Estonia is a small country in northern Europe, located on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. It has a population of around 1.3 million people and its capital city is Tallinn.

Estonia has a parliamentary democratic system of government with a president as the head of state and a prime minister as the head of government. It is a member of the European Union, NATO, the United Nations, and many other international organizations.

Estonia has a highly developed and technologically advanced economy, with a strong focus on digital technologies. It was the first country in the world to use online voting in a general election and is known for its e-governance initiatives.

The country has a rich cultural heritage and is known for its medieval Old Town in Tallinn, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Estonia is also famous for its choral singing tradition, which has been recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage.

Estonia is a bilingual country, with Estonian and Russian as the official languages. The majority of the population speaks Estonian, which is a Finno-Ugric language closely related to Finnish. Russian is spoken as a second language by a significant minority of the population.

Estonia is a popular destination for tourists, offering a range of attractions including historical sites, natural landscapes, and cultural events.

Telephone Code
372

Local Emergency Phone
Ambulance: 112; Fire: 112; Police: 110

Vaccinations
See WHO recommendations

Climate
Maritime; wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Currency (Code)
Euros (EUR)

Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s)
230 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): C, F

Major Languages
Estonian, Russian, Ukrainian

Major Religions
Orthodox 16.2%, Lutheran 9.9%, other Christian 2.2%

Potable Water
Yes

International Driving Permit
Suggested

Road Driving Side
Right

Tourist Destinations
Tallinn (includes Toompea Castle, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral); Tartu (includes Old Toen, Estonian National Museum); Lahemaa National Park; Saaremaa; Parnu; Narva Castle

Major Sports
Soccer, basketball, skiing, volleyball, cycling, judo

Cultural Practices
It is considered rude to greet someone while seated, stand up to introduce yourself.

Tipping Guidelines
If you do not like the service you do not need to tip. A 10% tip is polite and in many places expected for satisfactory or good service; a 20% tip is considered a thank you for exceptional service.

Souvenirs
Juniper items, embroidered Muhu slippers, hand-knitted woolen items, carved-wood items, dried berries, jams, honey

Traditional Cuisine
Verivorst — pork sausages made of barley, onion, allspice, marjoram, and blood and roasted together with potatoes and pork; typically accompanied with butter, sour cream, and sauerkraut on the side and topped with a cranberry or lingonberry compote

Geography
Area
total: 45,228 sq km
land: 42,388 sq km
water: 2,840 sq km

Climate
maritime; wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Natural resources
oil shale, peat, rare earth elements, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud

People and Society
Population
1,202,762 (2023 est.)

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.)

Population growth rate
-0.74% (2023 est.)

Government
Government type
parliamentary republic

Capital
name: Tallinn

Economy
Economic overview
advanced service-based EU and OECD economy; regional trade and telecommunications leader; recently rejected Baltic sea rail tunnel from Tallinn to Helsinki; flat income taxation; substantial welfare system; balanced budget culture; business-friendly climate

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$51.531 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita
$38,700 (2021 est.)

Agricultural products
wheat, milk, barley, rapeseeds, rye, oats, peas, potatoes, pork, triticale

Industries
food, engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textiles; information technology, telecommunications

Exports
$29.056 billion (2021 est.)

Exports - partners
Finland 13%, Sweden 9%, Latvia 8%, Russia 8%, United States 7%, Lithuania 6%, Germany 6% (2019)

Exports - commodities
broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum, coal tar oil, cars, prefabricated buildings (2019)

Imports
$29.234 billion (2021 est.)

Imports - partners
Russia 12%, Germany 10%, Finland 9%, Lithuania 7%, Latvia 7%, Sweden 6%, Poland 6%, China 6% (2019)

Imports - commodities
cars, refined petroleum, coal tar oil, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicines (2019)