2020 Edition
factbook.json (GitHub)
Introduction
Background
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 and many other countries -- 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 2004, formally joined the OECD in 2010, and adopted the euro as its official currency in 2011.
Geography
Area
- land
- 42,388 sq km
- total
- 45,228 sq km
- water
- 2,840 sq km
Area - comparative
about twice the size of New Jersey
Climate
maritime; wet, moderate winters, cool summers
Coastline
3,794 km
Elevation
- highest point
- Suur Munamagi 318 m
- lowest point
- Baltic Sea 0 m
- mean elevation
- 61 m
Geographic coordinates
59 00 N, 26 00 E
Geography - note
the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; over 1,500 islands lie offshore
Irrigated land
20 sq km (2016)
Land boundaries
- border countries
- Latvia 333 km; Russia 324 km
- total
- 657 km
Land use
- agricultural land
- 23.1% (2023 est.)
- agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 16.6% (2023 est.)
- agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
- agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 6.4% (2023 est.)
- forest
- 57.2% (2023 est.)
- other
- 19.6% (2023 est.)
Location
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia
Major lakes (area sq km)
- fresh water lake(s)
- Lake Peipus - 4,300 sq km (shared with Russia); Lake Võrtsjärv - 270 sq km
Map references
Europe
Maritime claims
- exclusive economic zone
- limits as agreed to by Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Sweden, and Russia
- territorial sea
- 12 nm
Natural hazards
sometimes flooding occurs in the spring
Natural resources
oil shale, peat, rare earth elements, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud
Population distribution
a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations
Terrain
marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south
People and Society
Age structure
- 0-14 years
- 15.2% (male 92,980/female 88,753)
- 15-64 years
- 62.2% (male 373,989/female 368,113)
- 65 years and over
- 22.6% (2024 est.) (male 96,110/female 173,846)
Alcohol consumption per capita
- beer
- 4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- other alcohols
- 1.13 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- spirits
- 4.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- total
- 11.65 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- wine
- 1.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Birth rate
7.86 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
54.1% (2021 est.)
Death rate
12.57 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Dependency ratios
- elderly dependency ratio
- 32.7 (2025 est.)
- potential support ratio
- 3.1 (2025 est.)
- total dependency ratio
- 57.5 (2025 est.)
- youth dependency ratio
- 24.8 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
- improved: rural
- rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) NA
- improved: total
- total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
- improved: urban
- urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
- unimproved: rural
- rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) NA
- unimproved: total
- total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
- unimproved: urban
- urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
- Education expenditure (% GDP)
- 5.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Education expenditure (% national budget)
- 13% national budget (2022 est.)
Ethnic groups
Estonian 69.1%, Russian 23.7%, Ukrainian 2.1%, other 4.6%, unspecified 0.5% (2021 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.66 (2025 est.)
Health expenditure
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
- 6.9% of GDP (2022)
- Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
- 13.2% of national budget (2022 est.)
Hospital bed density
4.5 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Infant mortality rate
- female
- 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births
- male
- 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births
- total
- 2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
Languages
Estonian (official) 67.2%, Russian 28.5%, other 3.7%, unspecified 0.6% (2021est.)
Life expectancy at birth
- female
- 83.2 years
- male
- 73.8 years
- total population
- 78.4 years (2024 est.)
Major urban areas - population
454,000 TALLINN (capital) (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio
5 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Median age
- female
- 48.2 years
- male
- 41.9 years
- total
- 42.9 years (2025 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
28.2 years (2020 est.)
Nationality
- adjective
- Estonian
- noun
- Estonian(s)
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
21.2% (2016)
Physician density
3.47 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Population
- female
- 705,490
- male
- 634,988
- total
- 1,340,478 (2025 est.)
Population growth rate
-0.47% (2025 est.)
Religions
Orthodox 16.5%, Protestant 9.2% (Lutheran 7.7%, other Protestant 1.5%), other 3% (includes Roman Catholic, Muslim, Jehovah's Witness, Pentecostal, Buddhist, and Taara Believer), none 58.4%, unspecified 12.9% (2021 est.)
Sanitation facility access
- improved: rural
- rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
- improved: total
- total: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)
- improved: urban
- urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)
- unimproved: rural
- rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
- unimproved: total
- total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)
- unimproved: urban
- urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
- female
- 16 years (2023 est.)
- male
- 15 years (2023 est.)
- total
- 16 years (2023 est.)
Sex ratio
- 0-14 years
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over
- 0.55 male(s)/female
- at birth
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- total population
- 0.89 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Tobacco use
- female
- 18.3% (2025 est.)
- male
- 29.9% (2025 est.)
- total
- 23.7% (2025 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.36 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Urbanization
- rate of urbanization
- -0.03% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
- urban population
- 69.8% of total population (2023)
Government
Administrative divisions
15 urban municipalities (linnad, singular - linn), 64 rural municipalities (vallad, singular - vald) urban municipalities: Haapsalu, Keila, Kohtla-Jarve, Loksa, Maardu, Narva, Narva-Joesuu, Paide, Parnu, Rakvere, Sillamae, Tallinn, Tartu, Viljandi, Voru rural municipalities: Alutaguse, Anija, Antsla, Elva, Haademeeste, Haljala, Harku, Hiiumaa, Jarva, Joelahtme, Jogeva, Johvi, Kadrina, Kambja, Kanepi, Kastre, Kehtna, Kihnu, Kiili, Kohila, Kose, Kuusalu, Laane-Harju, Laane-Nigula, Laaneranna, Luganuse, Luunja, Marjamaa, Muhu, Mulgi, Mustvee, Noo, Otepaa, Peipsiaare, Pohja-Parnumaa, Pohja-Sakala, Poltsamaa, Polva, Raasiku, Rae, Rakvere, Räpina, Rapla, Rouge, Ruhnu, Saarde, Saaremaa, Saku, Saue, Setomaa, Tapa, Tartu, Toila, Tori, Torva, Turi, Vaike-Maarja, Valga, Viimsi, Viljandi, Vinni, Viru-Nigula, Vormsi, Voru
Capital
- daylight saving time
- +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
- etymology
- the name derives from the Old Estonian term tan-linn, meaning "Danish fort," a reference to Danish King VALDEMAR II founding the city in 1219
- geographic coordinates
- 59 26 N, 24 43 E
- name
- Tallinn
- time difference
- UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Citizenship
- citizenship by birth
- no
- citizenship by descent only
- at least one parent must be a citizen of Estonia
- dual citizenship recognized
- no
- residency requirement for naturalization
- 5 years
Constitution
- amendment process
- proposed by at least one-fifth of Parliament members or by the president of the republic; passage requires three readings of the proposed amendment and a simple majority vote in two successive memberships of Parliament; passage of amendments to the "General Provisions" and "Amendment of the Constitution" chapters requires at least three-fifths majority vote by Parliament to conduct a referendum and majority vote in a referendum
- history
- several previous; latest adopted 28 June 1992, entered into force 3 July 1992
Country name
- conventional long form
- Republic of Estonia
- conventional short form
- Estonia
- etymology
- derives from the name of the people who lived along the eastern Baltic Sea in the first centuries A.D., which came from the Baltic word aueist, meaning "waterside dwellers"
- former
- Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic (while occupied by the USSR)
- local long form
- Eesti Vabariik
- local short form
- Eesti
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission
- Ambassador Roman PIPKO (since 26 November 2025)
- email address and website
- acstallinn@state.gov https://ee.usembassy.gov/
- embassy
- Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn
- FAX
- [372] 668-8265
- mailing address
- 4530 Tallinn Place, Washington DC 20521-4530
- telephone
- [372] 668-8100
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chancery
- 2131 Massachusetts Ave, NW Washington, DC, 20008
- chief of mission
- Ambassador Kristjan PRIKK (since 7 July 2021)
- consulate(s) general
- New York, San Francisco
- email address and website
- Embassy.Washington@mfa.ee https://washington.mfa.ee/
- FAX
- [1] (202) 588-0108
- telephone
- [1] (202) 588-0101
Executive branch
- cabinet
- Cabinet appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament
- chief of state
- President Alar KARIS (since 11 October 2021)
- election results
- 2021: Alar KARIS (independent) elected president; won second round of voting in parliament with 72 of 101 votes 2016: Kersti KALJULAID elected president; won sixth round of voting in parliament with 81 of 98 votes (17 ballots blank); KALJULAID sworn in on 10 October 2016 - first female head of state of Estonia
- election/appointment process
- president indirectly elected by Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); if a candidate does not secure two thirds of the votes after 3 rounds of balloting, then an electoral college consisting of Parliament members and local council members elects the president, choosing between the 2 candidates with the most votes; if a president is still not elected, the process begins again; prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament
- expected date of next election
- 2026
- head of government
- Prime Minister Kristen MICHAL (since 23 July 2024)
- most recent election date
- 30-31 August 2021
Flag
description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white meaning: blue stands for faith, loyalty, and devotion, and also the sky, sea, and lakes; black for the country's soil and the Estonian people's past suffering; white for striving for enlightenment and virtue and also for birch bark, snow, and summer nights illuminated by the midnight sun
Government type
parliamentary republic
Independence
24 February 1918 (from Soviet Russia); 20 August 1991 (declared from the Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union)
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation
Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch
- highest court(s)
- Supreme Court (consists of 19 justices, including the chief justice, and organized into civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional review chambers)
- judge selection and term of office
- the chief justice is proposed by the president of the republic and appointed by the Riigikogu; other justices proposed by the chief justice and appointed by the Riigikogu; justices appointed for life
- subordinate courts
- circuit (appellate) courts; administrative, county, city, and specialized courts
Legal system
civil law system
Legislative branch
- electoral system
- proportional representation
- expected date of next election
- March 2027
- legislative structure
- unicameral
- legislature name
- The Estonian Parliament (Riigikogu)
- most recent election date
- 3/5/2023
- number of seats
- 101 (all directly elected)
- parties elected and seats per party
- Reform Party (37); Conservative People's Party (EKRE) (17); Centre Party (16); Estonia 200 (Eesti 200) (14); Social Democratic Party (9); Pro Patria (Isamaa) (8)
- percentage of women in chamber
- 28.7%
- scope of elections
- full renewal
- term in office
- 4 years
National anthem(s)
- history
- adopted 1920, but banned between 1940 and 1990 under Soviet occupation; unofficially in use since 1869, it has the same melody as Finland's anthem, but with different lyrics
- lyrics/music
- Johann Voldemar JANNSEN/Fredrik PACIUS
- title
- "Mu isamaa, mu onn ja room" (My Native Land, My Pride and Joy)
National color(s)
blue, black, white
National heritage
- selected World Heritage Site locales
- Historic Center (Old Town) of Tallinn; Struve Geodetic Arc
- total World Heritage Sites
- 2 (both cultural)
National holiday
Independence Day, 24 February (1918)
National symbol(s)
barn swallow, cornflower
Political parties
Conservative People's Party of Estonia (Konservatiivne Rahvaerakond) or EKRE Estonia 200 or E200 Estonia Centre Party of (Keskerakond) or EK Estonian Free Party or VAP Estonian Freedom Party - Farmers' Assembly or V-PK Estonian Greens or EER Estonian Nationalists and Conservatives or ERK Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) or RE Fatherland or I Left Alliance or VL Social Democratic Party or SDE The Right or PP TOGETHER organization points to sovereignty or KOOS
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal; age 16 for local elections
Economy
Agricultural products
milk, wheat, barley, rapeseed, peas, oats, potatoes, rye, pork, triticale (2023)
Average household expenditures
- on alcohol and tobacco
- 6.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
- on food
- 19.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Budget
- expenditures
- $16.721 billion (2023 est.)
- revenues
- $15.784 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance
- Current account balance 2022
- -$1.496 billion (2022 est.)
- Current account balance 2023
- -$722.668 million (2023 est.)
- Current account balance 2024
- -$489.659 million (2024 est.)
Economic overview
high-income, service-based EU and eurozone economy; rebound in exports playing a role in economic recovery; rising food prices contributing to inflation; decrease in labor force participation and rising unemployment rate; recovery depends on boosting private investment and productivity rates
Exchange rates
- Currency
- euros (EUR) per US dollar -
- Exchange rates 2020
- 0.876 (2020 est.)
- Exchange rates 2021
- 0.845 (2021 est.)
- Exchange rates 2022
- 0.95 (2022 est.)
- Exchange rates 2023
- 0.925 (2023 est.)
- Exchange rates 2024
- 0.924 (2024 est.)
Exports
- Exports 2022
- $33.178 billion (2022 est.)
- Exports 2023
- $32.147 billion (2023 est.)
- Exports 2024
- $32.637 billion (2024 est.)
Exports - commodities
cars, wood, broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum, prefabricated buildings (2023)
Exports - partners
Finland 14%, Latvia 10%, Lithuania 9%, Sweden 7%, Russia 6% (2023)
GDP - composition, by end use
- exports of goods and services
- 77.9% (2023 est.)
- government consumption
- 20.6% (2023 est.)
- household consumption
- 52.3% (2023 est.)
- imports of goods and services
- -77% (2023 est.)
- investment in fixed capital
- 27.9% (2023 est.)
- investment in inventories
- -0.2% (2023 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
- agriculture
- 1.9% (2024 est.)
- industry
- 20.5% (2024 est.)
- services
- 65.1% (2024 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$42.765 billion (2024 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
- Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022
- 32.3 (2022 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
- highest 10%
- 24.4% (2022 est.)
- lowest 10%
- 2.8% (2022 est.)
Imports
- Imports 2022
- $33.655 billion (2022 est.)
- Imports 2023
- $31.796 billion (2023 est.)
- Imports 2024
- $32.375 billion (2024 est.)
Imports - commodities
cars, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, natural gas, packaged medicine (2023)
Imports - partners
Finland 11%, Germany 11%, China 10%, Lithuania 6%, Poland 6% (2023)
Industrial production growth rate
-7% (2024 est.)
Industries
food, engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textiles; information technology, telecommunications
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
- 19.4% (2022 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
- 9.2% (2023 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
- 3.5% (2024 est.)
Labor force
756,200 (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line
22.5% (2022 est.)
Public debt
- Public debt 2023
- 28.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
- $58.931 billion (2022 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
- $57.15 billion (2023 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
- $57.001 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
- Real GDP growth rate 2022
- 0.1% (2022 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2023
- -3% (2023 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2024
- -0.3% (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita
- Real GDP per capita 2022
- $43,700 (2022 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2023
- $41,700 (2023 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2024
- $41,500 (2024 est.)
Remittances
- Remittances 2022
- 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Remittances 2023
- 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Remittances 2024
- 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
- $2.217 billion (2022 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
- $2.593 billion (2023 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
- $2.075 billion (2024 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
21.4% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate
- Unemployment rate 2022
- 5.6% (2022 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2023
- 6.4% (2023 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2024
- 7.9% (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
- female
- 20% (2024 est.)
- male
- 21.9% (2024 est.)
- total
- 20.9% (2024 est.)
Energy
Coal
- consumption
- 800 metric tons (2023 est.)
- exports
- 7,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- imports
- 800 metric tons (2023 est.)
Electricity
- consumption
- 8.636 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- exports
- 4.355 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- imports
- 7.66 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- installed generating capacity
- 3.225 million kW (2023 est.)
- transmission/distribution losses
- 1.164 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity access
- electrification - total population
- 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity generation sources
- biomass and waste
- 27.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- fossil fuels
- 52.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- hydroelectricity
- 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- solar
- 9.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- wind
- 10.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
- Total energy consumption per capita 2023
- 73.679 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Natural gas
- consumption
- 334.748 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
- exports
- 675.708 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
- imports
- 1.01 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- refined petroleum consumption
- 27,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)
- total petroleum production
- 24,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
- subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 38 (2023 est.)
- total
- 516,000 (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
the publicly owned broadcaster, Eesti Rahvusringhaaling (ERR), operates 3 TV channels and 5 radio networks; growing number of private commercial radio stations broadcasting nationally, regionally, and locally; fully transitioned to digital television in 2010; national private TV channels expanding service, with a range of channels aimed at Russian-speaking viewers; in 2016, there were 42 on-demand services available in Estonia, including 19 pay TVOD and SVOD services; roughly 85% of households accessed digital television services
Internet country code
.ee
Internet users
- percent of population
- 93% (2023 est.)
Telephones - fixed lines
- subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 17 (2024 est.)
- total subscriptions
- 227,000 (2024 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
- subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 151 (2024 est.)
- total subscriptions
- 2.06 million (2024 est.)
Transportation
Airports
34 (2025)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
ES
Heliports
10 (2025)
Merchant marine
- by type
- general cargo 3, oil tanker 3, other 66
- total
- 72 (2023)
Ports
- key ports
- Muuga - Port of Tallin, Paldiski Lounasadam, Paljassaare, Sillamae, Vanasadam - Port of Tallinn
- large
- 4
- medium
- 1
- ports with oil terminals
- 5
- small
- 4
- total ports
- 20 (2024)
- very small
- 11
Railways
- total
- 1,441 km (2020) 225 km electrified
Military and Security
Military - note
Estonia’s defense policy aims to guarantee the country’s independence and sovereignty, protect its territorial integrity, including waters and airspace, and preserve constitutional order; Estonia’s main defense goals are developing and maintaining a credible deterrent to outside aggression and ensuring the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) can fulfill their commitments to NATO and interoperate with the armed forces of NATO and EU member states; the EDF’s primary external focus is Russia; since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Estonia has boosted defense spending, sent arms to Ukraine, and sought to boost the EDF’s capabilities in such areas as air defense, artillery, personnel readiness, and surveillance Estonia has been a member of NATO since 2004, is fully integrated within the NATO structure, and relies on its NATO partners for defense; since 2017, Estonia has hosted a UK-led multinational NATO ground force battlegroup as part of the Alliance’s Enhanced Forward Presence initiative; as the EDF Air Force does not have any combat aircraft, NATO has provided airspace protection for Estonia since 2004 through its Baltic Air Policing mission; NATO member countries that possess air combat capabilities voluntarily contribute to the mission on four-month rotations; NATO fighter aircraft have been hosted at Estonia’s Ämari Air Base since 2014; Estonia also hosts a NATO cyber security center; it cooperates closely with the EU on defense issues through the EU Common Security and Defense Policy and is a member of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, a pool of high-readiness military forces from 10 Baltic and Scandinavian countries designed to respond to a wide range of contingencies in the North Atlantic, Baltic Sea, and High North regions; Estonia also has close defense ties with its Baltic neighbors and has bilateral military agreements with a number of European countries, as well as Canada and the US (2025)
Military and security forces
Estonian Defense Forces: Land Forces, Navy, Air Force; Estonian Defense League Ministry of Interior: Police and Border Guard Board, Internal Security Service (2025)
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 7,500 active-duty military personnel (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Estonian military has a mix of Soviet-era and more modern, Western-origin weapons and equipment; suppliers in recent years include France, Israel, South Korea, Sweden, Türkiye, and the US (2025)
Military expenditures
- Military Expenditures 2021
- 2% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Military Expenditures 2022
- 2.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Military Expenditures 2023
- 3% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Military Expenditures 2024
- 3.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
- Military Expenditures 2025
- 3.4% of GDP (2025 est.)
Military service age and obligation
18-27 for compulsory military or governmental service for men; conscript service requirement 8-11 months depending on education; non-commissioned officers, reserve officers, and specialists serve 11 months; women can volunteer, and as of 2018 could serve in any military branch (2025)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
- refugees
- 42,439 (2024 est.)
- stateless persons
- 63,944 (2024 est.)
Environment
Carbon dioxide emissions
- from coal and metallurgical coke
- -19,814 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from consumed natural gas
- 649,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from petroleum and other liquids
- 3.977 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- total emissions
- 4.607 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environmental issues
air pollution from sulfur dioxide from oil-shale-burning power plants; coastal seawater pollution
International environmental agreements
- party to
- Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
- signed, but not ratified
- none of the selected agreements
Methane emissions
- agriculture
- 27.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- energy
- 11.9 kt (2022-2024 est.)
- other
- 2.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- waste
- 23.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
6.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
12.806 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal
- agricultural
- 5 million cubic meters (2022)
- industrial
- 1.135 billion cubic meters (2022)
- municipal
- 64.998 million cubic meters (2022)
Waste and recycling
- municipal solid waste generated annually
- 489,500 tons (2024 est.)
- percent of municipal solid waste recycled
- 39.1% (2022 est.)