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
joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Location:
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and
Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia
Area:
45,226 sq km
Border countries:
Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km
Climate:
maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers
Geography:
the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and
partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands
Population:
1,324,333
Nationality:
Estonian(s)
Ethnic groups:
Estonian 67.9%, Russian 25.6%, Ukrainian
2.1%, Belarusian 1.3%, Finn 0.9%, other 2.2%
Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran 13.6%, Orthodox 12.8%,
other Christian (including Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist,
Roman Catholic, Pentecostal) 1.4%, unaffiliated 34.1%, other and
unspecified 32%, none 6.1%
Languages:
Estonian (official) 67.3%, Russian 29.7%,
other 2.3%, unknown 0.7%
Government type:
parliamentary republic
Capital:
Tallinn
Time zone:
GMT/UTC +02:00
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
Currency:
Estonian kroon (EEK)
Communications:
Telephones - main lines in use: 442,000,
Telephone system: 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
Transportation:
Airports: 24, Railways: 958 km, Roadways:
56,849 km, Waterways: 500 km