Estonia Destinations Travel Guide
Language: Estonian
Currency: Estonian kroon (EEK)
Calling Code: 372
Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a Baltic republic located in northern Europe. Since 2004, it has been part of the European Union (EU) and NATO. It is bordered on the south by Latvia, on the east by Russia, on the north by the Gulf of Finland and on the west by the Baltic Sea. The territory of Estonia comprises a continental region and a set of 2 222 islands and islets within the Baltic Sea, covering a total of 45 228 km2. It is divided politically into 15 counties, and the capital of the country is its largest city, Tallinn With a population of 1.3 million, Estonia is one of the least populated countries within the European Union. The Estonian people are ethnically and linguistically related to the Finnish and have historical and cultural ties with the Nordic countries as well as the other two Baltic countries, this despite the fact that the Nordic countries do not yet recognize their affiliation to this group, although they are negotiations to join the Nordic Council, being the member countries observers of the Nordic bloc. Estonia adopted the euro on January 1, 2011, replacing the Estonian crown.
Until the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries,
Estonians called themselves maarahvas, which literally means “the
people of the earth,” that is, engaged in agriculture. The term
eestlane comes from Latin (Aesti). So called Tacitus in "Germany"
the people inhabiting the far coast of the Baltic Sea. Ancient
Scandinavian sagas contain a mention of a land called Eistland - so
Estonia is still called in the Icelandic language, which is close to
the Danish, German, Dutch, Swedish and Norwegian versions of the
name - Estland. Early Latin sources also contain versions of the
name of the territory of Estia and Hestia (Estia and Hestia).
After independence in 1918, the country received the name
"Estonia" (Esthonia), under this name it joined the League of
Nations in 1921. After joining the USSR in 1940, the country was
renamed the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic, and after the
collapse of the USSR in 1991, it became known as the Republic of
Estonia.
Tallinn
Estonia's vibrant
capital is a must-visit gem, blending a beautifully preserved
medieval Old Town (a UNESCO World Heritage site) with modern charm.
Wander cobblestone streets lined with historic buildings, climb
Toompea Hill for panoramic views, explore Toompea Castle, and enjoy
the mix of Gothic architecture, cozy cafés, and lively cultural
scene. It's an ideal base for discovering the rest of the country.
North Estonia offers a perfect mix of coastal beauty, historic towns,
charming villages, and natural wonders. Here are some standout spots to
explore:
Rakvere: A lively regional center
known for its impressive Rakvere Castle ruins, which host medieval
festivals, theater performances, and interactive exhibits. The town
features a charming central square and easy access to nearby nature.
Paldiski: A coastal town with a fascinating Soviet-era
history, dramatic cliffs, and scenic seaside views. Once a closed
military base, it now appeals to those interested in industrial heritage
and peaceful Baltic Sea landscapes.
Kunda:
Famous for its cement factory history and the Kunda Museum, this small
town sits near scenic rivers and forests, offering a glimpse into
Estonia's industrial past alongside quiet nature trails.
Tapa: A historic railway junction town with
military heritage sites. It's a convenient stop for those exploring the
region's transport history and surrounding countryside.
Käsmu: Known as the "Captains' Village," this
picturesque fishing settlement in Lahemaa features traditional wooden
houses, a maritime museum, and a seafaring heritage. It's one of the
most atmospheric spots along the coast.
Türi:
Often called the "Spring Capital of Estonia," this town bursts with
flowers and hosts annual festivals. It offers peaceful parks, a lovely
church, and a relaxed small-town vibe.
Võsu: A
charming seaside resort village with sandy beaches, perfect for
swimming, relaxing by the Gulf of Finland, or enjoying summer cottages
and coastal walks.
Aruküla: A green suburban
area near Tallinn, ideal for nature lovers with its forests, hiking
trails, and peaceful rural atmosphere.
Kaberneeme: A quaint coastal village with a small
harbor, beautiful rocky shores, and traditional Estonian wooden
architecture. Great for a quiet escape by the sea.
Laulasmaa: Known for its stunning sandy beaches
and wellness resorts, this area provides a serene coastal retreat with
opportunities for swimming, spa treatments, and nature walks.
Lahemaa National Park
Estonia's oldest and largest
national park (established in 1971) spans 725 km² of diverse landscapes,
including lush primeval forests, vast wetlands and bogs (like the
popular Viru Bog with its boardwalks), rocky and sandy beaches, and
historic fishing villages. Highlights include grand manor houses such as
Palmse, abandoned Soviet submarine bases (like Hara), diverse wildlife
(moose, beavers, lynx), and erratic boulders. It's an easy day trip from
Tallinn and perfect for hiking, birdwatching, and immersing in unspoiled
nature.
Paide Castle
Located in central Estonia's Järva County, this 13th-century medieval
fortress (built around 1265 by the Livonian Order) features a striking
octagonal tower known as Vallitorn or "Tall Hermann." Climb the tower
for excellent views, explore the ruins and museum exhibits, and learn
about its role in Estonian history. The surrounding park adds to the
scenic appeal.
Toolse Castle
Also known as Tolsburg, this late 15th-century (around 1471) Teutonic
Order castle is one of Estonia's youngest medieval fortresses and the
northernmost outpost of its kind. Perched close to the sea, its
atmospheric ruins offer sea views, historical insights, and
family-friendly activities like adventure paths and pirate-themed
experiences. It's a hidden gem for castle enthusiasts.
East Estonia (Ida-Viru County) is the easternmost region of Estonia,
located on the border with Russia. It is known for its diverse cultural
heritage, heavy industry (especially oil shale), beautiful nature, and a
significant Russian-speaking population. The main towns and settlements
in the area include:
Narva — Estonia’s
third-largest city and the eastern gateway of the country. Famous for
its impressive medieval Narva Castle (Herman Castle), the Narva River,
and the spectacular Alexander’s Cathedral. It sits directly opposite the
Russian city of Ivangorod.
Narva-Jõesuu — A charming seaside resort town just west
of Narva. It is popular for its long sandy beaches, pine forests, and
peaceful atmosphere, making it a favorite summer destination.
Jõhvi — The administrative capital of Ida-Viru
County. A modern, compact town that serves as the regional hub with good
transport connections, cultural venues, and the historic Jõhvi Church.
Sillamäe — A coastal industrial town known for its
deep-water port and Soviet-era heritage. It features a beautiful
promenade, a unique Stalinist neoclassical town center, and was once a
secretive uranium processing site.
Kohtla-Järve
— One of Estonia’s major industrial cities and the heart of the
country’s oil shale industry. It is actually composed of several
separate districts (including Järve, Ahtme, Sompa, and Kukruse) and
offers the fascinating Oil Shale Museum and mining heritage sites.
Mustvee — A small, quiet town on the western shore
of Lake Peipus (Europe’s fourth-largest lake). It is well known for its
fishing community, onion-growing traditions (especially among Old
Believers), and scenic lakeside location.
Toila
— A picturesque resort village famous for its beautiful park, Toila Spa,
and dramatic coastal cliffs. It is often called one of the most
attractive small settlements on Estonia’s northern coast.
Kuremäe — A peaceful village home to the historic
Pühtitsa Convent (Kuremäe Monastery), one of the most important Russian
Orthodox monasteries in the Baltic states. The stunning hilltop complex
attracts pilgrims and tourists alike.
Püssi —
A small industrial town located between Jõhvi and Kohtla-Järve,
historically connected to the oil shale and power industries.
Key Coastal Towns
Pärnu: Often called
Estonia's "Summer Capital," this lively resort city sits on the Baltic
Sea and draws visitors with its long sandy beaches, vibrant promenade,
spas, and mud baths. It features charming wooden villas, excellent
restaurants, and a relaxed atmosphere perfect for swimming, sunbathing,
and summer festivals.
Haapsalu: Nicknamed the "Venice of the North," this
picturesque seaside town offers medieval charm with its 13th-century
Haapsalu Castle and cathedral ruins. It excels as a spa destination
famous for mud therapy, while its historic wooden architecture, railway
museum, and scenic promenade enhance its appeal for cultural exploration
and relaxation.
Kuressaare: The charming
capital of Saaremaa Island (Estonia's largest island) centers around its
exceptionally well-preserved 14th-century Episcopal Castle, now housing
a museum. The town provides beaches, water parks, spas, and a peaceful
island lifestyle surrounded by forests and coastline.
Kärdla: The main (and only) town on Hiiumaa
Island, known as a green "garden city" with lush parks and wooden homes.
It serves as an excellent base for exploring the island, with nearby
meteorite crater sites and a laid-back, nature-oriented feel.
Smaller Coastal Gems
Kabli: A quiet coastal
village popular for its unspoiled beaches and birdwatching
opportunities.
Noarootsi: A scenic peninsula
with Swedish heritage, offering hiking trails, coastal views, and a
peaceful rural escape.
Valgeranna: Features beautiful sandy beaches and pine
forests, ideal for family outings and water activities.
Nõva: A small settlement known for its natural
surroundings, hiking paths, and proximity to protected coastal areas.
Major Islands
Saaremaa
Island: Estonia's largest island boasts windmills, limestone
cliffs, ancient forests, and unique cultural traditions. Kuressaare
serves as its hub, but the island rewards exploration with bike routes,
beaches, and historic sites.
Hiiumaa Island: The
second-largest island emphasizes wild nature, lighthouses (like the
famous Kõpu), and unhurried island life. It features forests, bogs, and
a strong sense of tranquility.
National Parks
Matsalu National Park: A premier birdwatching paradise in
West Estonia with vast wetlands, coastal meadows, and migratory bird
habitats. It supports millions of birds annually and offers observation
towers for stunning views.
Vilsandi National Park: Located off Saaremaa's western
coast, this marine-focused park protects numerous small islands, rich
seal populations, diverse seabirds, and unique coastal ecosystems.
Visitors can explore by boat, kayak, or on foot through shallow waters.
Tartu: Often called the intellectual and
cultural heart of Estonia, this lively university city is the largest in
South Estonia. It boasts a beautiful historic old town, the iconic
University of Tartu (founded in 1632), museums, theaters, and a youthful
atmosphere. It's ideal for exploring Estonian science, arts, and
history.
Viljandi: A picturesque hilltop town famous as Estonia's
capital of folk music and crafts. Its scenic castle ruins overlook a
lake, and it hosts major folk festivals. The charming old streets and
creative vibe make it a favorite for culture lovers.
Otepää: Known as the "Winter Capital" of Estonia,
this upland area features gentle hills, forests, and lakes. It's a top
destination for skiing, snow sports, hiking, and cycling in summer, with
beautiful nature trails and a relaxed resort feel.
Valga: A unique border town shared with Latvia
(its twin town is Valka). It offers interesting cross-border
experiences, lakes, hiking paths, and a mix of Estonian and Latvian
cultural influences.
Võru: A peaceful town
surrounded by beautiful lakes and forests in Võru County. It serves as a
gateway to unspoiled wilderness, with opportunities for boating,
fishing, and exploring local heritage.
Obinitsa:
A cultural gem in Setomaa, home to the Seto people with their distinct
language, traditions, and folklore. Visit the Seto Museum for insights
into this unique minority culture, especially during colorful festivals.
Tõrva: A small, welcoming town with attractions
like the Mulgi Experience Centre, the National Piano Museum, scenic
parks, and nearby nature spots for a quiet getaway.
Elva: A charming pine-forest town popular as a
summer resort. Just a short drive from Tartu, it features lovely lakes,
forests, hiking trails, and a tranquil environment perfect for
relaxation and outdoor activities.
Soomaa National Park: Famous for its vast bogs, forests,
rivers, and "fifth season" spring floods. This wetland paradise is
excellent for canoeing, bog walking on boardwalks, wildlife watching,
and immersing in untouched nature.
Laiuse Castle: Historic
ruins of a 14th-century Teutonic Order fortress, notable as one of the
first in Estonia designed to withstand firearms. The atmospheric site
hosts events like winter snow battles and offers a glimpse into medieval
history.
Sangaste
Manor (Castle): A stunning neo-Gothic red-brick manor built
in the late 19th century, inspired by Windsor Castle. Known as the "Rye
Castle" for developing a famous rye variety, it features elegant halls,
a park, and options for tours, dining, or overnight stays.
Taevaskoja Sandstone Cliffs:
One of South Estonia's most iconic natural sites, with towering
multicolored sandstone outcrops (up to 22.5 meters high) along the Ahja
River. Legends of mermaids, caves, and sacred history surround this
scenic spot, perfect for hiking, boat trips, and photography.
Until the 18th-19th centuries, Estonians called themselves maarahvas,
which literally means "people of the earth", that is, engaged in
agriculture. The term eestlane comes from Latin (Aesti). This is how
Tacitus called in "Germany" the people inhabiting the far shore of the
Baltic Sea.
The ancient Scandinavian sagas contain a mention of a
land called Eistland (Estland) - so Estonia is still called in
Icelandic, which is close to the Danish, German, Dutch, Swedish and
Norwegian version of the name - Estland (Estland). Early sources in
Latin also contain versions of the name of the territory Estia and
Hestia (Estia and Hestia).
After declaring independence in 1918,
the country received the name "Estonia" (Esthonia), under this name it
joined the League of Nations in 1921. According to the constitutions of
1920 and 1934, the country was called the Republic of Estonia. In 1940,
with the accession to the USSR, the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic
was formed, and after the collapse of the USSR in 1991, the pre-Soviet
name was restored.
The toponym Estland/Eistland is associated
with the Old Norse aust, austr, which means "east".
Prehistory and Ancient Estonia (c. 9000 BC – 12th century AD)
Human settlement in Estonia became possible around 13,000–11,000 years
ago after the last Ice Age glaciers receded. The first permanent
communities appeared around 9000 BC with the Kunda
culture—hunter-gatherers using bone and stone tools (flint and quartz).
Key early sites include Pulli (near Pärnu) and Lammasmäe.
The
Neolithic period (from ~4900 BC) brought the Narva culture with
distinctive pottery, followed by the Comb Ceramic culture (~4000 BC) and
Corded Ware culture (~2200 BC), which introduced agriculture, animal
husbandry, and new burial practices. The Bronze Age (~1800 BC) featured
fortified settlements on Saaremaa (Asva, Ridala) and advanced
shipbuilding. By the Iron Age (500 BC onward), local iron smelting from
bog ore developed, alongside social stratification evident in burial
mounds and strongholds.
Ancient Estonian society was organized into
parishes (kihelkond) and counties (maakond), each with hill forts and
elder-led governance. Major counties included Saaremaa (Osilia),
Harjumaa, Virumaa, and Ugandi. Estonians (called Aestii by Roman
historian Tacitus in the 1st century AD) were pagan, skilled seafarers,
and traders; they appear in Scandinavian sagas as raiders and in Rus’
chronicles as Chud. Coastal tribes like the Oeselians (from Saaremaa)
conducted Viking-style raids.
Medieval Conquest and Livonian Rule
(13th–16th centuries)
Estonia was among the last pagan regions in
Europe Christianized during the Northern Crusades. In 1193, Pope
Celestine III called for a crusade. German Sword Brethren and Danish
forces invaded from 1208 onward. Estonian leader Lembitu was defeated
and killed in 1217. Danish King Valdemar II won the Battle of Lindanise
(1219) near modern Tallinn (then Reval), founding the city; legend says
the Danish flag (Dannebrog) fell from heaven.
By 1227, the region
(Terra Mariana or Livonia) was conquered. Northern Estonia remained
under Danish control until 1346, when it was sold to the Livonian Order
(branch of the Teutonic Knights). The south and islands fell under the
Order, bishops, and Hanseatic cities. Tallinn received Lübeck city
rights in 1248 and joined the Hanseatic League, becoming a major trade
hub.
Medieval map showing the Teutonic Order’s territories in Estonia
and Livonia during the 13th–15th centuries (castles, Hanseatic cities,
and revolt sites highlighted).
Baltic Germans formed the ruling
nobility and urban class, while Estonian peasants worked manors. Major
revolts included the St. George’s Night Uprising (1343–1345), which was
brutally suppressed. The Reformation reached Estonia in the 1520s;
Lutheranism spread rapidly, and the first Estonian-language book (a
catechism) appeared in 1535.
Swedish and Early Russian Rule
(1561–1917)
The Livonian War (1558–1583) fragmented the region.
Sweden gained control of northern Estonia in 1561 and the rest by 1629
(Treaty of Oliva). Under Swedish rule—often called Estonia’s “good old
times”—education advanced with the founding of the University of Tartu
(Dorpat) in 1632, and rural reforms began.
Russia conquered Estonia
during the Great Northern War (1700–1721); the Treaty of Nystad (1721)
ceded it to the Russian Empire. Baltic German elites retained local
power, German language, and Lutheran institutions. Serfdom was abolished
earlier than elsewhere in the empire (1816–1819), freeing peasants to
rent or buy land and migrate to towns.
The Estonian National
Awakening (mid-19th century) emerged from the Estophile Enlightenment.
Key milestones: the newspaper Perno Postimees (1857), the national epic
Kalevipoeg (1857–1861) by F. R. Kreutzwald, and the first Estonian Song
Festival (1869). Intellectuals like C. R. Jakobson and Jakob Hurt
promoted Estonian language and identity. Late-19th-century Russification
under Alexander III imposed Russian in schools and administration, but
it inadvertently weakened German dominance and spurred further national
consciousness. The 1905 Revolution brought demands for autonomy.
First Period of Independence (1918–1940)
World War I and the 1917
Russian Revolutions created an opening. Estonia declared independence on
24 February 1918. The Estonian War of Independence (1918–1920) saw
Estonian forces, aided by Britain, Finland, and others, defeat Bolshevik
Russia and local German forces. The Treaty of Tartu (1920) secured
Soviet recognition of Estonia’s independence “in perpetuity.”
Estonian soldiers and officials celebrate the 1918 Declaration of
Independence.
The interwar republic was a parliamentary democracy
with radical land reform that broke up German estates. Cultural life
flourished, including minority rights. In 1934, President Konstantin
Päts established authoritarian rule to counter far-right threats.
Estonia pursued neutrality but faced pressure from the 1939
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, which placed it in the Soviet sphere.
World War II and Soviet Occupation (1940–1991)
In June 1940, the
Soviet Union issued an ultimatum, occupied Estonia, staged rigged
elections, and annexed it as the Estonian SSR in August. Mass
deportations and executions followed (~60,000 killed or deported in the
first year). Nazi Germany invaded in 1941; many Estonians initially saw
them as liberators, but the occupation brought Holocaust atrocities and
no restoration of independence. Soviet forces reoccupied Estonia in
1944.
Post-war Stalinist repression included 1949 deportations
(~21,000 people) and forced collectivization. The Forest Brothers
(Metsavennad) guerrilla resistance continued into the 1950s.
Russification, industrialization (especially oil shale), and immigration
of Russian-speakers altered demographics. Despite this, Estonian culture
survived underground and via Finnish TV.
Singing Revolution and
Restoration of Independence (1987–1991)
Mikhail Gorbachev’s
perestroika enabled the Singing Revolution—massive, peaceful protests
centered on traditional song festivals where forbidden patriotic songs
were sung openly. The movement was named by artist Heinz Valk. On 23
August 1989, two million people formed the Baltic Way, a 600-km human
chain across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania protesting the
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.
The Baltic Way – the longest unbroken human
chain in history
Estonia declared sovereignty in 1988, held a
referendum in March 1991 (78%+ in favor), and restored full independence
on 20 August 1991 during the failed Moscow coup. The Soviet Union
recognized it on 6 September; Estonia joined the UN shortly after.
Modern Estonia (1991–Present)
Post-independence reforms under
Prime Minister Mart Laar were radical: privatization, flat tax, and
market liberalization turned Estonia into one of Europe’s
fastest-growing “Baltic Tigers.” Russian troops withdrew in 1994. A new
constitution was adopted in 1992; Lennart Meri served as president.
Estonia joined the WTO (1999), EU and NATO (2004), and adopted the euro
(2011).
Today, Estonia is a global leader in e-governance
(e-Estonia): digital identity, e-voting, X-Road data exchange, and
e-residency. It has weathered challenges like the 2007 Bronze Soldier
crisis and cyberattacks, while integrating its Russian-speaking minority
(~25% of the population). Culturally, the Song Festival tradition
endures every five years. Estonia remains firmly pro-Western, with
strong support for Ukraine and a vibrant tech/fintech scene (Skype
originated here). Its population is about 1.3 million, and it
consistently ranks among the world’s freest and most innovative nations.
Size, Shape, and Borders
Estonia covers a total area of
approximately 45,339 km² (17,505 sq mi), of which about 4.6% consists of
internal waters. This makes it roughly the size of the Netherlands or
slightly smaller than New Hampshire in the U.S. Its territory includes
the mainland plus more than 2,200 islands and islets (collectively
accounting for nearly 10% of the land area), giving it one of the
longest and most indented coastlines in Europe at 3,794 km (2,357 mi).
The coastline is shallow, dotted with bays, straits, and inlets, and
features dramatic limestone cliffs in places along the northern shore.
Topography and Relief
Estonia is predominantly a low-lying, flat
country shaped by repeated glacial activity during the last Ice Age. It
sits on the northwestern edge of the ancient East European Platform. The
average elevation is only about 50 m (164 ft) above sea level, and just
one-tenth of the land rises above 90 m (300 ft). The terrain is
generally undulating—gently rolling plains, moraine hills, and elongated
glacial deposits—creating a mild, picturesque landscape rather than
dramatic mountains.
Northern and western (coastal) areas ("Lower
Estonia"): Very flat, with sandy plains and limestone bedrock exposed in
cliffs.
Central and southern inland ("Upper Estonia"): Slightly more
varied, with moraine hills and uplands.
The highest point is Suur
Munamägi ("Big Egg Mountain") in the Haanja Upland of southeastern
Estonia (near Võru), reaching just 318 m (1,043 ft)—still the tallest
peak in the entire Baltic region. The view from its observation tower
reveals endless forested horizons.
Hydrography: Coast, Islands,
Lakes, and Rivers
Water defines much of Estonia’s geography. The
country has:
Islands: Over 1,520 larger ones and thousands of smaller
islets, mostly clustered in the West Estonian Archipelago. The two
largest are Saaremaa (2,673 km², known for its medieval castles,
meteorite craters, and unspoiled nature) and Hiiumaa (989 km², a quieter
haven for artists and nature lovers). These western islands are popular
vacation spots and contribute significantly to the country’s total land
area.
Lakes: More than 1,400–1,560 natural and artificial lakes. The
largest by far is Lake Peipus (Peipsi), shared with Russia, covering
about 3,555 km² (fourth-largest lake in Europe). It forms a substantial
part of the eastern border. The second-largest, Võrtsjärv (Võrts), sits
in central Estonia at 270 km².
Rivers: Estonia has thousands of
rivers, streams, and canals, though most are short due to the small land
area. Major ones include the Pärnu (longest at ~144 km), Emajõgi
(flowing from Võrtsjärv to Peipus), Narva (linking Peipus to the Gulf of
Finland), and Kasari. Many rivers are slow-flowing and feed into the
Baltic Sea or the large lakes.
The northern coast features
striking limestone cliffs (e.g., at Valaste Falls), while the western
and island coasts are gentler with sandy beaches and reed beds.
Climate
Estonia has a temperate maritime climate strongly moderated
by the Baltic Sea and Atlantic air masses. Winters are relatively mild
(January averages −8 to −5 °C / 18–23 °F), and summers are cool (July
averages 16–17 °C / 61–63 °F). Annual precipitation is 600–700 mm (24–28
inches), fairly evenly distributed but higher in the interior. The
climate is wetter and milder on the coast than inland, where it becomes
slightly more continental. Low evaporation and flat terrain lead to
frequent waterlogging, which has helped create vast wetlands.
Land Cover, Vegetation, and Natural Features
About 47–50% of Estonia
is forested—primarily mixed coniferous and deciduous woods (pine,
spruce, birch, aspen). Forests are a cornerstone of the landscape and
national identity.
Even more distinctive are the bogs, fens, and
wetlands, which cover roughly one-fifth of the country (some estimates
suggest up to 22% when including all peatlands). Estonia has more
marshland per square kilometer than any other European nation. These
ancient peat bogs—some over 10,000 years old—formed after the Ice Age
and are ecologically priceless, storing carbon and supporting rare
species. Soomaa National Park in central Estonia is world-famous for its
raised bogs, boardwalk trails, and the “fifth season” of spring flooding
when canoeing replaces hiking.
Administrative Regions and Human
Geography Notes
Estonia is divided into 15 counties (maakonnad).
Population and development concentrate in the north (capital Tallinn on
the Gulf of Finland coast) and around Tartu in the southeast, while the
islands and rural south remain more sparsely settled and
nature-oriented.
Estonian culture is a vibrant, resilient tapestry woven from deep
indigenous Finno-Ugric roots, Nordic egalitarianism, and layers of
Germanic, Scandinavian, Baltic, and Slavic influences accumulated over
centuries of foreign rule. Despite occupations by Danes, Germans,
Swedes, Russians, and Soviets, Estonians have preserved a strong
national identity centered on language, folklore, song, closeness to
nature, and self-sufficiency. With a population of about 1.3 million,
Estonia is one of the world's most digitally advanced societies while
remaining deeply connected to its pagan-tinged traditions, seasonal
rhythms, and rural heritage. Many Estonians identify as Nordic rather
than strictly Baltic, emphasizing practical values like freedom to roam,
education, and environmental harmony.
Language and Literature
The Estonian language, part of the Finno-Ugric family (closely related
to Finnish and more distantly to Hungarian), is the cornerstone of
national identity. It is not Indo-European like most neighboring
languages, which helped preserve cultural distinctiveness. Literacy has
long been high—Estonia and Finland were the most literate parts of the
Russian Empire by 1897—thanks to early public education under Swedish
rule.
Literature blossomed during the 19th-century National
Awakening. Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald compiled the national epic
Kalevipoeg (1857–1861) from folk poetry collected by Friedrich Robert
Faehlmann. This heroic tale of a mythical giant-king symbolizes Estonian
resilience. The first Estonian-language newspaper appeared in 1806, and
poets like Lydia Koidula became icons of awakening. 20th-century giants
include Anton Hansen Tammsaare (Truth and Justice pentalogy), Jaan Kross
(allegorical historical novels during Soviet times), and modern voices
like Tõnu Õnnepalu and Andrus Kivirähk. Estonia boasts one of the
world's highest rates of book ownership (averaging 218 per household).
Folklore, Traditions, and Regional Diversity
Estonian folklore is
rich in runosongs (regilaul), ancient poetic chants often performed
polyphonically, with roots over 2,000 years old. Storytelling, myths of
"night walkers," and nature spirits persist, especially in southern and
island regions. Pagan elements blend with Christian traditions in
rituals tied to seasons and fertility.
Regional cultures add
depth:
Seto people in southeast Estonia maintain unique polyphonic
leelo singing (UNESCO intangible heritage), distinctive costumes, and
Orthodox-influenced customs.
Kihnu island preserves matrifocal
traditions, handicrafts, and runic songs (also UNESCO-listed).
Smoke
sauna culture in Võromaa (southeast) is another UNESCO treasure: a
family ritual involving heated stones, herbal whisks (viht), and
profound connection to nature for physical and spiritual cleansing.
Folk costumes, once everyday wear, now appear at festivals: women’s
embroidered dresses, headscarves, and silver jewelry; men’s waistcoats
and hats.
Music and Dance: The Soul of Estonian Identity
Music
and dance are central to Estonian life. The country has one of the
world’s largest folk song repertoires. The All-Estonian Song Festival
(Laulupidu), held every five years since 1869 in Tallinn, is a UNESCO
Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage. It draws over 30,000
singers and 80,000+ spectators in a massive choral event that became a
symbol of peaceful resistance during the Soviet era (the “Singing
Revolution” of 1988–1991 helped restore independence). The accompanying
Dance Festival (Tantsupidu) features thousands in traditional
choreography.
Classical music thrives with figures like composer Arvo
Pärt (holy minimalism), conductors Neeme Järvi, and modern acts blending
folk with indie/rock (e.g., Trad.Attack!, Ewert and The Two Dragons).
Folk ensembles keep runosongs alive.
Connection to Nature and
Sauna Culture
Estonians have a profound, almost spiritual bond with
nature—forests cover nearly half the country, and “everyman’s right”
allows free roaming and foraging for berries, mushrooms, and herbs.
There is “no bad weather, only bad clothing.” Summers involve
countryside escapes, barbecues, and Midsummer revelry. Sauna is a
national institution: the traditional smoke sauna (UNESCO-listed) is a
multi-generational ritual of heat, herbs, and reflection, often followed
by a plunge in a lake.
Festivals and Holidays
Holidays blend
pagan and Christian elements:
Jaanipäev (Midsummer, June 23–24) is
arguably the most beloved: massive bonfires (jaanituli), jumping over
flames for luck, herb wreaths, singing, dancing, and all-night outdoor
parties. It celebrates light, fertility, and nature’s bounty.
Christmas (Jõulud) is intimate and family-focused, with roast pork,
blood sausage (verivorst), sauerkraut, gingerbread, and Advent
traditions.
Other key dates include Independence Day (February 24),
Victory Day (June 23, tied to Midsummer), and the Song/Dance Festivals.
Cuisine: Simple, Seasonal, and Honest
Traditional Estonian food
reflects peasant roots and the four seasons: rye bread (a staple,
sometimes in soups), potatoes, pork, herring, sour cream, barley
porridge, pickled vegetables, and foraged berries/mushrooms. Christmas
highlights blood sausage and headcheese; Midsummer features ash-baked
potatoes. Modern chefs elevate local ingredients (wild boar,
chanterelles, rhubarb) into New Nordic cuisine. Beer, vodka, and birch
sap drinks pair with meals. Food is straightforward—no frills—but deeply
tied to locality and sustainability.
Visual Arts, Architecture,
Theatre, and Cinema
Tallinn’s medieval Old Town is a UNESCO World
Heritage site, showcasing Hanseatic architecture alongside baroque
Kadriorg Palace. Contemporary art shines at Kumu Art Museum. Theatre
began professionally in the 19th century; cinema has produced acclaimed
works like The Last Relic (Soviet era) and post-independence films by
Veiko Õunpuu. Animation master Priit Pärn is internationally recognized.
Social Norms, Values, and Daily Life
Estonians are often
described as reserved, calm, rational, and sincere—valuing personal
space, punctuality, and privacy. They speak softly, avoid small talk
with strangers, but are helpful and fair. Society is egalitarian and
hierarchical by age/position; the Protestant work ethic and
self-sufficiency persist. Family remains central (nuclear in cities,
extended rurally), though young adults move out early. Divorce rates are
high, and same-sex marriage has been legal since 2024. The culture
emphasizes education, literacy, and pragmatism.
Religion and
Secularism
Estonia is one of Europe’s most secular countries (~58%
unaffiliated). Lutheranism and Orthodox Christianity coexist, but pagan
nature reverence and folklore often hold stronger cultural sway than
organized religion.
Modern Culture and Innovations
Post-1991
independence brought a cultural renaissance. Estonia pioneered
e-governance (“e-Estonia”): nearly 99% of public services are online,
taxes take minutes, and e-voting is common. It has a high density of
tech unicorns (Skype, Bolt, Wise) and attracts global talent via
e-Residency. Tartu’s 2024 European Capital of Culture highlighted arts
and southern heritage. Contemporary culture mixes tradition with global
trends while celebrating multiculturalism (Estonians ~68%,
Russian-speaking minority ~25%). Folk culture remains
vibrant—participation in song/dance groups is rising.
According to the current constitution, adopted in 1992, Estonia is an
independent democratic parliamentary republic in which the people are
the supreme bearer of power.
Legislative power is vested in the
Riigikogu, a unicameral parliament with 101 members elected by
proportional representation in equal and direct elections. All
able-bodied citizens of the country who have reached the age of 18 have
the right to participate in the elections of the parliament, which is
elected for 4 years. The last parliamentary elections took place in
March 2019.
Any Estonian citizen who has reached the age of 21
and has the right to vote can run for office in the Riigikogu. Elections
for the Riigikogu are held on the first Sunday in March of the fourth
year after the previous ones. In some cases, by decision of the
president, snap elections may be announced (there have never been held
so far). The exact procedure for elections to the Riigikogu is
established by the Riigikogu Election Act. Distribution of seats in the
Riigikogu:
Reform Party: composition of the faction - 34 deputies;
Center Party: composition of the faction - 25 deputies;
Conservative
People's Party of Estonia: composition of the faction - 19 deputies;
Party "Fatherland": composition of the faction - 12 deputies;
Estonian Social Democratic Party: composition of the faction - 10
deputies;
Deputies who are not members of factions - 1 deputy
The head of state is the president, who is elected for a term of 5
years, but not more than 2 terms, by members of the Riigikogu or an
electoral college by secret ballot. The Electoral College consists of
members of parliament and delegates from all local government councils
and is convened when none of the presidential candidates manages to gain
the required majority of votes in parliament (two-thirds of the
constitutional composition). The Electoral College elects the President
of the Republic by a majority vote. Each member of the Riigikogu or the
Electoral College has 1 vote.
Executive power belongs to the
government. The government is headed by the prime minister, who is the
leader of the party that won the parliamentary elections, or the leader
of the parliamentary coalition. The Cabinet of Ministers is approved by
the President on the proposal of a candidate for Prime Minister who has
received the approval of Parliament.
Supervision of compliance
with the constitution and legislation by state bodies is carried out by
the Chancellor of Justice - an independent official appointed by
parliament on the proposal of the president. Economic control over the
use of the state budget and property is carried out by another
independent body - the State Control.
The highest court is the
State Court, the courts of appeal are district courts, the courts of
first instance are county courts, city and administrative courts, the
prosecutor's office is the State Prosecutor's Office, district
prosecutor's offices.
All issues of local life are decided by
local governments, which act autonomously within the limits of the law,
have their own budget and the right to establish some local taxes and
fees (for example, tax on advertising, closing streets and roads, on
pets, on entertainment establishments and events, fees for parking,
etc.). The main body of local self-government is the council, elected
for a four-year term by the permanent residents of the given
municipality (unlike parliamentary elections, stateless persons and
citizens of other countries with permanent resident status can also vote
in local elections).
On January 26, 2021, Kaya Kallas became the
first female Prime Minister of Estonia. It is noteworthy that out of 14
ministers in the Kallas government, half (7 ministers) are women, which
is a record for the country, and until recently, a woman Kersti
Kaljulaid was also the president of Estonia.
According to the law, able-bodied Estonian citizens who have reached the
age of 18 and citizens of other countries belonging to the European
Union permanently residing in Estonia can be members of political
parties. For official registration, a party must have at least 500
members. Members of political parties may not be members of the armed
forces, judges, prosecutors, police officers and a number of senior
state officials (Chancellor of Justice and his advisers, State
Comptroller) who are in active service. The President of the Republic is
obliged to suspend his membership in the party (if any) for the duration
of his official duties.
Registered parties that participated in
parliamentary elections and received at least 1% of the votes are
eligible to receive funding from the state budget (the amount depends on
the percentage of votes received).
According to 2009 data, 5.8%
of Estonian residents are members of political parties.
The largest trade union center is the Central Organization of Trade Unions of Estonia.
15 counties (maakonds), headed by county elders (appointed for a period of 5 years by the government on the proposal of the Minister for Regional Affairs) and subdivided into 79 local governments, of which 15 are urban and 64 are rural.
In the country, 33 settlements have the status of cities. The capital Tallinn has about 400 thousand inhabitants (almost a third of the country's population). The second largest city (almost 100 thousand people) is Tartu, the third (more than 50 thousand people) is Narva. In the north-east of the country there is a polycentric agglomeration with a population of about 150 thousand people (the largest cities are Narva, Kohtla-Järve, Jõhvi, Sillamäe and Kiviõli), which is the second largest urban agglomeration in the country after the capital.
Among the post-communist countries, Estonia is one of the most
developed. In terms of GDP per capita (nominal) - $ 27,100 (2nd place
after Slovenia, 2021). In terms of GDP per capita (PPP) - $ 41,892 (3rd
place after Slovenia and the Czech Republic, 2021).
The average
salary in Estonia in December 2021 was 1756 €. As of December 2021,
Estonia had the highest net average among all post-communist countries
in the world (€1392.45); as of January 1, 2022 - the second net minimum
wage after Slovenia (749.73 €, in Estonia - 604.37 €). The average wage
(gross) in Estonia in December 2021 was 1756 € and (net, after taxes)
1392.45 €. The minimum gross wage in Estonia from January 1, 2022 is 654
€, the minimum net salary is 604.37 €.
Post-war level
One of
the important areas of economic activity before the Second World War was
agriculture, while agricultural products also accounted for a
significant share of exports. A material-intensive and labor-intensive
energy industry, civil maritime navigation and mechanical engineering
developed.
In Estonia (as well as in other Baltic countries)
there were the best starting conditions in the USSR for building a
market economy. A vast innovative potential has been accumulated here.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the Baltic states were the leaders in the USSR
in terms of investment in fixed assets per capita.
period of
independence
After the restoration of independence, the Estonian
economy was restructured in accordance with market principles and
reoriented towards Western Europe. On June 20, 1992, Estonia introduced
its own national currency, the Estonian kroon, instead of the Soviet
ruble. The Estonian kroon was pegged to the German mark (with an
exchange rate of 8 kroons to 1 mark). The adoption of the national
currency meant that the Bank of Estonia could issue money if the country
had a foreign currency reserve equivalent to the value of the issued
Estonian kroons. From January 1, 1999, the Estonian kroon was pegged to
the euro, as Germany began to use the common European currency. On
January 1, 2011, the euro is put into circulation, completely replacing
the krone.
A positive role in the success of economic
transformations in 1991-1993 was played by more than $ 285 million of
foreign aid, loans and credits, as well as the fact that Estonia
received more than $ 100 million from the funds of the pre-war republic,
frozen in foreign banks in 1940 in connection with the accession
countries to the USSR.
According to the HDI indicator, the UN
ranked the country in the group of "developing" until 2000, while the
formation of a market economy was taking place.
In 1999, Estonia
joined the World Trade Organization. The main trading partners are
Finland, Sweden, Germany and Russia. The negative trade balance remains
the most serious problem. In 2004 Estonia joined the European Union.
GDP per capita (purchasing power parity): $32,130 (2017).
The
average monthly salary in 2008 was 12,912 crowns (€825), in the third
quarter of 2009 it was 11,770 crowns (€752). In the second quarter of
2013, the average salary in Estonia was € 976, in December 2020 - €
1604.
During the period 2000-2005, GDP grew by 60%. However,
during the global economic crisis in 2008, it fell by 3.6%, and in the
third quarter of 2009, the fall in GDP was 15.6% compared to the same
period of the previous year. The period from the third quarter of 2009
to the fourth quarter of 2010 saw a consistent increase in GDP. Real
exports in the fourth quarter of 2010 increased by 53%. In 2010, GDP
growth was 3.1%. Thus, in 2010 the Estonian economy emerged from the
crisis.
The unemployment rate fell from 12% in 2001 to 4.7% in
2007, but in the third quarter of 2009 it was already 14.6%, and in the
first quarter of 2010 it rose to 19.8%. As of June 3, 2011, the
registered unemployment rate in Estonia fell to 8.7% of the economically
active population. According to Statistics Estonia, in the fourth
quarter of 2010 the total number of unemployed fell to 93,000 and the
unemployment rate to 13.6%. Estonia ranked 2nd in the EU in 2011 in
terms of reducing the unemployment rate.
At the beginning of
2009, the country experienced an intensive decline in industrial
production. In February 2009 it was 30% compared to February 2008, which
was the largest decline in the EU. According to Eurostat, the growth of
industrial production in Estonia in September 2010, compared to
September 2009, amounted to 31.1% - thus, Estonia then ranked first in
the European Union in this indicator. Estonia also has the lowest public
debt and budget deficit of any EU country, and in 2010 it was one of
only two EU countries (Malta being the other) to reduce its budget
deficit.
On June 4, 2010, OECD Secretary General A. Gurria and Estonian Prime
Minister A. Ansip signed an agreement in Tallinn on Estonia's accession
to the organization.
The transition to the euro, in accordance
with the plan of the Estonian government updated in June 2009, took
place on January 1, 2011.
In 2017, Estonian GDP per capita
reached 79% of the European Union average, which is a notable step
forward. This means that for the first time Estonia has risen to a
comparable level with some of the southern countries of the Eurozone -
for example, with Portugal, much earlier than Estonia joined the
European Union. In the 15 years that have passed since Estonia joined
the EU - from 2004 to 2019 - the "net" average wage in the country has
increased by more than 3.2 times, from € 363 to € 1162, and the minimum
wage has increased by more than than 3.4 times, from €158.50 to €540.
Estonian GDP at PPP doubled from 2004 to 2019, from $23.79 billion to
$46.587 billion.
According to the forecasts of the Bank of
Estonia, the average salary in 2019 will grow by 8.1% to €1415, and in
2020 by 6.4% to €1505. forecast by 2030 - € 2,364, by 2050 - € 5,166,
and by 2070 - € 10,742.
The average monthly salary in Estonia in
December 2021 was €1,756. The average salary in Estonia is higher than
in Taiwan (NT$47,868, about €1,357), the poorest country of all four
Asian tigers. From January 1, 2022, the minimum wage in Estonia is €
654.
As of 2020, the glass ceiling remains a
serious problem in Estonia, in particular the gender pay gap, and it is
observed in almost all areas of economic activity. According to
statistics, in 2020, women's gross hourly wages were 15.6% lower than
men's. In 2020, compared to 2019, the gender pay gap decreased by 1.5%,
and compared to 2013, by 9.2%. In 2020, the average hourly gross hourly
wage of working women was €7.70 and the average hourly gross hourly wage
of working men was €9.13. The biggest pay gap between men and women in
Estonia is found in financial and insurance activities (29.4%), mining
and quarrying (26.1%) and information and communication (24.1%). As in
2019, in only one single economic activity – transportation and
warehousing – did women earn more than men. In 2020, compared to 2019,
the pay gap between men and women in Estonia decreased the most in the
construction sector and increased the most in the catering and
hospitality sectors.
The gender wage gap is calculated by
subtracting the average gross hourly wage of women from the average
gross hourly wage of men. The resulting value is divided by the average
hourly gross salary of men and expressed as a percentage. The average
hourly gross salary is calculated without taking into account irregular
bonuses and additional payments.
Over the 30
years of independence, 4 companies with a capitalization of more than $
1 billion (unicorn companies) have appeared in Estonia: Skype, Bolt,
TransferWise, Playtech. Having decided to invest in the development of
e-services since independence, Estonia has carried out a number of
reforms over the past 30 years. Also, due to an attractive business
environment, a high level of education, a favorable environment for the
dissemination of innovations and a developed e-services sector, Estonia
has been able to become an attractive country for start-up companies.
Statistics from the Estonian Tax and Customs Board for 2019 show that at
the end of the second quarter of 2019, 4,848 people were employed by
Estonian start-ups. A year ago, at the end of June 2018, the number of
employees was 3369. This represents an annual growth of 44%. However, if
you look at employees who have worked at Estonian startups for at least
one day in the past six months, the number is even higher. According to
Estonian statistics, during this period, 7421 people worked in Estonian
startups. If we compare this with the entire economically active
population of Estonia (695,700 people), we can see that every 93rd
person in Estonia was somehow connected with start-ups.
Tallink
is the largest passenger and cargo transportation company in the Baltic
Sea region, as well as the largest civil maritime shipping company in
the former USSR (9,756,611 passengers in 2018).
Bolt is an Estonian
international transport network company founded and headquartered in
Tallinn. The company has released a special mobile application for
searching, calling and paying both taxis and private drivers. In
February 2019, Bolt was active in 30 countries and 50 cities across
Europe, Africa, Western Asia and Australia. More than 25 million users
travel through the Bolt app, and more than 500,000 drivers use it to
travel.
AS SEB Pank is the Estonian branch of the international
financial group Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken.
Hansabank (since 2009
Swedbank) - as of December 31, 2007, the total assets of the financial
group amounted to € 25.826 billion.
Port of Tallinn is the third
largest port complex on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea (41.3
million tons of cargo, 6.76 million passengers, 2006, 27.5 million tons
of cargo, 8.84 million passengers, 2012).
Eesti Energia Kaevandused
is an oil shale mining company in the northeast of Estonia, 17.2 million
tons in 2015.
Narva power plants - over 10 billion kWh in 2006,
export to Latvia - 1.5 billion kWh.
BLRT Grupp is a machine-building
concern, consisting of 65 enterprises, owning ship repair and
metalworking plants in Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine, Russia and
Finland (turnover in the first half of 2008 - 2.9 billion kroons, 74% of
products are exported - ships, mobile power plants, pontoons, etc.).
Viru Keemia Group JSC is a holding type concern, consisting of eight
companies. Viru Keemia Grupp owns 100% of the shares of subsidiaries in
this concern.
The TOP 10 Estonian industrial enterprises by
average number of employees in 2015 are as follows:
AS Eesti Energia
Kaevandused – oil shale mining – 2538;
JSC Ericsson Eesti -
electrical industry - 1426;
JSC HKScan Estonia (merged in 2014
Rakvere Meat Plant and Tallinn Poultry Plant Talleg) - meat industry -
1284;
JSC "ABB" - mechanical engineering - 1057;
JSC "Norma" -
production of auto parts - 856;
JSC PKC Eesti - production of auto
parts - 766;
JSC Enics Eesti - electrical industry - 743;
JSC
"Wendre" - textile mill - 667;
JSC "Eesti Energia Narva
Elektrijaamad" - electricity generation - 644;
AS Stora Enso Eesti -
woodworking industry - 620.
Banks in Estonia
Bank of Estonia -
the central bank;
swedbank;
SEB;
BIGBANK;
Coop Pank;
LHV
Bank;
Luminor Bank;
inbank;
Tallinna Ripank;
Versobank.
In addition to banks that are legal entities of the republic,
representative offices of banks that are foreign legal entities operate
in Estonia and, in particular, work with the population (individuals):
Citadele Banka AS (Latvia).
International institutions
Estonia
hosts the management and information centers of several international
and European organizations and institutions.
In November 2012,
the headquarters of the IT agency of the European Union began its work
in Tallinn, including those involved in supporting the second generation
Schengen information system. The NATO Cybersecurity Center operates in
Tallinn.
The population of Estonia according to the
2021 census is 1,331,824 people.
By 1990, the population was
about 40% higher than before the war (1570 thousand to 1122 thousand in
1940), while, along with migration from other Soviet republics, the
Estonian population was also growing (951 thousand in 1940, 830 thousand
in 1945, 966 thousand in 1991 - the maximum). From 1992 to 2009, there
was a depopulation of the country, the cause of which was both mass
emigration and negative natural growth. By 2008, the country's
population had decreased by 14.5% compared to 1990, the Estonian
population had fallen to 920,885 people (-4.69% compared to 1991).
In 2010, a positive population growth was achieved. In 2011,
according to the CIA Book of Facts, the natural population decline was
-0.641% (225th in the world).
National minorities, according to
2021 data, live mainly in Tallinn (46.7% of the non-Estonian population)
and in the industrial area in the northeast, in the county of
Ida-Virumaa (about 97% of the population in the city of Narva). Among
national minorities, Russians are the largest ethnic group, followed by
Ukrainians, Belarusians and others. Russians live in large cities and
mostly dominate in the territories adjacent to the borders of Russia, in
other regions of Estonia, including rural ones, - the complete dominance
of Estonians. This is a distinctive feature of Estonia from other Baltic
countries.
The official language is Estonian. The Russian language is also
widely spoken.
As of 2021, the infection rate of the Estonian
population with the human immunodeficiency virus per 100,000 population
is 9.4.
The number of immigrants living in Estonia, according to
UN estimates, decreased to 190,242 people (14.4% of the population) in
2019, compared to 381,997 people in 1995.
According to the 2021
Estonian census, 1,331,824 people lived in the country. Of these, the
number of stateless people was 66,592 people, 1,128,433 people were
citizens of Estonia, 81,695 people were citizens of Russia, 15,935
people were citizens of Ukraine, 5,038 people were citizens of Latvia,
4,677 people were citizens of Finland, 2,707 people were citizens of
Belarus, 1 871 Lithuanian citizens, 1,796 German citizens, 1,317 Indian
citizens, 1,300 French citizens, 1,267 Italian citizens, 1,124 British
citizens, 1,094 Nigerian citizens, 689 unknown citizenship, 16,289
citizens other countries.
According to Eurostat, among the EU
countries, Estonia and Slovenia recorded the highest increase in life
expectancy.
Estonia has one of the lowest child and infant
mortality rates in the world. According to the World Bank, as of 2019,
among OECD countries, Estonia has the third (after Iceland and Slovenia)
lowest infant mortality rate under the age of 5, at 2.4 per 1,000 live
births, and the sixth lowest in the world. According to World Bank data
for 2019, Estonia has the fifth lowest neonatal infant mortality rate in
the world, at 1.1 per 1,000 live births. According to the World Bank for
2019, Estonia shares the sixth place in the world along with Finland in
the lowest infant mortality rate under the age of 1 year, per 1000 live
births (it is the same in both countries) - 1.9.
According to the 2021 Estonian census,
the permanent Russian population of Estonia is 23.67% of the country's
population (315,252 people). Despite social, economic and political
changes since the times of the USSR, as of 2022 in Estonia and
neighboring Latvia, the Russian minority, in percentage terms, makes up
the largest percentage of the population of any country in the world.
According to the 2021 Estonian census, Russian is the native language of
379,210 people in the country. (28.47% of the Estonian population).
Among them, in addition to Estonian citizens, there are Russian citizens
(81,695 people) and stateless persons (66,592 people). Basically, these
are the descendants of people who moved to Estonia in the period from
1914 to 1922 (the number of Russians in this period increased from 4 to
8.2%), as well as those who came to Estonia during the Soviet era from
1940 to 1991 (the number of Russians in this period increased from 8.2%
to 30.3%) and their descendants.
The Russian population of
Estonia according to the 2021 Estonian census was 315,252 people.
(23.67% of the Estonian population).
In 2021, 149,883 people
(47.54%) of Russians lived in Tallinn; Only 12,582 people (3.99%) of the
total number of Russians in Estonia lived in Tartu.
According to
the 2021 Estonian census, the number of stateless persons was 66,592.
(5% of the Estonian population), of which 53,997 were ethnic Russians.
(4.05% of the population of Estonia), the number of Russian citizens
living in Estonia was 81,695 people. (6.13% of the Estonian population),
of which 72,325 were ethnic Russians. (5.43% of the Estonian
population).
In the Chudsky region (the cities of Kallaste and
Mustvee, the parish of Peipsijärve), Russian Old Believers live, whose
ancestors moved to the territory of Estonia in the 18th-19th centuries.
In Estonia, there are 3 types of benefits for
pensioners - SKAIS (online system), KOPIS (funded pension) and KIRST
(medical indications). For the unemployed, there are programs EMPIS
(register of the unemployed) and STAR (Register of social services and
benefits). For students there is an EHIS program.
Total
pensioners - 422,941, unemployed - 38,768, employed - 629,945.
From April 1, 2022, the state pension index has increased in Estonia.
According to the changes, the minimum monthly amount of the national
pension (paid to persons who are not entitled to an old-age pension) is
now € 275.34. The basic part of the pension has increased to €255.75 and
the value of each year of service to €7.718. From April 1, 2021, the
increase in the pension for raising children has increased by € 3.55 per
child. In total, it affected about 203,300 people. In 2020, there were
about 3,200 recipients of the national pension in Estonia. As of 2022,
the average state old-age pension in Estonia is 595 euros per month. In
2022, the allowance for single pensioners is 200 euros per month. From
January 1, 2023, pensioners in Estonia will be exempted from paying
income tax in the amount of the average state pension in the country.
From April 1, 2021, the daily rate of disability benefit for total
incapacity for work is € 15.13, and the amount of the benefit per month
is € 453. For partial work ability, the benefit is 57% of the current
daily rate, that is, an average of € 258 per month. The amount of the
disability benefit is calculated by the Unemployment Insurance Fund for
each calendar month.
The monthly child allowance as of 2019 is
€60 for the first child, €60 for the second child and €100 for the third
child and each subsequent child. The monthly allowance for a child as of
July 2021, one of whose parents is in the military or alternative
service, is € 900 per month for each child until the end of one of the
parents in the military or alternative service.
From 2020, the
allowance for a child with a moderate disability will be € 138, for a
child with a severe disability - € 161. Children with a severe
disability will start receiving benefits in the amount of € 241. About
13,000 children with disabilities live in Estonia. Compared to 2009,
their number has almost doubled. In 2017, 5,000 children received
benefits for children with moderate disabilities, 7,164 children
received benefits for children with severe disabilities, and 732
children received benefits for children with severe disabilities.
Estonia has the longest 100% paid maternity leave in the world at 62
weeks. According to Estonian law, not only the mother, but also the
father has the right to maternity leave. From July 1, 2020, 100% paid
paternity leave is 30 days.
Since January 1, 2013, Tallinn's
public transport has become free for all registered residents of the
city. From 1 July 2018, passengers can use buses free of charge in 11
out of 15 Estonian counties.
Since May 1, 2004, Estonia has been a member of the European Union,
and since January 1, 2011, of the Eurozone. Thus, Estonia is one of the
three former republics of the USSR integrated into the common European
market and the Schengen area, as well as the first of the post-Soviet
countries that switched to a single European currency and abandoned an
independent monetary policy. Membership in the European Union also
implies the priority of EU regulations over domestic legal regulations
(in case of conflict with the latest acts of the European Union,
all-Union regulations apply).
Since March 29, 2004, Estonia has
also been a member of NATO. Participates in NATO military missions in
Iraq and Afghanistan. On May 7, 2003, the Estonian Parliament authorized
the deployment of troops to Iraq. On June 20, 2003, at the request of
the American command, the first regular military personnel of the
Estonian Defense Forces were sent to Iraq.
Since May 13, 1993 -
Member of the Council of Europe.
Among other things, Estonia is a
full member of the UN, OECD, OSCE and WTO.
Since May 1, 2004,
when Estonia became a full member of the European Union, Estonian
citizens can travel without a visa within the countries of the European
Union and member states of the European Economic Area, as well as the
Swiss Confederation. At the same time, they can cross borders both with
a passport and with an ID-card.
As of April 3, 2020, Estonian
citizens can visit a total of 179 states and territories without a visa,
making the Estonian passport 13th in the world in terms of freedom of
movement according to the Passport Index.
Estonia made its debut at the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp, three
years later the country's Olympic Committee was created. In the 1920s
and 1930s, Estonian athletes won 6 gold, 6 silver, 9 bronze medals - all
the gold medals were won by wrestlers and weightlifters. Christian
Palusalu at the 1936 Olympic Games won gold medals in both Greco-Roman
and freestyle wrestling (one of only two wrestlers in history). Palusalu
was recognized as the best athlete of the country of the 20th century.
In the 1930s, the country's chess team achieved significant success,
and Paul Keres was one of the strongest players in the world in the
middle of the 20th century.
At the 1952-1988 Olympic Games,
Estonian athletes participated in the USSR national team. The sailing
regatta of the 1980 Summer Olympics was held in Tallinn. Olympic gold
medals were won by Ants Antson (skating), Johannes Kotkas (wrestling),
Aavo Pikkuus, Erika Salumäe (both cycling), Tiit Sokk (basketball),
Vilyar Loor (volleyball) , Ivar Stukolkin (swimming), Jaak Uudmäe
(athletics).
In the post-Soviet period, Estonian athletes have
won more than 20 medals at the Summer and Winter Olympics. The winners
of the Summer Games were athletes Erki Nool (decathlon) and Gerd Kanter
(discus throw), Jüri Jaanson (rowing), brothers Tõnu and Toomas Tõniste
(sailing).
One of the world's winter sports centers is Otepää,
which hosted the 2010 and 2015 European Biathlon Championships. Skiers
Kristina Šmigun and Andrus Veerpalu were among the leaders in their
sport in the 1990-2000s, Olympic champions.
Race car drivers
Marco Martin and Ott Tänak won World Rally Championships.
National symbols
Official
Limestone
In ancient times, there
were large deposits of limestone in Estonia. The ancient Estonians built
houses from it.
Cornflower
Cornflower grows in rye, and
Estonians made bread from rye, which they greatly appreciated. Girls
also wove wreaths from cornflowers.
barn swallow
The rustic
swallow among the Estonians was associated with cleanliness and
intelligence, because the swallows "predicted the weather." The swallow
has the colors of the Estonian flag - black and white.
unofficial
Oak
Estonians associated oak with strength. The large coat of arms of
Estonia is decorated with golden oak branches.
Holidays
Public
holidays
January 1 New Year Uusaasta
24 February Independence Day
(1918), anniversary of the Republic of Estonia Iseseisvuspäev, Eesti
Vabariigi aastapäev
Good Friday Suur reede
First day of Easter
Ülestõusmispühade 1. püha
May 1 Spring Festival Kevadpüha
Holy
Trinity Day Nelipühade 1. püha
June 23 Victory Day (under Võnnu over
the Landeswehr; 1919) Võidupüha
June 24 Midsummer Day Jaanipäev
August 20 Independence Restoration Day (1991) Taasiseseisvumispäev
24
December Christmas Eve Jõululaupäev
December 25, 26 Christmas Day 1.
ja 2. Jõulupüha
State significant dates
January 6 Feast of the
Three Kings (Epiphany) Kolmekuningapäev
February 2 Anniversary of the
signing of the Tartu Peace Treaty Tartu rahulepingu aastapäev
March
14 Mother Tongue Day Emakeelepäev
Second Sunday in May Mother's Day
Emadepäev
June 4 Estonian Flag Day Eesti lipu päev
June 14 Day of
Mourning Leinapäev
August 23 Day of Remembrance for the Victims of
Communism and Nazism Kommunismi ja natsismi ohvrite mälestuspäev
Second Sunday in September Grandparents' Day Vanavanemate päev
22
September Resistance Day Vastupanuvõitluse päev
Third Saturday in
October Kindred Peoples' Day Hõimupäev
November 2 Memorial Day
Hingedepäev
Second Sunday in November Father's Day Isadepäev
November 16 Taassünni päev Revival Day
The Estonian
media market is mainly controlled by two large concerns: Eesti Meedia
and Ekspress Grupp.
Eesti Meedia owns several media in Estonia,
including the largest Estonian newspaper Postimees and the second
largest television channel Kanal 2. The owner of Eesti Meedia is the
Norwegian company Schibsted Media Group, the chairman of the board is M.
Kadastik, a friend of A. Ansip ( former prime minister of Estonia and
chairman of the Estonian Reform Party).
The Ekspress Grupp
concern, as of 2008, owns the companies Eesti Ekspressi Kirjastuse AS,
AS Maaleht, AS Rahva Raamat, AS Printall, UAB Ekspress Leidyba, TeleTell
Infoline SRL, OÜ Ekspress Internet", "AS Ekspress Hotline" and "AS
Delfi". More than 60% of the Estonian population use the products of
Ekspress Grupp. The largest shareholder of the Ekspress Grupp is the
entrepreneur Hans H. Luik.
The Estonian Public Broadcasting
Corporation (ERR) also operates in Estonia, funded from the state
budget. ERR includes 2 Estonian television channels (ETV and ETV2, as
well as the Russian-language channel ETV+), 5 Estonian radio channels
and a number of Internet news portals. The chairman of the board of ERR
is the ex-Minister of Culture of Estonia, a native of the Reform Party
Margus Allikmaa.
TV
TV channels broadcasting in Estonian
In
addition to the two public TV channels ETV (there is also an HD version)
and ETV2, the commercial channel Kanal 2, the entertainment channel TV3,
the Tallinn TV channel Tallinna TV, the international TV channel France
24 English, a test channel (TEST) are broadcast throughout Estonia.
Besides:
TV6 - entertainment channel;
Kanal 11 - women's TV
channel;
Kanal 12 - film channel, has its own test channel "TEST";
Neljas ("Fourth") - has programs of various genres;
Alo TV is a music
channel of classical Estonian music;
Fox Life and Fox Crime Estonia
are TV channels based on the American channels Fox Crime and Fox Life;
Sony and E!Entertaiment TV Estonia are TV channels based on the American
channels Sony Entertainment and E!Entertaiment;
Tallinna TV - Tallinn
TV channel, broadcast throughout Estonia, has its own HD version;
4
and 5 Multimania - children's TV channels from Latvia, broadcasting in
Latvian, Lithuanian, Estonian and Russian;
Lolo TV - purely Estonian
version of 4 and 5 Multimania, broadcasting in Estonian and Russian;
TV10 is a small Estonian sports channel;
TV1000 Eesti - created on
the basis of the TV1000 channel and adapted for Estonia;
Seitse -
music channel;
Musakanal - music channel, subsidiary of SEITSE;
Kinnisvara TV is a real estate channel.
TV channels broadcasting in Russian
ETV+ is a public legal TV
channel of the Estonian Radio and Television Broadcasting (ERR),
broadcasting in Russian. The TV channel began broadcasting on September
28, 2015. The main part of the morning and evening air is occupied by
programs of our own production;
3+ Estonia is an entertainment
channel owned by the Swedish media group Modern Times Group. The main
part of the airtime is occupied by serials and programs of the Russian
channels STS, TNT and TV-3;
PBK Estonia is a TV channel created on
the basis of the Russian Channel One. The channel broadcasts both
programs from Estonia and Russian programs;
Continent Europe is a TV
channel for Russian-speaking residents of Europe. Most of the airtime is
occupied by documentaries and Soviet cinema. The rest: programs from
Estonia and some other European countries;
REN TV Estonia is a TV
channel based on the Latvian TV channel REN TV Baltic, adapted for
Estonia. The main content is programs from Russia;
Orsent TV - TV
channel broadcasts mainly programs from Estonia and films of Soviet
production. There is a special VTV program, where some programs are
broadcast from Russia and Belarus;
TVN is a TV channel that
broadcasts many programs of various genres from Estonia, as well as
documentaries, concerts and Soviet cinema;
RTR-Planet Baltic is the
Baltic version of the international TV channel RTR-Planet. Transfers
only from Russia. Adapted for Estonia;
NTV Mir Estonia - the Estonian
version of the NTV Mir channel;
CTC Estonia - the Estonian version of
the CTC International TV channel;
LIFE TV is a family and Christian
TV channel. Satellite Hot-Bird 13b, cable networks, IPTV, internet
online. Broadcasting in Russian and Estonian.
radio stations
Radio stations broadcasting in Estonian
Estonian Radio is a structure
that is a division of the Estonian Public Broadcasting Corporation and
unites several radio channels:
Vikerraadio is the most popular
Estonian radio station, in fact, the main radio station in Estonia;
Raadio 2 - news, music, etc.;
Klassikaraadio - classical music;
Raadio Tallinn is a Tallinn radio station broadcasting news releases,
music programs, as well as rebroadcasting programs from foreign radio
stations BBC, Deutsche Welle and RFI;
Kuku Raadio is one of the first
commercial radio stations in Estonia;
Sky Plus - music, news, traffic
information, radio quizzes;
Tartu Raadio is a radio station
broadcasting in the city of Tartu;
Radio Mania - music, news, radio
show, positions itself as a rock radio station;
Raadio 3 - news,
music, etc.;
Raadio Elmar - music in the Adult Contemporary format;
Power Hiit Radio - TOP music;
Energy FM - TOP music;
Retro FM -
Gold Retro music (70s, 80s, 90s, 00s);
Pärnu Raadio - radio station
of the city of Pärnu (broadcasts only in the city of Pärnu and its
environs);
Raadio Elmar - music, news, etc.;
Star FM - music,
news, etc.;
Ring FM - music, news, etc.
Radio stations
broadcasting in Russian
Rating data of radio stations broadcasting in
Russian, according to TNS Gallup Media research
Radio 4 of
Estonian Radio. The broadcasts of Radio 4 of the Estonian Radio can also
be heard in Finland, Russia, Latvia and Sweden. The only
Russian-language radio that focuses on conversational programs, as well
as rebroadcasting programs from the foreign radio station Radio Liberty;
Russian radio;
SKY Radio;
People's Radio;
DFM;
Humor FM;
Wave;
Eli Family Radio/Voice of Hope/Transworld Radio.
in Estonian
"Eesti Päevaleht" - socio-political daily
newspaper;
"Postimees" - socio-political daily newspaper, in Soviet
times was the main newspaper of the city of Tartu and was published
under the name "Edasi" (Forward);
"Õhtuleht" - a daily tabloid, in
2000-2008, after merging with the newspaper "Sõnumileht", it was
published under the name "SL Õhtuleht";
Eesti Ekspress is a
socio-political weekly published since 1989;
"Äripäev" - economic
newspaper;
"Maaleht" - weekly, published since 1987;
Kesknädal is
a regular newspaper associated with the Estonian Center Party;
Pealinn is a free newspaper published by the city of Tallinn.
In
Russian
Delovye Vedomosti is a Russian-language economic newspaper
published every two weeks. In addition to translated articles from
Äripäev, the newspaper publishes original articles;
Komsomolskaya
Pravda - Baltiya is the Baltic issue of the popular Russian newspaper
Komsomolskaya Pravda. Published in a weekly format, except for Estonia,
distributed in Latvia and Finland;
MK Estonia is the Estonian version
of Moskovsky Komsomolets. The only all-republican weekly in Russian;
Stolitsa is a free newspaper published by the city of Tallinn.
The
newspapers Postimees in Russian and Day by Day were officially closed in
October 2016.
Bilingual (Russian and Estonian)
Linnaleht (City Newspaper) is a
free weekly newspaper covering the news of the Estonian capital.
In
other languages;
"The Baltic Times" (English);
"The Baltic
Worldwide" (English);
"Baltische Rundschau" (German, English).
news sites
DELFI is a network of the largest online news portals
in the Baltic States and Ukraine (until 2014). There are two DELFI
portals in Estonia, in Estonian and in Russian, both of which are
Estonia's leading news portals in terms of the number of visitors;
News portals ERR Uudised (in Estonian), Novosti ERR (in Russian) and ERR
News (in English) of the Estonian Public Broadcasting Corporation;
Rus.postimees is the Internet portal of the Postimees newspaper. It has
versions in Estonian, Russian and English;
Many Estonian newspapers
have their own news websites;
"Southern Capital" - Russian-language
information portal of the city of Tartu;
Sekundomer is a
Russian-language online publication about sports in Estonia and sports
events in Ida-Virumaa;
and others.
According to the rating of the international organization Reporters
Without Borders, in 2013 Estonia dropped from 3rd to 11th place in the
world in terms of freedom of speech. A similar opinion about the high
level of freedom of speech in Estonia is shared by the American
non-governmental organization Freedom House.
In an article
published in June 2010 by the Russian news agency REGNUM, a number of
facts were presented that, according to the agency, testify to the
constant pressure on journalists in Estonia.
In March 2011, the
European Parliament adopted a resolution in which it expressed serious
concern about the situation with media pluralism and freedom in a number
of EU countries, including Estonia. In the same month, the Mayor of
Tallinn, leader of the Estonian Center Party and former Estonian Prime
Minister E. Savisaar (who signed a cooperation agreement with United
Russia and was later on trial for corruption) issued a statement that
the Estonian media were less free than Russian ones. According to
Savisaar, A. Ansip, who at that time was the Prime Minister of Estonia,
built a vertical of power, including in the information sphere, much
tougher than Russian President V.V. Putin. In 2008, the Estonian
Journalists' Union named Ansip as the main opponent of freedom of speech
in Estonia.
Transport and communications
Since January 1,
2013, Tallinn's public transport has become free for all registered
residents of the city. The right to travel free of charge is also
granted to students under the age of 19, regardless of their place of
residence, and is reserved for all groups of beneficiaries who
previously had such a right. Also, from January 1, 2013, paper tickets
were canceled and contactless plastic cards were introduced, which must
be registered at the entrance to the transport through special
registrars (validators). If you do not have a card, you must purchase a
one-time ticket from the driver. Estonia became the first European
country to introduce free public transport in almost the entire country.
In 11 out of 15 counties, from July 1, 2018, passengers can use buses
free of charge.
Since 2000, the Estonian government has moved to paperless cabinet
meetings using an electronic documentation network on the Internet.
According to the results of the competition of the European Commission,
the project for the transition of the public sector to electronic
documents, as a result of which about 500 institutions have already
joined the electronic document exchange, including all ministries,
county governments and almost all departments and inspectorates, was
recognized as the best in Europe.
Since 2000, it has been
possible to file tax returns electronically in Estonia. In 2010, 92% of
Estonian tax returns were submitted online. Through a single portal, a
citizen can receive various public services via the Internet.
The
Internet segment in Estonia is one of the most developed both in Europe
and worldwide. In 2019, according to the ITU, there were 1,276,521
Internet users in the country, which was approximately 97.9% of the
country's population, according to this indicator, Estonia ranked 1st in
the EU. According to the tenth report of the Freedom House think tank,
which analyzes the rights and freedoms of people in the public web space
in 65 countries, which covers the period from June 2019 to June 2020:
Estonia ranks second in the world in Internet freedom after Iceland
Information Technology Estonia ranks 24th out of 142 countries of the
world, and is confidently leading in the ranking of Internet openness.
71% of house and apartment owners, as well as all Estonian schools, have
Internet access points. More than 1,100 free Wi-Fi zones have been
created in the country. Since 2006, the construction of WiMAX wireless
networks has begun in Estonia, which by 2013 cover almost the entire
territory of the country.
As of January 2009, over 1,000,000
ID-card holders (90% of the total Estonian population) lived in Estonia.
The ID-card is an identity document for all Estonian citizens over 15
years of age and permanent residents of Estonia who are in the country
on the basis of a residence permit. With the help of an ID card,
Estonian residents can verify their identity in both conventional and
electronic ways, as well as use the card to obtain a digital signature,
participate in elections, and even purchase public transport tickets.
In October 2005, online elections to local self-government bodies
were held. Estonia became the first country in the world to implement
internet voting as one of the means of voting. In 2007, Estonia became
the first country in the world to provide its voters with the
opportunity to vote via the Internet in parliamentary elections. A
record 247,232 votes, 43.8% of the total, were cast online in the 2019
parliamentary elections in Estonia.
Electronic residence (e-Residency) is a program launched by the
Estonian government on December 1, 2014, which allows people who are not
Estonian citizens to have access to services from Estonia such as
company formation, banking services, payment processing and tax payment.
The program gives all its participants (so-called e-residents) smart
cards, which they can use later to sign documents. The program is aimed
at people from location-independent businesses such as software
developers and writers.
British journalist Edward Lucas became
the first virtual resident of Estonia.
Virtual residency is not
related to citizenship and does not entitle you to physically visit or
resettle in Estonia. Virtual residence does not affect the taxation of
income of residents, does not oblige to pay income tax in Estonia and
does not exempt from taxation of income in the country of residence
(citizenship / nationality) of the resident. Virtual Residency allows
you to use the following features: company registration, document
signing, encrypted document exchange, online banking, tax filing, as
well as managing medical services related to medical prescriptions. A
smart card issued by the relevant authorities provides access to
services. Registering a business in Estonia is “useful for online
entrepreneurs in emerging markets who do not have access to online
payment providers,” as well as for start-ups from countries such as
Ukraine or Belarus that are subject to financial restrictions from their
governments.
As of 2019, more than 60,000 people became
e-residents of Estonia, in 2020 - more than 65,000 people, they created
more than 10,100 companies. Over 5 years of operation, the program has
brought more than 35 million euros of direct income to the Estonian
economy, as well as indirect economic benefits. As of 2021, more than
80,000 people from 170 countries have become Estonian e-residents.