Capital

Estland

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")

Citizenship

Estland

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

Legal system

Estland

civil law system

Suffrage

Estland

18 years of age; universal; age 16 for local elections

Area

Estland

total: 45,228 sq km

land: 42,388 sq km

water: 2,840 sq km

note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea

Land use

Estland

agricultural land: 22.2% (2018 est.)

arable land: 14.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 7.2% (2018 est.)

forest: 52.1% (2018 est.)

other: 25.7% (2018 est.)

Location

Estland

Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia

Age structure

Estland

0-14 years: 15.56% (male 95,732/female 91,384)

15-64 years: 62.27% (male 376,599/female 372,380)

65 years and over: 22.17% (2023 est.) (male 94,291/female 172,376)

Birth rate

Estland

8.5 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Estland

13.1 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Estland

Estonian (official) 68.5%, Russian 29.6%, Ukrainian 0.6%, other 1.2%, unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Estland

total population: 78.1 years (2023 est.)

male: 73.5 years

female: 82.9 years

Major urban areas - population

Estland

454,000 TALLINN (capital) (2023)

Median age

Estland

total: 44.7 years (2023 est.)

male: 41.5 years

female: 47.9 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

Estland

28.2 years (2020 est.)

Net migration rate

Estland

-2.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Estland

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations

Population growth rate

Estland

-0.74% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Estland

1.62 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Estland

urban population: 69.8% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: -0.03% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Estland

6.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Estland

total: 16 years

male: 15 years

female: 17 years (2020)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Estland

-0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Estland

7.13% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Estland

704,700 (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Estland

21.7% (2018 est.)

Unemployment rate

Estland

6.33% (2021 est.)

6.8% (2020 est.)

4.45% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Estland

23.77% of GDP (2020 est.)

14.05% of GDP (2019 est.)

13.46% of GDP (2018 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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Estland

4.65% (2021 est.)

-0.44% (2020 est.)

2.28% (2019 est.)

Exports

Estland

$29.056 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$21.769 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$22.962 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - partners

Estland

Finland 12%, United States 9%, Latvia 9%, Sweden 8%, Russia 6% (2021)

Imports

Estland

$29.234 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$21.813 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$21.712 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - partners

Estland

Russia 15%, Finland 10%, Germany 10%, Latvia 7%, Lithuania 6% (2021)

Airports

Estland

18 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Estland

total: 415,610 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 31 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Estland

total: 1.183 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 91% (2021 est.)

Railways

Estland

total: 1,441 km (2020) 225 km electrified

Roadways

Estland

total: 58,412 km (2011) (includes urban roads)

paved: 10,427 km (2011) (includes 115 km of expressways)

unpaved: 47,985 km (2011)

Telephones - fixed lines

Estland

total subscriptions: 296,620 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 22 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Estland

total subscriptions: 1,980,838 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 149 (2021 est.)

Waterways

Estland

335 km (2011) (320 km are navigable year-round)

Disputes - international

Estland

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