Estonia country profile

27 August 2006
by eub2 -- last modified 04 January 2008

Estonia, the most northerly of the Baltic states, regained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Estonia became a member of the European Union on 1 May 2004.

Eesti Vabariik

Estonia, the most northerly of the Baltic states, regained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. It is a mainly flat country on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea, with many lakes and islands. Much of the land is farmed or forested.

The Estonian language is closely related to Finnish, but bears no resemblance to the languages of the other Baltic republics, Latvia and Lithuania, or to Russian. About one quarter of the population is of Russian-speaking origin.

The capital, Tallinn, is one of the best-preserved mediaeval cities in Europe, and tourism accounts for 15% of Estonian GDP. The main sectors of the economy are engineering, food products, metals, chemicals and wood products.

Throughout history, many other nations who ruled the region – Danes, Germans, Swedes, Poles and Russians – have influenced Estonian cuisine. Among the traditional dishes are marinated eel, blood sausage and sauerkraut stew with pork.

Famous Estonians include the writer Jaan Kross whose work has been translated into 20 languages, the author of the national epic (Kalevipoeg) Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald, and the writer, film-maker, diplomat and politician Lennart Meri.

Area: 45 227 km²
Population: 1.342 million
Capital city: Tallinn
Currency: 1 Estonian crown = 100 senti, 1 euro = 15.65 Estonian crowns (EEK)
National day: 24 February
EU-membership: 1 May 2004

Head of State: Toomas Hendrik Ilves
Head of Government: Prime Minister Andrus Ansip
Foreign Minister: Urmas Paet
Government: Governing parties:
Coalition of the Reform Party (liberal), Pro Patria and Res Publica Union (conservative) and Social Democratic Party
Parliament: Unicameral parliament: "Riigikogu", elected on 4 March 2007, 101 members

GDP: € 10.5 billion (2005)
GDP per capita in PPS: € 10 822 (2005)
Economic growth in real terms: + 11.6% (2006)

Links:
Head of State: http://www.president.ee
Head of Government: http://www.peaminister.ee
Government: http://www.valitsus.ee
Foreign Minister: http://www.vm.ee
Parliament: http://www.riigikogu.ee

Map of Estonia


Source: European Commission, Slovenia EU Presidency