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Introduction | Estonia

Background: | After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, 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. Estonia received invitations to join NATO and the EU in 2002.

Geography | Estonia

Location: | Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia
Geographic coordinates: | 59 00 N, 26 00 E
Map references: | Europe
Area: | total: 45,226 sq km note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea water: 2,015 sq km land: 43,211 sq km
Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined
Land boundaries: | total: 633 km border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km
Coastline: | 3,794 km
Maritime claims: | exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: | maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers
Terrain: | marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m
Natural resources: | oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud
Land use: | arable land: 26.5% permanent crops: 0.35% other: 73.15% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: | 40 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: | sometimes flooding occurs in the spring
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 one twentieth 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 1,400 natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: | the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands

People | Estonia

Population: | 1,408,556 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 15.8% (male 113,239; female 108,876) 15-64 years: 68.8% (male 467,041; female 501,805) 65 years and over: 15.4% (male 71,512; female 146,083) (2003 est.)
Median age: | total: 38.1 years male: 34.7 years female: 41.3 years (2002)
Population growth rate: | -0.49% (2003 est.)
Birth rate: | 9.24 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate: | 13.42 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate: | -0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
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: 0.49 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 12.03 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 13.88 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 70.31 years male: 64.36 years female: 76.57 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 1.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | less than 7,700 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | less than 100 (2001 est.)
Nationality: | noun: Estonian(s) adjective: Estonian
Ethnic groups: | Estonian 65.3%, Russian 28.1%, Ukrainian 2.5%, Belarusian 1.5%, Finn 1%, other 1.6% (1998)
Religions: | Evangelical Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Estonian Orthodox, Baptist, Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Word of Life, Jewish
Languages: | Estonian (official), Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish, other
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Government | Estonia

Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Estonia conventional short form: Estonia local short form: Eesti former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic local long form: Eesti Vabariik
Government type: | parliamentary republic
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 (Kuressaare), Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi), Vorumaa (Voru) note: counties have the administrative center name following in parentheses
Independence: | regained on 20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: | Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 20 August 1991 was the date of reindependence from the Soviet Union
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
Executive branch: | chief of state: President Arnold RUUTEL (since 8 October 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Juhan PARTS (since 10 April 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament election results: Arnold RUUTEL elected president on 21 September 2001 by a 367-member electoral assembly that convened following Parliament's failure in August to elect then-President MERI's successor; on the second ballot of voting, RUUTEL received 188 votes to Parliament Speaker Toomas SAVI's 155; the remaining 24 ballots were either left blank or invalid elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; if he or she does not secure two-thirds of the votes after three rounds of balloting in the Parliament, 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 21 September 2001 (next to be held in the fall of 2006); prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament
Legislative branch: | unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - Center Party 25.4%, Res Publica 24.6%, Reform Party 17.7%, Estonian People's Union 13%, Pro Patria Union (Fatherland League) 7.3% People's Party Moodukad 7%; seats by party - Center Party 28, Res Publica 28, Reform Party 19, Estonian People's Union 13, Pro Patria Union 7, People's Party Moodukad 6 elections: last held 2 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)
Judicial branch: | National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)
Political parties and leaders: | Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman]; Estonian People's Union (Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN]; Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) [Siim KALLAS]; Estonian United Russian People's Party or EUVRP [leader NA]; Moderates (Moodukad) [Ivari PADAR]; Pro Patria Union (Isamaaliit) [Tunne KELAM, chairman]; Res Publica [Juhan PARTS]; Russian Baltic Party [Sergei IVANOV]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
International organization participation: | BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Juri LUIK chancery: 1730 M Street NW, Suite 503, Washington, DC 20036 consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108 telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph M. DeTHOMAS embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [372] 668-8100 FAX: [372] 668-8134
Flag description: | pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white

Economy | Estonia

Economy - overview: | Estonia, as a new member of the World Trade Organization, is steadily moving toward a modern market economy with increasing ties to the West, including the pegging of its currency to the euro. The economy benefits from strong electronics and telecoms sectors. A major goal is accession to the EU, possibly by 2004. The economy is greatly influenced by developments in Finland, Sweden, and Germany, three major trading partners. The high current account deficit remains a concern.
GDP: | purchasing power parity - $15.52 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 6% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $11,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 5.8% industry: 28.6% services: 65.6% (2001)
Population below poverty line: | NA% (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 29.8% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 37 (1999)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 3.7% (2002 est.)
Labor force: | 608,600 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | industry 20%, agriculture 11%, services 69% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: | 12.4% (2001)
Budget: | revenues: $1.89 billion expenditures: $1.89 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)
Industries: | engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile; information technology, telecommunications
Industrial production growth rate: | 5% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production: | 7.937 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 99.8% hydro: 0.1% other: 0.2% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: | 6.192 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports: | 1.19 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production: | 5,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: | NA (2001)
Oil - imports: | NA (2001)
Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 1.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: | 1.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products: | potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish
Exports: | $3.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities: | machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles 14%, food products 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001)
Exports - partners: | Finland 19.2%, Sweden 13.2%, UK 10.6%, Latvia 7.4%, Germany 7.2% (2002)
Imports: | $4.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)
Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%, textiles 10.3%, foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001)
Imports - partners: | Russia 26.6%, Finland 18.9%, Germany 9.2%, Sweden 8.2% (2002)
Debt - external: | $3.3 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: | $108 million (2000)
Currency: | Estonian kroon (EEK)
Currency code: | EEK
Exchange rates: | krooni per US dollar - 16.61 (2002), 17.56 (2001), 16.97 (2000), 14.68 (1999), 14.07 (1998)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

Communications | Estonia

Telephones - main lines in use: | 501,691 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 711,000 (yearend 2001)
Telephone system: | general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint business ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in the digital mode; internet services are available throughout most of the country - only about 11,000 subscriber requests were unfilled by September 2000 domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and internet services is available throughout the country international: fiber-optic cables to Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched service; two international switches are located in Tallinn (2001)
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios: | 1.01 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: | 3 (2001)
Televisions: | 605,000 (1997)
Internet country code: | .ee
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 38 (2001)
Internet users: | 429,700 (2002)

Transportation | Estonia

Railways: | total: 968 km broad gauge: 968 km 1.520-m/1.524-m gauge (132 km electrified) note:: gauge being increased from 1.520-m to 1.524-m to reduce wear on wheels and rail as lines are modernized (2002)
Highways: | total: 51,411 km paved: 10,334 km (including 94 km of expressways) unpaved: 41,077 km (2000)
Waterways: | 320 km (perennially navigable) (2002)
Pipelines: | gas 859 km (2003)
Ports and harbors: | Haapsalu, Kunda, Muuga, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn
Merchant marine: | total: 33 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 200,807 GRT/169,899 DWT note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Liberia 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 13, container 5, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 6, short-sea passenger 5
Airports: | 38 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 24 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 6 (2002)

Military | Estonia

Military branches: | Estonia Defense Forces (including Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force), Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops), Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit), Maritime Border Guard, Coast Guard note: Border Guards and Ministry of Internal Affairs become part of the Estonian Defense Forces in wartime; the Coast Guard is subordinate to the Ministry of Defense in peacetime and the Estonian Navy in wartime
Military manpower - military age: | 18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 360,440 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 283,278 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 11,123 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $155 million (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 2% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues | Estonia

Disputes - international: | Russia continues to reject signing and ratifying the joint December 1996 technical border agreement with Estonia
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; increasing domestic drug abuse problem; possible precursor manufacturing and/or trafficking

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003