1992 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1992 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
maritime, wet, moderate winters
Coastline
1,393 km
Comparative area
slightly larger than New Hampshire and Vermont combined
Contiguous zone
NA nm
Continental shelf
NA meter depth
Disputes
international small border strips along the northern (Narva) and southern (Petseri) sections of eastern border with Russia ceded to Russia in 1945 by the Estonian SSR
Environment
coastal waters largely polluted
Exclusive economic zone
NA nm
Exclusive fishing zone
NA nm
Land area
43,200 km2; (includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea)
Land boundaries
557 km; Latvia 267 km, Russia 290 km
Land use
22% arable land; NA% permanent crops; 11% meadows and pastures; 31% forest and woodland; 21% other; includes NA% irrigated; 15% swamps and lakes
Natural resources
shale oil, peat, phosphorite, amber
Terrain
marshy, lowlands
Territorial sea
NA nm
Total area
45,100 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
16 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate
12 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Ethnic divisions
Estonian 61.5%, Russian 30.3%, Ukrainian 3.17%, Byelorussian 1.8%, Finn 1.1%, other 2.13% (1989)
Infant mortality rate
25 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Labor force
796,000; industry and construction 42%, agriculture and forestry 13%, other 45% (1990)
Languages
Estonian NA% (official), Latvian NA%, Lithuanian NA%, Russian NA%, other NA%
Life expectancy at birth
65 years male, 74 years female (1992)
Literacy
NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
Nationality
noun - Estonian(s); adjective - Estonian
Net migration rate
3 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Organized labor
NA
Population
1,607,349 (July 1992), growth rate 0.7% (1992)
Religions
Lutheran is primary denomination
Total fertility rate
2.3 children born/woman (1992)
Government
Administrative divisions
none - all districts are under direct republic jurisdiction
Capital
Tallinn
Chief of State
Chairman, Supreme Council Arnold R'UTEL (since April 1983)
Congress of Estonia
last held March 1990 (next to be held NA); note - Congress of Estonia is a quasi-governmental structure; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (495 total) number of seats by party NA
Constitution
currently rewriting constitution, but readopted the constitution of 1938
Diplomatic representation
Ambassador Ernst JAAKSON, Legation of Estonia, Office of Consulate General, 9 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 1421, New York, NY 10020; telephone (212) 247-1450
Executive branch
prime minister
Flag
pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990; flag is three equal horizontal bands of blue, black, and white
Head of Government
Prime Minister Tiit VAHI (since January 1992)
Independence
8 November 1917; occupied by Germany in March 1918 and restored to power in November 1918; annexed by USSR 6 August 1940; declared independence 20 August 1991 and regained independence from USSR 6 September 1991
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Legal system
based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts
Legislative branch
unicameral Supreme Council
Long-form name
Republic of Estonia
Member of
CSCE, IAEA, ICFTU, NACC, UN, UNCTAD
National holiday
Independence Day, 24 February (1918)
Other political or pressure groups
NA
Political parties and leaders
Popular Front of Estonia (Rahvarinne), NA chairman; Estonian Christian Democratic Party, Aivar KALA, chairman; Estonian Christian Democratic Union, Illar HALLASTE, chairman; Estonian Heritage Society (EMS), Trivimi VELLISTE, chairman; Estonian National Independence Party (ERSP), Lagle PAREK, chairman; Estonian Social Democratic Party, Marju LAURISTIN, chairman; Estonian Green Party, Tonu OJA; Independent Estonian Communist Party, Vaino VALJAS; People's Centrist Party, Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman
President
last held NA 1990; (next to be held NA); results - NA
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Supreme Council
last held 18 March 1990; (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (105 total) number of seats by party NA
Type
republic
Economy
Agriculture
employs 20% of work force; very efficient; net exports of meat, fish, dairy products, and potatoes; imports feedgrains for livestock; fruits and vegetables
Budget
revenues $NA million; expenditures $NA million, including capital expenditures of $NA million
Currency
kroon; to be introduced in 1992
Economic aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (1992), $10 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-86), $NA million; Communist countries (1971-86), $NA million
Electricity
3,305,000 kW capacity; 17,200 million kWh produced, 10,865 kWh per capita (1990)
Exchange rates
NA
Exports
$186 million (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: machinery 30%, food 17%, chemicals 11%, electric power 9% partners: Russia 50%, other former Soviet republics 30%, Ukraine 15%, West 5%
External debt
$650 million (end of 1991)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
$NA billion, per capita $NA; real growth rate -11% (1992)
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for illicit drugs from Central and Southwest Asia to Western Europe
Imports
$1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1990) commodities: machinery 45%, oil 13%, chemicals 12% partners: NA
Industrial production
growth rate -9% (1991)
Industries
accounts for 30% of labor force; oil shale, shipbuilding, phosphates, electric motors, excavators, cement, furniture, clothing, textiles, paper, shoes, apparel
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
approximately 200% (1991)
Overview
Starting in July 1991, under a new law on private ownership, small enterprises, such as retail shops and restaurants, were sold to private owners. The auctioning of large-scale enterprises is now in progress with the proceeds being held in escrow until the prior ownership (that is, Estonian or the Commonwealth of Independent States) can be established. Estonia ranks first in per capita consumption among the former Soviet republics. Agriculture is well developed, especially meat production, and provides a surplus for export. Only about one-fifth of the work force is in agriculture. The major share of the work force engages in manufacturing both capital and consumer goods based on raw materials and intermediate products from the other former Soviet republics. These manufactures are of high quality by ex-Soviet standards and are exported to the other republics. Estonia's mineral resources are limited to major deposits of shale oil (60% of old Soviet total) and phosphorites (400 million tons). Estonia has a large, relatively modern port and produces more than half of its own energy needs at highly polluting shale oil power plants. Like the other 14 successor republics, Estonia is suffering through a difficult transitional period - between a collapsed command economic structure and a still-to-be-built market structure. It has advantages in the transition, not having suffered so long under the Soviet yoke and having better chances of developing profitable ties to the Nordic and West European countries.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
NA total, NA usable; NA with permanent-surface runways; NA with runways over 3,659 m; NA with runways 2,440-3,659 m; NA with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
NA major transport aircraft
Highways
30,300 km total (1990); 29,200 km hard surfaced; 1,100 km earth
Inland waterways
500 km perennially navigable
Merchant marine
65 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 386,634 GRT/516,866 DWT; includes 51 cargo, 6 roll-on/roll-off, 2 short-sea passenger, 6 bulk
Pipelines
crude oil NA km, refined products NA km, natural gas NA km
Ports
maritime - Tallinn, Parnu; inland - Narva
Railroads
1,030 km (includes NA km electrified); does not include industrial lines (1990)
Telecommunications
telephone diversity - NA; broadcast stations - 3 TV (provide Estonian programs as well as Moscow Ostenkino's first and second programs); international traffic is carried to the other former USSR republics by landline or microwave and to other countries by leased connection to the Moscow international gateway switch, by the Finnish cellular net, and by an old copper submarine cable to Finland
Military and Security
Branches
Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops), National Guard; Russian Forces (Ground, Navy, Air, Air Defense, and Border Guard)
Defense expenditures
$NA, NA% of GDP
Manpower availability
males 15-49, total mobilized force projected 120,000-130,000; NA fit for military service; between 10,000-12,000 reach military age (18) annually