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Estonia Country Guide
Explore Estonia in Europe
The topography includes marshy, lowlands with flat in the north, hilly in the south. The average density of population is approximately 29 per km². The notable climate conditions in Estonia can be described as maritime with wet, moderate winters, cool summers. Possible natural disasters include sometimes flooding occurs in the spring.
To reach someone in Estonia dial +372 prior to a number. There are 492,800 installed telephones. And there are 2,720,000 registered mobile phones. The cellular networks commonly support frequencies of 900/1800/3G MHz. Websites registered in this country end with the top level domain ".ee". If you want to bring electric equipment on your trip (e.g. laptop power supply), note the local power outlet of 230V - 50Hz.
About the flag and history of Estonia
Three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white; various interpretations are linked to the flag colors; blue represents faith, loyalty, and devotion, while also reminiscent of the sky, sea, and lakes of the country; black symbolizes the soil of the country and the dark past and suffering endured by the Estonian people; white refers to the striving towards enlightenment and virtue, and is the color of birch bark and snow, as well as summer nights illuminated by the midnight sun.
After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US - 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 the West. It joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004, formally joined the OECD in late 2010, and adopted the euro as its official currency on 1 January 2011.
Geography Quick-Facts
| Summary | Continent: Europe Neighbours: Russia, Latvia Capital: Tallinn |
| Size | 45,226 square kilometers (km² or sqkm) or 17,461 square miles (mi² or sqmi) slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined |
| Population | 1,307,000 |
| Currency | Name Kroon, Currency Code:EEK |
| Country Top Level Domain (cTLD) | .ee |
| Telephone Country Prefix | +372 |
| Mobile Phone Connections | 2,720,000 |
| Landline Phone Connections | 492,800 |
Country Position in World Rankings
Information about single country attributes and how these compare against the rest of the world. The information below is compiled with data from 2013. As such, it may differ a bit to the Information above in the text (which is from 2010).
Geography
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 45,228 (sq km) | 133 |
People and Society
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,266,375 | 157 |
| Population growth rate | -0.66 (%) | 228 |
| Birth rate | 10.38 (births/1,000 population) | 184 |
| Death rate | 13.65 (deaths/1,000 population) | 14 |
| Net migration rate | -3.35 (migrant(s)/1,000 population) | 182 |
| Maternal mortality rate | 2.00 (deaths/100,000 live births) | 183 |
| Infant mortality rate | 6.82 (deaths/1,000 live births) | 164 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 73.82 (years) | 118 |
| Total fertility rate | 1.45 (children born/woman) | 198 |
| Health expenditures | 6.00 (% of GDP) | 107 |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 1.20 (%) | 41 |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 9,900 | 97 |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | 500 | 93 |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 20.60 (%) | 95 |
| Education expenditures | 6.10 (% of GDP) | 37 |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | 22.40 (%) | 46 |
Economy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | 29,570,000,000 | 113 |
| GDP - real growth rate | 3.20 (%) | 103 |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | 22,100 | 66 |
| Labor force | 675,900 | 153 |
| Unemployment rate | 11.50 (%) | 123 |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 31.30 | 108 |
| Investment (gross fixed) | 23.30 (% of GDP) | 63 |
| Taxes and other revenues | 36.20 (% of GDP) | 60 |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -2.40 (% of GDP) | 93 |
| Public debt | 8.00 (% of GDP) | 144 |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.30 (%) | 87 |
| Commercial bank prime lending rate | 6.10 (%) | 139 |
| Stock of narrow money | 7,033,000,000 | 90 |
| Stock of broad money | 12,110,000,000 | 100 |
| Stock of domestic credit | 19,770,000,000 | 85 |
| Market value of publicly traded shares | 2,260,000,000 | 97 |
| Industrial production growth rate | 18.00 (%) | 2 |
| Current account balance | 498,000,000 | 47 |
| Exports | 17,380,000,000 | 78 |
| Imports | 17,870,000,000 | 81 |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | 217,000,000 | 159 |
| Debt - external | 21,980,000,000 | 79 |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home | 16,760,000,000 | 75 |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad | 6,609,000,000 | 61 |
Energy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 12,890,000,000 (kWh) | 89 |
| Electricity - consumption | 7,755,000,000 (kWh) | 96 |
| Electricity - exports | 4,354,000,000 (kWh) | 31 |
| Electricity - imports | 1,100,000,000 (kWh) | 63 |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 2,661,000 (kW) | 92 |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 94.60 (% of total installed capacity) | 69 |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 0.30 (% of total installed capacity) | 146 |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 5.10 (% of total installed capacity) | 36 |
| Crude oil - production | 7,700 (bbl/day) | 84 |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 26,340 (bbl/day) | 122 |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 23,270 (bbl/day) | 101 |
| Natural gas - consumption | 701,000,000 (cu m) | 97 |
| Natural gas - imports | 701,000,000 (cu m) | 65 |
| Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy | 20,560,000 (Mt) | 82 |
Communications
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | 471,900 | 101 |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,863,000 | 142 |
| Internet hosts | 865,494 | 49 |
| Internet users | 971,700 | 102 |
Transportation
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Airports | 18 | 140 |
| Railways | 1,200 (km) | 85 |
| Roadways | 58,034 (km) | 75 |
| Waterways | 335 (km) | 91 |
| Merchant marine | 25 | 89 |
Military
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Military expenditures | 2.00 (% of GDP) | 66 |
Data based on CIA facts book 2010 & 2013, wikipedia, national statistical offices and their census releases
List of current world heritage sites
| Name | Since |
|---|---|
| Historic Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn The origins of Tallinn date back to the 13th century, when a castle was built there by the crusading knights of the Teutonic Order. It developed as a major centre of the Hanseatic League, and its wealth is demonstrated by the opulence of the public b ... | 1997 |