Estonia
Introduction
Background
After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries - it regained its freedom in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with the West. It joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004, formally joined the OECD in late 2010, and adopted the euro as its official currency on 1 January 2011.
Geography
Location
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia
Geographic coordinates
59 00 N, 26 00 E
Map references
Europe
Area
total: 45,228 sq km
land: 42,388 sq km
water: 2,840 sq km
note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea
country comparison to the world: 133
Area - comparative
about twice the size of New Jersey
Land boundaries
total: 657 km
border countries (2): Latvia 333 km, Russia 324 km
Coastline
3,794 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12nm
exclusive economic zone: limits as agreed to by Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Sweden, and Russia
Climate
maritime; wet, moderate winters, cool summers
Terrain
marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south
Elevation
mean elevation: 61 m
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m
Natural resources
oil shale, peat, rare earth elements, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud
Land use
agricultural land: 22.2% (2011 est.)
arable land: 14.9% (2011 est.)/permanent crops: 0.1% (2011 est.)/permanent pasture: 7.2% (2011 est.)
forest: 52.1% (2011 est.)
other: 25.7% (2011 est.)
Irrigated land
40 sq km (2012)
Population distribution
a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations
Natural hazards
sometimes flooding occurs in the spring
Environment - current issues
air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; however, the amounts of pollutants emitted to the air have fallen dramatically and the pollution load of wastewater at purification plants has decreased substantially due to improved technology and environmental monitoring; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations
Environment - international agreements
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands
People and Society
Population
1,244,288 (July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
Nationality
noun: Estonian(s)
adjective: Estonian
Ethnic groups
Estonian 68.7%, Russian 24.8%, Ukrainian 1.7%, Belarusian 1%, Finn 0.6%, other 1.6%, unspecified 1.6% (2011 est.)
Languages
Estonian (official) 68.5%, Russian 29.6%, Ukrainian 0.6%, other 1.2%, unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)
Religions
Orthodox 16.2%, Lutheran 9.9%, other Christian (including Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal) 2.2%, other 0.9%, none 54.1%, unspecified 16.7% (2011 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 16.3%(male 104,024 /female 98,757)
15-24 years: 8.8%(male 56,755 /female 52,711)
25-54 years: 41.07%(male 258,727 /female 252,304)
55-64 years: 13.63%(male 76,895 /female 92,759)
65 years and over: 20.2%(male 85,900 /female 165,456) (2018 est.)
population pyramid:
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 53.7 (2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 24.8 (2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 28.9 (2015 est.)
potential support ratio: 3.5 (2015 est.)
Median age
total: 43 years (2018 est.)
male: 39.7 years
female: 46.4 years
country comparison to the world: 23
Population growth rate
-0.6% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 224
Birth rate
9.9 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
Death rate
12.7 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
Net migration rate
-3.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
Population distribution
a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations
Urbanization
urban population: 69.1% of total population(2019)
rate of urbanization: 0.01% annual rate of change(2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population
441,000 TALLINN (capital) (2019)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.83 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female
total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2018 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
26.6 years (2014 est.)
Maternal mortality rate
9 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
Infant mortality rate
total: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
male: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 192
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 77 years (2018 est.)
male: 72.3 years
female: 82 years
country comparison to the world: 81
Total fertility rate
1.6 children born/woman (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 99% of population
total: 99.6% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 1% of population
total: 0.4% of population (2015 est.)
Current Health Expenditure
6.7% (2016)
Physicians density
3.47 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
Hospital bed density
5 beds/1,000 population (2015)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 97.5% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 96.6% of population (2015 est.)
total: 97.2% of population (2015 est.)
unimproved: urban: 2.5% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 3.4% of population (2015 est.)
total: 2.8% of population (2015 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.9% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
7,400 (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
HIV/AIDS - deaths
<100 (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: intermediate (2016)
vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2016)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
21.2% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 92
Education expenditures
5.2% of GDP (2016)
country comparison to the world: 54
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.8% (2015)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 16 years
male: 15 years
female: 17 years (2016)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total: 12.1%
male: 13.9%
female: 10% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Estonia
conventional short form: Estonia
local long form: Eesti Vabariik
local short form: Eesti
former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic
etymology: the country name may derive from the Aesti, an ancient people who lived along the eastern Baltic Sea in the first centuries A.D.
Government type
parliamentary republic
Capital
name: Tallinn
geographic coordinates: 59 26 N, 24 43 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
etymology: the Estonian name is generally believed to be derived from "Taani-linn" (originally meaning "Danish castle", now "Danish town") after a stronghold built in the area by the Danes; it could also have come from "tali-linn" ("winter castle" or "winter town") or "talu-linn" ("home castle" or "home town")
Administrative divisions
15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond); Harjumaa (Tallinn), Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide), Jogevamaa (Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere), Parnumaa (Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa (Kuressaare), Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi), Vorumaa (Voru)
note: counties have the administrative center name following in parentheses
Independence
20 August 1991 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union)
National holiday
Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia and established its statehood; 20 August 1991 was the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union restoring its statehood
Constitution
history: several previous; latest adopted 28 June 1992
amendments: proposed by at least one-fifth of Parliament members or by the president of the republic; passage requires three readings of the proposed amendment and a simple majority vote in two successive memberships of Parliament; passage of amendments to the "General Provisions" and "Amendment of the Constitution" chapters requires at least three-fifths majority vote by Parliament to conduct a referendum and majority vote in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2015 (2016)
Legal system
civil law system
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Estonia
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal; age 16 for local elections
Executive branch
chief of state: President Kersti KALJULAID (since 10 October 2016)
head of government: Juri RATAS (since 23 November 2016)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament
elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); if a candidate does not secure two-thirds of the votes after 3 rounds of balloting, then an electoral college consisting of Parliament members and local council members elects the president, choosing between the 2 candidates with the highest number of votes; election last held on 29-30 August 2016, but three rounds were inconclusive; two electoral college votes on 24 September 2016 were also indecisive, so the election passed back to Parliament; on 3 October the Parliament elected Kersti KALJULAID as president; prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament
election results: Kersti KALJULAID elected president; Parliament vote - Kersti KALJULAID (independent) 81 of 98 votes; note - KALJULAID is Estonia's first female president
Legislative branch
description: unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held on 3 March 2019 (next to be held in March 2023)
election results: percent of vote by party - RE 28.9%, K 23.1%, EKRE 17.8%, Pro Patria 11.4%, SDE 9.8%, other 9%; seats by party - RE 34, K 26, EKRE 19, Pro Patria 12, SDE 10; composition - men 72, women 29, percent of women 28.7%
Judicial branch
highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 19 justices, including the chief justice, and organized into civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional review chambers)
judge selection and term of office: the chief justice is proposed by the president of the republic and appointed by the Riigikogu; other justices proposed by the chief justice and appointed by the Riigikogu; justices appointed for life
subordinate courts: circuit (appellate) courts; administrative, county, city, and specialized courts
Political parties and leaders
Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) or K [Juri RATAS]
Estonia 200 [Kristina KALLAS]
Estonian Conservative People's Party (Konservatiivne Rahvaerakond) or EKRE [Mart HELME]
Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) or RE [Kaja KALLAS]
Free Party or EV [Andres HERKEL]
Pro Patria (Isamaa) [Helir-Valdor SEEDER]
Social Democratic Party or SDE [Jevgeni OSSINOVSKI]
International organization participation
Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
Ambassador Jonatan VSEVIOV (since 17 September 2018)
chancery: 2131 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101
FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Brian RORAFF (since July 2019)
telephone: [372] 668-8100
embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn
mailing address: use embassy street address
FAX: [372] 668-8265
Flag description
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white; various interpretations are linked to the flag colors; blue represents faith, loyalty, and devotion, while also reminiscent of the sky, sea, and lakes of the country; black symbolizes the soil of the country and the dark past and suffering endured by the Estonian people; white refers to the striving towards enlightenment and virtue, and is the color of birch bark and snow, as well as summer nights illuminated by the midnight sun
National symbol(s)
barn swallow, cornflower; national colors: blue, black, white
National anthem
name: "Mu isamaa, mu onn ja room" (My Native Land, My Pride and Joy)
lyrics/music: Johann Voldemar JANNSEN/Fredrik PACIUS
note: adopted 1920, though banned between 1940 and 1990 under Soviet occupation; the anthem, used in Estonia since 1869, shares the same melody as Finland's but has different lyrics
Economy
Economy - overview
Estonia, a member of the EU since 2004 and the euro zone since 2011, has a modern market-based economy and one of the higher per capita income levels in Central Europe and the Baltic region, but its economy is highly dependent on trade, leaving it vulnerable to external shocks. Estonia's successive governments have pursued a free market, pro-business economic agenda, and sound fiscal policies that have resulted in balanced budgets and the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the EU.The economy benefits from strong electronics and telecommunications sectors and strong trade ties with Finland, Sweden, Germany, and Russia. The economy’s 4.9% GDP growth in 2017 was the fastest in the past six years, leaving the Estonian economy in its best position since the financial crisis 10 years ago. For the first time in many years, labor productivity increased faster than labor costs in 2017. Inflation also rose in 2017 to 3.5% alongside increased global prices for food and energy, which make up a large share of Estonia’s consumption.Estonia is challenged by a shortage of labor, both skilled and unskilled, although the government has amended its immigration law to allow easier hiring of highly qualified foreign workers, and wage growth that outpaces productivity gains. The government is also pursuing efforts to boost productivity growth with a focus on innovations that emphasize technology start-ups and e-commerce.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$41.65 billion (2017 est.)
$39.72 billion (2016 est.)
$38.92 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 115
GDP (official exchange rate)
$25.97 billion (2017 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
4.9% (2017 est.)
2.1% (2016 est.)
1.7% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$31,700 (2017 est.)
$30,200 (2016 est.)
$29,600 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 64
Gross national saving
27% of GDP (2017 est.)
24.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
25.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 50.3% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 20.4% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 24% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 2.2% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 77.2% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -74% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 2.8% (2017 est.)
industry: 29.2% (2017 est.)
services: 68.1% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - products
grain, potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish
Industries
food, engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textiles; information technology, telecommunications
Industrial production growth rate
9.5% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
Labor force
670,200 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 2.7%
industry: 20.5%
services: 76.8% (2017 est.)
Unemployment rate
5.8% (2017 est.)
6.8% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
Population below poverty line
21.1% (2016 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 25.6% (2015)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
34.8 (2015)
35.6 (2014)
country comparison to the world: 100
Budget
revenues: 10.37 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures: 10.44 billion (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
39.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
-0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
Public debt
9% of GDP (2017 est.)
9.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities, including sub-sectors of central government, state government, local government, and social security funds
country comparison to the world: 199
Fiscal year
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.7% (2017 est.)
0.8% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
Central bank discount rate
0% (31 December 2017 est.)
0% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
Commercial bank prime lending rate
4.2% (31 December 2017 est.)
4.23% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Stock of narrow money
$14.78 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$11.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
note: see entry for the European Union for money supply for the entire euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 18 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders
country comparison to the world: 73
Stock of broad money
$14.78 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$11.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
Stock of domestic credit
$24.25 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$20.97 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
Market value of publicly traded shares
$3.102 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$2.407 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$2.045 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
Current account balance
$809 million (2017 est.)
$443 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
Exports
$13.44 billion (2017 est.)
$12.36 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
Exports - partners
Finland 16.2%, Sweden 13.5%, Latvia 9.2%, Russia 7.3%, Germany 6.9%, Lithuania 5.9% (2017)
Exports - commodities
machinery and electrical equipment 30%, food products and beverages 9%, mineral fuels 6%, wood and wood products 14%, articles of base metals 7%, furniture and bedding 11%, vehicles and parts 3%, chemicals 4% (2016 est.)
Imports
$14.42 billion (2017 est.)
$13.23 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
Imports - commodities
machinery and electrical equipment 28%, mineral fuels 11%, food and food products 10%, vehicles 9%, chemical products 8%, metals 8% (2015 est.)
Imports - partners
Finland 14%, Germany 10.7%, Lithuania 8.9%, Sweden 8.5%, Latvia 8.2%, Poland 7.2%, Russia 6.7%, Netherlands 5.9%, China 4.7% (2017)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$345 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$352.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
Debt - external
$19.05 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$18.3 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$27.05 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$22.19 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
$10.96 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$9.396 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
0.92 (2017 est.)
0.9 (2016 est.)
0.9214 (2015 est.)
0.885 (2014 est.)
0.7634 (2013 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
Electricity - production
11.55 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
Electricity - consumption
8.795 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
Electricity - exports
5.613 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
Electricity - imports
3.577 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
Electricity - installed generating capacity
2.578 million kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
Electricity - from fossil fuels
72% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
Electricity - from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
Electricity - from other renewable sources
28% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
Crude oil - production
0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
Crude oil - exports
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
Crude oil - imports
0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
Crude oil - proved reserves
0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
Refined petroleum products - production
0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
Refined petroleum products - consumption
28,300 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
Refined petroleum products - exports
27,150 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
Refined petroleum products - imports
35,520 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
Natural gas - consumption
481.4 million cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
Natural gas - imports
481.4 million cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
Natural gas - proved reserves
0 cu m (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
5.306 million Mt (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 362,117
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 29 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 1,904,425
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 152 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
Telephone system
general assessment: range of regulatory measures competition and foreign investment in the form of joint business ventures greatly improved telephone service with a wide range of high-quality voice, data, and Internet services available; one of the most advanced mobile markets in Europe; 5G trials for further growth commercially available by 2020; highest broadband penetration in Europe (2018)
domestic: 29 per 100 for fixed-line and 152 per 100 for mobile-cellular; substantial fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in the digital mode; Internet services are widely available; schools and libraries are connected to the Internet, a large percentage of the population files income tax returns online, and online voting - in local and parliamentary elections - has climbed steadily since first introduced in 2005; 85% of Estonian households have broadband access (2018)
international: country code - 372; landing points for the EE-S-1, EESF-3, Baltic Sea Submarine Cable, FEC and EESF-2 fiber-optic submarine cables to other Estonia points, Finland, and Sweden; 2 international switches are located in Tallinn (2019)
Broadcast media
the publicly owned broadcaster, Eesti Rahvusringhaaling (ERR), operates 3 TV channels and 5 radio networks; growing number of private commercial radio stations broadcasting nationally, regionally, and locally; fully transitioned to digital television in 2010; national private TV channels expanding service; a range of channels are aimed at Russian-speaking viewers; in 2016, there were 42 on-demand services available in Estonia, including 19 pay TVOD and SVOD services; roughly 85% of households accessed digital television services
Internet country code
.ee
Internet users
total: 1,097,921
percent of population: 87.2% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 404,682
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
Military and Security
Military expenditures
2.14% of GDP (2019 est.)
2% of GDP (2018)
2.03% of GDP (2017)
2.07% of GDP (2016)
2.02% of GDP (2015)
country comparison to the world: 44
Military and security forces
Estonian Defense Forces: Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Estonian Defence League (Reserves) (2019)
Military service age and obligation
18-27 for compulsory military or governmental service, conscript service requirement 8-11 months depending on education; NCOs, reserve officers, and specialists serve 11 months (2016)
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 3 (2015)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 14 (2015)
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 512,388 (2015)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 870,362mt-km (2015)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
ES (2016)
Airports
18 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 140
Airports - with paved runways
total: 13 (2017)
over 3,047 m: 2 (2017)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 (2017)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2017)
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2017)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 5 (2013)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)
under 914 m: 3 (2013)
Heliports
1 (2012)
Pipelines
2360 km gas (2016)
Railways
total: 2,146 km (2016)
broad gauge: 2,146 km1.520-m and 1.524-m gauge (132 km electrified) (2016)
note: includes 1,510 km public and 636 km non-public railway
country comparison to the world: 71
Roadways
total: 58,412 km(includes urban roads) (2011)
paved: 10,427 km(includes 115 km of expressways) (2011)
unpaved: 47,985 km (2011)
country comparison to the world: 78
Waterways
335 km(320 km are navigable year-round) (2011)
country comparison to the world: 90
Merchant marine
total: 74
by type: general cargo 8, oil tanker 6, other 60 (2018)
country comparison to the world: 100
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Kuivastu, Kunda, Muuga, Parnu Reid, Sillamae, Tallinn
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
Russia and Estonia in May 2005 signed a technical border agreement, but Russia in June 2005 recalled its signature after the Estonian parliament added to its domestic ratification act a historical preamble referencing the Soviet occupation and Estonia's pre-war borders under the 1920 Treaty of Tartu; Russia contends that the preamble allows Estonia to make territorial claims on Russia in the future, while Estonian officials deny that the preamble has any legal impact on the treaty text; Russia demands better treatment of the Russian-speaking population in Estonia; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Estonia implements strict Schengen border rules with Russia
Refugees and internally displaced persons
stateless persons: 77,877 (2018); note - following independence in 1991, automatic citizenship was restricted to those who were Estonian citizens prior to the 1940 Soviet occupation and their descendants; thousands of ethnic Russians remained stateless when forced to choose between passing Estonian language and citizenship tests or applying for Russian citizenship; one reason for demurring on Estonian citizenship was to retain the right of visa-free travel to Russia; stateless residents can vote in local elections but not general elections; stateless parents who have been lawful residents of Estonia for at least five years can apply for citizenship for their children before they turn 15 years old
Illicit drugs
growing producer of synthetic drugs; increasingly important transshipment zone for cannabis, cocaine, opiates, and synthetic drugs since joining the European Union and the Schengen Accord; potential money laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking is a concern, as is possible use of the gambling sector to launder funds; major use of opiates and ecstasy