| Background: |
After centuries
of Swedish 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. |
| Location: |
Eastern Europe,
bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia
and Russia |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
59 00 N, 26 00 E |
| Area: |
total:
45,226 sq km
land: 43,211 sq km
water: 2,015 sq km
note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly smaller
than New Hampshire and Vermont combined |
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
633 km
border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km |
| Maritime
claims: |
exclusive
economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with
neighboring states
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: |
maritime, wet,
moderate winters, cool summers |
| Terrain: |
marshy, lowlands |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m |
| Natural
resources: |
shale oil (kukersite),
peat, phosphorite, amber, cambrian blue clay, limestone,
dolomite, arable land |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
25%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 11%
forests and woodland: 44%
other: 20% (1996 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
110 sq km (1996
est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
flooding occurs
frequently in the spring |
| Environment
- current issues: |
air heavily
polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power
plants in northeast; contamination of soil and groundwater
with petroleum products, chemicals at former Soviet military
bases; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and manmade
lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas are
heavily affected by organic waste; coastal sea water is
polluted in many locations |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur
85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship
Pollution, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol |
| Population: |
1,423,316 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
17.08% (male 123,997; female 119,166)
15-64 years: 68.14% (male 466,823; female
503,032)
65 years and over: 14.78% (male 68,802; female
141,496) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
-0.55% (2001
est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
8.7 births/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
13.48
deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-0.76 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female
total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
12.62
deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 69.73 years
male: 63.72 years
female: 76.05 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
1.21 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.04% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
less than 500
(1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
less than 100
(1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Estonian(s)
adjective: Estonian |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Estonian 65.1%,
Russian 28.1%, Ukrainian 2.5%, Byelorussian 1.5%, Finn 1%,
other 1.8% (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, English, Finnish, other |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (1998 est.) |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: Republic of Estonia
conventional short form: Estonia
local long form: Eesti Vabariik
local short form: Eesti
former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic |
| Government
type: |
parliamentary
democracy |
| 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 (Kuessaare),
Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi),
Vorumaa (Voru)
note: counties have the administrative center
name following in parentheses |
| Independence: |
6 September 1991
(from Soviet Union) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day,
24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was the date of
independence from Soviet Russia, 6 September 1991 was the
date of independence from the Soviet Union |
| Constitution: |
adopted 28 June
1992 |
| Legal
system: |
based on civil
law system; no judicial review of legislative acts |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal for all Estonian citizens |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of
state: President Lennart MERI (since 5 October
1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Mart LAAR
(since 29 March 1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
prime minister, approved by Parliament
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, 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 August-September 1996 (next to be held in the fall
of 2001); prime minister nominated by the president and
approved by Parliament
election results: Lennart MERI reelected
president by an electoral assembly after Parliament was
unable to break a deadlock between MERI and RUUTEL; percent
of electoral assembly vote - Lennart MERI 61%, Arnold RUUTEL
39% |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral
Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 March 1999 (next to be
held NA March 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - Center Party 28, Union of Pro Patria
(Fatherland League) 18, Reform Party 18, Moderates 17,
Country People's Party (Agrarians) 7, Coalition Party 7,
UPPE 6 |
| Judicial
branch: |
National Court
(chairman appointed by Parliament for life) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Center Party or K
[Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman]; Christian People's Party [Aldo
VINKEL]; Coalition Party and Rural Union or KMU [Andrus
OOBEL, chairman]; Estonian Democratic Party (formerly
Estonian Blue Party) [Jaan LAAS]; Estonian Independence
Party [leader NA]; Estonian National Democratic Party or
ENDP [leader NA]; Estonian Pensioners and Families Party
[Mai TREIAL]; Estonian Progressive Party [Andra VEIDEMANN];
Estonian Republican Party [leader NA]; Estonian
Social-Democratic Labor Party [Tiit TOOMSALU]; Estonian
Rural People's Union (1999 merger of Estonian Country
People's Party and the Estonian Rural Union) [Arvo SIRENDI];
Party of Consolidation Today [leader NA]; People's Party
Moderates (1999 merger of People's Party and Moderates)
[Andres TARAND]; Reform Party or RE [Siim KALLAS, chairman];
Russian Party in Estonia [Nikolai MASPANOV]; Russian Unity
Party [Igor SEDASHEV]; Union of Pro Patria or Fatherland
League (Isamaaliit) [Mart LAAR, chairman]; United People's
Party or UPPE [Viktor ANDREJEV, chairman] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International
organization participation: |
BIS, CBSS, CCC,
CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU, WEU
(associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Sven JURGENSON
chancery: 2131 Massachusetts Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101
FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108
consulate(s) general: New York |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Melissa WELLS
embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [372] 668-8100
FAX: [372] 668-8134 |
| Flag
description: |
pre-1940 flag
restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal
horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white |
| Economy
- overview: |
In 2000, Estonia
rebounded from the Russian financial crisis by scaling back
its budget and reorienting trade away from Russian markets
into EU member states. After GDP shrank 1.1% in 1999, the
economy made a strong recovery in 2000, with growth
estimated at 6.4% - the highest in Central and Eastern
Europe. Estonia joined the World Trade Organization in
November 1999 - the second Baltic state to join - and
continues its EU accession talks. For 2001, Estonians
predict GDP to grow around 6%, inflation of between
4.2%-5.3%, and a balanced budget. Substantial gains were
made in completing privatization of Estonia's few remaining
large, state-owned companies in 2000, and this momentum is
expected to continue in 2001. Estonia hopes to join the EU
during the next round of enlargement tentatively set for
2004. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $14.7 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
6.4% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $10,000 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
3.6%
industry: 30.7%
services: 65.7% (1999) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
8.9% (1995 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
3.2%
highest 10%: 28.5% (1996) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
4.1% (1999 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
785,500 (1999
est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
industry 20%,
agriculture 11%, services 69% (1999 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
11.7% (1999 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$1.37 billion
expenditures: $1.37 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1997 est.) |
| Industries: |
oil shale,
shipbuilding, phosphates, electric motors, excavators,
cement, furniture, clothing, textiles, paper, shoes, apparel |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
5% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
7.782 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
99.72%
hydro: 0.09%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0.19% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
6.807 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
530 million kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
100 million kWh
(1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
potatoes, fruits,
vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish |
| Exports: |
$3.1 billion
(f.o.b., 2000) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
machinery and
equipment 24%, wood products 20%, textiles 17%, food
products 9%, metals, chemical products (1999) |
| Exports
- partners: |
Finland 19.4%,
Sweden 18.8%, Russia 9.2%, Latvia 8.7%, Germany 7.5%, US
2.5% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$4 billion
(f.o.b., 2000) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and
equipment 31%, chemical products 13%, foodstuffs 11%, metal
products 8%, textiles 8% (1999) |
| Imports
- partners: |
Finland 22.8%,
Russia 13.5%, Sweden 9.3%, Germany 9.3%, Japan 4.7% (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$1.6 billion
(2000 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$137.3 million
(1995) |
| Currency: |
Estonian kroon
(EEK) |
| Exchange
rates: |
krooni per US
dollar - 16.663 (January 2001), 16.969 (2000), 14.678
(1999), 14.075 (1998), 13.882 (1997), 12.034 (1996); note -
krooni are tied to the German deutsche mark at a fixed rate
of 8 to 1 |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
476,078 (yearend
1998) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
475,000 (yearend
2000) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: foreign investment in the form of
joint business ventures greatly improved telephone service;
Internet services available throughout most of the country;
about 150,000 unfilled subscriber requests
domestic: local - the Ministry of Transport and
Communications is expanding cellular telephone services to
form rural networks; intercity - highly developed
fiber-optic backbone (double loop) system presently serving
at least 16 major cities (1998)
international: fiber-optic cables to Finland,
Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched
service; two international switches are located in Tallinn |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 3 (all AM
stations inactive since July 1998), FM 82, shortwave 1
(1998) |
| Radios: |
1.01 million
(1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
31 (plus five
repeaters) (September 1995) |
| Televisions: |
605,000 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.ee |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
28 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
309,000 (2000) |
| Railways: |
total:
1,018 km common carrier lines only; does not include
dedicated industrial lines
broad gauge: 1,018 km 1.520-m gauge (132 km
electrified) (1995) |
| Highways: |
total:
30,300 km
paved: 29,200 km (including 75 km of
expressways); note - these roads are said to be
hard-surfaced, and include, in addition to conventionally
paved roads, some that are surfaced with gravel or other
coarse aggregate, making them trafficable in all weather
unpaved: 1,100 km (2000) |
| Waterways: |
320 km
(perennially navigable) |
| Pipelines: |
natural gas 420
km (1992) |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Haapsalu, Kunda,
Muuga, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
44 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 253,460 GRT/219,727
DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 19, combination
bulk 1, container 5, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off
10, short-sea passenger 6 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
24
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 6 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Ground Forces,
Navy/Coast Guard, Air and Air Defense Force (not officially
sanctioned), Maritime Border Guard, Volunteer Defense League
(Kaitseliit), Security Forces (internal and border troops) |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
18 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 359,677 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 282,418 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
11,164 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$70 million
(FY99) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1.2% (FY99) |
| Disputes
- international: |
Estonian and
Russian negotiators reached a technical border agreement in
December 1996 which has not been signed nor ratified by
Russia as of February 2001 |
| 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; possible precursor manufacturing
and/or trafficking; synthetic drug production growing,
trafficked to Russia, Baltics, Finland |
|
