Estonia
Country Guide

Explore Estonia

Estonia with its capital Tallinn is located in Europe (Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland). It covers some 45,229 square kilometers (about twice the size of New Jersey) with 1,251,580 citizens. Estonian and Russian are the common languages used in Estonia. As an interesting fact, is sharing borders with Latvia and Russia.

Estonia is a Baltic state in northeastern Europe. Public transport system is well-developed. Estonia's train network does not cover the whole country but it has a comprehensive bus network. The main reason most people first come to Estonia is to see the best protected and intact medieval city in Europe - Tallinn. Estonia remains cheaper than Western Europe, but it is no longer the bargain basement it used to be; and in touristy areas (say Tallinn's Old Town), prices are almost at Scandinavian levels. Estonia has a fair amount of foreign students studying in its universities, especially from Nordic countries, as Estonian diplomas are recognized throughout the EU. The police are very effective and they are not corrupt compared to neighboring Russia. The main advice to anyone worried about personal security is to stay reasonably sober despite tempting alcohol prices. When driving, make sure you have had absolutely no alcohol beforehand.

Popular Destinations in Estonia

Administrative regions of Estonia

• Harju
• Hiiumaa
• Ida-Virumaa
• Jarvamaa
• Jogevamaa
• Laane
• Laane-Virumaa
• Paernumaa
• Polvamaa
• Raplamaa
• Saare
• Tartu
• Valgamaa
• Viljandimaa
• Vorumaa

About the country

The topography is marshy, lowlands with flat in the north, hilly in the south. The average density of population is about 28 per km². The climate in Estonia can be described as maritime with wet, moderate winters, cool summers. Potential natural disasters are sometimes flooding occurs in the spring.

To reach someone Estonia dial +372 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".ee". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, F). The sign for the locally used currency Kroon is EEK.

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.

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.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 133)	45,228	sq km
Land (World Rank: 132)	42,388	sq km
Water (World Rank: 79)	2,840	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 143)	7.20	%
Comparative	about twice the size of New Jersey
Note	includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea
Coastline
3794
Landborder
657
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 205)	318	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 157)	22.20	%
Arable (World Rank: 81)	14.90	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 183)	0.10	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 143)	7.20	%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 151)	40	sq km
Map reference
Europe
Environment
Issues	- 400 natural and manmade lakes - air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast - coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations - Estonia has more than 1 - however - the amounts of pollutants emitted to the air have fallen dramatically and the pollution load of wastewater at purification plants has decreased substantially due to improved technology and environmental monitoring - the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be monitored
Agreement party	- Air Pollution - Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides - Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants - Air Pollution-Sulfur 85 - Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds - Antarctic Treaty - Biodiversity - Climate Change - Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol - Endangered Species - Hazardous Wastes - Law of the Sea - Ozone Layer Protection - Ship Pollution - Wetlands
Hazzards	sometimes flooding occurs in the spring
Location
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia
Climate
maritime; wet, moderate winters, cool summers
Terrain
marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 157)	1,251,580
Deathrate (World Rank: 18)	1.26	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 189)	1.01	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 219)	-0.57	%
Migration rate (World Rank: 141)	-0.32	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 177)	1.60	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 44)	39.40
Female (World Rank: 9)	46.10
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 164)	104,130
0 14 female (World Rank: 164)	98,941
15 24 male (World Rank: 167)	58,432
15 24 female (World Rank: 168)	54,122
25 54 male (World Rank: 158)	261,366
25 54 female (World Rank: 157)	256,383
55 64 male (World Rank: 144)	76,591
55 64 female (World Rank: 139)	93,194
65 x male (World Rank: 136)	84,466
65 x female (World Rank: 125)	163,956
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 193)	0.38	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 81)	77	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 53)	82	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 114)	72	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 31)	3.32
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 33)	5.30
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 57)	97.20	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 93)	21.20	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 52)	99.60	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 100)	9,779,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 101)	8,158,000,000	kWh
Export (World Rank: 32)	5,613,000,000	kWh
Import (World Rank: 48)	3,573,000,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 96)	75.60	%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 154)	0.20	%
Source renew (World Rank: 21)	25.10	%
Refined products
Consumption (World Rank: 121)	29,140	bbl / day
Export (World Rank: 68)	21,250	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 95)	34,410	bbl / day
Natural gas
Consumption (World Rank: 98)	964,000,000	m³
Import (World Rank: 60)	0	m³
Carbon footprint
5800000

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Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 79)	5	% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 48)	2	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 97)	6	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 39)	0	% of GDP
National symbol
cornflower
National colours
white
Adjective
Estonian
Noun
Estonian(s)
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.
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

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 116)	38,940,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 129)	2.10	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 62)	29,700	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 146)	3.40	%
Source industry (World Rank: 95)	27.90	%
Source service (World Rank: 74)	68.70	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 151)	691,400
In poverty (World Rank: 103)	21.30	%
Products
Industries	- electronics - engineering - food - information technology - telecommunications - textiles - wood - wood products
Agriculture	- dairy products - fish - grain - livestock - potatoes - vegetables
Exports	- articles of base metals - bedding - beverages - chemicals - electrical equipment - food products - furniture - machinery - mineral fuels - parts - vehicles - wood - wood products
Imports	- chemical products - electrical equipment - food - food products - machinery - metals - mineral fuels - vehicles

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Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 103)	370,589
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 64)	29.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 25)	151.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 130)	1,097,920
Population (World Rank: 31)	87.20	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 103)	13.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 152)	5.00
Heliports (World Rank: 97)	1.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 72)	2,146
Road
Total length (World Rank: 73)	58,412
Paved length (World Rank: 73)	10,427
Unpaved length (World Rank: 33)	47,985
Water
Total length (World Rank: 92)	335

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