Estonia

§1. Estonia Introduction

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.

§2. Estonia Geography

Location:
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between
  Latvia and Russia

Geographic coordinates:
  59 00 N, 26 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 45,226 km²
  land: 43,211 km²
  water: 2,015 km²
  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

Coastline:
  3,794 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with neighboring
    states

Climate:
  maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Terrain:
  marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m

Natural resources:
  oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land,
  sea mud

Land use:
  arable land: 12.05%
  permanent crops: 0.35%
  other: 87.6% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  40 km² (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  sometimes flooding occurs in the spring

Environment - current 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 to water bodies in 2000 was one twentieth
  the level of 1980; in connection with the start-up of new water
  purification plants, the pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia
  has more than 1,400 natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in
  agricultural areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in
  certain locations

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
    Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic
    Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
    Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution, Ozone Layer
    Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more
  than 1,500 islands

§3. Estonia People

Population:
  1,324,333 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 15.2% (male 103,367/female 97,587)
  15-64 years: 67.6% (male 427,043/female 468,671)
  65 years and over: 17.2% (male 75,347/female 152,318) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 39.3 years
  male: 35.8 years
  female: 42.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.64% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.04 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  13.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -3.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.84 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 7.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.91 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.04 years
  male: 66.58 years
  female: 77.83 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  7,800 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Estonian(s)
  adjective: Estonian

Ethnic groups:
  Estonian 67.9%, Russian 25.6%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Belarusian 1.3%, Finn 0.9%,
  other 2.2% (2000 census)

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% (2000 census)

Languages:
  Estonian (official) 67.3%, Russian 29.7%, other 2.3%, unknown 0.7% (2000
  census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.8%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

§4. Estonia Government

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 republic

Capital:
  Tallinn

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:
  20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

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

Constitution:
  adopted 28 June 1992

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Arnold RUUTEL (since 8 October 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Andrus ANSIP (since 12 April 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by
    Parliament
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; if a
    candidate does not secure two-thirds of the votes after three rounds of
    balloting in the Parliament, 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 21 September 2001 (next to be held in the fall of
    2006); prime minister nominated by the president and approved by
    Parliament
  election results: Arnold RUUTEL elected president on 21 September 2001 by a
    367-member electoral assembly that convened following Parliament's
    failure in August to elect then-President Lennart MERI's successor; on
    the second ballot of voting, RUUTEL received 186 votes to Parliament
    Speaker Toomas SAVI's 155; the remaining 26 ballots were either left
    blank or invalid

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 2 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Center Party of Estonia 25.4%,
    Res Publica 24.6%, Estonian Reform Party 17.7%, Estonian People's Union
    13%, Pro Patria Union (Fatherland League) 7.3% People's Party Moodukad
    7%; seats by party - Res Publica 26, Center Party 20, Reform Party 19,
    Estonian People's Union 13, Pro Patria Union 7, Social Democrats
    (formerly People's Party Moodukad) 6, non-affiliated (Social Liberals and
    independents) 10

Judicial branch:
  National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)

Political parties and leaders:
  Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman]; Estonian
  People's Union (Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN, chairman]; Estonian Reform Party
  (Reformierakond) [Andrus ANSIP]; Estonian United Russian People's Party or
  EUVRP [Yevgeniy TOMBERG, chairman]; Pro Patria Union (Isamaaliit) [Tonis
  LUKAS, chairman]; Res Publica [Taavi VESKIMAGI, chairman]; Social
  Democratic Party (formerly People's Party Moodukad or Moderates) [Ivari
  PADAR, chairman]; Social Liberals (group of eight parliamentarians, former
  Center Party members) [Peeter KREITZBERG]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG,
  OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU
  (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Juri LUIK
  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 Aldona Zofia WOS
  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

§5. Estonia Economy

Economy - overview:
  Estonia, as a new member of the World Trade Organization and the European
  Union, has transitioned effectively to a modern market economy with strong
  ties to the West, including the pegging of its currency to the euro. The
  economy benefits from strong electronics and telecommunications sectors and
  is greatly influenced by developments in Finland, Sweden, and Germany,
  three major trading partners. The current account deficit remains high;
  however, the state budget is essentially in balance, and public debt is
  low.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $21.92 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $12.28 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  7.4% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $16,400 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 4.1%
  industry: 29.1%
  services: 66.8% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
  670,000 (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 11%, industry 20%, services 69% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  9.2% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 29.8% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  37.2 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  27.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $5.126 billion
  expenditures: $5.017 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005
    est.)

Public debt:
  3.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish

Industries:
  engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile; information
  technology, telecommunications

Industrial production growth rate:
  7.3% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  9.017 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  7.024 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  1.562 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  200 million kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  6,100 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  25,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.41 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 m³ (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  1.27 billion m³ (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
  $-1.403 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
  $7.439 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles 14%, food
  products 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001)

Exports - partners:
  Finland 23.1%, Sweden 15.3%, Germany 8.4%, Latvia 7.9%, Russia 5.7%,
  Lithuania 4.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $9.189 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%, textiles 10.3%,
  foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001)

Imports - partners:
  Finland 22.1%, Germany 12.9%, Sweden 9.7%, Russia 9.2%, Lithuania 5.3%,
  Latvia 4.7% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.852 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
  $10.09 billion (30 June 2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $108 million (2000)

Currency (code):
  Estonian kroon (EEK)

Exchange rates:
  krooni per US dollar - 12.584 (2005), 12.596 (2004), 13.856 (2003), 16.612
  (2002), 17.478 (2001), note - the krooni is pegged to the euro

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Estonia Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  444,000 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,255,700 (2004)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: 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
  domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and Internet services
    is available throughout the country
  international: country code - 372; fiber-optic cables to Finland, Sweden,
    Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet- switched service; two
    international switches are located in Tallinn (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (2001)

Internet country code:
  .ee

Internet hosts:
  50,440 (2005)

Internet users:
  670,000 (2005)

§7. Estonia Transportation

Airports:
  26 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 12
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 14
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 6 (2005)

Heliports:
  1 (2005)

Pipelines:
  gas 859 km (2004)

Railways:
  total: 958 km
  broad gauge: 958 km 1.520 m/1.524-m gauge (132 km electrified) (2004)

Roadways:
  total: 56,849 km
  paved: 13,303 km (including 99 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 45,546 km (2003)

Waterways:
  500 km (2005)

Merchant marine:
  total: 35 ships (1000 GRT or over) 267,319 GRT/92,993 DWT
  by type: cargo 10, passenger/cargo 23, petroleum tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 4 (Denmark 1, Finland 1, Norway 2)
  registered in other countries: 71 (Antigua and Barbuda 12, The Bahamas 1,
    Belize 5, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 3, Dominica 8, Georgia 1, Isle of Man 2,
    Malta 4, Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 1, Panama 3, Russia 1, Saint
    Vincent and the Grenadines 25, Slovakia 1, Vanuatu 1) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Kopli, Kuivastu, Muuga, Tallinn, Virtsu

§8. Estonia Military

Military branches:
  Estonian Defense Forces: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force and Air Defense
    Staff, Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops), Volunteer
    Defense League (Kaitseliit), Maritime Border Guard, Coast Guard; note -
    Border Guards and Ministry of Internal Affairs become part of the
    Estonian Defense Forces in wartime; the Coast Guard is subordinate to the
    Ministry of Defense in peacetime and the Estonian Navy in wartime

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory military service for all male citizens, with
  eight-month service obligation for conscripts and 11 months for sergeants
  and reserve officers; Estonia has committed to retaining conscription for
  men and women up to 2010 and, unlike Latvia and Lithuania, has no plan to
  transition to a contract armed forces; 17 years of age for volunteers;
  reserve commitment up to the age of 60 (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 291,696 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 200,382 (2005 est.)
  note: in 2004, 51% of the young men called up for service were determined
    to be unfit; main obstacles to conscription were psychiatric and
    behavioral

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 11,146 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $155 million (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2% (2002 est.)

§9. Estonia Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  in 2005, Russia refuses to sign the 1996 technical border agreement with
  Estonia when Estonia prepares a unilateral declaration referencing Soviet
  occupation and territorial losses; Russia demands better accommodation of
  Russian- speaking population in Estonia; Estonian citizen groups continue
  to press for realignment of the boundary based on the 1920 Tartu Peace
  Treaty that would bring the now divided ethnic Setu people and parts of the
  Narva region within Estonia; as a member state that forms part of the EU's
  external border, Estonia must implement the strict Schengen border rules

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;
  increasing domestic drug abuse problem; possible precursor manufacturing
  and/or trafficking; potential money laundering related to organized crime
  and drug trafficking is a concern, as is possible use of the gambling
  sector to launder funds


<Factbook 2006>
