 10%, Latvia 8%, Germany 8%, U.S. 2%. Imports
(2002)--$5.8 billion. Partners--Finland 16%, Germany 11%,
Russia 12%, Sweden 8%.
Exchange rate (2002): 16.6 kroon EEK=U.S.$1.
Foreign direct investment (June 2003): Sweden 39%, Finland 30%,
Netherlands 6%, U.S. 7%, Norway 3%, Denmark 2%, Germany 2%.
GEOGRAPHY
Between 57.3 and 59.5 latitude and 21.5 and 28.1 longitude, Estonia
lies on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea on the level,
northwestern part of the rising East European platform. Average
elevation reaches only 50 meters (160 ft.).
The climate resembles New England's. Oil shale and limestone
deposits, along with forests that cover 47% of the land, play key
economic roles in this generally resource-poor country. Estonia boasts
more than 1,500 lakes, numerous bogs, and 3,794 kilometers of
coastline marked by numerous bays, straits, and inlets. Tallinn's
Muuga port offers one of Europe's finest warmwater harbor facilities.
Estonia's strategic location has precipitated many wars that were
fought on its territory between other rival powers at its expense. In
1944 the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) granted Russia
the trans-Narva and Petseri regions on Estonia's eastern frontier,
which still remain contested bilaterally.
PEOPLE
The name "Eesti," or Estonia, is derived from the word
"Aestii," the name given by the ancient Germans to the
peoples living northeast of the Vistula River. The Roman historian
Tacitus in 98 A.D. was the first to mention the "Aestii"
people, and early Scandinavians called the land south of the Gulf of
Finland "Eistland," and the people "eistr."
Estonians belong to the Balto-Finnic group of the Finno-Ugric peoples,
as do the Finns and Hungarians. Archaeological research supports the
existence of human activity in the region as early as 8,000 BC but by
3,500 BC the principal ancestors of the Estonians had arrived from the
east.
Christian singles note-Estonians have strong ties to the Nordic
countries today stemming from strong cultural and religious influences
gained over centuries during Scandinavian colonization and settlement.
This highly literate society places strong emphasis upon education,
which is free and compulsory until age 16. The first book in Estonian
was printed in 1525. About 20% of the population belongs to the
following churches registered in Estonia: Estonian Evangelical
Lutheran Church, Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church, Estonian Orthodox
Church subordinated to the Moscow Patriarchate, Baptist Church, Roman
Catholic Church, and others.
