STUDY IN  ESTONIA - About ESTONIA

General Information

Area: 45,227 km2

Population: 1.29 million (2011)

Capital: Tallinn

Ethnicity / Race: 69% Estonian. 25% Russian.   6 % other

Language: Estonian

Currency: Euro

Religion: 75% Athiest. 12% Orthodox Chrisitans, 13% Lutheran chrstians. 10% others

Time: GMT + 2

Electricity: 230 V, 50 Hz

Telephone code: +372

Geography

Location: Eastern Europe

Geographic coordinates: 59.0000° N, 26.0000° E

Area: 45,227 km2

Coastline: 3,794 km

Territorial sea: 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi)

Climate: Maritime and wet. Average July  temperature 16.4°C. average Febuary temperature -5.7 °C Around 100 rainy days per year. Snow from December to March.

Terrain: Over 40% land is forest. 1,500 lakes

Average elevation: 50 m

Natural resources: oil shale, peat, limestone, wood

Natural hazards: Flooding

Environment - current issues: air pollution and chemical leakage from old soviet military bases.

Environment - international agreements: Involved in Climate change, endangered species, hazardous wastes. Signed but did not ratify the Kyoto Protocol.

Government

Government Structure

Estonia is a republic and is headed by a Prime Minister, approved by the Parliament of Estonia which is elected by the Estonian People every 4 years. The Parliament is populated by 101 individuals who follow the rules of the Estonian Constitution that was established in 1992. Estonia is currently politically stable, with a consistent power held by two or three political parties that have held power for many years. Estonia has also recently tried to implement an "E-government", hence allowing the use of voting online and other services.