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Location
Northern Europe.
Area
45,228 sq km (17,463 sq miles).
Population
1,266,375 (2013).
Population Density
28 per sq km.
Capital
Tallinn.
Government
Republic since 1918. Annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940. Regained independence in 1991.
Geography
Estonia is the most northerly of the three Baltic Republics and is bordered to the north and west by the Baltic Sea, to the east by the Russian Federation and to the south by Latvia. The country is one of great scenic beauty with many forests, more than 1,400 lakes and 1,500 islands. Smaller than Lithuania and Latvia, it has nevertheless the longest coastline of all the Baltic States.
Language
Estonian is the official language. Many older people also speak some Russian, which is the mother tongue of around 30% of the population. However, using Russian can cause offence and it's better to speak English, which is widely spoken by people under 40.
Religion
The majority are non-religious. 23% Christian, with Lutheranism and Orthodoxy.
Time
GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Social Conventions
Estonians are generally quite reserved and polite. A hand shake is the customary greeting. Normal courtesies should be observed. The Estonians are proud of their culture and their national heritage, and visitors should take care to respect this.
Electricity
230 volts AC, 50Hz. European-style two-pin plugs are used.
Head of Government
Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas since 2014.
Head of State
President Toomas Hendrik Ilves since 2006.
Recent History
Estonia continues to make European integration a keystone of its foreign policy and is planning to adopt the Euro in 2010, having joined the EU in 2004. Estonia enjoys high regard throughout western Europe for its successful handling of the transformation from ailing post-communist state to transparent social democratic government.
Relations with neighbouring Russia have nosedived since 2007, following the removal of a Soviet war memorial in Tallinn that triggered ethnic Russian riots in the city. A short time afterwards, a ‘cyber attack' was launched on Estonian government websites and computer systems, which was roundly attributed to Russia, although Moscow denied responsibility. |
