2000 Edition

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.

Area

land

43,211 sq km

note

includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea

total

45,226 sq km

water

2,015 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined

Climate

maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Coastline

3,794 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Suur Munamagi 318 m

lowest point

Baltic Sea 0 m

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

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geographic coordinates

59 00 N, 26 00 E

Irrigated land

110 sq km (1996 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km

total

633 km

Land use

arable land

25%

forests and woodland

44%

other

20% (1996 est.)

permanent crops

0%

permanent pastures

11%

Location

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

flooding occurs frequently in the spring

Natural resources

shale oil (kukersite), peat, phosphorite, amber, cambrian blue clay, limestone, dolomite, arable land

Terrain

marshy, lowlands

Age structure

0-14 years: 18% (male 129,204; female 124,269) 15-64 years: 68% (male 466,960; female 503,233) 65 years and over: 14% (male 67,781; female 140,024) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

8.45 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

13.55 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Estonian 65.1%, Russian 28.1%, Ukrainian 2.5%, Byelorussian 1.5%, Finn 1%, other 1.8% (1998)

Infant mortality rate

12.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Estonian (official), Russian, Ukrainian, English, Finnish, other

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.79 years (2000 est.)

male

63.4 years

total population

69.45 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

100% (1998 est.)

male

100%

total population

100%

Nationality

adjective

Estonian

noun

Estonian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

1,431,471 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.59% (2000 est.)

Religions

Evangelical Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Estonian Orthodox, Baptist, Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Word of Life, Jewish

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: 0.48 male(s)/female

total population

0.87 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.19 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

Capital

Tallinn

Constitution

adopted 28 June 1992

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Estonia

conventional short form

Estonia

former

Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic

local long form

Eesti Vabariik

local short form

Eesti

Data code

EN

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Melissa WELLS

embassy

Kentmanni 20, Tallinn EE 0001

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

(6) 312-021

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2131 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Sven JURGENSON

telephone

(202) 588-0101

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

President Lennart MERI (since 5 October 1992)

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%

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 fall 2001); prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament

head of government

Prime Minister Mart LAAR (since 29 March 1999)

FAX

(202) 588-0108

(6) 312-025

consulate(s) general

New York

Flag description

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

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

Judicial branch

National Court, chairman appointed by Parliament for life

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

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,

elections

last held 7 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003)

National holiday

Independence Day, 24 February (1918)

Political parties and leaders

Center Party or K [Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman]; Coalition Party and Rural Union or KMU [Andrus OOVEL, chairman]; Country People's Party ; Moderates or M ; Reform Party or RE ; Union of Pro Patria or Fatherland League (Isamaaliit) ; United People's Party or UPPE

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

$1.37 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

revenues

$1.37 billion

Currency

1 Estonian kroon (EEK) = 100 sents

Debt - external

$270 million (January 1996)

Economic aid - recipient

$137.3 million (1995)

Economy - overview

In 1999, Estonia experienced its worst year economically since it regained independence in 1991 largely because of the impact of the August 1998 Russian financial crisis. Estonia joined the WTO in November 1999 - the second Baltic state to join - and continued its EU accession talks. GDP is forecast to grow 4% in 2000. Privatization of energy, telecommunications, railways, and other state-owned companies will continue in 2000. Estonia expects to complete its preparations for EU membership by the end of 2002.

Electricity - consumption

7.58 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

700 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

150 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

8.742 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

99.98%

hydro

0.02%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

krooni (EEK) per US$1 - 15.417 (January 2000), 4.678 (1999), 14.075 (1998), 13.882 (1997), 12.034 (1996), 11.465 (1995); note - krooni are tied to the German deutsche mark at a fixed rate of 8 to 1

Exports

$2.5 billion (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities

machinery and appliances 19%, wood products 15%, textiles 13%, food products 12%, metals 10%, chemical products 8% (1999)

Exports - partners

Sweden 19.3%, Finland 18.8%, Russia 8.8%, Latvia 8.8%, Germany 7.3%, US 2.5% (1999)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $7.9 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

3.6%

industry

30.7%

services

65.7% (1999)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $5,600 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-0.5% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 28.5% (1996)

Imports

$3.4 billion (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities

machinery and appliances 26%, foodstuffs 15%, chemical products 10%, metal products 9%, textiles 8% (1999)

Imports - partners

Finland 23%, Russia 13.2%, Sweden 10%, Germany 9.1%, US 4.7 (1999)

Industrial production growth rate

3% (1996 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.7% (1999 est.)

Labor force

785,500 (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

industry 20%, agriculture and forestry 11%, services 69% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line

6.3% (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate

11.7% (1999 est.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

6 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3 (all AM stations inactive since July 1998), FM 82, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

1.01 million (1997)

Telephone system

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

Telephones - main lines in use

476,078 (yearend 1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular

246,000 (yearend 1998)

Television broadcast stations

31 (plus five repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions

605,000 (1997)

Airports

5 (1997 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1997 est.)

Highways

paved

10,935 km (including 75 km of expressways)

total

49,480 km

unpaved

38,545 km (1998 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 3, cargo 20, combination bulk 1, container 5, petroleum tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off 13, short-sea passenger 6 (1999 est.)

total

50 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 306,264 GRT/293,083 DWT

Pipelines

natural gas 420 km (1992)

Ports and harbors

Haapsalu, Kunda, Muuga, 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

320 km perennially navigable

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 expenditures - dollar figure

$70 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.2% (FY99)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 359,764 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 282,456 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

10,965 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

Estonian and Russian negotiators reached a technical border agreement in December 1996 which has not been signed or ratified as of 1 January 2000

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

ETHIOPIA