1996 Edition

Description

pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white

Location

59 00 N, 26 00 E -- Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly larger than New Hampshire and Vermont combined

land area

43,200 sq km

note

includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea

total area

45,100 sq km

Climate

maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Coastline

1,393 km

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

international agreements

party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

natural hazards

flooding occurs frequently in the spring

Geographic coordinates

59 00 N, 26 00 E

International disputes

claims over 2,000 sq km of Russian territory in the Narva and Pechora regions - based on boundary established under the 1921 Peace Treaty of Tartu; disputes maritime border with Latvia - primary concern is fishing rights around Ruhne Island in the Gulf of Riga

Irrigated land

110 sq km (1990)

Land boundaries

border countries

Latvia 267 km, Russia 290 km

total

557 km

Land use

arable land

22%

forest and woodland

31%

meadows and pastures

11%

other

36%

permanent crops

0%

Location

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

limits to be fixed in coordination with neighboring states

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

shale oil, peat, phosphorite, amber

Terrain

marshy, lowlands

highest point

Suur Munamagi 318 m

lowest point

Baltic Sea 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 20% (male 148,683; female 143,563) 15-64 years: 66% (male 467,759; female 501,519) 65 years and over: 14% (male 63,976; female 133,928) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

10.74 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

14.12 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Estonian 61.5%, Russian 30.3%, Ukrainian 3.2%, Byelorussian 1.8%, Finn 1.1%, other 2.1% (1989)

Infant mortality rate

17.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Estonian (official), Latvian, Lithuanian, Russian, other

Life expectancy at birth

female

74.05 years (1996 est.)

male

62.5 years

total population

68.13 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)

female

100%

male

100%

total population

100%

Nationality

adjective

Estonian

noun

Estonian(s)

Net migration rate

-7.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

1,459,428 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

-1.13% (1996 est.)

Religions

Lutheran, Orthodox Christian

Sex ratio

all ages

0.87 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

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: 0.48 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

1.55 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

15 counties (maakonnad, singular -

maakond)

Harju maakond (Tallinn), Hiiu maakond (Kardla), Ida-Viru maakond (Johvi), Jarva maakond (Paide), Jogeva maakond (Jogeva), Laane maakond (Haapsalu), Laane-Viru maakond (Rakvere), Parnu maakond (Parnu), Polva maakond (Polva), Rapla maakond (Rapla), Saare maakond (Kuessaare), Tartu maakond (Tartu), Valga maakond (Valga), Viljandi maakond (Viljandi), Voru maakond (Voru)

note

county centers are in parentheses

Capital

Tallinn

Constitution

adopted 28 June 1992

Data code

EN

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

2131 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Toomas Hendrik ILVES

telephone

[1] (202) 588-0101

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers was appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament

chief of state

President Lennart MERI (since 21 October 1992) was elected for a five-year term by Parliament; election last held 20 September 1992 (next to be held fall 1996); results - no candidate received majority; Parliament elected Lennart MERI

head of government

Acting Prime Minister Tiit VAHI (since NA March 1995); the president nominated and Parliament authorized the candidate for prime minister

FAX

[1] (202) 789-0471

[372] (6) 312-025

consulate(s) general

New York

Flag

pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white

Independence

6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

International organization participation

BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NACC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Judicial branch

National Court

Legal system

based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form

Republic of Estonia

conventional short form

Estonia

former

Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic

local long form

Eesti Vabariik

local short form

Eesti

National holiday

Independence Day, 24 February (1918)

Parliament (Riigikogu)

elections last held 5 March 1995 (next to be held NA 1999); results - KMU 32.22%, RE 16.18%, K 14.17%, Pro Patria and ERSP 7.85%, M 5.98%, Our Home is Estonia and Right-Wingers 5.0%; seats - (101 total) KMU 41, RE 19, K 16, Pro Patria 8, Our Home is Estonia 6, M 6, Right-Wingers 5

Political parties and leaders

Coalition Party and Rural Union (KMU), Tiit VAHI, chairman, made up of 4 parties: Coalition Party, Country People's Party, Farmer's Assembly, and Pensioners' and Families' League; Reform Party-Liberals (RE), Siim KALLAS, chairman; Center Party (K), Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman; Union of Pro Patria or Fatherland Alliance (Isamaa of Fatherland), Toivo JURGENSON, chairman; National Independence Party (ERSP), Kelam TUNNE, chairman, note - may have disappeared since the last election; Our Home is Estonia made up of 2 parties: United Peoples Party and the Russian People's Party of Estonia; United Peoples Party, Viktor ANDREJEV, chairman; Russian People's Party of Estonia, Sergei KUZNETSOV, chairman; Moderates (M) made up of 2 parties: Social Democratic Party and Rural Center Party; Social Democratic Party, Eiki NESTOR, chairman; Rural Center Party, Vambo KAAL, chairman; Right-Wingers, Ulo NUGIS, chairman

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Lawrence P. TAYLOR

embassy

Kentmanni 20, Tallinn EE 0001

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[372] (6) 312-021

Agriculture

potatoes, fruits, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish

Budget

expenditures

$582 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (January-October 1995)

revenues

$620 million

Currency

1 Estonian kroon (EEK) = 100 cents (introduced in August 1992)

Economic aid

note

Western commitments $285 million (including international financial institutions)

recipient

ODA, $147 million (1993)

Economic overview

Estonia continues to experience strong economic growth after its economy bottomed out in 1993. Bolstered by a widespread national desire to reintegrate into Western Europe, Estonia has adhered to disciplined fiscal and financial policies and has led the FSU countries in pursuing economic reform. Monthly inflation has been held to under 5% since the beginning of 1992, with monthly inflation in 1995 at 2%. Following four years of decline, Estonia's GDP grew 5% in 1994 and 6% in 1995 - among the highest rates in Europe, according to estimates of the IMF and Estonia's own Economic Ministry. Despite these positive economic indicators, unemployment - 8% in 1994 - is on the rise, and wages - especially for teachers and law enforcement personnel - have not kept pace with inflation. Small- and medium-scale privatization is essentially complete, and large-scale privatization is progressing, but slowly. Estonia has successfully reoriented it trade toward the West, two-thirds of exports now going to Western markets. Estonia's free trade policies were the cornerstone of its negotiations with the European Union, and led to the signing of an association agreement in June 1995. Estonia was the only Baltic state not to have a transition period imposed by the EU prior to its implementation of a free trade agreement.

Electricity

capacity

3,420,000 kW

consumption per capita

6,528 kWh (1993)

production

11.3 billion kWh

Exchange rates

krooni (EEK) per US$1 - 11.523 (December 1995), 11.465 (1995), 12.991 (1994), 13.223 (1993); note - krooni are tied to the German deutsche mark at a fixed rate of 8 to 1

Exports

$1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1995)

commodities

textile 14%, food products 11%, vehicles 11%, metals 11% (1993)

partners

Russia, Finland, Sweden, Germany

External debt

$270 million (January 1996)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $12.3 billion (1995 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

10%

industry

37%

services

53% (1993 est.)

GDP per capita

$7,600 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

6% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for illicit drugs from Central and Southwest Asia and Latin America to Western Europe; very limited illicit opium producer; mostly for domestic consumption

Imports

$2.5 billion (c.i.f., 1995)

commodities

machinery 18%, fuels 15%, vehicles 14%, textiles 10% (1993)

partners

Finland, Russia, Germany, Sweden

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

oil shale, shipbuilding, phosphates, electric motors, excavators, cement, furniture, clothing, textiles, paper, shoes, apparel

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

29% (1995 est.)

Labor force

750,000 (1992)

by occupation

industry and construction 42%, agriculture and forestry 20%, other 38% (1990)

Unemployment rate

8% (1994 est.)

Branches

Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force (not officially sanctioned), Maritime Border Guard, Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit), Security Forces (internal and border troops), Coast Guard

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $35 million, 1.5% of GDP (1995)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

357,835

males fit for military service

280,757

males reach military age (18) annually

10,525 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave 0

Radios

710,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

system is antiquated; improvements are being made piecemeal, with emphasis on business needs and international connections; there are still about 150,000 unfulfilled requests for subscriber service

domestic

substantial investment has been made in cellular systems which are operational throughout Estonia

international

international traffic is carried to the other former Soviet republics by landline or microwave radio relay and to other countries partly by leased connection to the Moscow international gateway switch and partly by a new Tallinn-Helsinki fiber-optic, submarine cable which gives Estonia access to international circuits everywhere; access to the international packet-switched digital network via Helsinki

Telephones

400,000

Television broadcast stations

3

note

provide Estonian programs as well as Moscow Ostenkino's first and second programs

Televisions

600,000 (1993 est.) Defense

Airports

total

22

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

7

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

3

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

2

with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

1

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

4

with unpaved runways under 914 m

5 (1994 est.)

Highways

paved

8,124 km (including 62 km of expressways)

total

14,771 km

unpaved

6,647 km (1993)

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 6, cargo 33, oil tanker 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 6, short-sea passenger 4 (1995 est.)

total

52 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 353,140 GRT/467,086 DWT

Pipelines

natural gas 420 km (1992)

Ports

Haapsalu, Narva, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn

Railways

broad gauge

1,018 km 1.520-m gauge (132 km electrified) (1995)

total

1,018 km common carrier lines only; does not include dedicated industrial lines

Waterways

500 km perennially navigable