Estonia

I

Introduction

Estonia (in Estonian, Eesti), formerly Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic, now known as the Republic of Estonia, republic in north-eastern Europe, bounded on the north by the Gulf of Finland, on the east by Russia, on the south by Latvia, and on the west by the Baltic Sea. Estonia has more than 1,500 islands; the largest, Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, separate the Gulf of Riga from the Baltic. The area of the country is about 45,227 sq km (17,462 sq mi). Tallinn, the capital and largest city, is the country’s chief port.

II

Land and Resources

Estonia is a low-lying plain with numerous streams and lakes. The average elevation is about 50 m (165 ft), with the highest point in the republic reaching only 318 m (1,043 ft). Wetlands cover more than 20 per cent of the country’s territory. Lakes and reservoirs cover an additional 5 per cent, with the two largest lakes, Lake Peipus on the eastern border and Võrts-Järv in the south-central part of the country, accounting for nearly four fifths of the total lake surface area. The climate is moderated by marine influences, although more continental conditions exist in inland portions of the republic. Precipitation is moderate, with mean annual rainfall ranging from 50 to 70 cm (19y to 27‚ in). Elongated hills arrayed from north to south are evidence of former glaciation, as are the glacial boulders found in the south and south-east. The mainland has a coastline about 1,160 km (720 mi) long. About one quarter of the land is forested, mainly with pine, birch, aspen, and fir. Elk, deer, and wild boar are common fauna. Several species have been protected by legislation because of their small numbers, including the beaver, red deer, and willow grouse.

Industrial pollution is a major environmental problem in Estonia. Almost 100 per cent (1998) of the electricity produced in Estonia is generated by thermal plants, which burn fossil fuels. Of specific concern are the country's oil-shale burning power plants, which are heavy polluters, especially in the north-east of the country. These power plants, combined with Estonia's chemical factories, paper plants, and other industries, emit very high levels of sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and particulates (tiny solids suspended in the air). These emissions are linked to a decline in health among children and to eutrophication of the Baltic Sea.

Coniferous forests in northern Estonia are damaged by acid rain. In many places, soil and groundwater are contaminated with petroleum products, and many of the country's lakes are polluted with organic waste. The Gulf of Riga is severely polluted by industrial waste. Environmental awareness is strong in Estonia, however. The Estonian government has enacted several environmental measures and has curtailed the expansion of phosphorite mining. The areas of forestry are increasing 1 per cent annually (1990-1996), and 12 per cent (1997) of the country's total land area is designated as protected. The government has ratified international environmental agreements on biodiversity, climate change, endangered species, hazardous wastes, ozone layer protection, ship pollution, and wetlands.

III

Population

Estonia, with a population of 1,307,605 (2008 estimate), is the smallest republic of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Population density is 30 people per sq km (78 per sq mi). Life expectancy in 2008 was 73 years. About 64 per cent of the people are Estonians. They are ethnically and linguistically close to the Finns. Russians form the largest minority grouping, comprising about 30 per cent of the total population. Other minorities include Ukrainians, Belorussians, Finns, Jews, and Latvians. Before Soviet annexation in 1940, Russians comprised only 8.5 per cent of the total population. They arrived in Estonia during the Stalinist period of large-scale industrialization and resettlement after World War II. Russian employment is confined largely to the industrial sector in Estonia.

In 1992 laws were passed that greatly restricted Estonian citizenship. According to the laws, which are based on a 1939 law, all residents who lived in Estonia before 1940, and their descendants, are automatically granted citizenship, regardless of ethnicity. Other inhabitants are required to meet a two-year residency requirement and pass a proficiency exam in Estonian, although language restrictions can be waived for the aged and handicapped. Under a subsequent amendment to these laws, immigrants after April 1, 1995, have to meet a five-year residency requirement before being eligible for citizenship. Former members of the Soviet security apparatus are ineligible for citizenship and therefore unable to vote in parliamentary elections. After the language law was passed, the Russian government complained about human-rights abuses against Russians in Estonia, but a mission sponsored by the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (now the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) rejected the claims of discrimination after visiting the republic in 1993. In early 2002 President Arnold Rüütel ended the language laws that forbade public office to those who were not proficient in Estonian.

Estonia is highly urbanized. About 70 per cent of the population lives in urban areas, with nearly one third residing in Tallinn, which has a population of 391,000 (2003 estimate). Other important cities include Tartu, population 101,190 (2003 estimate) and Pärnu, 44,781 (2003 estimate). Russians reside in urban areas, especially in the east. Narva, a city of 67,752 (2003 estimate) in the north-eastern corner of the country, is inhabited almost exclusively by Russians. Relations between Estonia and Russia remain tense over unsettled borders along the eastern frontier.

A

Religion

Lutheranism is the traditional Estonian religion. Other forms of Christianity are also practised in the country.