Estonia

republicIndependence 8 November 1917

Estonia as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 74 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalTallinn

Area45,100 km2

Populationas each edition published it

1.61 million July 1992 · 1.34m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 0.52% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 38.1 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 69.75 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.3 children per woman 1992 · 1.36 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

25 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 2 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $5,480 in 1994

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition -30% in 1993

Geography

12 fields

Land useshare of 45,100 km2

arable land 22%meadows and pastures 11%forest and woodland 31%other 21%swamps and lakes 15%NA% permanent crops; includes NA% irrigated

Total area

45,100km2

Comparative area: slightly larger than New Hampshire and Vermont combined

Coastline

1,393km

Contiguous zone: NA nmContinental shelf: NA meter depthExclusive economic zone: NA nmExclusive fishing zone: NA nmTerritorial sea: NA nm

Land boundaries

557km

Latvia 267 km, Russia 290 km

Land area

43,200 km2; (includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea)

Disputes

international small border strips along the northern (Narva) and southern (Petseri) sections of eastern border with Russia ceded to Russia in 1945 by the Estonian SSR

People

14 fields

Population

1,607,349

(July 1992), growth rate 0.7% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth

16Death

12Net migration

Ethnic divisions(1989)

Estonian 61.5%Russian 30.3%Ukrainian 3.17%Byelorussian 1.8%Finn 1.1%other 2.13% (1989)

Nationality

noun - Estonian(s); adjective - Estonian

Languages

Estonian NA% (official), Latvian NA%, Lithuanian NA%, Russian NA%, other NA%

Labor force

796,000; industry and construction 42%, agriculture and forestry 13%, other 45% (1990)

Government

Republic

19 fields

Administrative divisions

none - all districts are under direct republic jurisdiction

Independence

8 November 1917;
occupied by Germany in March 1918 and restored to power in November 1918;
annexed by USSR 6 August 1940;
declared independence 20 August 1991 and regained independence from USSR 6 September 1991

Constitution

currently rewriting constitution, but readopted the constitution of 1938

Legal system

based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

Leaders

Chief of State:: Chairman, Supreme Council Arnold R'UTEL (since April 1983)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister Tiit VAHI (since January 1992)

Political parties and leaders

Popular Front of Estonia (Rahvarinne), NA chairman;
Estonian Christian Democratic Party, Aivar KALA, chairman;
Estonian Christian Democratic Union, Illar HALLASTE, chairman;
Estonian Heritage Society (EMS), Trivimi VELLISTE, chairman;
Estonian National Independence Party (ERSP), Lagle PAREK, chairman;
Estonian Social Democratic Party, Marju LAURISTIN, chairman;
Estonian Green Party, Tonu OJA;
Independent Estonian Communist Party, Vaino VALJAS;
People's Centrist Party, Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman

Elections

Congress of Estonia:: last held March 1990 (next to be held NA);
note - Congress of Estonia is a quasi-governmental structure;
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (495 total) number of seats by party NA
President:: last held NA 1990;
(next to be held NA);
results - NA
Supreme Council:: last held 18 March 1990;
(next to be held NA);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (105 total) number of seats by party NA

Other political or pressure groups

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Ernst JAAKSON, Legation of Estonia, Office of Consulate General, 9 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 1421, New York, NY 10020; telephone (212) 247-1450

US:: Ambassador Robert C. FRASURE;
Embassy at Kentmanni 20, Tallin EE 0001;
telephone 011-[358] (49) 303-182 (cellular);
FAX [358] (49) 306-817 (cellular);
note - dialing to Baltics still requires use of an international operator unless you use the cellular phone lines

Flag

pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990; flag is three equal horizontal bands of blue, black, and white

Economy

Starting in July 1991, under a new law on private ownership, small | enterprises, such as retail shops and restaurants, were sold to private | owners.

17 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

200%

approximately · (1991)

External debt

$650million

(end of 1991)

Starting in July 1991, under a new law on private ownership, small enterprises, such as retail shops and restaurants, were sold to private owners. The auctioning of large-scale enterprises is now in progress with the proceeds being held in escrow until the prior ownership (that is, Estonian or the Commonwealth of Independent States) can be established.

Estonia ranks first in per capita consumption among the former Soviet republics. Agriculture is well developed, especially meat production, and provides a surplus for export. Only about one-fifth of the work force is in agriculture. The major share of the work force engages in manufacturing both capital and consumer goods based on raw materials and intermediate products from the other former Soviet republics.

These manufactures are of high quality by ex-Soviet standards and are exported to the other republics. Estonia's mineral resources are limited to major deposits of shale oil (60% of old Soviet total) and phosphorites (400 million tons). Estonia has a large, relatively modern port and produces more than half of its own energy needs at highly polluting shale oil power plants.

Like the other 14 successor republics, Estonia is suffering through a difficult transitional period - between a collapsed command economic structure and a still-to-be-built market structure. It has advantages in the transition, not having suffered so long under the Soviet yoke and having better chances of developing profitable ties to the Nordic and West European countries.

GDP

$NA billion, per capita $NA; real growth rate -11% (1992)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Budget

revenues $NA million; expenditures $NA million, including capital expenditures of $NA million

Exports

$186 million (f.o.b., 1990)

commodities:: machinery 30%, food 17%, chemicals 11%, electric power 9%
partners:: Russia 50%, other former Soviet republics 30%, Ukraine 15%, West 5%

Imports

$1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1990)

commodities:: machinery 45%, oil 13%, chemicals 12%
partners:: NA

Industrial production

growth rate -9% (1991)

Electricity

3,305,000 kW capacity; 17,200 million kWh produced, 10,865 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries

accounts for 30% of labor force; oil shale, shipbuilding, phosphates, electric motors, excavators, cement, furniture, clothing, textiles, paper, shoes, apparel

Agriculture

employs 20% of work force;
very efficient;
net exports of meat, fish, dairy products, and potatoes;
imports feedgrains for livestock;
fruits and vegetables

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for illicit drugs from Central and Southwest Asia to Western Europe

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (1992), $10 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-86), $NA million;
Communist countries (1971-86), $NA million

Currency

kroon; to be introduced in 1992

Exchange rates

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

9 fields

Merchant marine, 65 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 51roll-on/roll-off 6short-sea passenger 2bulk 665 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 386,634 GRT/516,866 DWT

Networkskm

Highways

30,300Railroads

1,030 (1990)Inland waterways

500

Highways: (1990); 29,200 km hard surfaced; 1,100 km earth · Railroads: (includes NA km electrified); does not include industrial lines

Railroads

1,030 km (includes NA km electrified); does not include industrial lines (1990)

Highways

30,300 km total (1990);
29,200 km hard surfaced;
1,100 km earth

Pipelines

crude oil NA km, refined products NA km, natural gas NA km

Ports

maritime - Tallinn, Parnu; inland - Narva

Civil air

NA major transport aircraft

Airports

NA total, NA usable;
NA with permanent-surface runways;
NA with runways over 3,659 m;
NA with runways 2,440-3,659 m;
NA with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications

telephone diversity - NA;
broadcast stations - 3 TV (provide Estonian programs as well as Moscow Ostenkino's first and second programs);
international traffic is carried to the other former USSR republics by landline or microwave and to other countries by leased connection to the Moscow international gateway switch, by the Finnish cellular net, and by an old copper submarine cable to Finland