The World Factbook Europe :: Estonia Introduction :: Estonia Background
The World Factbook Europe :: Estonia Introduction :: Estonia 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 - 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 the spring of 2004, formally joined the OECD in late 2010, and adopted the euro as its official currency on 1 January 2011. Geography :: Estonia Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia Geographic coordinates: 59 00 N, 26 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 45,228 sq km country comparison to the world: 133 land: 42,388 sq km water: 2,840 sq km note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined Land boundaries: total: 633 km border countries: Latvia 343 km, Russia 290 km Coastline: 3,794 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states Climate: maritime; wet, moderate winters, cool summers Terrain: marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m Natural resources: oil shale, peat, rare earth elements, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud Land
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