Factbook dossier
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.
Location
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia
Area
total : 45,228 sq km land: 42,388 sq km water: 2,840 sq km note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea
Natural resources
oil shale, peat, rare earth elements, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud
Natural hazards
sometimes flooding occurs in the spring
Population
total: 1,340,478 (2025 est.) male: 634,988 female: 705,490
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.)
Environmental issues
air pollution from sulfur dioxide from oil-shale-burning power plants; coastal seawater pollution
Government type
parliamentary republic
Capital
name: Tallinn geographic coordinates: 59 26 N, 24 43 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name derives from the Old Estonian term tan-linn , meaning "Danish fort," a reference to Danish King VALDEMAR II founding the city in 1219
Executive branch
chief of state: President Alar KARIS (since 11 October 2021) head of government: Prime Minister Kristen MICHAL (since 23 July 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); if a candidate does not secure two thirds of the votes after 3 rounds of balloting, then an electoral college consisting of Parliament members and local council members elects the president, choosing between the 2 candidates with the most votes; if a president is still not elected, the process begins again; prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament most recent election date: 30-31 August 2021 election results: 2021: Alar KARIS (independent) elected president; won second round of voting in parliament with 72 of 101 votes 2016: Kersti KALJULAID elected president; won sixth round of voting in parliament with 81 of 98 votes (17 ballots blank); KALJULAID sworn in on 10 October 2016 - first female head of state of Estonia expected date of next election: 2026
Legislative branch
legislature name: The Estonian Parliament (Riigikogu) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 101 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 3/5/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Reform Party (37); Conservative People's Party (EKRE) (17); Centre Party (16); Estonia 200 (Eesti 200) (14); Social Democratic Party (9); Pro Patria (Isamaa) (8) percentage of women in chamber: 28.7% expected date of next election: March 2027
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$57.001 billion (2024 est.) $57.15 billion (2023 est.) $58.931 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita
$41,500 (2024 est.) $41,700 (2023 est.) $43,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.5% (2024 est.) 9.2% (2023 est.) 19.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Exports - partners
Finland 14%, Latvia 10%, Lithuania 9%, Sweden 7%, Russia 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Imports - partners
Finland 11%, Germany 11%, China 10%, Lithuania 6%, Poland 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Military and security forces
Estonian Defense Forces: Land Forces, Navy, Air Force; Estonian Defense League Ministry of Interior: Police and Border Guard Board, Internal Security Service (2025) note: the Estonian Defense League is a voluntary national defense organization that operates under the Estonian Ministry of Defense
Military expenditures
3.4% of GDP (2025 est.) 3.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 3% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 2% of GDP (2021 est.)