Estonia. English. |
| The World Factbook 2002 | ||
| Estonia | 
|
|
 |
| Introduction | Estonia |
| Background: |
After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, 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. |
| Geography | Estonia |
| Location: |
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
59 00 N, 26 00 E |
| Map
references: |
Europe |
| Area: |
total: 45,226 sq
km note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea water: 2,015 sq km land: 43,211 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined |
| Land
boundaries: |
total: 633 km border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km |
| Coastline: |
3,794 km |
| Maritime
claims: |
exclusive economic zone:
limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: |
maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers |
| Terrain: |
marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point: Baltic
Sea 0 m highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m |
| Natural
resources: |
oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 26.5%
permanent crops: 0.35% other: 73.15% (1998 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
40 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
sometimes flooding occurs in the spring |
| Environment
- current issues: |
air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted to the air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 4.6 times smaller than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to water bodies fell 20 times in 2000 compared to 1980; in connection with the start-up of new water purification plants, the pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to: Air Pollution,
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
| Geography
- note: |
the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands |
| People | Estonia |
| Population: |
1,415,681 (July 2002 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years: 16.4%
(male 118,603; female 114,102) 15-64 years: 68.5% (male 466,882; female 502,343) 65 years and over: 15.1% (male 70,085; female 143,666) (2002 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
-0.52% (2002 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
8.96 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
13.44 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-0.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| 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: 0.49 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
12.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
70.02 years female: 76.31 years (2002 est.) male: 64.03 years |
| Total
fertility rate: |
1.24 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.04% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
less than 500 (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
less than 100 (1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun: Estonian(s)
adjective: Estonian |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Estonian 65.3%, Russian 28.1%, Ukrainian 2.5%, Belarusian 1.5%, Finn 1%, other 1.6% (1998) |
| Religions: |
Evangelical Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Estonian Orthodox, Baptist, Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Word of Life, Jewish |
| Languages: |
Estonian (official), Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish, other |
| Literacy: |
definition: age 15
and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1998 est.) |
| Government | Estonia |
| Country
name: |
conventional long form:
Republic of Estonia conventional short form: Estonia local short form: Eesti former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic local long form: Eesti Vabariik |
| Government
type: |
parliamentary republic |
| Capital: |
Tallinn |
| 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
(Kuressaare), Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi),
Vorumaa (Voru) note: counties have the administrative center name following in parentheses |
| Independence: |
regained on 20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 20 August 1991 was the date of reindependence from the Soviet Union |
| Constitution: |
adopted 28 June 1992 |
| Legal
system: |
based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of state: President
Arnold RUUTEL (since 8 October 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Siim KALLAS (since 28 January 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament election results: Arnold RUUTEL elected president on 21 September 2001 by a 367-member electoral assembly that convened following Parliament's failure in August to elect then-President MERI's successor; on the second ballot of voting, RUUTEL received 188 votes to Parliament Speaker Toomas SAVI's 155; the remaining 24 ballots were either left blank or invalid 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 in the Parliament, 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 21 September 2001 (next to be held in the fall of 2006); prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament |
| 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 - Center Party 25.4%, Res Publica 24.6%, Reform Party 17.7%, Estonian People's Union 13%, Pro Patria Union (Fatherland League) 7.3% People's Party Moodukad 7%; seats by party - Center Party 28, Res Publica 28, Reform Party 19, Estonian People's Union 13, Pro Patria Union 7, People's Party Moodukad 6 elections: last held 2 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007) |
| Judicial
branch: |
National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman]; Estonian People's Union (Rahsaliit) [Villu REILJAN]; Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) [Siim KALLAS]; Estonian United Russian People's Party or EUVRP; Moderates (Moodukad) [Ivari PADAR]; Pro Patria Union (Isamaaliit League) [Tunne KELAM, chairman]; Res Publica [Juhan Parts]; Russian Baltic Party [Sergei IVANOV] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| 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 |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Sven JURGENSON chancery: 1730 M Street NW, Suite 503, Washington, DC 20036 consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108 telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Joseph M. DeTHOMAS embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [372] 668-8100 FAX: [372] 668-8134 |
| Flag
description: |
pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white |
| Economy | Estonia |
| Economy
- overview: |
Estonia, as a new member of the World Trade Organization, is steadily moving toward a modern market economy with increasing ties to the West, including the pegging of its currency to the euro. A major goal is accession to the EU, possibly by 2004. The state of the economy is greatly influenced by developments in Finland, Sweden, and Germany, three major trading partners. The trade deficit is a negative factor, whereas the internal government surplus is a plus. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $15.2 billion (2002 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
4.4% (2002 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity - $10,900 (2002 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: 6% industry: 29% services: 66% (2001) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% (2000) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 30% (1998) |
| Distribution
of family income - Gini index: |
37 (1999) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
3.7% (2002) |
| Labor
force: |
608,600 (2001 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
industry 20%, agriculture 11%, services 69% (1999 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
12.4% (2001) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $1.89 billion
expenditures: $1.89 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.) |
| Industries: |
engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile; services; transit, information technology, telecommunications |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
5% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
7.056 billion kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
5.362 billion kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
1.2 billion kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (2000) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish |
| Exports: |
$3.4 billion f.o.b. (2002) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles 14%, food products 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001) |
| Exports
- partners: |
Finland 33.8%, Sweden 14%, Latvia 6.9%, Germany 6.9%, UK 4.2 (2001) |
| Imports: |
$4.4 billion f.o.b. (2002) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%, textiles 10.3%, foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001) |
| Imports
- partners: |
Finland 18%, Germany 11%, Sweden 9%, China 9%, Russia 8% (2001) |
| Debt
- external: |
$3.3 billion (2001 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$108 million (2000) |
| Currency: |
Estonian kroon (EEK) |
| Currency
code: |
EEK |
| Exchange
rates: |
krooni per US dollar - 17.518 (January 2002), 17.538 (2001), 16.969 (2000), 14.678 (1999), 14.075 (1998), 13.882 (1997); note - the kroon is tied to the euro at a fixed rate of 15.65 krooni per euro |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Communications | Estonia |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
501,691 (2000) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
711,000 (yearend 2001) |
| Telephone
system: |
general assessment:
foreign investment in the form of joint business ventures greatly improved
telephone service; substantial fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone,
TV, and radio traffic in the digital mode; internet services are available
throughout most of the country - only about 11,000 subscriber requests
were unfilled by September 2000 domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and internet services is available throughout the country international: fiber-optic cables to Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched service; two international switches are located in Tallinn (2001) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (2001) |
| Radios: |
1.01 million (1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
3 (2001) |
| Televisions: |
605,000 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.ee |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
38 (2001) |
| Internet
users: |
429,700 (2002) |
| Transportation | Estonia |
| Railways: |
total: 968 km common
carrier lines only; does not include dedicated industrial lines broad gauge: 968 km 1.520-m gauge (132 km electrified) (2001) |
| Highways: |
total: 30,300 km
paved: 29,200 km (including 75 km of expressways); note - these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, and include, in addition to conventionally paved roads, some that are surfaced with gravel or other coarse aggregate, making them trafficable in all weather unpaved: 1,100 km (2000) |
| Waterways: |
320 km (perennially navigable) (2002) |
| Pipelines: |
natural gas 2,000 km (2002) |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Haapsalu, Kunda, Muuga, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn |
| Merchant
marine: |
total: 37 ships (1,000
GRT or over) totaling 245,958 GRT/193,042 DWT note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Liberia 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 13, container 5, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 6 |
| Airports: |
32 (2001) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total: 24 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 6 (2002) |
| Military | Estonia |
| Military
branches: |
Estonia Defense Forces (including
Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force), Republic Security Forces (internal and
border troops), Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit), Maritime Border
Guard, Coast Guard note: Border Guards and Ministry of Internal Affairs become part of the Estonian Defense Forces in wartime; the Coast Guard is subordinate to the Ministry of Defense in peacetime and the Estonian Navy in wartime |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
18 years of age (2002 est.) |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age 15-49: 359,902 (2002 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 15-49: 282,716 (2002 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males: 11,164 (2002 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$155 million (2002 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
2% (2002 est.) |
| Transnational Issues | Estonia |
| Disputes
- international: |
Russia continues to reject signing and ratifying the joint December 1996 technical border agreement with Estonia |
| 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; increasing domestic drug abuse problem; possible precursor manufacturing and/or trafficking |
Source:
The World Factbook 2002
Last Updated: 19 March 2003
2000-2007
Association for Human Rights Defense International
www.4humanrights.org : www.hrd1.org : DONATE
www.4humanrights.org : www.hrd1.org : DONATE
