This small country welcomes you with unspoilt nature, rich traditions and history as well as modern entertainment facilities.

Estonia is a diverse country that ought to suit the taste of even the most pretentious visitor. There are ancient defensive walls, medieval fortresses and cobb led streets coupled with leafy parks, romantic coasts, deep forests, sandy beaches, wooden windmills, modern hotels, luxury restaurants and tourist farms.

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 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Estonia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004. As of 21 December 2007, Estonia is a part of the Schengen visa area.

In 2008 the Republic of Estonia celebrates the 90th Anniversary.

Area:

Population:

Capital:

Other Major Cities:

45,227 square km

1.361 million

Tallinn (397,000)

Tartu (102,000)

Narva (66,700)

Kohtla-Järve (45,400)

Pärnu (44,100)

Official name:

Republic of Estonia (Eesti Vabariik)

Head of State:

President

Constitution:

passed on 28th of June 1992 (4.)

Government:

Parliamentary Republic, single chamber Parliament (Riigikogu) of 101 members

Currency:

Eesti Kroon (EEK); 1 kroon = 100 sents.
Pegged to Euro under currency board arrangement at rate 1 EUR = EEK 15.6466

National Day:

Independence Day, February 24th

Population:

1.361 million; in towns 70%, in rural municipalities 30%

Language:

Estonian. Other languages such as English,
Russian and Finnish are also widely spoken.

Ethnic groups:

Estonians 68.5%, Russians 25.7%, Ukrainians 2.1%

Main Religion:

Lutheran

Major Natural Resources:

Timber, oil shale, phos phorite, peat, limestone, dolomite

National bird:

barn swallow

National flower:

cornflower

Estonia is divided:

into 15 counties, 202 rural municipalities and 39 towns

Time Zone:

GMT + 2 hours

Distance from Tallinn:

Helsinki 85 km, Riga 307 km, St Petersburg 395 km, Stockholm 405 km,
Vilnius 605 km

Flight times:

Helsinki 35 min, Stockholm 1 h, Copenhagen 1 h 30 min,
Moscow 1 h 40 min, Amsterdam 2 h 20 min, London 2 h 45 min

Climate:

The climate in Estonia is tempe rate, characterised by warm summers and fairly severe winters. The weather is often breezy and humid due to the proximity of the Baltic Sea. Average temperatures range from 20.9° C in summer (usually July is the hottest month) to - 8°C in winter. Although occasionally the temperature may rise to 30°C and above in summer or sink below - 23°C in winter, it is very usual at our latitude