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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 29 useable: 18 with permanent-surface runways: 11 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 10 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 8

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

30,300 km total (1990); 29,200 km hard surfaced; 1,100 km earth

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

500 km perennially navigable

Merchant marine [time series]

68 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 394,501 GRT/526,502 DWT; includes 52 cargo, 6 roll-on/roll-off, 2 short-sea passenger, 6 bulk, 2 container

Pipelines [time series]

natural gas 420 km (1992)

Ports [time series]

coastal - Tallinn, Novotallin, Parnu; inland - Narva

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

1,030 km (includes NA km electrified); does not include industrial lines (1990)

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

300,000 telephone subscribers in 1990 with international direct dial service available to Finland, Germany, Austria, UK and France; 21 telephone lines per 100 persons as of 1991; broadcast stations - 3 TV (provide Estonian programs as well as Moscow Ostenkino's first and second programs); international traffic is carried to the other former USSR republics by landline or microwave and to other countries by leased connection to the Moscow international gateway switch via 19 incoming/20 outgoing international channels, by the Finnish cellular net, and by an old copper submarine cable to Finland soon to be replaced by an undersea fiber optic cable system; there is also a new international telephone exchange in Tallinn handling 60 channels via Helsinki; 2 analog mobile cellular networks with international roaming capability to Scandinavia are operating in major cities

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Ground Forces, Maritime Border Guard, National Guard (Kaitseliit), Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

124.4 million kroons, NA% of GDP (forecast for 1993); note - conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 387,733; fit for military service 306,056; reach military age (18) annually 11,570 (1993 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

employs 20% of work force; very efficient; net exports of meat, fish, dairy products, and potatoes; imports of feedgrains for livestock; fruits and vegetables

Budget [time series]

revenues $223 million; expenditures $142 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Estonian kroon (EEK) = 100 NA; (introduced in August 1992)

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (1992), $10 million

Electricity [time series]

3,700,000 kW capacity; 22,900 million kWh produced, 14,245 kWh per capita (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

kroons (EEK) per US$1 - 12 (January 1993)

Exports [time series]

$NA commodities: textile 11%, wood products and timber 9%, dairy products 9% partners: Russia and the other former Soviet republics 50%, West 50% (1992)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$650 million (end of 1991)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Illicit drugs [time series]

transshipment point for illicit drugs from Central and Southwest Asia to Western Europe; limited illicit opium producer; mostly for domestic production

Imports [time series]

$NA commodities: machinery 45%, oil 13%, chemicals 12% partners: Finland 15%, Russia 18%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate -40% (1992)

Industries [time series]

accounts for 30% of labor force; oil shale, shipbuilding, phosphates, electric motors, excavators, cement, furniture, clothing, textiles, paper, shoes, apparel

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1%-2% per month (first quarter 1993)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP $NA

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$NA

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

-30% (1992 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

As of June 1993 Estonia ranks first among the 15 former Soviet republics in moving from its obsolete command economy to a modern market economy. Yet serious problems remain. In contrast to the estimated 30% drop in output in 1992, GDP should grow by a small percent in 1993. Of key importance has been the introduction of the kroon in August 1993 and the subsequent reductions in inflation to 1%-2% per month. Starting in July 1991, under a new law on private ownership, small enterprises, such as retail shops and restaurants, were sold to private owners. The auctioning of large-scale enterprises is progressing with the proceeds being held in escrow until the prior ownership (that is, Estonian or the Commonwealth of Independent States) can be established. Estonia ranks first in per capita consumption among the former Soviet republics. Agriculture is well developed, especially meat production, and provides a surplus for export. Only about one-fifth of the work force is in agriculture. The major share of the work force engages in manufacturing both capital and consumer goods based on raw materials and intermediate products from the other former Soviet republics. These manufactures are of high quality by ex-Soviet standards and are exported to the other republics. Estonia's mineral resources are limited to major deposits of shale oil (60% of the old Soviet total) and phosphorites (400 million tons). Estonia has a large, relatively modern port and produces more than half of its own energy needs at highly polluting shale oil power plants. It has advantages in the transition, not having suffered so long under the Soviet yoke and having better chances of developing profitable ties to the Nordic and West European countries. Like Latvia, but unlike Lithuania, the large portion of ethnic Russians (30%) in the population poses still another difficulty in the transition to an independent market economy.

Unemployment rate [time series]

3% (March 1993); but large number of underemployed workers

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 45,100 km2 land area: 43,200 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than New Hampshire and Vermont combined note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea

Climate [time series]

maritime, wet, moderate winters

Coastline [time series]

1,393 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

air heavily polluted with sulphur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; radioactive wastes dumped in open reservoir in Sillamae, a few dozen meters from Baltic Sea; contamination of soil and ground water with petroleum products, chemicals at military bases

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

international small border strips along the northern (Narva) and southern (Petseri) sections of eastern border with Russia ceded to Russia in 1945 by the Estonian SSR

Irrigated land [time series]

110 km2 (1990)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 557 km, Latvia 267 km, Russia 290 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 22% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 11% forest and woodland: 31% other: 36%

Location [time series]

Northeastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Sweden and Russia

Map references [time series]

Arctic Region, Asia, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

shale oil, peat, phosphorite, amber

Terrain [time series]

marshy, lowlands

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

none (all districts are under direct republic jurisdiction)

Capital [time series]

Tallinn

Constitution [time series]

adopted 28 June 1992

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Toomas Hendrik IIVES chancery: (temporary) 630 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2415, New York, NY 10111 telephone: (212) 247-2131 consulate general: New York

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

President: last held 20 September 1992; (next to be held NA); results - no candidate received majority; newly elected Parliament elected Lennart MERI (NA October 1992) Parliament: last held 20 September 1992; (next to be held NA); results - Fatherland 21%, Safe Home 14%, Popular Front 13%, Moderates 10%, Estonian National Independence Party 8%, Royalists 7%, Estonian Citizen 7%, Estonian Entrepreneurs 2%, other 18%; seats - (101 total) Fatherland 29, Safe Home 18, Popular Front 15, Moderates 12, ENIP 10, Royalists 8, Estonian Citizen 8, Estonian Entrepreneurs 1 Congress of Estonia: last held March 1990 (next to be held NA); note - Congress of Estonia was a quasi-governmental structure which disbanded itself October 1992 after the new Parliament and government were installed

Executive branch [time series]

president, prime minister, cabinet

Flag [time series]

pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white

Independence [time series]

6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State: President Lennart MERI (since NA October 1992) Head of Government: Prime Minister Mart LAAR (since NA October 1992)

Legal system [time series]

based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Parliament (Riigikogu)

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

CBSS, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ILO, IMF, IMO, NACC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Estonia conventional short form: Estonia local long form: Eesti Vabariik local short form: Eesti former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 24 February (1918)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Popular Front of Estonia (Rahvarinne), NA chairman; Estonian Christian Democratic Party, Aivar KALA, chairman; Estonian Christian Democratic Union, Illar HALLASTE, chairman; Estonian Heritage Society (EMS), Trivimi VELLISTE, chairman; Estonian National Independence Party (ENIP), Lagle PAREK, chairman; Estonian Social Democratic Party, Marju LAURISTIN, chairman; Estonian Green Party, Tonu OJA; Independent Estonian Communist Party, Vaino VALJAS; People's Centrist Party, Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman; Estonian Royalist Party (ERP), Kalle KULBOK, chairman; Entrpreneurs' Party (EP), Tiit MADE; Estonian Fatherland Party, Mart LAAR, chairman; Safe Home; Moderates; Estonian Citizen

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert C. FRASURE embassy: Kentmanni 20, Tallin EE 0001 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: 011-[358] (49) 303-182 (cellular) FAX: [358] (49) 306-817 (cellular) note: dialing to Baltics still requires use of an international operator unless you use the cellular phone lines

People

Birth rate [time series]

14.05 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

12.13 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Estonian 61.5%, Russian 30.3%, Ukrainian 3.17%, Belarusian 1.8%, Finn 1.1%, other 2.13% (1989)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

19.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

796,000 by occupation: industry and construction 42%, agriculture and forestry 20%, other 38% (1990)

Languages [time series]

Estonian (official), Latvian, Lithuanian, Russian, other

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 69.75 years male: 64.75 years female: 74.99 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 9-49 can read and write (1970) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Estonian(s) adjective: Estonian

Net migration rate [time series]

3.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

1,608,469 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.52% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

Lutheran

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.01 children born/woman (1993 est.)