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Estonia Tat a Glance Fact Sheet August 2014 Estonia at a Glance Official name: Republic of Estonia Largest ethnic groups (2013): Estonians (69%), Russians (25%), Ukrainians (1,8%), Belarussians (1%) Short form: Estonia and Finns (0,6%) National Day: Independence Day, February 24 (1918) Main Cities Estonia became a NATO member state on 29 March 2004. The capital of Estonia is Tallinn (432 thousand inhabitants or 32.8% of total population). Estonia became a European Union member state on 1 May 2004. Other large cities and population: Tartu – 97 600 Narva – 58 663 Geography Kohtla-Järve – 37 201 Pärnu – 41 528 Area: 45 227 km² Border: Total length: 1450.2 km, with a sea border of Currency 768.6 km and a land border of 681.6 km Distances from Tallinn to: From 1 January 2011 Estonia is member of euro zone - Helsinki 85 km; and the currency in Estonia is euro. - Riga 310 km; - St. Petersburg 350 km; - Stockholm 375 km. Tax system Climate: humid-temperate 21% flat income tax, reinvested corporate profit is tax free; 20% VAT Number of islands: 1521. Largest islands are Saaremaa, Hiiumaa and Muhu Language Estonia is a green land, forests cover 55% of the country. The official language is Estonian, which belongs to the Finno-Ugric language family and is closely related to Estonia is a country of thousand of lakes, largest of Finnish. Along with Finnish, English, Russian and these are Lake Peipsi and Lake Võrtsjärv. German are also widely spoken and understood. Highest point: Suur Munamägi (Great Egg Hill), 318 m. Education Temperature range (average daytime): -2,0°C in winter (may sink to -20°C, usually in February) and +19.4°C in Compulsory school attendance in Estonia begins at summer (may rise to +30°C, usually in July). the age of 7 and lasts until completion of basic education, which covers the grades 1-9 or up to the age of 17. Basic education is funded by the state budget and Population the local government. Population: 1.316 million (Source: Population Register) The principal objective of Estonia's educational system is to develop Estonian society into an open learning Population density: 31 inhabitants per square km society, where every person is a lifelong learner. The proportion of urban population: 70% (2013) The proportion of rural population: 30% (2013) Religion The birth rate in 2013 was 10.3 per 1000 residents while Since the Reformation movement in the 16th century, the mortality rate reached 11.6 per 1000 residents. the Lutheran church has played the leading role in Estonia. Other larger active confessions are Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Baptist, Methodist and Roman Catholic. Fact Sheet August 2014 State independent government officials and cannot be dismissed by the parliament before serving a full term. Type: parliamentary democracy The Constitution provides for two further types of The Constitution of Estonia came into force in 1992 government with a large degree of autonomy – local and is, in a number of ways, a compilation of aspects of governments and cultural self-governments of ethnic Estonia’s previous constitutions. It has continued the minorities. democratic spirit of the 1920 Constitution, with some Administrative division: 15 counties, 194 rural added mechanisms to maintain the balance of power of municipalities and 33 towns. the state. Electoral systems: proportional representation. There Head of State: the President, who is elected by the is universal suffrage for Estonian citizens over 18 years parliament or an electoral body. Term: 5 years. Current of age. President: Mr. Toomas Hendrik Ilves, elected by the Parliament on August 29, 2011. Next elections: Autumn Municipal elections: Term: 4 years. All permanent 2016. residents over 18 years old, regardless of citizenship are eligible to vote in municipal elections. The last elections The President has mainly representative functions, for local authorities were held on 20 October, 2013. Next although he still retains a number of executive powers. local elections: October 2017. The President may veto a parliamentary bill and have it sent back for revision, and his signature is required when appointing the Ministers of the Government. He is Symbols also empowered to present the parliament with the names of several higher officials. The President is also The Estonian coat-of-arms the supreme commander of the armed forces. has ancient roots and resembles both that of National legislature: the Riigikogu, a unicameral Denmark and of England. The parliament of 101 members, with a term of 4 years. Next three blue leopard-like elections for the 13th Riigikogu: March 2015. creatures on a gold The executive power is exercised by the Government background were first used in headed by the Prime Minister (currently Mr. Taavi 1219 as part of the coat-of- Rõivas from Reform Party). The parliament is arms of the city of Tallinn and, later in history, of the empowered to appoint and recall the Prime Minister. As Estonian province. In 1925, what is called the three-lion a counterweight, the Government can dismiss the coat-of-arms finally became the national coat-of-arms. parliament, with the consent of the President, and call The origins of the Estonian new elections if the parliament expresses no confidence flag lie within the national in the Government. movement. In 1881, the Highest judicial power: Supreme Court Estonian Students’ Union adopted blue, black and The court system is divided into three levels: courts of white as the colours of their first instance (county and city courts and administrative student fraternity. At the end courts), courts of appeal (circuit courts) and the of that century, the colours became those of the nation. Supreme Court which also functions as a constitutional In 1920, Estonia designed its flag in the same colours. court. The colours of the flag The legal system is based primarily on the German model, especially within the field of civil law with which it Blue - the sky, loyalty to one’s homeland has direct historical links. The courts are independent, judges are appointed for life and may not hold any other Black - the soil, diligence elected or appointed public offices. The Estonian legal system is subject to international law White - simplicity, purity, hope for the future as well as European Union law. Consequently, general principles and norms of international law and directly The Estonian national anthem has a joint history with applicable rules of European Union law form an integral that of our northern neighbour, Finland. The tune for the part of national legal system. two national anthems is identical and was written by Frederick Pacius, himself of German origin. The words originate with a leading figure in the Estonian national Other institutions movement of around the turn of the 19th century, J. W. Jannsen. It is worth noting that during the Soviet The Constitution provides for a national bank, occupation, the Estonian coat-of-arms, flag and national independent of the Government, which operates as the anthem were forbidden, and those using them were bank of issue. It also provides for the office of the sentenced to long prison terms. Chancellor of Justice whose task is also to be Ombudsman. The third office is that of the office of the The Estonian national flower is the cornflower. Auditor General. The Governor of the central bank Eesti Pank, the Chancellor of Justice and the Auditor The Estonian national bird is the swallow. General are appointed by the parliament at the proposal of the President, but in their functioning they are The Estonian national fish is the Baltic herring. The Estonian national stone is limestone. .
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