Estonia

Internet country code

.ee

Internet hosts

82,142 (2004)

Internet users

444,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (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: country code - 372; fiber-optic cables to Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched service; two international switches are located in Tallinn (2001)

Telephones - main lines in use

475,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

881,000 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

3 (2001)

Agriculture - products

potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish

Budget

revenues: $4.622 billion expenditures: $4.601 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

Currency (code)

Estonian kroon (EEK)

Current account balance

$-1.169 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external

$8.373 billion (2004 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

37 (1999)

Economic aid - recipient

$108 million (2000)

Economy - overview

Estonia, as a new member of the World Trade Organization and the European Union, has transitioned effectively to a modern market economy with strong ties to the West, including the pegging of its currency to the euro. The economy benefits from strong electronics and telecommunications sectors and is greatly influenced by developments in Finland, Sweden, and Germany, three major trading partners. The current account deficit remains high; however, the state budget enjoyed a surplus of $130 million in 2003.

Electricity - consumption

6.358 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports

1.562 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

200 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

8.301 billion kWh (2002)

Exchange rates

krooni per US dollar - 12.596 (2004), 13.856 (2003), 16.612 (2002), 17.478 (2001), 16.969 (2000)

Exports

$5.701 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles 14%, food products 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001)

Exports - partners

Finland 23.1%, Sweden 15.3%, Germany 8.4%, Latvia 7.9%, Russia 5.7%, Lithuania 4.4% (2004)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$19.23 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 4.1% industry: 28.9% services: 67% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $14,300 (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

6% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 29.8% (1998)

Imports

$7.318 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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 22.1%, Germany 12.9%, Sweden 9.7%, Russia 9.2%, Lithuania 5.3%, Latvia 4.7% (2004)

Industrial production growth rate

5% (2000 est.)

Industries

engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile; information technology, telecommunications

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

28.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Labor force

660,000 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Natural gas - consumption

1.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

1.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption

24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA

Oil - imports

NA

Oil - production

5,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA (2000)

Public debt

5.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.503 billion (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate

9.6% (2004 est.)

Area

total: 45,226 sq km land: 43,211 sq km water: 2,015 sq km note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined

Climate

maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Coastline

3,794 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m

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 80% less than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to water bodies in 2000 was one twentieth the level of 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-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

59 00 N, 26 00 E

Geography - note

the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands

Irrigated land

40 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 633 km border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km

Land use

arable land: 16.04% permanent crops: 0.45% other: 83.51% (2001)

Location

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states

Natural hazards

sometimes flooding occurs in the spring

Natural resources

oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud

Terrain

marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

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

Capital

Tallinn

Constitution

adopted 28 June 1992

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Estonia conventional short form: Estonia local long form: Eesti Vabariik local short form: Eesti former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Aldona Zofia WOS embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [372] 668-8100 FAX: [372] 668-8134

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Juri LUIK chancery: 2131 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101 FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108 consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Arnold RUUTEL (since 8 October 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Andrus ANSIP (since 12 April 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; if a candidate 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 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 186 votes to Parliament Speaker Toomas SAVI's 155; the remaining 26 ballots were either left blank or invalid

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 republic

Independence

20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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) elections: last held 2 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007) 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

National holiday

Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 is the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia; 20 August 1991 is the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union

Political parties and leaders

Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman]; Estonian People's Union (Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN, chairman]; Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) [Andrus ANSIP]; Estonian United Russian People's Party or EUVRP [Yevgeniy TOMBERG, chairman]; Pro Patria Union (Isamaaliit) [Tunne KELAM, chairman]; Res Publica [Juhan PARTS, chairman]; Social Democratic Party (formerly People's Party Moodukad or Moderates) [Ivari PADAR, chairman]; Social Liberals (group of 8 parliamentarians, former Center Party members) [Peeter Kreitzberg]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens

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. It joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 291,696 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 200,382 (2005 est.) : note - in 2004, 51% of the young men called up for service were determined to be unfit; main obstacles to conscription were psychiatric and behavioral

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males: 11,146 (2005 est.)

Military branches

Estonian Defense Forces: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force and Air Defense Staff, 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 expenditures - dollar figure

$155 million (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2% (2002 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 11-month service obligation; Estonia has committed to retaining conscription for men and women up to 2010; 17 years of age for volunteers (2004)

Age structure

0-14 years: 15.5% (male 106,300/female 100,446) 15-64 years: 67.7% (male 429,843/female 472,034) 65 years and over: 16.8% (male 74,037/female 150,233) (2005 est.)

Birth rate

9.91 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate

13.21 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ethnic groups

Estonian 67.9%, Russian 25.6%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Belarusian 1.3%, Finn 0.9%, other 2.2% (2000 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

7,800 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 7.87 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.06 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Languages

Estonian (official) 67.3%, Russian 29.7%, other 2.3%, unknown 0.7% (2000 census)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.77 years male: 66.28 years female: 77.6 years (2005 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 39.06 years male: 35.52 years female: 42.35 years (2005 est.)

Nationality

noun: Estonian(s) adjective: Estonian

Net migration rate

-3.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Population

1,332,893 (July 2005 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.65% (2005 est.)

Religions

Evangelical Lutheran 13.6%, Orthodox 12.8%, other Christian (including Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal) 1.4%, unaffiliated 34.1%, other and unspecified 32%, none 6.1% (2000 census)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female total population: 0.84 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Disputes - international

in 1996, the Estonia-Russia technical border agreement was initialed but both states have been hesitant to sign and ratify it, with Russia asserting that Estonia needs to better assimilate Russian-speakers and Estonian groups pressing for realignment of the boundary based more closely on the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty that would bring the now divided ethnic Setu people and parts of the Narva region within Estonia; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Estonia must implement the strict Schengen border rules

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; potential money laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking is a concern as is possible use of the gambling sector to launder funds

Airports

29 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 14 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Highways

total: 55,944 km paved: 13,874 km (including 99 km of expressways) unpaved: 42,070 km (2002)

Merchant marine

total: 43 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 212,998 GRT/177,488 DWT by type: cargo 17, passenger/cargo 20, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 4 foreign-owned: 6 (Norway 6) registered in other countries: 51 (2005)

Pipelines

gas 859 km (2004)

Ports and harbors

Kopli, Kuivastu, Muuga, Tallinn, Virtsu

Railways

total: 958 km broad gauge: 958 km 1.520-m/1.524-m gauge (132 km electrified) (2004)

Waterways

500 km (2003)