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Background:
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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. |
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Location:
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Eastern
Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland,
between Latvia and Russia |
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Geographic coordinates:
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59 00 N,
26 00 E |
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Map references:
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Europe
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Area:
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total:
45,226 sq km
land: 43,211 sq km
water: 2,015 sq km
note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
633 km
border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km
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Coastline:
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3,794 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in
coordination with neighboring states |
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Climate:
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maritime,
wet, moderate winters, cool summers |
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Terrain:
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marshy,
lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m |
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Natural resources:
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oil
shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand,
dolomite, arable land, sea mud |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 16.04%
permanent crops: 0.45%
other: 83.51% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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40 sq km
(1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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sometimes
flooding occurs in the spring |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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the
mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded;
offshore lie more than 1,500 islands |
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Population:
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1,332,893
(July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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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.) |
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Median age:
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total:
39.06 years
male: 35.52 years
female: 42.35 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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-0.65%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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9.91
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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13.21
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-3.18
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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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.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 71.77 years
male: 66.28 years
female: 77.6 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.39
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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1.1%
(2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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7,800
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than
200 (2003 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Estonian(s)
adjective: Estonian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Estonian
67.9%, Russian 25.6%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Belarusian 1.3%,
Finn 0.9%, other 2.2% (2000 census) |
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Religions:
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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) |
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Languages:
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Estonian
(official) 67.3%, Russian 29.7%, other 2.3%, unknown
0.7% (2000 census) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.8% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Estonia
conventional short form: Estonia
local long form: Eesti Vabariik
local short form: Eesti
former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic |
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Government type:
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parliamentary republic |
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Capital:
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Tallinn
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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20 August
1991 (from Soviet Union) |
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National holiday:
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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 |
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Constitution:
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adopted
28 June 1992 |
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Legal system:
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based on
civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts
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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal for all Estonian citizens |
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Executive branch:
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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 |
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Legislative branch:
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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 |
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Judicial branch:
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National
Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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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] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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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
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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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 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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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 |
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Flag description:
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pre-1940
flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three
equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white
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Economy - overview:
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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. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$19.23
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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6% (2004
est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $14,300 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 4.1%
industry: 28.9%
services: 67% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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660,000
(2004 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 11%, industry 20%, services 69% (1999 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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9.6%
(2004 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA (2000)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: 3%
highest 10%: 29.8% (1998) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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37 (1999)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3% (2004
est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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28.2% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $4.622 billion
expenditures: $4.601 billion, including capital
expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
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Public debt:
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5.4% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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potatoes,
vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish |
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Industries:
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engineering, electronics, wood and wood products,
textile; information technology, telecommunications |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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5% (2000
est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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8.301
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 99.8%
hydro: 0.1%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0.2% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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6.358
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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1.562
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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200
million kWh (2002) |
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Oil - production:
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5,100
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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24,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Natural gas - production:
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0 cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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1.27
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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1.27
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Current account balance:
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$-1.169
billion (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$5.701
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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machinery
and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles 14%,
food products 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical
products (2001) |
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Exports - partners:
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Finland
23.1%, Sweden 15.3%, Germany 8.4%, Latvia 7.9%, Russia
5.7%, Lithuania 4.4% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$7.318
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery
and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%, textiles
10.3%, foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9%
(2001) |
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Imports - partners:
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Finland
22.1%, Germany 12.9%, Sweden 9.7%, Russia 9.2%,
Lithuania 5.3%, Latvia 4.7% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$1.503
billion (2004 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$8.373
billion (2004 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$108
million (2000) |
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Currency (code):
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Estonian
kroon (EEK) |
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Currency code:
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EEK |
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Exchange rates:
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krooni
per US dollar - 12.596 (2004), 13.856 (2003), 16.612
(2002), 17.478 (2001), 16.969 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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475,000
(2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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881,000
(2002) |
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Telephone system:
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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) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 0, FM
98, shortwave 0 (2001) |
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Radios:
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1.01
million (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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3 (2001)
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Televisions:
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605,000
(1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.ee |
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Internet hosts:
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82,142
(2004) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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38 (2001)
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Internet users:
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444,000
(2002) |
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Railways:
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total:
958 km
broad gauge: 958 km 1.520-m/1.524-m gauge (132 km
electrified) (2004) |
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Highways:
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total:
55,944 km
paved: 13,874 km (including 99 km of expressways)
unpaved: 42,070 km (2002) |
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Waterways:
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500 km
(2003) |
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Pipelines:
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gas 859
km (2004) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Kopli,
Kuivastu, Muuga, Tallinn, Virtsu |
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Merchant marine:
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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) |
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Airports:
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29 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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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.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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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.) |
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Military branches:
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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
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Military service age and obligation:
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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) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 291,696 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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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 |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males:
11,146 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$155
million (2002 est.) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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2% (2002
est.) |
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Disputes - international:
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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 |
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Illicit drugs:
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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 |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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