Estonia

Republic of EstoniaEesti Vabariik

republicIndependence 6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Estonia as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 77 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

LocationNortheastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Sweden and Russia

Populationas each edition published it

1.61 million July 1993 est. · 1.61m in 1992

Population growth% a year

0.52% 1993 est. · -0.47% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 38.1 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

69.75 years 1993 est. · 78.4 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.01 children per woman 1993 est. · 2.3 in 1992

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

19.5 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 25 in 1992

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $5,480 in 1994

GDP real growth% a year

-30% 1992 est. · -0.3% in 2025

Geography

Northeastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Sweden and Russia

13 fields

Land useshare of 45,100 km2

arable land 22%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 11%forest and woodland 31%other 36%irrigated 110 km2 (1990)

Area

45,100km2

land area: 43,200 km2comparative area: slightly larger than New Hampshire and Vermont combinednote: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea

Coastline

1,393km

territorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

557km

total · Latvia 267 km, Russia 290 km

Location

Northeastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Sweden and Russia

Map references

Arctic Region, Asia, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

International 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

Environment

air heavily polluted with sulphur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast;
radioactive wastes dumped in open reservoir in Sillamae, a few dozen meters from Baltic Sea;
contamination of soil and ground water with petroleum products, chemicals at military bases

People

14 fields

Population

1,608,469

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 0.52% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

14.05Death

12.13Net migration

3.28

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years69.75

64.75 · 74.99

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy100%

100% · 100%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 9-49 can read and write (1970)

Ethnic divisions(1989)

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

Labor force

796,000

by occupation: industry and construction 42%, agriculture and forestry 20%, other 38% (1990)

Infant mortality rate

19.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Estonian(s)
adjective:: Estonian

Languages

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

Government

Republic

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

21%

Fatherland 21%Safe Home 14%Popular Front 13%Moderates 10%Estonian National Independence Party 8%Royalists 7%Estonian Citizen 7%Estonian Entrepreneurs 2%other 18%

Names

conventional long form:: Republic of Estonia
conventional short form:: Estonia
local long form:: Eesti Vabariik
local short form:: Eesti
former:: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic

Administrative divisions

none (all districts are under direct republic jurisdiction)

Legal system

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

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 (ENIP), 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;
Estonian Royalist Party (ERP), Kalle KULBOK, chairman;
Entrpreneurs' Party (EP), Tiit MADE;
Estonian Fatherland Party, Mart LAAR, chairman;
Safe Home;
Moderates;
Estonian Citizen

Elections

President:: last held 20 September 1992;
(next to be held NA);
results - no candidate received majority;
newly elected Parliament elected Lennart MERI (NA October 1992)
Parliament:: last held 20 September 1992;
(next to be held NA);
results - Fatherland 21%, Safe Home 14%, Popular Front 13%, Moderates 10%, Estonian National Independence Party 8%, Royalists 7%, Estonian Citizen 7%, Estonian Entrepreneurs 2%, other 18%;
seats - (101 total) Fatherland 29, Safe Home 18, Popular Front 15, Moderates 12, ENIP 10, Royalists 8, Estonian Citizen 8, Estonian Entrepreneurs 1
Congress of Estonia:: last held March 1990 (next to be held NA);
note - Congress of Estonia was a quasi-governmental structure which disbanded itself October 1992 after the new Parliament and government were installed

Leaders

Chief of State:: President Lennart MERI (since NA October 1992)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister Mart LAAR (since NA October 1992)

Member of

CBSS, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ILO, IMF, IMO, NACC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Toomas Hendrik IIVES
chancery:: (temporary) 630 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2415, New York, NY 10111
telephone:: (212) 247-2131
consulate general:: New York

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Robert C. FRASURE
embassy:: Kentmanni 20, Tallin EE 0001
mailing address:: use embassy street address
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 - three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white

Economy

As of June 1993 Estonia ranks first among the 15 former Soviet republics in | moving from its obsolete command economy to a modern market economy.

19 fields

Real growth rate

-30%

(1992 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -40% (1992)

Inflation, consumer prices

-2% per month (first quarter 1993)

Unemployment rate

(March 1993); but large number of underemployed workers

External debt

$650million

(end of 1991)

Budget

Revenues

$223 millionExpenditures

$142 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992)

As of June 1993 Estonia ranks first among the 15 former Soviet republics in moving from its obsolete command economy to a modern market economy. Yet serious problems remain. In contrast to the estimated 30% drop in output in 1992, GDP should grow by a small percent in 1993. Of key importance has been the introduction of the kroon in August 1993 and the subsequent reductions in inflation to 1%-2% per month.

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 progressing 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 the 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.

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. Like Latvia, but unlike Lithuania, the large portion of ethnic Russians (30%) in the population poses still another difficulty in the transition to an independent market economy.

National product

GDP $NA

National product per capita

$NA

Exports

$NA

commodities:: textile 11%, wood products and timber 9%, dairy products 9%
partners:: Russia and the other former Soviet republics 50%, West 50% (1992)

Imports

$NA

commodities:: machinery 45%, oil 13%, chemicals 12%
partners:: Finland 15%, Russia 18%

Electricity

3,700,000 kW capacity; 22,900 million kWh produced, 14,245 kWh per capita (1992)

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 of feedgrains for livestock;
fruits and vegetables

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for illicit drugs from Central and Southwest Asia to Western Europe;
limited illicit opium producer;
mostly for domestic production

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (1992), $10 million

Currency

1 Estonian kroon (EEK) = 100 NA; (introduced in August 1992)

Exchange rates

kroons (EEK) per US$1 - 12 (January 1993)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Merchant marine, 68 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 52roll-on/roll-off 6short-sea passenger 2bulk 6container 268 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 394,501 GRT/526,502 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

natural gas 420 km (1992)

Ports

coastal - Tallinn, Novotallin, Parnu; inland - Narva

Airports

total:: 29
useable:: 18
with permanent-surface runways:: 11
with runways over 3,659 m:: 0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:: 10
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:: 8

Telecommunications

300,000 telephone subscribers in 1990 with international direct dial service available to Finland, Germany, Austria, UK and France;
21 telephone lines per 100 persons as of 1991;
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 via 19 incoming/20 outgoing international channels, by the Finnish cellular net, and by an old copper submarine cable to Finland soon to be replaced by an undersea fiber optic cable system;
there is also a new international telephone exchange in Tallinn handling 60 channels via Helsinki;
2 analog mobile cellular networks with international roaming capability to Scandinavia are operating in major cities

Defense Forces

Ground Forces, Maritime Border Guard, National Guard (Kaitseliit), Security | Forces (internal and border troops)

3 fields

Defense expenditures

124.4million kroons

NA% of GDP (forecast for 1993); note - conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

Branches

Ground Forces, Maritime Border Guard, National Guard (Kaitseliit), Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 387,733;
fit for military service 306,056;
reach military age (18) annually 11,570 (1993 est.)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Estonia.” The World Factbook 1993. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/estonia/1993.

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