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ESTONIA
The Republic of Estonia is a country in Northern Europe, bordering the
Baltic Sea to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the north, and sharing a
land border with its fellow Baltic state Latvia to the south and with Russia
to the east.
History
Estonia has been populated by the native Finno Ugric Estonians since
prehistory. It was first christianised when the German Sword Brethren and
Denmark conquered the land by 1227. Subsequent foreign powers that
controlled Estonia at various times included Denmark, Sweden, Poland and
finally Russia .
Following the
collapse of Imperial Russia after the October Revolution, Estonia declared
its independence as a republic on 24 February 1918. Forcibly incorporated
into the Soviet Union in June 1940, it regained its freedom on 20 August
1991 with the Singing Revolution and collapse of the Soviet Union. 20 August
remains a national holiday in Estonia because of this.
Since the last Russian troops left on 31 August 1994, Estonia has been free
to promote economic and political ties with Western Europe and outside,
becoming a member of NATO on 29 March 2004. Estonia opened accession
negotiations with the European Union in 1998 and joined on 1 May 2004.
Politics
Estonia is a constitutional democracy, with a president elected by its
unicameral parliament (elections every five years). The government or the
executive branch is formed by the prime minister, nominated by the president,
and a total of 14 ministers. The government is appointed by the president
after approval by the parliament.
Legislative power lies with the unicameral parliament, the Riigikogu or
State Assembly, which consists of 101 seats. Members are elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms. The supreme judiciary court is the National
Court or Riigikohus, with 17 justices whose chairman is appointed by the
parliament for life on nomination by the president.dssd
Counties
Estonia numbers 15 main administrative subdivisions. Due to the geographical
and demographic size of these subdivisions, they are to be considered
counties rather than states (Estonian: pl. maakonnad; sg. - maakond). Here
is a list of them:
Harju County (Estonian: Harjumaa)
Hiiu County (Estonian: Hiiumaa)
Ida-Viru County (Estonian: Ida-Virumaa)
Järva County (Estonian: Järvamaa)
Jõgeva County (Estonian: Jõgevamaa)
Lääne County (Estonian: Läänemaa)
Lääne-Viru County (Estonian: Lääne-Virumaa)
Pärnu County (Estonian: Pärnumaa)
Põlva County (Estonian: Põlvamaa)
Rapla County (Estonian: Raplamaa)
Saare County (Estonian: Saaremaa)
Tartu County (Estonian: Tartumaa)
Valga County (Estonian: Valgamaa)
Viljandi County (Estonian: Viljandimaa)
Võru County (Estonian: Võrumaa)
Geography
Between 57.3 and 59.5 latitude and 21.5 and 28.1 longitude, Estonia lies on
the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea on the level northwestern part of the
rising east European platform. Average elevation reaches only 50 m.
Oil shale (or kukersite) and limestone deposits, along with forests which
cover 47% of the land, play key economic roles in this generally resource-poor
country. Estonia boasts over 1,400 lakes (most very small, with the largest,
Lake Peipsi, being 3,555 km²), numerous bogs, and 3,794 kilometers of
coastline marked by numerous bays, straits, and inlets. The number of
islands and islets is estimated at some 1,500 with two large enough to
constitute their own counties, Saaremaa and Hiiumaa.
Its highest point is the Suur Munamägi in the southeastern corner of the
country (318 m).
Economy
As a member of the European Union, Estonia is part of the world's largest
economic zone. 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. Privatization of energy, telecommunications, railways, and other
state-owned companies is a continuing process. Estonia completed most of its
preparations for EU membership by the end of 2002 and now has one of the
strongest economies of the new members states of the European Union, which
Estonia joined on 1 May 2004. The Estonian economy is growing fast, partly
due to a number of Finnish companies relocating their routine operations,
and has a strong IT sector. GDP PPP is at $12,300, the highest in the Baltic
states.
Demographics
About seventy percent of the population consist of ethnic Estonians, with
the rest from other former Soviet republics, mainly Russia, who
predominantly live in the industrial north eastern county of Ida-Virumaa and
in the capital Tallinn. There is also a small group of Finnish descent.
The country's official language is Estonian, which is closely related to
Finnish. Russian is also widely spoken as is English.
Ethnicity
According to a census undertaken in 2002, the Estonian people are:
67.9 % Estonians
25.6% Russians
2.1% Ukrainians
1.2% Belarusians
0.9% Finns
2.3% others
Religion
Traditional religion of the Estonians is the Christian belief in the form
the Evangelical Lutheran confession (as in many other countries in
Scandinavia).
Less than a third of the population define themselves as believers, of those
the majority are Lutheran, whereas the Russian minority is Eastern Orthodox.
Ancient equinoctial heathen traditions are held in high regard.
Today, about 32 % of the population are members of a church or religious
group, thereof:
14.8 % Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church
13.9 % Orthodox
ca. 6,000 Baptists
ca. 3,500 Roman-Catholics
There are also a number of smaller Protestant and Jewish groups.
Language
The Estonian language, together with Finnish and Hungarian, form a language
group called Finno-Ugric languages, and with Basque are linguistically
unrelated to what linguists call the Indo-European language family, which
includes nearly all other European languages, such as Germanic languages (like
German, English, Swedish, Danish, etc.), and Romance languages (like Italian,
French, or Spanish), for example. This unrelatedness makes it more difficult
for Indo-European language users to learn and understand the Estonian
language than other Indo-European languages (and vice versa).
List of Estonians
Famous Estonians include:
Kalevipoeg, mythological hero
Julius Aamisepp, plant breeder
Johannes Aavik, linguist
Jüri Adams, politician
Yuri Lotman, semiotician
Valmar Adams, writer
Amandus Adamson, sculptor
Urmas Alender, rock singer
Jüri Allik, psychologist
Artur Alliksaar, poet
Betti Alver, poet
Ants Antson, Olympic champion
Paul Ariste, linguist
Jüri Arrak, painter
Nikolai Baturin, writer
Maimu Berg, writer and politician
Georg Dehio, art historian (ethnic German)
Thomas Edur (Toomas Edur), ballet dancer
Kaarel Eenpalu, politician
Jaan Ehlvest, chess player
Jüri Ehlvest, writer
Jaan Einasto, astrophysicist
Heino Eller, composer
Olari Elts, conductor
Ene Ergma, astronomer, politician
Gustav Ernesaks, composer and conductor
Ants Eskola, actor
Ita Ever, actress
Friedrich Robert Faehlmann, writer
August Gailit, writer
Tiit Härm, ballet dancer and choreographer
Miina Härma, composer
Johannes Hint, inventor
Carl Abraham Hunnius, doctor
Jakob Hurt, collector of folklore
Toomas Hendrik Ilves, journalist, politician
Ivar Ivask, critic and poet
Ernst Jaakson, diplomat
Carl Robert Jakobson, journalist
Johann Voldemar Jannsen, journalist
Jüri Järvet, actor
Neeme Järvi, conductor
Jaak Joala, singer
Steve Jurvetson, US businessman, ethnic Estonian
Fred Jüssi, journalist
Anu Kaal, opera singer
Johannes Käbin, communist politician
Louis I. Kahn, architect
Raimo Kangro, composer
Jaan Kaplinski, writer
Tõnu Kaljuste, conductor
Siim Kallas, politician
Edgar Kant, geographer
Tõnu Kark, actor
Carmen Kass, supermodel
Tunne Kelam, politician
Paul Keres, chess player
Jaan Kirsipuu, cyclist
August Kitzberg, writer
Eri Klas, conductor (Jewish)
Paul Kogerman, oil-shale chemist
Lydia Koidula, poetess
Johann Köler, painter
Madis Kõiv, physicist, writer
Jaan Koort, sculptor
Kaie Kõrb, ballerina
Johannes Kotkas, Olympic champion
Peeter Kreitzberg, educationalist, politician
Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald, author of the national epic
Jaan Kross, novelist
Hendrik Krumm, opera singer
Tiiu Kuik, model
Eerik Kumari, ornitologist
Julius Kuperjanov, war hero
Mart Laar, politician
Johan Laidoner, general
Ants Laikmaa, painter
Meinhard Leetmaa, officer
Lembitu, ancient leader of Estonians' fight for freedom
Juhan Liiv, poet
Ivo Linna, singer
Heino Lipp, athlete
Endel Lippmaa, physicist and politician
Tõnu Luik, philosopher
Viivi Luik, writer
Georg Lurich, athlete
Oskar Luts, writer
Konrad Mägi, painter
Tõnis Mägi, singer
Linnart Mäll, Buddhologist, politician
Rein Maran, film-maker
Markko Märtin, rally pilot
Uku Masing, poet and theologian
Alo Matiisen, composer
Marko Matvere, actor
Lennart Meri, writer, film-maker, diplomat and politician
Jakob Mihkelson, businessman and cultural figure
Sven Mikser, politician
Felix Moor, radio journalist
Harri Moora, archeologist
Mai Murdmaa, choreographer
Mihkel Mutt, writer, critic, essayist
Erki Nool, Olympic champion
Elmo Nüganen, stage producer (ethnic Finn)
Ülo Nugis, politician
Pent Nurmekund, polyglot
Evald Okas, painter
Agnes Oaks (Age Oks), ballerina
Lembit Oll, chess player
Ernst Öpik, astronomer
Lembit Öpik, British politician, ethnic Estonian
Karl Orviku, geologist
Georg Ots, singer
Siiri Oviir, politician
Mati Palm, opera singer
Kristjan Palusalu, double Olympic champion
Voldemar Panso, stage producer
Valdo Pant, radio and television journalist
Arvi Parbo, Australian businessman, ethnic Estonian
Erast Parmasto, mycologist
Priit Pärn, film maker
Arvo Pärt, composer
Juhan Parts, politician
Annely Peebo, opera singer
Konstantin Päts, president
Juhan Peegel, historian of journalism
Kristian Jaak Peterson, poet
Paul Pinna, actor
Johan Pitka, admiral, war hero, politician
Mart Poom, football player
Jaan Poska, diplomat
Jaan Puhvel, linguist
Helmi Puur, ballerina
Ludvig Puusepp, innovative surgeon
Kalle Randalu, pianist
Tiiu Randviir, ballerina
Rein Rannap, composer, pianist
Kristjan Raud, black-and-white artist
Rein Raud, japonologist, intellectual
Toomas Raudam, writer
Anna Raudkats, collector of folk dances
Anto Raukas, geologist
Alfons Rebane, war hero
Liina Reiman, actress
Villem Reiman, nationalist activist
Günther Reindorff, black-and-white artist
Karl Ristikivi, novelist and poet
Jaanus Rohumaa, stage producer
Hando Runnel, poet
Balthasar Russow, chronicler (ethnic descent unknown)
Arnold Rüütel, president
Evar Saar, place-name specialist and Võro language activist
Erika Salumäe, double Olympic champion
Edgar Savisaar, poltician
Arnold Seppo, innovative surgeon
Urmas Sisask, composer
Anton Starkopf, sculptor
Otto Strandman, politician
Toomas Sulling, heart surgeon
Lepo Sumera, composer
Mena Suvari, actress, ethnic Estonian
Rein Taagepera, political scientist, politician
Jaan Talts, Olympic champion
Aino Talvi, actress
Andres Tarand, climatologist, politician
Anton Hansen Tammsaare, novelist
Jüri Tarmak, Olympic champion
Enn Tarto, fighter for freedom
Rudolf Tobias, composer
Jaan Tõnisson, politician
Veljo Tormis, composer
Eduard Tubin, composer
Friedebert Tuglas, writer
Peeter Tulviste, psychologist and politician
Endel Tulving, psychologist
Erkki-Sven Tüür, composer
Aarne Üksküla, actor
Jüri Uluots, politician
Marie Under, poetess
Mati Unt, writer, stage producer
Ida Urbel, choreographer
Jaak Uudmäe, Olympic champion
Voldemar Vaga, art historian
Raimond Valgre, composer
Vaino Väljas, politician
Märt Väljataga, intellectual
Rein Veidemann, critic
Juhan Viiding, poet and actor
Eduard Viiralt, black-and-white artist
Ülo Vilimaa, choreographer
Eduard Vilde, novelist
Jüri Vilms, statesman
Margarita Voites, opera singer
Ülo Vooglaid, sociologist, politician
Transportation in Estonia
Railways
total: 1,018 km common carrier lines only; does not include dedicated
industrial lines
broad gauge: 1,018 km 1.520-m gauge (132 km electrified) (1995)
Highways
total: 49,480 km
paved: 10,935 km (including 75 km of expressways)
unpaved: 38,545 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: 320 km perennially navigable
Pipelines: natural gas 420 km (1992)
Ports and harbors: Haapsalu, Kunda, Muuga, Paldiski, Pärnu, Tallinn
Merchant marine
total: 50 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 306,264 GRT/293,083 DWT
ships by type: (1999 est.)
bulk 3
cargo 20
combination bulk 1
container 5
petroleum tanker 2
roll-on/roll-off 13
short-sea passenger 6
Airports
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5 (1997 est.)
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1997 est.)
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