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Guide
Introduction
| |
| 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 |
......
|
