|
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. It will accede to the
EU in May 2004 and to NATO in the summer of 2004. |
|
Location:
|
Eastern Europe,
bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia
and Russia |
|
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 |
|
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-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Ship Pollution, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
|
Geography - note:
|
the mainland
terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more
than 1,500 islands |
|
Population:
|
1,341,664 (July
2004 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years:
16% (male 110,452; female 104,363)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 431,493; female 474,255)
65 years and over: 16.5% (male 72,819; female 148,282)
(2004 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total:
38.8 years
male: 35.1 years
female: 42.1 years (2004 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
-0.66% (2004
est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
9.79 births/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
13.27
deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
-3.16 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
|
Sex ratio:
|
at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female
total population: 0.85 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total:
8.08 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 9.32 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: 71.38 years
male: 65.78 years
female: 77.33 years (2004 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.) |
|
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 is the date
Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia; 20
August 1991 is the date it declared its independence from the
Soviet Union |
|
Constitution:
|
adopted 28 June
1992 |
|
Legal system:
|
based on civil
law system; no judicial review of legislative acts |
|
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 [Yevgeniy TOMBERG, chairman]; Pro
Patria Union (Isamaaliit) [Tunne KELAM, chairman]; Res Publica
[Juhan PARTS]; Russian Baltic Party [Sergei IVANOV]; Social
Democratic Party (formerly People's Party Moodukad) [Ivari
PADAR, chairman] |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
NA |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
chief of
mission: Ambassador Juri LUIK
chancery: 2131 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC
20008
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 |
|
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
telecommunications sectors. Estonia has been invited to join
the European Union and will do so in May 2004. The economy is
greatly influenced by developments in Finland, Sweden, Russia,
and Germany, four major trading partners. The high current
account deficit remains a concern. However, the state budget
enjoyed a surplus of $130 million in 2003. |
|
GDP:
|
purchasing power
parity - $17.37 billion (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
4.8% (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power
parity - $12,300 (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture:
5.2%
industry: 29.3%
services: 65.5% (2002) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
NA% (2000) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
1.5% (2003 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
608,600 (2001
est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
industry 20%,
agriculture 11%, services 69% (1999 est.) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
5.5% (June 2003) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues:
$3.13 billion
expenditures: $3 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2003 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.) |
|
Natural gas - production:
|
0 cu m (2001
est.) |
|
Natural gas - consumption:
|
1.27 billion cu m
(2001 est.) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
potatoes,
vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish |
|
Exports:
|
$4.075 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
machinery and
equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles 14%, food products
8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001) |
|
Exports - partners:
|
Finland 20.4%,
Sweden 12.4%, Russia 10%, Germany 8.3%, Latvia 7.7%, UK 4.2%,
Lithuania 4.1% (2002) |
|
Imports:
|
$5.535 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
machinery and
equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%, textiles 10.3%,
foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001) |
|
Imports - partners:
|
Finland 15.6%,
Russia 12%, Germany 11.1%, Sweden 8.4%, China 4.6%, Italy 4.1%
(2002) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$5.8 billion
(2003 est.) |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
$108 million
(2000) |
|
Currency:
|
Estonian kroon
(EEK) |
|
Currency code:
|
EEK |
|
Exchange rates:
|
krooni per US
dollar - 13.86 (2003), 16.61 (2002), 17.48 (2001), 16.97
(2000), 14.68 (1999) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
calendar year |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
475,000 (2002) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
881,000 (2002) |
|
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: country code - 372; 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) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
3 (2001) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.ee |
|
Internet hosts:
|
63,364 (2002) |
|
Internet users:
|
444,000 (2002) |
|
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: 32
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 212,998 GRT/177,488 DWT
by type: bulk 2, cargo 12, container 4, petroleum
tanker 2, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea/passenger 5
foreign-owned: Netherlands 1
registered in other countries: 45 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports:
|
29 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 14
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 15
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 6 (2003 est.) |
|
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
(Estonia has committed to retaining conscription up to 2010)
(2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - availability:
|
males age
15-49: 326,803 (2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - fit for military service:
|
males age
15-49: 257,386 (2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
|
males:
10,884 (2004 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$155 million
(2002 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
2% (2002 est.) |
|
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; potential
money laundering related to organized crime and drug
trafficking is a concern as is possible use of the gambling
sector to launder funds |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
|
