Estonia

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. It joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Estonia Information

• Population: 1,341,664 (July 2004 est.)
• Nationality: noun: Estonian(s) adjective: Estonian
• Location:: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia
• Religions:: Evangelical Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Estonian Orthodox, Baptist, Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Word of Life, Jewish
• Ethnic Groups:: Estonian 65.3%, Russian 28.1%, Ukrainian 2.5%, Belarusian 1.5%, Finn 1%, other 1.6% (1998)
• Land Boundaries:: total: 633 km border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km
• 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
• Coast Line: 3,794 km
• Climate: maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers
• Terrain: marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south
• Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states
• Land Use: arable land: 16.04% permanent crops: 0.45% other: 83.51% (2001)
• Environmental 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
• Natural Resources: oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud
• Highways: total: 51,411 km paved: 10,334 km (including 94 km of expressways) unpaved: 41,077 km (2000)
• Railways: total: 958 km broad gauge: 958 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 (2003)
• Ports & Harbours: Haapsalu, Kunda, Muuga, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn
• Airports: 29 (2003 est.)