| Geographical Information |
| Map Location |
Europe |
| Geographical Location |
59° 00' North Latitude
26° 00' East Longitude |
| Surface Area |
45,226 sq km |
| Climate |
Maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers |
| Natural Resources |
Oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud |
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| Political Information |
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| Country Name |
Republic of Estonia |
| Capital City |
Tallinn |
| Government Type |
Parliamentary republic |
| 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 Day |
20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
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| Demographical Information |
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| Population |
1,332,893 (July 2005 est.) |
| Nationality |
Estonian |
| Ethnic Groups |
Estonian 67.9%, Russian 25.6%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Belarusian 1.3%, Finn 0.9%, other 2.2% (2000 census) |
| Religion |
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% (2000 census) |
| Languages |
Estonian (official) 67.3%, Russian 29.7%, other 2.3%, unknown 0.7% (2000 census) |
| Population Growth Rate |
-0.65% (2005 est.) |
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| Economical Information |
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| Currency |
Estonian kroon (EEK) |
| Industries |
Engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile; information technology, telecommunications |
| Labor Force |
660,000 (2004 est.) |
| Labor Force by Sectors |
Agriculture 11%, industry 20%, services 69% (1999 est.) |
| Agriculture Products |
Potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish |
| Export Commodities |
Machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles 14%, food products 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001) |
| Export Partners |
Finland 16.6%, Sweden 11.1%, UK 8.6%, Latvia 7.4%, Germany 7.2%, Russia 6.9%, US 5.5%, Lithuania 4% (2004) |
| Import Commodities |
Machinery and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%, textiles 10.3%, foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001) |
| Import Partners |
Finland 19.9%, Russia 13.2%, Germany 11.6%, Sweden 7.9% (2004) |
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| Transportation |
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| Railways |
958 km |
| Highways |
55,944 km |
| Pipelines |
Gas 859 km (2004) |
| Airports |
29 (2004 est.) |
| Ports and Harbors |
Haapsalu, Kunda, Muuga, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn |
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| Communication |
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| Phone Code |
+372 |
| Internet Abbreviation |
.ee |
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| Other |
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| Short History |
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. |
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