Estonia |
|
| OVERVIEW |
| Background |
After centuries
of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained
independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR
in 1940, it regained its freedom in 1991, with the collapse
of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in
1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political
ties with Western Europe. Estonia received invitations to
join NATO and the EU in 2002. |
| Natural
resources |
oil shale, peat, phosphorite,
clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud |
| Land use |
arable land: 26.5%
permanent crops: 0.35%
other: 73.15% (1998 est.) |
| Population |
1,408,556 (July 2003 est.)
|
| Ethnic groups |
Estonian 65.3%, Russian
28.1%, Ukrainian 2.5%, Belarusian 1.5%, Finn 1%, other 1.6%
(1998) |
| Religions |
Evangelical Lutheran,
Russian Orthodox, Estonian Orthodox, Baptist, Methodist, Seventh-Day
Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Word of Life, Jewish
|
| Languages |
Estonian (official), Russian,
Ukrainian, Finnish, other |
| Literacy |
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.8% (2003 est.) |
| Capital |
Tallinn |
| Government
type |
parliamentary republic
|
| Independence |
regained on 20 August
1991 (from Soviet Union) |
| National
holiday |
Independence Day, 24 February
(1918); note - 24 February 1918 was the date of independence
from Soviet Russia, 20 August 1991 was the date of reindependence
from the Soviet Union |
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