Estonia Travel Podcast with Kristjan Tamm

Location

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

Terrain

Marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

Climate

Maritime; wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Elevation

Highest point

Suur Munamagi 318 m

Lowest point

Baltic Sea 0 m

Mean elevation

61 m

Area

Total

45,228 sq km

Land

42,388 sq km

Water

2,840 sq km

Size comparison

About twice the size of New Jersey

Coastline

3,794 km

Land borders

Total

657 km

Border countries

Latvia 333 km; Russia 324 km

Natural resources

Oil shale, peat, rare earth elements, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud

Land use

Agricultural land

23.1% (2023 est.)

Arable land

16.6% (2023 est.)

Permanent crops

0.1% (2023 est.)

Permanent pasture

6.4% (2023 est.)

Forest

57.2% (2023 est.)

Other

19.6% (2023 est.)

Natural hazards

Sometimes flooding occurs in the spring

Note

The mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; over 1,500 islands lie offshore

Population

Total

1,340,478 (2025 est.)

Male

634,988

Female

705,490

Nationality

Noun

Estonian(s)

Adjective

Estonian

Ethnic groups

Estonian 69.1%, Russian 23.7%, Ukrainian 2.1%, other 4.6%, unspecified 0.5% (2021 est.)

Languages

Estonian (official) 67.2%, Russian 28.5%, other 3.7%, unspecified 0.6% (2021est.)

Religions

Orthodox 16.5%, Protestant 9.2% (Lutheran 7.7%, other Protestant 1.5%), other 3% (includes Roman Catholic, Muslim, Jehovah's Witness, Pentecostal, Buddhist, and Taara Believer), none 58.4%, unspecified 12.9% (2021 est.)

Median age

Total

42.9 years (2025 est.)

Male

41.9 years

Female

48.2 years

Life expectancy

Total population

78.4 years (2024 est.)

Male

73.8 years

Female

83.2 years

Urbanisation

Urban population

69.8% of total population (2023)

Rate of urbanization

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

Where people live

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

Largest cities

454,000 TALLINN (capital) (2023)

Background

After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940 -- an action never recognized by the US and many other countries -- it regained its freedom in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with the West. It joined both NATO and the EU in 2004, formally joined the OECD in 2010, and adopted the euro as its official currency in 2011.

Government

Parliamentary republic

Capital

Tallinn

Time zone

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Local name

Eesti Vabariik

Independence

24 February 1918 (from Soviet Russia); 20 August 1991 (declared from the Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union)

National day

Independence Day, 24 February (1918)

Overview

High-income, service-based EU and eurozone economy; rebound in exports playing a role in economic recovery; rising food prices contributing to inflation; decrease in labor force participation and rising unemployment rate; recovery depends on boosting private investment and productivity rates

GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024

$41,500 (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$41,700 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$43,700 (2022 est.)

Inflation

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

3.5% (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

9.2% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

19.4% (2022 est.)

Unemployment

Unemployment rate 2024

7.9% (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

6.4% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

5.6% (2022 est.)

Exchange rate

Currency

Euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

0.924 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.925 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.95 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.845 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

0.876 (2020 est.)

Main industries

Food, engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textiles; information technology, telecommunications

Agriculture

Milk, wheat, barley, rapeseed, peas, oats, potatoes, rye, pork, triticale (2023)

Airports

34 (2025)

Railways

Total 1,441 km (2020) 225 km electrified

Ports

Total ports

20 (2024)

Large

4

Medium

1

Small

4

Very small

11

Ports with oil terminals

5

Key ports

Muuga - Port of Tallin, Paldiski Lounasadam, Paljassaare, Sillamae, Vanasadam - Port of Tallinn

Internet domain

.ee

Internet users

Percent of population 93% (2023 est.)

Mobile subscriptions

Total subscriptions

2.06 million (2024 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

151 (2024 est.)

Environmental issues

Air pollution from sulfur dioxide from oil-shale-burning power plants; coastal seawater pollution

Fresh water

12.806 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)