Republic, state in Vost. Europe, washed by the Gulf of Finland and the Gulf of Riga of the Baltic Sea. Name according to the ancient name of the indigenous population of Estia (presumably Balt. "living by the water") , which was first mentioned by Tacitus, I in. Already in composition IX in. the land of the Aestians is called Estland. Apparently, initially this ethnonym referred to the Prussians, then to others Balt. tribes, and later moved to the Baltic states. Finns - Estonians.

Geographical names of the world: Toponymic dictionary. - M: AST. Pospelov E.M. 2001 .

Estonia

(Eesti Vabarik), state in NE. Europe, on the coast of the Baltic Sea, between Finnish and Gulf of Riga and Lake Peipus. Pl. 45.1 thousand km², capital Tallinn ; other major cities: Tartu , Narva , Kohtla-Jarve , Parnu . Population 1.4 million people (2001): Estonians 64%, Russians 29%, Ukrainians 2.6%, Belarusians 1.6%. The non-Estonian population dominates in the NE. E., in particular in the city of Narva (96%). Official language is Estonian. B.ch. believers are Lutherans. By the beginning of the XIII century. On the territory of Estonia there were 8 large lands inhabited by Estonians (in Russia they were called Chud). In the XIII-XVI centuries. - under German rule (under the name Livonia ), then Sweden. Since 1721 it has been part of Russia. On February 24 (national holiday), 1918, the independence of Estonia was proclaimed. Since July 1940, it has been part of the USSR as the Estonian SSR. Since 1991 - independent Republic of Estonia . The Parliament (Sejm) elects the President.
Moraine plain with separate hilly elevations. (Suur-Munamägi, 318 m). The shores are heavily indented; app. - low, sowing. - steep, abruptly break off to the sea, forming a ledge Glint , cut through by rivers with waterfalls and rapids. Over 1500 islands (9.2% of the area); moonsund arch. (the largest islands are Saaremaa, Hiiumaa, Muhu, Vormsi). The climate is temperate, transitional from maritime to continental. Winters are mild, summers are moderately warm. The main rivers are Pärnu, Emajõgi, Narva . Lakes (main arr. glacial) and reservoirs. occupy 4.8% of the area. Unique lake. Kaali of meteorite origin on about. Saaremaa. Marshes - 22% of the area. Forests (mainly coniferous) - over 1/3 of the square. Reserves: Viidumäe , Vilsandi, Matsalu , Nigula, Endla; 15 landscape reserves, nat. the park Lohemaa. Historical and archit. monuments in the cities of Tallinn, Valga, Viljandi , Võru, Kohtla-Järve , Narva , Narva-Jõesuu, Otepaa , Paide, Parnu , Rakvere , Suure-Jaani, Tartu , Haapsalu . Academy of Sciences, universities (including universities in Tartu and 2 in Tallinn, a conservatory, an agricultural academy). Annual singing (Singing field in Tartu) and sports (sailing regatta center in Pirite) holidays. 2.7 million tourists (1997). Resorts: Pärnu, Haapsalu, Narva-Jõesuu, Kuressaare (climatic and mud); resort areas and recreation areas: Võru, Värska (mineral water "Värska", therapeutic mud), Laulasmaa, Otepää, Kabli, Klooga (sandy beaches, dunes), Aegviidu (skiing). Oil shale mining and processing; engineering (radio and electrical engineering, instruments, ship repair); met.-arr., chem., forestry and woodworking., furniture, cell.-paper., text., pishch. prom-st; production of building materials. They say - live meat, bacon pigs and poultry (1/3 of the products are exported). Grain and fodder crops, potatoes, vegetables, fruits and berries are grown. Fish (herring, herring, sprat). Fur farming (silver fox, arctic fox, coypu, etc.). Artistic crafts: making carpets, knitwear, fabrics, processing wood, leather, metal, glass, ceramics, amber. Dense transport. network. Court-in (along the river Emajygi). Seaport - Tallinn; ferry connections to Helsinki and Stockholm. Intern. the airport. Cash unit - Estonian kroon.

Dictionary of modern geographical names. - Yekaterinburg: U-Factoria. Under the general editorship of Acad. V. M. Kotlyakova. 2006 .

Republic of Estonia, a state in the northwestern part of Europe. Estonia is washed from the north by the waters of the Gulf of Finland, from the west by the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga, it borders on Latvia in the south and on Russia in the east. The length of the coastline is 3794 km. Estonia includes 1,521 islands in the Baltic Sea with a total area of ​​4.2 thousand square meters. km. The largest of them are Saaremaa and Hiiumaa.
NATURE
Terrain relief. Estonia is located within the East European Plain. The surface height gradually rises from the coasts of the Gulf of Riga and the Gulf of Finland in the eastern and southeastern directions. The average surface heights are 50 m above sea level. The western regions and islands have average heights of less than 20 m above sea level. In the post-glacial period, a stable uplift of the surface occurs at a rate of approx. 1.5 m per 100 years, the coastal zone becomes shallower, some islands are connected to each other or to the mainland.
In the west of Estonia, maritime, abrasion, moraine and marshy plains are widespread. The activity of the Pleistocene glaciers played a particularly important role in the formation of the Estonian relief. In the central and southern regions, along with moraine plains, terminal moraine ridges, chains of eskers and drumlin ridges are traced. In the southeast, Devonian sandstone outcrops are dominated by a hilly-morainic relief with the Haanja Upland, where the highest point of the country, Mount Suur-Munamägi (318 m above sea level), is located. To the south of it, an outwash plain is traced, formed as a result of the activity of melted glacial waters. In the north, Ordovician and Silurian limestone bedrocks come to the surface, exposed in steep ledges (glints) along the entire coast of the Gulf of Finland.
Climate Estonia - transitional from maritime to continental. Winter is relatively mild, summer is moderately warm. The average temperature in July is approx. 16°C on the coast and approx. 17° C in the interior of the country; the average temperature in February varies from -4°C in Saaremaa to -8°C in Narva, in the northeast. The annual rainfall varies from 510 mm in the western islands to 740 mm in the most elevated areas of the southeast.
Soils. Due to the diversity of parent rocks, hydrological regime and topographical conditions, a varied soil cover has formed in Estonia. So, in the south, soddy-podzolic and soddy-gley soils predominate, in the northern half - typical soddy-calcareous, leached soddy-calcareous and podzolized soddy-calcareous soils, alternating with areas of podzolic, podzolic-marsh and marsh soils. In the extreme north and northeast, there are areas of podzolic stony soils. In general, boggy soils occupy more than half of the area of ​​Estonia, and real bogs - approx. 22%.
Water resources. Estonia has a dense river network. The rivers of northern and western Estonia (Narva, Pirita, Kazari, Pärnu, etc.) flow directly into the bays of the Baltic Sea, and the rivers of eastern Estonia flow into inland water bodies: into Lake Vyrtsjärv in the south (Pyltsamaa river) and Chudskoye (Emajõgi river ) and Pskov in the east. The longest river - Pärnu has a length of 144 km and flows into the Gulf of Riga of the Baltic Sea. The most abundant rivers are the Narva, through which the flow of Lake Peipus flows to the Gulf of Finland, and the Emajõgi. Only the river Emajõgi is navigable, and below the city of Tartu. During spring floods, the water level in the rivers rises significantly (up to 5 m).
There are more than 1150 lakes and over 250 artificial ponds in Estonia. The lakes are mainly of glacial origin and occupy approx. 4.8% of the territory. The country's largest Lake Peipsi (or Peipsi) is located in the east and forms a natural and historical border with Russia. The area of ​​Lake Peipsi is 3555 sq. km, of which 1616 sq. km belong to Estonia. The largest inland body of water in Estonia is Lake. Võrtsjärv has an area of ​​266 sq. km.
Vegetable world. Estonia is located in the zone of mixed coniferous-deciduous forests. Few primary forests remain. The most fertile soddy-calcareous soils, on which broad-leaved forests once grew, are now occupied by arable land. In general, under the forests is approx. 48% of the country's area. The most characteristic forest-forming species are Scotch pine, Scotch spruce, warty and downy birch, aspen, as well as oak, maple, ash, elm, linden. As part of the undergrowth, mountain ash, bird cherry, and willow grow. Less often, mainly in the west, in the undergrowth there are yew berry, wild apple, Scandinavian mountain ash and aria, blackthorn, hawthorn.
Forests are most widespread in the east of the country - in central and southern Estonia, where they are represented by spruce forests and mixed spruce-deciduous forests. Pine forests grow on sandy soils in the southeast of the country. In the west of Estonia, large areas are occupied by peculiar landscapes - a combination of upland meadows with areas of sparse forests. Meadow vegetation is widespread in the northwest and north of the country. The low-lying, periodically flooded coastal strip is occupied by coastal meadows. A specific flora that tolerates soil salinity is widespread here.
The territory of Estonia is heavily swamped. Bogs (mostly lowlands) are common in the valleys of the Pärnu, Emajõgi, Põltsamaa, Pedja rivers, along the shores of Lake Peipus and Pskov. Raised bogs are confined to the main watershed of Estonia. To the north of Lake Peipus, swampy forests are widespread.
Flora of Estonia includes 1560 species of flowering, gymnosperms and ferns. Of these, about three-quarters of the species are concentrated in the western coastal areas and islands. The flora of mosses (507 species), lichens (786 species), fungi (about 2500 species), algae (more than 1700 species) is distinguished by a large species diversity.
Animal world. The species diversity of wild fauna is small - approx. 60 species of mammals. The most numerous are moose (about 7,000 individuals), roe deer (43,000), hares, and wild boars (11,000). In the 1950s–1960s, maral, red deer, and raccoon dogs were introduced. Brown bears live in the largest forest areas in many parts of Estonia ( OK. 800 individuals) and lynx (about 1000 individuals). Foxes, pine martens, badgers, and squirrels are also found in the forests. The forest ferret, ermine, weasel are widespread, along the banks of reservoirs - the European mink and otter. Very common hedgehog, shrew, mole.
Coastal waters abound with game animals such as ringed seal (in the Gulf of Riga and off the West Estonian archipelago) and long-snouted seal (in the Gulf of Finland).
The avifauna is the most diverse. It has 331 species, of which 207 species nest permanently in Estonia (about 60 live all year round). The most numerous are capercaillie and hazel grouse (in coniferous forests), woodcock (in swamps), black grouse (in forest clearings), coot, bittern, shepherd, warblers, mallard and other ducks (on lakes and the sea coast), as well as the tawny owl, woodpeckers, larks, kestrel. Such rare species of birds as white-tailed eagle, golden eagle, short-toed eagle, greater and lesser spotted eagle, osprey, white and black stork, gray crane are under protection. On the islands of the western archipelago, common eider, crested duck, shoveler, merganser, scoter, gray goose, gulls nest. Birds are especially numerous during the spring and autumn mass migration to summer nesting sites or wintering in tropical countries.
There are 3 species of lizards and 2 species of snakes, including the common viper.
More than 70 species of fish live in fresh water and coastal waters (carp, salmon, smelt, vendace, Chud whitefish, bream, roach, perch, pike perch, burbot, trout, crucian carp, tench, carp, herring, sprat, cod, flounder, sea ​​whitefish, eel, etc.). Many of them are of commercial importance.
In some regions of Estonia, an unfavorable ecological situation has developed. In the north-east of the country, where oil shale thermal power plants operate, the air basin is polluted with sulfur dioxide. Small reservoirs located in agricultural areas are polluted with animal waste products. Coastal waters are also polluted in many places.
In general, Estonia is characterized by a caring attitude towards nature. In order to study it, preserve the gene pool and protect landscapes, several national parks and state reserves and reserves have been created. In total, approximately 10% of the territory of Estonia is under protection. In 1995, the parliament passed a law on the sustainable development of the country, and in 1996 the government approved a strategy for environmental protection.
POPULATION
As of July 2003, the population of Estonia was 1408.56 thousand people.
The Second World War and subsequent decades of Soviet rule had a strong impact on demographic processes. During the war and in the first post-war years, Estonia lost a quarter of its population, mainly as a result of deportations to other parts of the Soviet Union and emigration. The main source of population growth in the post-war decades was the mass immigration of non-Estonians, a process encouraged by a centralized system of government and a planned economy in order to increase the size of the labor force and the Sovietization of Estonia. From 1945 to 1970, the birth rate steadily declined, but by July 2003 it had stabilized at 9.24 per 1,000 inhabitants. The death rate was 13.42 per 1,000 inhabitants. The infant mortality rate in 2003 was approx. 12.03 per 1000 newborns. The emigration rate is estimated at - 0.71% per 1000 inhabitants. The average life expectancy for women is 76.57 years, for men - 64.36 years. In 2003, approximately 15.8% of the population was under 15, 15.4% over 65, and 68.8% were in the 15 to 65 age group.
The highest concentration of the population is observed in the urbanized industrial areas of the country, with almost a third of the population living in Tallinn and its environs, 10% in the industrial centers of Narva and Kohtla-Jarve in the north-east of the country. In the southeast is the large university city of Tartu, and in the southwest is the spa town of Pärnu. There is a constant outflow of population from rural areas.
Ethnic composition. In 1945, the share of Estonians in the population of the republic reached 93%, by 1989 it had dropped to 62%. In the last decade, the share of Estonians has been growing (65.3% in 2000), while the share of Russians has been declining (28.1%). Among the national minorities are Ukrainians (2.5%), Belarusians (1.5%), Finns (1%), others (1.6%). Estonians are evenly distributed throughout the country. Russians and other non-Estonians are concentrated mainly in such industrial cities as Tallinn, Narva, Kohtla-Jarve, Sillamäe.
Languages. The official language is Estonian, belonging to the Baltic-Finnish branch of the Finno-Ugric family of languages. The language of communication for most non-Estonians is Russian.
Religion. In Soviet Estonia, the authorities actively interfered in church affairs, the activities of religious organizations were extremely limited, although services were held in some churches, including Orthodox ones. The Pyukhtitsky Assumption Convent, founded in 1898, operated. From 1946 to 1982, the publication and import of religious literature was strictly prohibited. Currently, there are no restrictions on religious activities. Among believers, Lutherans predominate (80-85%), there are also Orthodox (including Estonians), Baptists, Methodists, Seventh-day Adventists, Catholics, and Pentecostals. In 1993, a special law was adopted on the activities of churches and parishes. Currently, 8 churches, 8 parish unions and 66 private parishes are registered in Estonia. In 1993, the activity of the Estonian Orthodox Church was restored, which since 1996 has been subordinate to the Patriarchate of Constantinople. The Russian Orthodox Church is also active, subordinate to the Moscow Patriarchate. The relationship between the two Orthodox churches is one of the reasons that hinders the Estonian-Russian political dialogue.
Cities. In 2000, three cities in Estonia had a population of over 50 thousand people: Tallinn (400.4 thousand), Tartu (101.2), Narva (68.7). Tallinn is the political, economic and cultural center of the country. Tartu is a university center where almost half of Estonian students study. Narva and Kohtla-Järve are industrial cities in the northeast, specializing in the extraction and processing of shale. In the southwest, on the coast of the Gulf of Riga, is Pärnu, a port and popular resort town. In 1934, only 30% of the population of Estonia lived in cities; by 1953, due to the accelerated pace of industrialization in the USSR, 53% of the population was concentrated in them. Currently, 67.1% of the country's population lives in Estonian cities (2000 data).
GOVERNMENT
Public administration. Estonia got its first experience of a parliamentary political system in the 1920s and early 1930s. It was followed by six years of a closed conservative dictatorship (1934–1940) and 50 years of one-party rule within the USSR.
Since June 28, 1992, a new constitution adopted by referendum has been in force in Estonia. Estonia is currently a parliamentary republic. Legislative power is vested in the unicameral parliament, the Riigikogu (National Assembly), which consists of 101 deputies who are elected by universal secret suffrage for a term of four years. All Estonian citizens who have reached the age of 18 have the right to vote. Parliament drafts laws, ratifies and denounces international treaties, elects the president of the country, gives the prime ministerial candidate the power to form the government of the country, adopts the state budget, on the proposal of the president of the country appoints such senior officials as the chairman of the Supreme Court and (on the proposal of the latter) members of this court, the Chancellor of Justice, the Auditor General, the Chairman of the Board and members of the Board of the Bank of Estonia, the Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Forces.
The head of state - the president - is elected by the parliament, by a qualified majority (2/3) of votes, for a term of 5 years. If three rounds of voting are unsuccessful, the President is elected by the Electoral College. According to the constitution, the president represents the state at the international level, proposes the candidacy of the prime minister, can influence the legislative activity of the parliament, proposes candidates to the parliament for the highest posts of the state apparatus.
Executive power is vested in the government, headed by the prime minister, who is appointed by the president after the approval of his candidacy by a majority of members of parliament.
Judicial system. The constitution provides for an independent judiciary with three instances: county, city and administrative courts (first instance); district courts (second instance) and the Supreme Court (highest instance). Legal proceedings are carried out in the courts of first instance; county courts operate primarily as appellate courts. The Supreme Court is endowed with cassation functions and is a court of constitutional review. Direct constitutional supervision is exercised by the Judicial Collegium for Constitutional Supervision of the Supreme Court. The Chancellor of Justice performs the function of general supervision over the compliance of legal acts of the legislative and executive authorities, as well as local authorities, with the constitution and other laws of the country.
The Minister of Justice supervises the activities of the Prosecutor's Office, which oversees the legality of the registration and preliminary investigation of crimes, the legality of police activities in solving crimes, the legality of imprisonment, and the presentation of public prosecution.
Local government. Administratively, the territory of Estonia is divided into 15 counties - maakonds (subdivided into volosts) and 6 cities of central subordination. Local councils in cities and counties are elected by popular vote for a three-year term. The prerogative of these councils is local government and tax collection. In October 1993, the first local elections after the restoration of independence were held. Only Estonian citizens had the right to vote. In Tallinn, the candidates of the two moderate Russian parties won 42% of the seats, which roughly corresponds to the proportion of Russians in the city's population.
Political parties and movements. Five major political parties were created in the 1920s and 1930s: the Peasants' Party and the Union of Agrarians (these parties were respectively on the right and in the center of the parliamentary spectrum); People's Party and Labor Party (both centrist); Social Democratic Party (left). The initial process of party formation was overshadowed by the failed communist putsch on December 1, 1924. During the conservative dictatorship of Konstantin Päts (1934–1940), all political parties were banned. Under Soviet rule, the only legal political organization was the Estonian Communist Party as part of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU).
In 1987, in the era of perestroika and glasnost, the formation of new parties and political movements began. In 1988-1991, mass political movements began to play a particularly important role in the political process: the Estonian Popular Front (a centrist political organization that demanded first autonomy and then independence from the USSR) and the Committee of Estonian Citizens, which organized the election of delegates to the congress of non-communists of Estonia to restore independence to based on the principle of legal continuity of the first republic.
In the parliament elected on September 20, 1992, nine parties and electoral unions were represented, including the Fatherland Union (30 out of 101 seats), the Safe House (17 seats), the Popular Front (15 seats), the Moderates (Social Democrats and members of the Rural Center Party - 12 seats) and the Independence Party (11 seats). In March 1995, the opposition parties won the parliamentary elections: the Coalition Party (41 seats out of 101), the Reform Party (19 seats) and the Center Party of Estonia (16 seats). For the first time in the parliament, the party of the Russian population Our home is Estonia (6 seats) received representation.
In 2000, the following major political parties and associations operated in Estonia: the Estonian Center Party, the Reform Party, the Fatherland Union, the Moderate Party, the Estonian Coalition Party (liquidated in 2001), the United People's Party of Estonia, the Estonian People's Union. The vast majority of them are represented in the country's parliament. In 2001, a new large party, the Republic, was created.
Police and armed forces. Until 1940, Estonia had an effective police system, a small but well-trained army (16 thousand people) and a civil guard of 60 thousand people. All these forces were disbanded after the country was annexed by the Soviet Union, and their command staff was repressed.
In the autumn of 1991, after the restoration of independence, Estonia began to create a system of internal security and defense. The constitution provides for conscription, but also includes alternative service for those who refuse to serve in the army for religious and other reasons. A land army, a naval coast guard, air defense, a maritime border service, and a security service (internal and border) have been created in Estonia. Military spending is approx. 2% of the budget. Estonia actively participates in the peacekeeping activities of the UN and regional organizations. In 1994, Estonia joined the NATO Partnership for Peace program.
Foreign policy. In the 1920s–1930s, Estonia was a member of the League of Nations. After the restoration of independence in September 1991, the country became a member of the UN and the OSCE. May 13, 1993 she was admitted to the Council of Europe, and in June 1995 signed a preliminary agreement on joining European Union(EU). The government's priority plan for the coming years is Estonia's accession to NATO.
The Republic of Estonia has close ties with the Scandinavian countries, especially Finland, and is a founding member of the Council of the Baltic States established in 1992.
ECONOMY
By the end of the 1930s, Estonia had become an industrial-agrarian country. In the future, already in the post-war years, accelerated industrialization of Estonia was carried out, which was facilitated by its favorable geographical position. In the 1980s, a new Tallinn large seaport Muuga was built. Since the beginning of the 1990s, Estonia has begun to form a market economy, diversify the economy and reprioritize its foreign trade.
Estonia has Europe's largest deposits of oil shale and phosphorite (explored reserves are estimated at 3.8 billion tons, predicted - about 6 billion tons), rich forest resources and large reserves of building materials. Shale began to be mined during the First World War. By 1980, their production had increased 9 times compared to 1950 (from 3.5 million tons per year to 31.3 million tons), but by 2001 it had decreased to 10 million tons. By the mid-1970s, Estonia had become the world's largest producer of shale, however, due to the low level of mining technology, the development of their deposits was accompanied by severe environmental pollution. In the 1980s, ca. 80% of the extracted slates were used as fuel for thermal power plants and approx. 20% - in the chemical industry.
Industrial enterprises in the country are concentrated in the largest cities. So, in Tallinn, mechanical engineering, metalworking and instrument making prevail, light industry is developed. In Narva there is a large cotton mill (Krenholm Manufactory), in Sillamäe there is a plant for the production of rare metals (Silmet). The main fuel and energy complexes are concentrated in the cities of Kohtla-Jarve, Sillamäe and Narva. Small enterprises in the food and woodworking industries are evenly distributed throughout the country. The least industrialized areas of Estonia are two large islands in the Baltic Sea - Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, where agriculture, meat and dairy cattle breeding and fishing prevail.
national income. In the 1970s–1980s, the growth rates of industry and agriculture in Estonia were declining, and by 1990 their growth had stopped altogether. In 1990, GDP amounted to 5.5 billion rubles. and continued to decline in the early 1990s. Its growth began in 1994 and reached 5.5% in 1998. The Russian financial crisis of 1998 also affected the Estonian economy. In 1999, she had to cut the budget and to a large extent reorient foreign trade from the Russian market to the EU countries. There was a recession in the economy and a decline in GDP by 1.1% in 1999. In November 1999, Estonia was admitted to the World Trade Organization. As a result of the economic recovery in 2000, GDP increased by 6.4%, which is projected to continue in the coming years. The economic success achieved is partly due to the almost complete privatization of large state-owned companies.
In 2002, Estonia's GDP was estimated at $15.52 billion, or $11,000 per capita. The share of agriculture in the structure of GDP is 5.8%, industry - 28.6%, services - 65.6%.
Currently, employment in different sectors of the economy is distributed as follows: in the manufacturing, gas industry, energy, water supply, construction - 34.7%, in agriculture, hunting, forestry, fisheries - 7%, in the service sector - 58.3 % (including in education - 7.8%, in the state apparatus and defense - 5.6%).
Mining industry. In addition to oil shale, peat is mined in Estonia, the industrial reserves of which amount to 1.5 billion tons. Peat is used as fuel and fertilizer in agriculture. Limestone, dolomite, sand, gravel and clay are also mined.
Energy. Estonia fully covers its energy needs from its own resources, and exports excess electricity. Soviet Estonia sent a significant part of the produced fuel and electricity to Leningrad. The energy complex is almost entirely based on the use of fossil fuels. In 1999, 7782 million kWh of electricity was produced. Part of the generated electricity is exported.
Manufacturing industry. In 1988, light industry accounted for 27% of total gross output, the food industry 24%, mechanical engineering 15%, logging, timber and pulp and paper industries 9%, the chemical industry 9%, and other industries 16%. In the early 1990s, production declined, but already in the second half of the same decade, its growth began, which in 1998–1999 was estimated at 5–7%. The main types of manufacturing products are: ships, electric motors, excavators, chemicals, pulp, paper, furniture, building materials, appliances, textiles, clothing, footwear, food.
Agriculture. Historically, the main specialization of Estonian agriculture was meat and dairy farming.
The collectivization carried out in the late 1940s had disastrous consequences: wealthy peasants were dispossessed and exiled to Siberia, the productivity of the industry dropped sharply. In the 1950s and 1960s, Estonian agriculture was largely restored. Later, Estonia became a kind of experimental laboratory for Soviet agriculture, especially in the area of ​​self-government. In 1977 the average size of kolkhoz or sovkhoz lands was 5,178 hectares. In the mid-1970s, two-thirds of agricultural production came from livestock, one-third came from cereals, vegetables, and hay (with most of the grains used to feed livestock).
Despite the measures taken, agriculture remains the most backward sector of the economy. Estonia has lost the market for agricultural products in the east, and the export of products to the west is limited by various quotas. Only a third of livestock and pig products are exported. The slow pace of privatization of agricultural land also had a negative impact on the state of the industry. By 1998, approx. 35 thousand private farms, the average farm size was 23 hectares. In the last decade there has been a reduction in the area of ​​arable land, and at present there is approx. 25%, under pastures - 11% of the country's territory. The structure of agriculture is dominated by meat and dairy cattle breeding and bacon production. In addition, potatoes, vegetables, cereals and fruit crops are grown.
Forestry and fishing industry. In Estonia, compared with 1940, the area occupied by forests has doubled, and at present it makes up 47.8% of the territory. In 1998, roundwood, industrial timber and pulp and paper products accounted for 9% of exports.
During the Soviet era, when most of the fish caught and processed was sent to the vast internal market of the USSR, fishing occupied a more important place in the economy of the republic. Due to the reduction of fish resources in the Baltic Sea, international quotas are now strictly observed, and the annual fish catch is approx. 130 thousand tons
Transport. A dense network of roads was established in Estonia under Russian rule at the end of the 19th century, and then expanded in the 20th century. Currently, 29.2 thousand km of roads have a hard surface. The number of cars in private use is growing rapidly: if at the beginning of 1994 there were 211 cars per 1000 inhabitants in Estonia, then in 1997 it was 428 cars per 1000 inhabitants.
The broad-gauge railway network has a length of 1018 km (not counting the tracks that provide specialized industrial transportation), of which only 132 km of track are electrified. In 2001 Estonian railways were privatized by local and foreign capital.
A gas pipeline with a length of more than 400 km operates on the territory of Estonia, connecting the shale gas plant in Kohtla-Järve with Tallinn, Tartu and other cities, as well as with the Russian gas pipeline network.
Estonia has developed a year-round maritime communication. Main ports of the country: 6 ports in Tallinn, including the new cargo port of Tallinn-Muuga, Paldiski, Pärnu, Haapsalu and Kunda. There are regular ferry services to Helsinki and Stockholm. The Estonian merchant fleet has 44 ships with a displacement of more than 1,000 gross register tons each (total displacement of 253,460 gross register tons). In summer, navigation opens on Lake Peipus and the lower reaches of the Emajõgi River from the mouth to Tartu. In 2002, a connection was opened along the route Tartu - Pskov.
Developed both domestic and international air traffic. Through Tallinn Airport, flights are operated to many European capitals and cities of the CIS.
International trade. Estonia's main trading partners in the 1920s and 1930s were Germany and Great Britain. The country exported food, gasoline, timber and lumber, imported machinery, metals, cotton, denim and yarn. In 1990, approximately 96% of exports went to the RSFSR and other republics of the USSR, and only 4% went to foreign countries. 89% of imports came from the Soviet republics, 11% from abroad.
In the late 1990s, the structure of foreign trade underwent fundamental changes. In recent years, the turnover has increased rapidly. So, in 2000, compared with 1999, exports increased by 52%, imports - by 43%. The main exports are machinery and equipment (37.4% in the structure of exports in 2000), wood and woodworking products (13.4%), metals and metalworking industry products (7.1%), textiles and textile goods (11.3% ), agricultural products (7.5%), chemical raw materials and products of the chemical industry (3.7%), vehicles (2.6%), mineral raw materials (2.5%). In 1999 and 2000, exports by country were distributed as follows: Finland - 23.4 and 32.4%, Sweden - 22, 7 and 20.5%, Germany - 8.5 and 8.5%, Latvia - 8.3 and 7.1%, UK - 5.6 and 4.4%, Denmark - 4.7 and 3.4%, Lithuania - 3.4 and 2.8%, Netherlands - 2.6 and 2.5%, Russia - 3.4 and 2.4%, Norway - 2.6 and 2.4%.
Estonia imports machinery and equipment (38.5% in the structure of imports in 2000), agricultural products (8.6%), metals and metalworking industry products (8.1%), textiles and textile products (7.5%), means of transport (6.9%), chemical raw materials and products of the chemical industry (6.6%), mineral raw materials (6.1%), timber and products of the woodworking industry (1.8%). The share of the main import partners in its structure in 1999 and 2000: Finland - 26.0 and 27.4%, Sweden - 10.7 and 9.9%, Germany - 10.4 and 9.5%, Russia - 8, 0 and 8.5%, Japan - 5.4 and 6.1%, China - 1.3 and 3.6%, Italy - 3.6 and 2.9%, Latvia - 2.4 and 2.6% , Denmark - 2.8 and 2.5%, Great Britain - 2.6 and 2.3%.
Currency and money circulation. In the 1920s and 1930s, the Estonian currency was the mark, and since 1928 the kroon. The Bank of Estonia, founded in 1919, served as the main state financial institution. In 1940 the Estonian banks were nationalized and the Soviet ruble became the means of payment. In June 1992, Estonia was the first of the former Soviet republics to introduce its own currency, the Estonian kroon.
SOCIETY AND CULTURE
A characteristic feature of Estonian society for many centuries was the absence of a national aristocracy. Estonians lived in settlements and on farms or constituted the lower classes of the urban population. Only at the end of the 19th century. the intelligentsia and the middle class emerged. Until 1940, peasants dominated the population in Estonia.
Unions. The first trade union associations appeared in Estonia in the 1920s and 1930s, but their activity was largely regulated by the state. During the Soviet period, trade unions began to play an important role in the life of the republic, especially in organizing recreation for workers. Trade unions had a developed network of sanatoriums, rest houses, boarding houses, tourist centers. In the mid-1990s, an independent Estonian Trade Union Confederation was established in Estonia.
Religious life. In the 13th-14th centuries, during the reign of the Danish kings and the Teutonic crusaders, the Estonians were converted to Catholicism. In the 16th century Estonia (Estland) became a Lutheran country, and until 1918 the Germans were at the head of the church. From the 18th century, after the inclusion of Estonia into Russia, Orthodoxy also became widespread. Since 1925 the church has been separated from the state. During the Second World War, the church suffered great personnel losses: approximately 85% of Lutheran pastors were deported to Siberia. In Soviet times, despite the official propaganda of atheism and state control, religious communities managed to survive. In the late 1980s, they played a positive role in the revival of Estonian identity.
CULTURE
Estonian culture was formed under strong Scandinavian and German influence. Proximity to St. Petersburg, where many prominent Estonian cultural figures were educated, also had a great influence.
Education system. An important achievement of the first republic was the creation of a national education system, including higher education, with instruction in the Estonian language. In Soviet times, this helped Estonians avoid being assimilated by the Russian-speaking population.
In 1997, 224,000 children and adolescents studied in Estonian primary and secondary schools, and 18,600 students in vocational schools. In schools, teaching in Estonian was preferred by 67% of students, and in Russian by 33%.
In 1998, 34.5 thousand students studied in 10 state higher educational institutions in Estonia (of which 52% were women). The largest and most famous universities in the country are the University of Tartu (founded in 1632 - 7.4 thousand students), Tallinn University of Technology (6.8 thousand students), Tallinn Pedagogical Institute (3.1 thousand students), Estonian Agricultural Academy in Tartu (2.8 thousand students), Tallinn University of the Arts (500 thousand students) and the Estonian Academy of Music in Tallinn (500 thousand students). 80% of students studied in Estonian, the rest - in Russian. During the years of independent development, dozens of private educational institutions have appeared in the country.
Literature and art. The origin of Estonian national literature dates back to the beginning of the 19th century. A significant event in the formation of Estonian literature is the publication in 1857–1861 by F. Kreutzwald of the national epic Kalevipoeg (Son of Kalev). In the second half of the 19th century poetry developed. Among poets, L. Koidula (who is also the founder of Estonian dramaturgy), A. Reinvald, M. Veske, M. Under and B. Alver gained the greatest fame. At the beginning of the 20th century the poet G. Suits headed the Young Estonia cultural movement. In the Soviet period, poetry played a particularly important role (poets P.E. Rummo and Ya. Kaplinsky), because. less censored. In prose of the 20th century. the biggest achievement is Truth and justice A. Tammsaare (written in 1926-1933) is a five-volume epic novel about the life of Estonians in the 1870s-1920s. The most famous Estonian writer is J. Kross, whose historical novels reveal the moral problems of Estonian society. In the era of glasnost, much attention began to be paid to the fate of the deported Estonians. In the dramaturgy of the 1960s, the theater of the absurd was of particular importance, in particular the play Cinderella game P.E. Rummo.
Folklore plays an important role in the new Estonian culture. Most of the oral folklore was published at the end of the 19th century, and its scientific research and analysis began at the beginning of the next century. Folklore themes inspired Estonian writers, artists, sculptors, and musicians.
Among the founders of Estonian national fine arts are the artist J. Köhler (since 1861 a member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts) and the sculptor A. Veitsenberg, who received art education outside the country. Professional art education in Estonia itself became possible after the founding of the Pallas Art School in Tartu in 1919. In the 1960s, such Estonian graphic artists as T. Vint, V. Tolli and M. Leis gained recognition outside the USSR.
The Estonian tradition of song festivals - regularly held gatherings of choirs from all over the country for performances in Tartu and Tallinn, has had both cultural and political significance. Since 1869, 22 national folk song festivals (the so-called Song Festivals) have been held; in recent decades, the number of speakers reached 30 thousand people, and listeners and spectators - 200-300 thousand. Among the Estonian composers of the 20th century. the most famous is E. Tubin (1905–1982). In the next generation, A. Pärt (b. 1935) is especially talented. The world-famous conductor N. Järvi (b. 1937), who actively promotes Estonian music abroad, emigrated to the United States in 1980.
Museums, libraries and science. The Estonian National Museum, founded in 1909 in Tartu, has a rich collection of ethnographic materials and is the largest among the 114 museums in the country. Estonia has approx. 600 libraries. The largest of them are the University of Tartu Library (5 million volumes), the National Library in Tallinn (4.1 million volumes) and the Estonian Academic Library in Tallinn (3.4 million volumes).
In the 1920s–1930s, the leading scientific center of the country was the University of Tartu, where special attention was paid to research in the field of Estonian philology and literature, history, ethnography and medicine. During the Soviet years, the main research centers were the institutes of the Academy of Sciences of the Estonian SSR in Tallinn and Tartu. At present, the Academy of Sciences has been reorganized into a personal academy, and its institutes have been transferred to universities.
Mass media. In 1930, 276 newspapers and magazines were published in Estonia, by 1980 their number had decreased to 148. In 1990, censorship of printed publications and the media was abolished. In modern Estonia, out of 15 daily newspapers (11 in Estonian), the most popular are Postimees (Postman, published in Tartu since 1891), Eesti päevaleht (Estonian daily newspaper, published in Tallinn since 1905) and Yhtuleht" ("Evening newspaper", published in Tallinn since 1944).
The Estonian national radio began broadcasting in 1924, and Estonian television in 1955. The Estonian Telegraph Agency has been operating since 1918.
Sport. Estonia has a longstanding sports culture. Already in the 1920s and 1930s, the country took part in the Olympic Games, performing most successfully in wrestling and weightlifting. So, Kristjan Palusalu became the winner in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. International grandmaster Paul Keres was a multiple champion of the USSR and winner of chess Olympiads. In 1992, the Estonian team again took part in the Olympic Games for the first time since 1936.
Holidays. National holiday: Independence Day - 24 February. In addition, such holidays as the New Year, Spring Day - May 1, Victory Day (celebrating the victory in the war for independence of 1919) - June 23, Ivan's Day - June 24, as well as religious holidays: Christmas and Easter are widely celebrated.
STORY
Many archaeological sites have been discovered in Estonia. The most ancient settlements belong to the Kunda culture (Pulli site on the bank of the Pärnu River, near the town of Sindi, etc.). Representatives of this culture later mixed with the Finno-Ugric tribes who came here in the III millennium BC. from the south, and then with the Baltic tribes. Subsequently, the Scandinavians, Germans, and Slavs participated in the formation of the Estonian nation. Despite numerous invasions from the west, south and east, the Estonian lands (maakondas) remained independent until the 13th century.
foreign domination. From the 1220s to 1918 Estonia was under foreign rule. The southern part in 1224 was divided between the Livonian Order, the bishops of Derpt and Ezel. The northern part from 1238 to 1346 belonged to Denmark. The country was dominated by the Teutonic Knights, the landowning aristocracy and the local bishops of the Catholic Church, who were supported by city merchants. The Estonians, conquered by the Danes and the Teutonic Knights, remained peasants and became more and more enslaved. The Catholic faith had a weak spread among Estonians, as the church showed no interest in their language and culture. The attitude towards religion among Estonians began to change only in connection with the penetration of the Reformation into Estonia (1521) and the subsequent involvement of the population in the bosom of the Lutheran Church.
As a result of the Livonian War (1558–1583), the Livonian Order collapsed: the northern part of Estonia came under the rule of the Swedes, the southern part - under the rule of the Commonwealth. The island of Saaremaa remained with Denmark. From 1645 the entire territory of Estonia became part of Sweden. At the beginning of the 18th century Russia's interests in the Baltic region clashed with those of Sweden. The Northern War (1700-1721) between Russia and Sweden, accompanied by a devastating plague epidemic, ended with the victory of Russia and the annexation of Estonia and Latvia.
From the end of the 17th century schooling in Estonian became widespread, and in 1739 the Bible was published for the first time in Estonian. By 1790 the population of Estonia numbered approx. 500 thousand people. The abolition of serfdom in 1816-1819 was an important step towards the liberation of Estonian peasants from German dependence, but several more decades passed before they received the right to acquire land as property.
Estonian National Movement. Agrarian reforms and the development of the education system under Emperor Alexander II (r. 1855–1881) contributed to the emergence of the Estonian national movement. In the 1880s–1890s, the tsarist government pursued a policy of administrative and cultural Russification in Estonia. Under the influence of the revolutionary movement of 1905 in Russia, a wave of mass workers' strikes swept across Estonia. The national bourgeoisie came forward with a demand for liberal reforms. Organized action by workers resumed in 1912 and especially since 1916.
Under the influence of the events of the February Revolution of 1917 in Petrograd, workers and soldiers in Estonia began to remove tsarist officials from power. In March, Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies were established in Tallinn and other cities. The governor was replaced by a representative of the Provisional Government of Russia, the mayor.
Almost simultaneously with the October Revolution of 1917 in Petrograd, the Soviets of Workers' and Military Deputies came to power in the largest industrial centers of Estonia, disbanding the Provincial Zemstvo Council and proceeding to nationalize banks, industrial enterprises, means of transport, and landowners' lands.
Formation of an independent Republic of Estonia. Soviet power in Estonia lasted until February 18, 1918, when its territory was occupied by German troops. Taking advantage of the situation, the leaders of the Estonian intelligentsia K. Päts, J. Vilms and K. Konik on February 24, 1918 published a manifesto "On the Independence of Estonia". During the German occupation, the Soviet order was canceled, the previously expropriated lands were returned to the landowners. In mid-November 1918, Germany transferred control of Estonia into the hands of the Provisional Government under the leadership of Päts. At the end of the same month, Red Army troops were sent to the Baltic states to restore Soviet power. As a result, Narva was conquered on November 28, 1918, and the next day the state of the Estland Labor Commune was proclaimed, headed by the chairman of the Council of the Commune, J. Anvelt, and the head of the Department of Internal Affairs, V. Kingisepp. At the same time, with the support of the United States and Great Britain, an armed struggle unfolded throughout Estonia against units of the Red Army. On June 5, 1919, the government of the Estonian Labor Commune ceased to exist.
After a 13-month liberation war against Soviet Russia (November 28, 1918 - January 3, 1920), on February 2, 1920, the Tartu Peace Treaty was signed between the RSFSR and Estonia. According to the first constitution, Estonia was proclaimed a democratic republic, in which power belonged to a unicameral parliament. In December 1924, the Estonian Communist Party, acting in accordance with the instructions of the Chairman of the Comintern, G.E. Zinoviev, raised an armed uprising, which was suppressed. The rise of the national movement, which coincided with the global economic crisis of the early 1930s, contributed to the spread of conservative ideas in Estonia. On March 12, 1934, a coup d'état took place. The national bourgeoisie headed by K. Pyats and I. Laidoner came to power. By the fall, parliament was dissolved, and subsequently all active political parties were banned. In fact, a dictatorship was established. In 1937, a new constitution was drafted, which came into effect in 1938. It returned Estonia to parliamentarism, it became possible to elect deputies from the opposition (although the activities of political parties were still banned). The post of president was introduced, and Päts was elected the first president in April 1938.
In the second half of the 1930s, Estonia experienced rapid economic growth. The most developed industries - oil shale, cellulose, phosphorite - were reoriented to the German market. At the end of the 1930s, Germany became the main export partner of Estonia, where most of the agricultural products were supplied.
The further fate of Estonia was decided in August 1939, when the Soviet-German non-aggression pact with secret protocols was signed, according to which Estonia fell into the sphere of interests of the Soviet Union. On September 28, 1939, Estonia concluded a forced mutual assistance treaty with the USSR, according to which military bases of the Soviet Union were placed on the territory of Estonia. On June 17, 1940, the Soviet government issued an ultimatum, which was followed in August of the same year by the entry of Soviet troops and the annexation of the entire territory of the country.
Soviet Estonia. On June 21, 1940, the government of Estonia was overthrown and replaced by the government of the Popular Front with the support of the Soviet Army. On July 21, 1940, the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed, and on August 25, its constitution was adopted. The main efforts of the Soviet government were aimed at the rapid sovietization of the former independent republic, arrests and executions began. In September 1941, troops of Nazi Germany invaded Estonia and occupied the country.
In the autumn of 1944, after heavy fighting, Estonia was occupied by units of the Red Army. During the war, about half of the industrial enterprises were destroyed, most of the livestock was destroyed, approx. 80 thousand inhabitants, at least 70 thousand Estonians emigrated. At the end of the war, the authorities undertook mass repressions (many specialists, public figures and wealthy peasants were arrested and deported). In 1945, private property was abolished in the industrial sector, in 1947 - in trade. The forced collectivization of agriculture provoked the armed resistance of the partisans (the so-called "forest brothers"), which continued until 1953.
During Khrushchev's "thaw", the Estonian Communist Party gained a certain degree of independence from the CPSU in governing the republic. However, in the subsequent period, especially after 1968, there was a rollback from the policy of liberalization. The response was the spread of political dissent, expressed in the demand for independence for Estonia and the restoration of the role of the Estonian language in education and public life. In 1980, forty intellectuals, including liberal-minded members of the CPSU, were sent to the central government bodies and to the Pravda newspaper Letter 40 - in fact, a manifesto against Sovietization.
Restoration of independence. The mass movement for independence in Estonia began in 1987 with a public outcry against the barbaric mining of phosphorites, which caused serious environmental damage to the country. In 1988, the Estonian Popular Front was created, as well as a number of other political organizations (including the Independence Party), which put forward a demand for secession from the USSR. In November 1988, the Supreme Soviet of Estonia, headed by the communist reformers, adopted the Declaration on the sovereignty of the Estonian SSR by 254 votes against 7. In 1989 the desire for full independence intensified, the Committee of Estonian Citizens launched a campaign to register Estonian citizens. In March 1990, the newly elected Supreme Council of Estonia announced the beginning of the transition to full independence, and on May 8, 1990, the Republic of Estonia was proclaimed, soon recognized by many states. On September 6, 1991, the independence of Estonia was recognized by the USSR, and then by the USA.
The main political milestones after August 1991 were the adoption of a new constitution in June 1992 and parliamentary and presidential elections in September and October 1992. After the first parliamentary elections, held in September 1992, a center-right coalition led by Mart Laar formed the cabinet. In October 1992, the Parliament elected Lennart Meri, a writer and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, as the first President of Estonia, who was re-elected to this post in September 1996.
The introduction in June 1992 of a new monetary unit - the Estonian kroon, pegged to the German mark, stopped inflation and allowed the economy to stabilize. Thanks to a balanced budget and price liberalization, Estonia has made significant economic progress in a few years.
The parties that supported the Laar government failed in the parliamentary elections in March 1995, when a new coalition led by Tiit Vähi, consisting of representatives of the Coalition Party, the Union of Agrarians and the Center Party of Estonia, won. The ruling coalition continued the policy of economic liberalization and integration with Western European countries. However, the Väha government lasted only two years and was replaced by a minority government led by Mart Sijman. The political confrontation began to intensify as the 1999 elections approached.
Although the new electoral law aims to reduce the number of parties, Estonia's political system remains fragmented. According to the results of the elections held in March 1999, the parliament included representatives of the Estonian Center Party (28 seats), the Fatherland Union (18), the Reform Party (18), the Moderate Party (17) and the Estonian Coalition Party (7), the Union of Agrarians ( 7), United People's Party of Estonia (6).
In August 1994, parts of the Russian army were withdrawn from the territory of Estonia. The Estonian government, in turn, adopted the principle of "social guarantees" in relation to about 10,000 former Soviet officers living in the country, now pensioners, and their families. Until now, the problem of citizenship of non-Estonians who moved to the territory of Estonia during the years of Soviet power has not been fully resolved.
In October 2001, the parliament of the republic elected the former chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Estonian SSR, Arnold Ruutel, as president of the country.
On March 29, 2004 Estonia officially became a member of NATO.
LITERATURE
Soviet Union:. M., 1967
Soviet Estonia: Encyclopedic reference book. Tallinn, 1979
Wanatoa E. Estonian SSR: Handbook. Tallinn, 1986
Kahk Y., Siylivask K. History of the Estonian SSR. Tallinn, 1987
– Eesti: Quick Reference. Tallinn, 1999

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ESTONIA

REPUBLIC OF ESTONIA
State in the northwest of Eastern Europe. In the north it is washed by the Gulf of Finland, in the west by the Baltic Sea. In the east, the country borders on Russia, in the south - on Latvia. Estonia owns more than 1500 islands, the largest of which are Saaremaa and Hiiumaa. The area of ​​the country is about 45100 km2.
The population of Estonia (according to 1998 estimates) is about 1,421,300 people. Ethnic groups: Estonians - 61.5%, Russians - 30.3%, Ukrainians - 3.2%, Belarusians - 1.8%, Finns - 1.1%, Jews, Latvians. Language: Estonian (state), Russian. Religion: Lutheranism, Orthodoxy. The capital is Tallinn. Largest cities: Tallinn (502,000 people), Tartu (114,239 people), Narva (87,000 people), Pärnu. The state structure is a republic. The head of state is President Lennart Meri (re-elected on September 20, 1996). The head of government is Prime Minister T. Vähi (in office since April 17, 1995). The monetary unit is the Estonian kroon. Average life expectancy (for 1998): 64 years - men, 75 years - women.
Estonia declared independence on August 20, 1991. The country is a member of the UN and the IMF.
Among the numerous sights of the country, one can note: in Narva - a medieval castle, in Tartu - the building of the town hall and one of the oldest universities in Eastern Europe. In Tallinn - the ensemble of the Old Town with numerous cathedrals, fortress walls and medieval towers. The upper city was built in the XIII-XIV centuries. Lower city - in the XIV-XVI centuries.

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natural conditions
Most of the territory is a moraine plain. In the southeastern part, a strip of hilly hills begins (height up to 318 m); the northern and central parts are occupied by the Pandivere upland (height up to 166 m). The climate is transitional: from maritime to continental. The average temperatures in February are -6 °С, in July - 17 °С. Precipitation - up to 700 mm per year. Latvia is rich in beautiful clean lakes. The largest are Chudsko-Pskov and Vyrtsjärv. The Narva Reservoir is known. The soils are predominantly sod-podzolic, sod-calcareous, swampy. Forests occupy over 40% of the territory (two thirds of them are coniferous). Reserves: Viidumäe, Vilsandi, Matsalu, Nigula. Lahemaa National Park.

Economy
Estonia is an industrial-agrarian country. Leading industries: mechanical engineering and metalworking (electrical and radio engineering industry, instrument making and ship repair), chemical (production of mineral fertilizers, sulfuric acid, benzene, detergents, etc.), light (textile, etc.) and food (meat and dairy , fish, confectionery, etc.). The country has established the production of building materials, pulp and paper. Applied arts became widespread: leather, metal, textile and knitwear.
Agriculture is mainly specialized in dairy and beef cattle breeding and bacon pig breeding. In crop production, preference is given to grain (42.2%; barley, rye, wheat) and fodder (50.5%) crops. They grow potatoes and vegetables. Main seaports: Tallinn, Novotallinsky. Navigation on the river Emajõgi. Latvia exports electrical and electronic products, industrial equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs and consumer goods. Main foreign trade partners: Russia, Eastern countries. and Sev. Europe. Resorts: Pärnu, Haapsalu, Narva-Jõesuu, Kuressaare.
Story
By 1000 AD the main groups of Estonian tribes formed; during this period, contacts were established between the Estonians (Chud in Russian chronicles) and the Eastern Slavs. Trade centers arose on the site of modern Tallinn, Tartu, large settlements - Otepa, Valjala, Varbla, etc. In the 11th century. Estonians made a number of campaigns in Russian and Scandinavian lands. In the 11th-12th centuries. unsuccessful attempts were made to attach Estonians to the ancient Russian principalities. In the 13th century formed territorial associations-maakonda.
From the 13th century Estonia is the object of German, then Danish aggression. In the 2nd quarter of the 13th - the middle of the 16th century. the territory of Estonia, conquered by the German crusaders, was part of Livonia. At the end of the 16th century Estonia is divided between Sweden (north), the Commonwealth (south) and Denmark (Saaremaa island); in the middle of the 17th century. the whole territory under the rule of the Swedes. According to the Treaty of Nystadt in 1721, Estonia became part of Russia. The abolition of serfdom in the Estonian (1816) and Livonian (1819) provinces accelerated socio-economic development. At the end of October 1917, Soviet power was established. From November 29, 1918 to June 5, 1919, the Estonian Soviet Republic (the name of the Estland Labor Commune) existed. On May 19, 1919, the Constituent Assembly proclaimed the establishment of the Republic of Estonia; in March 1934, a coup d'etat took place in Estonia, a dictatorship was established, the parliament was dissolved, in 1935 all political parties were banned. In June 1940, Soviet troops entered Estonia. On July 21, 1940, the Estonian SSR was formed. On August 6, 1940, it was annexed to the USSR, some of the Estonians were deported. By December 1941, Estonia was occupied by Nazi troops; released in 1944. In 1991, the Supreme Court of the Republic of Estonia adopted a resolution on the state independence of Estonia. In 2004, the country joined the EU and NATO.
Tourism and rest
Tourism in Estonia is the third item of budget revenues. Traditions of tourism generally originate from the middle of the last century. It was then that the northern and western coasts became a favorite place for recreation and restoration of health among the Russian nobility and intelligentsia. Now more and more services are offered by the resort towns of Pärnu, Haapsalu, Narva, Iesuu. A large number of tourists visit another beautiful city in Estonia - Tartu. Lovers of a calm and measured rest are attracted by the small resort town of Ust-Narva, located 14 km from Narva.

Cities
Paldiski is a small cozy town in the Harju region of Estonia, located 49 km from Tallinn and 80 km (by sea) from Finland on the coast of the Gulf of Finland. The city was founded by Peter I in the 17th century. Since then, many sights have remained, but the most important is the Petrovsky Fortress. The town is ideal for a quiet family vacation: beautiful uncrowded beaches, sea air and virgin nature will ensure a good mood.
Viljandi is the county center in Estonia, located on the high bank of the low lake Viljandi, stretching for more than 10 km. Population - 23 thousand inhabitants. The city has been known since 1211. Dense spruce forests on one side and a steep, steep bank on the other gave it an advantageous position.
In 1224, the Crusaders built the Order Castle here, which is considered one of the largest in the Baltic. The city was part of the Hanseatic League, was in the possession of Russia, Poland, Sweden. Until 1917 the official name of the city was Fellin. Despite the fact that the city is not large, it is full of various attractions and architectural monuments. For example, a beautiful medieval castle (13th century) has been preserved in the city, with a picturesque suspension bridge spanning its deep moat, connecting the Castle with the city. The church of St. Paul has survived - a vivid example of the neo-Gothic architectural style. You can see many wonderful modern monuments.
Haapsalu (until 1917 the official name of Gapsal) is a tiny town on the western coast of Estonia, 100 km from Tallinn. Population - 12.5 thousand inhabitants. It is considered the sunniest resort in Estonia, washed from three sides by the sea. Until 1917 the city had the name Gaspal. City attractions, beautiful nature, clean air and the silence of coastal pine forests, a warm bay and picturesque reeds, sea bathing and healing mud of the bays - all this attracts to Haapsalu. The city was founded in 1279. For several centuries, Haapsalu was the center of the Catholic bishopric and was quite an influential city. Here is an old episcopal castle in the 16th century. Subsequently, Haapsalu experienced the rule of the Swedes and Russians.
In 1825 it became a seaside resort visited by members of the imperial family. Today, the well-preserved walking path along the seaside and the wooden Kursaal located there remind of the days of Haapsalu's rise as a resort. It is interesting to see the sights of the town: the ruins and the 38-meter watchtower of the episcopal castle, an alley with a memorial bench made of dolomite with a portrait of P.I. Tchaikovsky, the Town Hall building, the Dome Church with a round chapel of the 14th century. It is interesting to listen to the legend about the ghostly vision of the White Lady, who appears in the window of the sacristy of the Dome Church on a full moon night in August as a symbol of eternal love.

National cuisine
The assortment of Estonian national cuisine includes many dishes from pork (pork legs, pea soup from pork legs, boiled pork with vegetables, etc.), fish (pickled herring, herring soup, pickled herring, dishes from pike perch, flounder, etc.). Such national dishes as kama flour from rye, peas, wheat and barley, consumed with milk or curdled milk, mulgikapsad - cabbage cooked with pork and cereals, black pudding, blood dumplings, are very popular. Dairy products occupy a special place in Estonian cuisine. Milk, cottage cheese, curdled milk, whipped cream, homemade cheese are included in the daily diet. We recommend trying sour oatmeal jelly.

National holidays
January 1 - New Year
February 24 - Independence Day
March/April - Easter
May 1 - Spring Festival
May/June - Trinity
June 23 - Victory Day (anniversary of the battle of Vynnu)
June 24 - Midsummer Day Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary Modern Encyclopedia

The largest shale mine in Europe. Production capacity of 5.4 million tons of commercial shale per year. It is located in the middle part of the Estonian oil shale deposit, 20 km from the town of Kohtla Järve. Commissioned in 1972 together with enrich, f coy, ... ... Geological Encyclopedia

- (Estonia), state in east. coast of the Baltic Sea. Annexed by Russia in 1709, regained independence in 1918 during the Bolshevik revolution in Russia. The most important event in the history of E. in the 1920s. agrarian reform has become, to paradise ... ... The World History

Historically, it is believed that the long dark winters have contributed to the fact that the Estonians have formed as a nation, sparing on words. But at the same time, it was precisely this inner concentration of the Estonians that contributed to their long, calm reflections and flights of fantasy.

Taciturn Estonians love to sing in the choir, and it is choral music that has become a kind of hallmark of Estonia.
The Republic of Estonia borders on Russia and Latvia, and its maritime border with Finland runs in the Gulf of Finland. It is also washed by the waters of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga.

State symbols of Estonia

Flag- the official state symbol of the Republic of Estonia in 1918-1940. and again since 1990. It is a rectangular panel, consisting of three horizontal equal stripes: the top one is blue, the middle one is black and the bottom one is white. The standard flag size is 105 x 165 cm.

Coat of arms- exists in two forms: large and small state emblem. On the big the state emblem in the golden field of the shield are three azure leopards (a marching lion looking right). The shield is bordered by a wreath of two crossed golden oak branches crossing at the bottom of the shield. Small the coat of arms is represented only by a shield.

The motif of the Estonian state emblem dates back to the 13th century, when the Danish king Valdemar II granted the city of Tallinn a coat of arms with three lions, similar to the coat of arms of the Danish kingdom. The same motif was later transferred to the emblem of the Estland province, approved by Empress Catherine II on October 4, 1788.

Brief description of modern Estonia

Political system- an independent democratic parliamentary republic.
head of state- President elected for 5 years.
Head of the government- Prime Minister.
Capital- Tallinn.
Largest cities- Tallinn, Tartu, Narva, Pärnu, Kohtla-Jarve.

Administrative division- 15 counties (maakonds), headed by county elders. 33 settlements have the status of cities.
Economy- The share of the service sector in Estonian GDP is 69%, industry - 29%, agriculture - 3%. The main industries are the fuel and energy complex, the chemical industry, mechanical engineering, the textile industry, the pulp and paper and woodworking industries. main industry Agriculture is animal husbandry of the meat and dairy direction and pig breeding (especially bacon). Crop production is mainly engaged in the production of feed for livestock, as well as the cultivation of industrial crops. Developed fishing.
Territory- 45,226 km².
Population– 1,286,540 people Estonians make up 68.7% of the population, Russians - 24.8%, Ukrainians - 1.7%, Belarusians - 1%, Finns - 0.6%.
Official language- Estonian. The Russian language is also widely spoken.
Currency- Euro.
traditional religion- Lutheranism.
Education- divided into basic, vocational and additional education. The educational system is based on a four-level system, which includes pre-school, primary, secondary and higher education. There is a wide network of schools and educational institutes. The Estonian educational system consists of state, municipal, public and private educational institutions.
Higher academic education in Estonia is divided into three levels: undergraduate, graduate and doctoral studies.

Estonian culture

Presumably, the culture of modern Estonians was somewhat influenced by ancient Russian culture. This is evidenced by ancient borrowings in the Estonian language from Russian, such as raamat book ⁄from “gramota”⁄ and leib ⁄bread⁄. One of the first mentions in the Tale of Bygone Years about the activities of Russian princes on the territory of modern Estonia is the campaign of Grand Duke Yaroslav Vladimirovich in 1030 against the Chud (as Estonia was called in ancient times) and the foundation of a city called Yuriev (now Tartu).
Estonians were also influenced to a considerable extent by German culture, since Livonia in 13th century. was captured by the Crusaders.
AT 1523. the Reformation movement reached Estonia (a mass religious and socio-political movement in Western and Central Europe XVI- start XVII centuries., aimed at reforming Catholic Christianity in accordance with the Bible). Lutheranism, which attached great importance to public education, laid the foundation for Estonian literacy and the peasant school. AT 1739. first complete translation released bible into Estonian, translator Anton Thor Helle. Of great importance for the cultural development of Estonia was the restoration in 1802 of the Imperial Yuriev University in Derpt(now Tartu). The university became a conductor of Western European ideas. Such well-known scientists as astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve, biologist Carl Ernst von Baer, ​​surgeon Nikolai Pirogov studied and worked in Dorpat. The university became the cradle of the Estonian national awakening, especially after the abolition of serfdom.

One of the most famous cultural figures of this time was Johann Voldemar Jannsen. He began publishing a newspaper in Estonian, advocated the bourgeois development of Estonia, and promoted the purchase of farmsteads for ownership or their lease. He wrote the lyrics to the Estonian anthem Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm (Fatherland, my happiness and my joy).

Estonian Song Festival

A nationwide and national song festival in which various choirs and brass bands take part. The festival is held every five years on the territory of the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds. The organization of the holiday is carried out by a unit specially established for this purpose under the Ministry of Culture of Estonia. It is a UNESCO Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The first song festival took place in 1869. in Tartu. In memory of this, a monument was erected in Tartu.

The first seven holidays were held during the time when Estonia was part of the Russian Empire, and until the 6th Song Festival they were held on various significant dates for the empire. The festival was organized by various Estonian dance and choir societies. The first five holidays were held in Tartu, then all holidays began to be held in Tallinn.
Johann Voldemar Jannsen was the initiator of Estonian song festivals.

Estonian culture of the 20th century

Literature

Artworks Eduard Vilde laid the foundations of the genre of the novel and critical realism.
Post-war transformations in society are depicted in the stories Hans Leberecht, Rudolf Sirge, Ernie Krusten, essay-journalistic prose Juhana Smuula, Egon Ranneth and etc.
A certain trace in modern Estonian literature was left by Jene Mihkelson, Nikolai Baturin, Madis Kyiv, Maimu Berg, Hulo Matthäus. From the youngest generation stands out Tõnu Õnnepalu, Erwin Õunapuu, Peeter Sauter, Tarmo Teder, Andrus Kivirähk, Kaur Kender, Sass Henno.

Architecture and painting

At the beginning of the XX century. Art Nouveau became popular in Estonian architecture. An example of this style is the building of the Estonia Theater in Tallinn (1865), the building of the Institute of Zoology and Geology of the University of Tartu, etc.
Famous painters were Ants Laikmaa, Nikolai Triik, Konrad Mägi, Kristjan Raud.

Music

In the music of the XX century. There were two main creative schools: Artur Kappa in Tallinn and Heino Ellera in Tartu. During the period of 1940-50s. there was an intensive development of choral music. Gustav Ernesaks and Eugen Kapp created choral songs and operas on national-historical themes. In the 1950s, the singer gained popularity.

G. Ots performed parts of operettas and operas, worked in different genres with great success. Particularly popular was his role Mister X in the film "Mr. X" (dir. Yuli Khmelnitsky) - a film adaptation of Kalman's operetta "Princess of the Circus". Ots showed his hero Etienne Verdier as a person of impeccable honor, dignity, courage, an aristocrat of the spirit, a man of fine and romantic spiritual organization. Ots's personal modesty, nobility, elegance and grace were so sincere that not a single negative review of him appeared either during his life or after his death.
The most famous contemporary Estonian composer is Arvo Pärt, who emigrated to Germany in 1980, the discoverer of the "handbell style".
Recognized as a world class conductor Eri Klas. World renowned conductor Neeme Jarvi, actively promoting Estonian music abroad, emigrated to the USA in 1980.

pop culture

In Estonia, jazz began to revive and rock music developed. The orchestra was successful Modern Fox who performed dance hits from the 1930s-1950s; in the field of Estonian pop music of the 1980s, the most popular performers themselves were Anne Veski, Mariu Länik, Ivo Linna, Gunnar Graps; rock groups "Ruya", "Rock Hotel", "Orange", "Vitamin", "Radar".
Modern popular artists: Maarja-Liis Ilus (Maarja), Tanel Padar, Ines, Chalice; groups A-rühm, Genialistid, Dagö, J.M.K.E., Kosmikud, Metsatöll, Sun, Smilers, Terminaator, Ultima Thule, Urban Symphony, Vanilla Ninja, Vennaskond.

"Orange"

AT 1955 Estonian television was created.

Contemporary Estonian cinema

In the 90s, the main themes of films were the understanding of history, the categories of freedom, the connection between power and the individual. Along with the aggravated social themes, there were tendencies to complicate the language and conventions: “On Rahu Street” (Roman Baskin, 1991), “In Awakening” (Yuri Sillart, 1989), “Only Crazy” (Arvo Iho, 1990). In the entertainment genre, the film "Fire Water" (Hardy Volmer, 1994) was created. Revealing the pain point of the era, the film "Georgica" (Sulev Keedus) was a success at many festivals. Spectator records were broken by the historical epic "Names on a marble board" directed by Elmo Nykanena based on the novel of the same name Albert Kivikas. The first Estonian film screened at the Cannes Film Festival was the 2007 drama Magnus; in the same year, the film "Class" received a number of international prizes.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Estonia

Tallinn Historic Center (Old Town)

The Old Town of Tallinn is conditionally divided into Lower and upper town (Vyshgoro e). The upper city, located on the Toompea hill, was originally inhabited by the nobility, while merchants, artisans and other, less prosperous segments of the population settled in the Lower city. Vyshgorod was separated from the Lower City by a fortress wall, most of which has also been excellently preserved to this day. The fortress walls of the city are known from 1248., but the oldest surviving walls and towers belong to 14th century. There are 39 towers in total (preserved and not preserved), each of them has its own name and its own history. Let's talk about just a few of them.

Kuldjala Tower (XIV century)

The tower is five-storeyed, has a horseshoe shape, the inner part facing the city. The upper floors had defensive functions, while the lower ones were used as storage facilities.
The tower is well preserved and is currently used by the youth organization Kodulinn for exhibitions and lectures.

Köismäe Tower ("Rope Mountain Tower") (XIV century)

The horseshoe-shaped tower is located in the western part of the fortress wall. Was built in 1360 g. and has been well preserved to this day. Since November 2003, performances and exhibitions have been held in the tower.
The tower got its name from a nearby rope weaving workshop.

Fat Margarita (XVI century)

The gun turret with 155 loopholes was built at the beginning XVI century. in front of the Great Sea Gate. It got its name for its impressive size: 25 m in diameter and 20 m in height. The tower received its current name in 1842, and before that it was simply called the New Tower.
From 1830 the tower was used as a prison. The extension was made in 1884-1885. In March 1917 the tower was burned down. In 1930, the Museum of History was set up in the empty tower. Currently, the tower has been restored, restored, it houses the Estonian Maritime Museum.

Burden Tower

Four-story horseshoe-shaped tower. The thickness of the outer wall is more than 2 m, the inner wall is 1 m thick. On the third floor there was a fireplace for guards of the city guard; at the very top there is an open area for patrol or shelling with narrow loopholes in the walls and loopholes.
The second floor can be reached from the city wall by stairs. Before 17th century there was a prison: an unlit room with small windows for air, in the walls of which iron rings were embedded. At the beginning of the twentieth century. the tower was used by the city as a powder store, so double locks were installed on the doors.

upper town

The first wooden fortification on the Toompea hill was presumably built in 11th century AT 1219 the settlement of Lindanise was captured by the Danish crusaders under the leadership of Valdemar II, after which the city received the name Revel, and Vyshgorod became the residence of foreign rulers. Toompea is divided into Big Settlement, Small Settlement and adjacent territories. AT 1229. The construction of the first stone castle Toompea in the western part of the Small Settlement was completed. 4 towers were built at its corners, including "Long German".

After the capture of Reval by the Russians during the Northern War, the castle was rebuilt. Instead of the eastern wall, by order of Catherine the Great, a baroque palace was built, a moat was filled in, one of the towers was destroyed. At present, the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, has settled in Toompea Castle.
Vyshgorod is home to one of the oldest churches in Estonia - the Dome Cathedral, built in the 13th century. The cathedral acquired its current appearance after numerous reconstructions. Many famous people were buried in the cathedral itself, such as Pontus Delagardie and Ivan Kruzershtern.

The Dome Cathedral

Lutheran Cathedral, located in the Old Town of Tallinn. Dedicated to the Holy Virgin Mary. It is one of the oldest temples in Tallinn, but has undergone many reconstructions. Previously, there was a wooden church on this site. 1219
The tower of the cathedral belongs to the Baroque era, and its annexed chapels belong to later architectural styles. Inside the temple there are burials of the 13th-18th centuries, as well as various noble coats of arms and epitaphs dedicated to famous people of that time and related to the 12th-20th centuries.

lower town

The center of the Lower City is Town Hall Square, which is surrounded by built in 13th century. city ​​hall in the Gothic style and other buildings. One of the symbols of Tallinn, weather vane "Old Thomas", decorates the spire of the town hall with 1530

According to legend, every spring in medieval Tallinn in front of the Great Sea Gate in the "Parrot Garden" a celebration was held. The best shooters of the city competed on it in shooting from crossbows and bows. Whoever knocked down a colored wooden figurine of a parrot sitting on the top of a high pole became the king of shooters. Once at a tournament, when they had just lined up and pulled the bowstring, the parrot suddenly suddenly fell down, pierced by someone's arrow. The unknown shooter turned out to be an ordinary young man from Tallinn, a poor man named Toomas. The prankster was scolded and forced to put the target back in its original place. The news spread all over Tallinn, and Toomas' mother prepared for the worst... But the young man was not punished, but offered to become a city guard, which at that time was a great honor for the poor.

Subsequently, Toomas repeatedly showed heroism in the battles of the Livonian War and fully justified the trust placed in him. And in old age he let go of his luxurious mustache and became surprisingly similar to the brave warrior who towered on the tower of the Town Hall. Since then, the weather vane on the Town Hall has been called "Old Toomas".

Opposite the town hall is Town Hall Pharmacy. The first mention of it dates from 1422, it is one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe, operating in the same building since the beginning of the 15th century. It is also the oldest commercial institution and the oldest medical institution in Tallinn.

Arc Struve

The Struve geodetic arc was measured by Struve and employees of the Derpt (Tartu) and Pulkovo observatories (of which Struve was the director) for 40 years, from 1816 to 1855, over 2820 km from Fuglenes, near the North Cape in Norway to the village of Staraya Nekrasovka, Odessa region, near the Danube, which formed a meridian arc with an amplitude of 25° 20′08″.

Currently, arc points can be found in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia (on the island of Gogland), Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine.

Other sights of Estonia

Lahemaa National Park

Founded in 1971. (this is the first national park in the USSR) to protect the unique landscapes of the coast, about 50 km from Tallinn. The area of ​​the park is 72.5 thousand hectares (47.4 thousand hectares of land and 25.1 thousand hectares of the sea). Many picturesque bays, karst landscapes, areas of old agricultural development. Here is the Nõmmeveske waterfall and other interesting objects. Lahemaa is a center of mass tourism and recreation.

Kumu Museum

Art Museum in Tallinn. It is the largest in the Baltic region and one of the largest museums in Northern Europe. This is one of the four branches of the Estonian Art Museum.
Kumu has permanent collections and temporary exhibitions. The main collection covers Estonian art from the 18th century, includes works from the Soviet period (1941-1991), shows both socialist realism and official art. Temporary exhibitions present foreign and Estonian contemporary art.

Tallinn Zoo

Opened in 1939. The zoo's collection includes about 7753 individuals of 595 species/subspecies.

Pukhtitsky monastery

Orthodox convent of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate.
Founded in 1891. The monastery has never been closed. Since the 1990s, it has had stauropegial status (a status that makes the monastery, monastery, etc. independent of the local diocesan authorities and directly subordinate to the patriarch or synod). Located in the village of Kuremäe (Ida-Viru County, Estonia). Pühtitsa means "holy place" in Estonian.

Soomaa

National park in Estonia, located in the border western part of Viljandi County. It was established in 1993 to protect wetlands, grasslands and forests. The name of the park in translation from Estonian means "country of swamps".

Estonian Open Air Museum

This is a life-size reconstruction of a rural/fishing village. 18th century., which has a church, an inn, a school, several mills, a fire station, twelve yards and sheds for nets. The museum covers an area of ​​72 hectares and includes 72 independent buildings. Located 8 km west of the center of Tallinn. Founded in 1957, represents 68 farmhouses united in twelve yards from the north, south and west of Estonia. Along with farms, singly and in groups, old public buildings are located in order to provide an overview of the Estonian national architecture of the last two centuries.

Church of St. Nicholas (Tallinn)

The former Lutheran church, which now houses a museum-concert hall. The building of the church is located in the Old Town of Tallinn. This temple, named after the patron saint of all sailors - St. Nicholas, was founded by German merchants in 13th century The Niguliste Museum is one of the four branches of the Estonian Art Museum.

Estonian History Museum

Founded by an apothecary Johann Burchardt VIII(1776-1838), who maintained a pharmacy known as the Town Hall Pharmacy (existing to this day). In 2011, a major reconstruction was completed in the museum. Maarjamägi Castle belongs to the historical museum. It was transferred to the museum in 1975 as a branch. The exposition of the branch covers the period from the beginning of the XIX century.

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (Tallinn)

Stauropegial Orthodox cathedral church run by the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (since May 1945). It is located in Tallinn, on the rise of Toompea (Vyshgorod).
Its construction was completed in 1900, the author of the project is the architect M. T. Preobrazhensky. Erected in memory of the miraculous rescue of Emperor Alexander III in a railway accident on October 17, 1888.

Kadriorg

Baroque palace and park ensemble in Tallinn. Ekaterinental (Katerintal in German "Katerina's Valley") got its name in honor of wife of Peter I - Catherine I. Estonians call this place Kadriorg.
During the Northern War (1700-1721) Estonia was annexed to Russia. Revel capitulated in the autumn of 1710, and already in December 1711, Peter I, together with Catherine, visited the city for the first time. The king liked the surroundings of Lasnamägi. From here, from the cliff, there was a view of the city and the harbor under construction. In 1714, Peter bought a part of their summer estate from the widow of Drenteln into state ownership. The surviving house of this estate was put in order and adapted for the residence of the king. This house is now known as Peter's house. The modest house was convenient for spending the night and viewing the picturesque surroundings, but the modesty of its size and design did not at all correspond to its purpose. The laying of a new palace and park ensemble was started on July 25, 1718 by order of Peter I. A park was laid out at the palace, ponds were dug out.

Lake Ülemiste

Lake near Tallinn. It has been the city's source of drinking water since the 14th century. The lake is home to various types of fish, including eels, which were brought here in 1986.
According to Estonian legends, Lake Ülemiste arose from the tears of the girl Linda, who, sitting on a boulder, mourned her dead husband Kalev.
The legend of the elder from Yulemist is also widespread. He asks those whom he meets on his way: “Have Tallinn been completed yet?” If someone answers that they have completed the construction, then, according to legend, the Ülemiste lake will flood the city. For this reason, construction in Tallinn should not stop.

Naissaar Island

An island in the Gulf of Finland northwest of Tallinn. Due to the strategic position of the island on the approach to Tallinn, fortifications were built on it with 18th century., and in 1911 the island was turned into a “land dreadnought”, covering the Tallinn raid with its guns.
Until the Second World War, a commune of Estonian Swedes lived on the island, and during the Soviet period there was a military base, civilians were not allowed on it. Currently, the base on the island has been disbanded, and it can be visited to inspect the remains of military installations and a large number of shells of sea mines.

Tallinn Botanical Garden

It was founded on December 1, 1961 in Kloostrimetsa as an institute of the Academy of Sciences. In 1992 the Tallinn Botanical Garden joined the Association of Botanical Gardens of the Baltic States and in 1994 the International Botanical Gardens Conservation Organization. The following expositions are presented in the garden: "Tropical House", "Tropics", "Subtropics", "Desert", "Roses", "Tulips", "Rhododendrons", "Rock Garden", "Mixed Forest", "Coniferous Forest".

Monastery of Saint Birgitta

Former Catholic monastery in Tallinn. The church was built in 1436 The structure was a sacral late Gothic building typical of the Middle Ages. The complex was destroyed 1575 during the Livonian War. Only the western pediment of the monastery church, 35 m high, has survived, as well as fragments of the side walls.
The peculiarity of this nunnery was that male priests were allowed to live and conduct divine services in it. The monastic community did not exceed 85 people - 60 sisters and 25 brothers.
Nowadays, the ancient ruins of the monastery have become a unique attraction and a great place to relax. The object is a historical monument of architecture. Surrounded by majestic ruins and picturesque nature, open-air concerts are held and the Day of the Monastery is celebrated annually, accompanied by a fair. Excursions are held on the territory of the ruins of the complex.

Narva Castle

Medieval castle in the Estonian city of Narva on the banks of the Narva River, founded by the Danes in 13th century. During its history, the castle belonged to Denmark, the Livonian Order, Russia, Sweden and Estonia. During World War II it was badly damaged. Today the castle has been restored and houses the Narva Museum.
Opposite Herman's castle, on the other side of the Narova River, is the Russian Ivangorod fortress.

Jagala waterfall

This is a waterfall on the river of the same name. The height of the waterfall is about 8 m, and the width is about 50 m.

Karula National Park

It was created to protect and represent the hilly landscapes rich in forests and lakes that are characteristic of Southern Estonia, as well as to protect and represent the local culture. It was established in 1979, first as a reserve, and in 1993 it was transformed into a national park. In ancient times, during the retreat of the continental glacier, numerous lakes formed at the foot of the Karula hills - 38 of them are located in the park. The largest of the local lakes - Jahyarv(176 ha), and the deepest - Savijärv(18 m).

Waterfall Valaste

The highest waterfall in Estonia (height 30.5 m) and the Baltic countries. In 1996, the commission of the Academy of Sciences declared it a natural heritage and a national symbol of Estonia. The waterfall was created by an artificial channel, organized to drain excess water from the fields. Water falls from a clint composed of sandstone and ancient Silurian limestones. In cold winters, the waterfall freezes.
Valaste is one of the most popular and most visited waterfalls in Estonia. An observation platform has been built for them.

Vilsandi National Park

It includes a part of the island of Vilsandi, a number of small islands to the west of the island of Saaremaa, as well as the Harilaid peninsula of the island of Saaremaa.
Was founded in 1910. Its area is 237.6 km². Maritime climate. Vilsandi is inhabited by 247 species of birds, about 80 species of fish.

Matsalu National Park

whooper swan

Founded in 1957. on the basis of an ornithological reserve and a hunting educational and experimental farm (originally as a reserve) for the protection of natural complexes and a diverse bird fauna (about 280 species, including more than 160 nesting ones). Ornithological research has been carried out on the modern territory of the park since 1870. The fauna of the park includes 280 species of birds, 49 species of fish, 47 species of mammals and 772 species of vascular plants. One of the most important migratory routes of migratory birds passes here. Waterfowl and marsh birds are especially numerous in the reserve. Whooper swan, northern ducks and sandpipers on migration. Mute swan, gray goose nest in reeds, drakes of mallards and red-headed pochards molt. On grassy meadows, river ducks arrange their nests, there are many waders. Eiders, tufted ducks, sheldons, mergansers, scoter, gulls and terns nest on the islands.

Kassari

An island in western Estonia. An Estonian cultural heritage site is located on the island, chapel of Kassari created in 18th century. It is the only functioning stone chapel with a thatched roof. The building was built in the form of a tower, in the Gothic style.

Haapsalu Castle

Bishop's castle with a cathedral, located in the center of the city of Haapsalu in western Estonia. Was founded in 13th century as the center of the Ezel-Vik bishopric. According to the existing legend, during the August full moon, the image of the White Lady appears on the inner wall of the chapel.

Lake Pühajärv (Holy Lake)

Considered one of the most beautiful lakes in Estonia.

Tourism in Estonia

In addition to visiting the sights of the country, in Estonia you can do outdoor activities: on foot and cycling, skydiving, windsurfing, rafting, sailing, geocaching, karting, golf, bowling, paintball, visit attractions, and in winter ride skiing and snowboarding, on the sleigh and ice skating.

History of Estonia

Ancient Estonia

The life of people on the territory of modern Estonia became possible after the retreat of the glacier about 12 thousand years back. In the first millennium BC. e. the population of the territory of present-day Estonia passes to a settled way of life and builds the first fortified settlements. This period (I - the beginning of the II millennium BC) is known in archeology as the culture of stone burials.

In the picture: Bronze Age stone cemeteries in northern Estonia

Middle Ages

The first mentions of the cities of Tartu (Yuriev, Derpt) and Tallinn (Kolyvan, Lidna, Lindanis, Reval) appeared in XI and 12th century AT 1116 g. Novgorodians took the city of the Bear's Head (modern Otepya). At the beginning 12th century. the Livonian Crusade began, which spread to the lands of Chud (Estonia): in 1202. began its conquest by the crusaders. Only in 1211. Chud defeated the crusaders on the river Yumera. AT 1212, according to the Novgorod Chronicle, Prince Mstislav made two successful campaigns against the Chud, capturing a large number of cattle in the first, and conquering the city of Bear's Head without an assault in the second.

Danish Estonia. Warband

AT 1219-1220 as a result of the Danish crusade, the Danes captured modern northern Estonia, but as a result of the uprising in 1223, it was liberated from the crusaders and the Danes. An alliance was concluded with the Novgorodians and Pskovians. By 1227, the German chivalry managed to take over the entire territory of modern Estonia. In the XIV century. Estonia belonged to the Teutonic Order. At the beginning of the XVI century. serfdom was finally established in Estonia. It was divided between Denmark, the Commonwealth, Russia, Sweden as a result of the Livonian War (1558-1583 ).

Swedish Estonia

AT 1570 on the lands of the Livonian Confederation the king Ivan IV the Terrible created Livonian kingdom led by the Danish prince, Duke Magnus, a vassal of the Russian kingdom. During the Livonian War, Russian troops approached the walls of Reval twice: in 1570 and 1577, but both times the siege ended in nothing. At the beginning 17th century the struggle for the Baltic States between Sweden and the Commonwealth continued, and under the terms of the Altmark truce that completed it 1629 the entire Duchy of Livonia (which included modern southern Estonia and northern Latvia) went to Sweden. After the defeat in the war of 1643-1645. Denmark ceded control of Ösel and Sweden took possession of all of present-day Estonia. To end 17th century Sweden retained its position in Estonia.

Estonia within the Russian Empire (1721-1918)

At the beginning 18th century the interests of the Russian Empire in the Baltic region collided with the interests of Sweden. The Northern War (1700-1721) ended with the capitulation of Sweden and the annexation of Estonia and Livonia (Latvia) to the Russian Empire in 1710, which was officially confirmed Treaty of Nystadt 1721 On the territory of modern northern Estonia, the Revel province was formed (since 1783, the Estland province), and modern southern Estonia, together with modern northern Latvia, formed Livland province. After the annexation of the Estonian lands to the Russian Empire, Peter I restored the rights of the German aristocracy, which they had lost under Swedish rule. By the end 18th century more than half of the Estonian population of the province can read. In 1802, the Derpt University founded in 1632, which was closed during the Great Northern War, reopened. In the same year, a reform was carried out that softened serfdom, ensured the property rights of peasants to movable property and created courts to resolve peasant issues. The abolition of serfdom in 1816 was an important step towards the liberation of Estonian peasants from German dependence, but several more decades passed before they received the right to acquire land as property.
AT 1914 140 career officers of Estonian nationality served in the ranks of the Russian army, about a hundred thousand Estonians participated in the battles of the First World War, and 2 thousand of them received officer ranks.

Estonia under German occupation

25 February 1918 German troops entered Reval, and by March 4, all Estonian lands were completely occupied by the Germans and included in the High Command Region of all German armed forces in the East.
By Peace to Brest the RSFSR renounced its rights to the Baltic regions occupied by Germany. The German occupation authorities did not recognize the independence of Estonia and established a military-occupation regime in the region, under which officers of the German army or Baltic Germans were appointed to key administrative positions. A military governorship was formed in the occupied territory.

War for independence

Estonian War of Independence during 1918-1920. Estonian and Western historians also call it the "War of Liberation". The defeat of Germany in the First World War put on the agenda the question of the evacuation of German troops from the occupied eastern lands. In 1918, units of the Soviet 7th Army, including the red Estonian regiments, occupied Narva, where the Estland Labor Commune was proclaimed on the same day. The Soviet offensive also developed from the southeast, from Pskov. Decrees of Soviet power began to operate on the territory occupied by the Red Army. But January 7th 1919. Estonian troops, reinforced by the Russian White Guards and Finnish volunteers, and with the active support of the English squadron, went on the offensive in the Narva direction, and a little later on the Pskov one. Units of the Red Army and detachments of the Estland Labor Commune were driven out of Estonia.
February 2 1920 between the RSFSR and the Republic of Estonia was concluded Yuryevsky peace treaty which both parties officially recognized each other. The border between the two countries was delimited. As a result, Estonia ended up with a rather vast territory with a predominance of the Russian population. These were mainly the areas of the Pechora Territory, the Peipsi and the territory east of the Narva River. According to the current, official position of Estonia, the Tartu Peace Treaty did not lose its legal force in 1940 with the cessation of the existence of the Republic of Estonia as an independent state, since the entry of Estonia into the USSR in modern Estonia is officially interpreted as an occupation. But the RSFSR became the first state to legally recognize the Republic of Estonia. And here is what the former minister of the Provisional Government of Russia wrote Guchkov Churchill: “Massive evictions of Russian citizens are being carried out from Estonia without explanation of reasons and even without warning ... Russian people in these provinces are powerless, defenseless and helpless. The peoples and governments of the young Baltic states are completely intoxicated with the wine of national independence and political freedom.”
Political life from 1920 to 1934 In Estonia, it was characterized by a multi-party system, an extravaganza of struggle between parties in parliament and rapidly changing governments (23 governments were replaced in 14 years).

1934 coup d'état

March 12 1934.K. Päts together with J. Laidoner, who again led the Estonian army, carried out a coup d'état. The military coup resulted in authoritarian rule and declared a state of emergency. The period called "Age of Silence". In accordance with the new constitution, the president, elected for 6 years (K. Päts), became the head of state. In 1938, "laggard camps" were created - camps for the forced labor of the unemployed. There was a prison regime, a 12-hour working day and punishment with rods. In "camps for idlers" they imprisoned for a period of 6 months to 3 years all "staggering without work and livelihood."

Accession of Estonia to the USSR

In March 1939. The USSR negotiated with England and France, realizing the real danger of the impending war. The USSR proposed measures for the joint prevention of Italian-German aggression against European countries and put forward on April 17, 1939 the following provisions obliging (USSR, England and France): to provide all kinds of assistance, including military, to Eastern European countries located between the Baltic and Black seas and bordering the Soviet Union; conclude for a period of 5-10 years an agreement on mutual assistance, including military, in the event of aggression in Europe against any of the contracting states (USSR, England and France. After the Soviet leadership recognized the failure of negotiations with England and France, the USSR began negotiations with Germany.

August 23 1939 signed a non-aggression pact between Germany and the Soviet Union Molotov-Ribbentrop pact). According to the secret additional protocol on the delimitation of spheres of mutual interests in Eastern Europe in the event of a "territorial and political reorganization", it was envisaged that Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Eastern Poland and Bessarabia would be included in the sphere of interests of the USSR.

The Second World War

A significant part of the Estonians perceived the arrival of the German army as a liberation from the Soviet yoke and enthusiastically supported the occupation authorities. Collaboration organization formed "Omakaitse"("Self-Defence"), which collaborated with the German occupation regime. Members of Omakaitse, the 3rd Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade, as well as police battalions participated in battles with partisans, executions of civilians, robberies, the destruction of entire villages in Belarus and the mass transfer of civilians to Germany. Soviet troops liberated Estonia in 1944., and power in Tallinn passed into the hands of the government of the Estonian SSR, which returned from evacuation.

Estonia within the USSR

September 29 1960 The Council of Europe adopted a resolution condemning the military occupation of the Baltic countries by the USSR. Since that time, anti-Soviet demonstrations began, including youth ones. During Gorbachev's perestroika, protests against the system became open and frequent. November 16 1988. The Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR declared the sovereignty of Estonia.

Estonian independence

January 12 1991 Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR Boris Yeltsin made a visit to Tallinn, during which he signed with the Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia Arnold Ruutel Treaty on the foundations of interstate relations between the RSFSR and the Republic of Estonia. In Article I of the Treaty, the parties recognized each other as independent states. 6 September 1991. The State Council of the USSR officially recognized the independence of Estonia.

Charming Estonia offers a vacation on the picturesque coast of the Baltic Sea and relaxation on the lake shores, a rich “excursion” and treatment at mineral springs. Ancient Tallinn, the resort of Pärnu and the island of Saaremaa - all about Estonia: visa, map, tours, prices and reviews.

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Holidays in Estonia have a number of obvious advantages: proximity to Russia (you can get here by bus from St. Petersburg in a few hours), the process of obtaining a visa is not too complicated, the absence of a language barrier (almost everyone speaks Russian in large cities), a high level of service. And the Estonian "excursion" is generally beyond praise: it's even amazing how so many sights fit in such a small country. Finally, in the summer you can sunbathe, swim, and at the same time improve your health.

The whole of Estonia is one big resort: hotels and resorts grow up wherever there are suitable conditions. Fans of a calm and secluded holiday will be able to have a good rest on the islands, as well as on farms and farms in the Estonian "outback". The entry of the country into the Schengen did not make the visa process more complicated (however, it did not simplify it), but it opened the borders of many European countries to its guests.

Regions and resorts of Estonia

Time difference with Moscow

no in winter −1 hour

• with Kaliningrad

• with Samara

• with Yekaterinburg

• with Omsk

• with Krasnoyarsk

• with Irkutsk

• with Yakutsk

• with Vladivostok

• with Severo-Kurilsk

• with Kamchatka

Climate

The weather in Estonia is subject to the whims of the Baltic. The climate here is temperate, changing from maritime to continental. The west coast is slightly warmer than the southwest, but in general the temperature difference is not significant. Winters are most often mild and snowy, but the local weather has seven Fridays a week: clear sunshine can be abruptly replaced by gusty winds and prickly rain. Most of the precipitation falls in autumn, but an umbrella will come in handy at the end of August. Spring is gray and cool, summer is warm, but not stuffy (winds from the Baltic Sea save from the heat).

Officially, the swimming season lasts from June to August, but it is more comfortable to swim from mid-July: shallow coastal waters warm up to +20...+25 °C by this time.

Visa and customs

Estonia is a member of the Schengen Agreement. A visa and travel health insurance are required to visit the country.

Import and export of foreign currency is not limited, but amounts over 10,000 EUR must be declared. There are no restrictions on the import of personal items, meat and dairy products are prohibited. You can bring 200 cigarettes, or 100 cigarillos, or 50 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco. Customs will allow 1 liter of spirits (over 22° ABV) or 2 liters of alcohol content less than 22°, 4 liters of wine and 16 liters of beer. You can take 50 ml of perfume or 250 ml of eau de toilette with you. Medicines - in the amount necessary for personal use, baby and medical food - up to 2 kg per person (packages must be sealed). The importation of drugs, weapons, explosives, pornography and any counterfeit goods is strictly prohibited. Cultural property exported from Estonia must be accompanied by official certificates. Prices on the page are for October 2018.

tax free

Shopping in Estonia can become 20% more profitable if all the conditions of the Tax free system are met. It is not difficult to do this: it is enough to make purchases in the amount of at least 39 EUR in stores indicated by the corresponding signs, and ask the seller for two checks - a regular cash register and a special one, with a list of purchased goods, indicating VAT rates and personal data of the buyer. All this will be needed at customs at the airport: unpacked goods will be inspected, the Tax free check will be stamped, and at the Global Blue office they will issue the required amount in cash or make a bank transfer.

How to get to Estonia

The largest airport in Estonia, Tallinn, is located within the capital, just 4 km from its historical center. Direct flights from Moscow are carried out only by Aeroflot, departure from Sheremetyevo, you have to spend 1 hour 40 minutes in the air. Getting with one change is a little more profitable: Air Baltic has routes with a connection in Riga, the travel time is from 3 hours 20 minutes. LOT, UTair, Es Seven and other carriers organize flights with two transfers, on the road - from 5.5 hours, connections in Riga, St. Petersburg, Vilnius and other European cities.

There are no direct flights from St. Petersburg to Tallinn. Air Baltic flies via Riga (from 3 hours in the air), Norra and Finnair - via Helsinki (from 7 hours), Scandinavian Airlines - via Stockholm (from 4 hours), LOT - via Warsaw (from 20 hours).

You can also get to the Estonian capital by land. The Baltic Express runs between Moscow and Tallinn, starting from the Leningradsky railway station and following to the destination in 15.5 hours. Tickets in a reserved seat - 80 EUR, in a compartment - 95 EUR. You can get on the same train in St. Petersburg, at the Moscow railway station: the trip will cost 40 EUR and 50 EUR, respectively. Ecolines buses also depart from both Russian capitals to Tallinn: tickets from Moscow - 55 EUR, from St. Petersburg - 20 EUR, schedule and details - at the office. carrier website.

Find flights to Estonia

To Estonia by car

You can also get to Estonia by car (a little less than 8 hours drive from St. Petersburg) through the checkpoints of Narva, Pechora and Luhamaa. However, it should be borne in mind that there may be a large queue at the border.

Information about border checkpoints: Pärnu is located at the same distance from the checkpoint of Narva and Kunichnaya Gora (which is near Pskov), but the queue is traditionally much shorter at Kunichnaya Gora. But on the way back, you can book a place in the queue on the GoSwift website. Reservations can be made up to 90 days in advance. Further, the procedure is simple - drive up to Narva, go to the "sump" (turn right immediately after the first gas station at the entrance to the city, and look for a small sign on the left hand on a concrete fence). As soon as the reservation number is displayed, go to the window, go through the necessary procedures and after that go directly to the checkpoint. Do not forget to take out Green Card insurance in advance.

Transport

The main means of transportation between Estonian cities is the train. The railway network is operated by Elron (off. site), the rolling stock has recently been updated: the seats are now soft, there are blackout curtains on the windows, Wi-Fi is available in the cars. Tickets are sold at the box office and online, and electronic tickets can not be printed out: special machines read them directly from the display.

A trip from the capital to Tartu will cost from 10.50 EUR, to Narva - from 11.40 EUR.

Buses serve as an alternative to trains: intercity transport strictly follows the schedule and stops in the centers of all settlements. The largest carriers are Sebe, Lux Express (off site), Simple Express (off site). The cost of a trip from Tallinn to Pärnu is 6-9 EUR, to Haapsalu - 8 EUR.

Ferries run between the numerous Estonian islands. Ticket price - from 3-4 EUR depending on the distance, the standard surcharge for a car is 10 EUR.

Public transport within cities

Buses run in most Estonian cities, and there are also trolleybuses and trams in the capital. Tickets are sold at kiosks (1 EUR) and from drivers (2 EUR), it is more profitable to purchase reusable electronic cards (from 3 EUR) and replenish them with the required amount. By the way, Tallinners themselves use public transport for free.

Tourists rarely need taxis in Estonia: most of the sights are located within walking distance from each other. However, you can always catch a car on the street or call by phone, the average landing fee is 2 EUR, for each km - 0.50-1 EUR, at night - twice as expensive.

Bicycles are rented in specialized salons and large hotels. The 1st hour of rental costs from 1.60 EUR, each subsequent hour - from 1.40 EUR, a day - from 10 EUR (plus a mandatory deposit - 100 EUR). The trip will turn out to be as rich as possible if you take a brochure with detailed cycling routes to the travel agency.

Rent a Car

If traveling around Estonia is not limited to Tallinn, car rental is a very good solution. In the capital, the old center is given over to pedestrians, the sights are not far from each other. But beyond its borders - complete freedom of movement: the roads are good, cars are delivered to large islands by ferries.

Car rental offices are located at the airport and big cities, the most popular are Alamo, Inter Rent, addCar, Prime Car Rent. Cars are rented to drivers over 19 years old with insurance and international driving license valid for more than a year. Some companies set additional rates for customers under the age of 25. In addition to the rental fee, you will need to pay a deposit (about 450 EUR) from a bank card. The cost of renting a standard car - from 35 EUR, station wagon - from 40 EUR, premium model or SUV - from 70 EUR per day. Gasoline costs 1.10-1.20 EUR per liter, when you return the car you will have to fill up a full tank.

Fines for traffic violations are severe: from 70 EUR for talking on a mobile phone to 1200 EUR for speeding or drunk driving.

Traffic jams happen only in the capital, where it is most difficult to find a parking space. Most parking lots in the centers of large cities are paid, equipped with parking meters. You can leave a car for an hour for 0.60-5 EUR, depending on the area.

Communication and Wi-Fi

Using Estonian SIM cards is quite profitable. The key players in the mobile communications market are Tele2, EMT and Elisa, it is most convenient for tourists to connect the so-called conversational SIM cards (konekaart), which do not require any special formalities to activate. They are sold at gas stations, in supermarkets and kiosks of the R-kiosk network and cost from 2-3 EUR. If desired, you can pick up an additional package with Internet traffic for 4-10 EUR.

Calls to your homeland with an EMT operator will cost 0.50 EUR per minute, Tele2 has a special tariff "Russia" for 5 EUR with 50 minutes of calls included during the month.

Payphones are no longer found on the streets of Estonian cities: they were eliminated as unnecessary back in 2010. But there are no problems with the Internet: there is unlimited free Wi-Fi at the airport, restaurants, hotels and many public places in large cities and resorts.

Money

The monetary unit of the country is the Euro (EUR), in 1 euro there are 100 cents. Current exchange rate: 1 EUR = 73.61 RUB.

It is best to go to Estonia with the euro in your pocket: rubles are changed here, but the exchange rate is not very attractive. Dollars are accepted at all banks and exchange offices Eurex, Tavid and Monex, located everywhere: at the airport, hotels, large shopping malls, at railway stations. The most favorable rates are usually in banks, many exchangers charge a commission for transactions.

Tipping is a voluntary matter: you can always thank an attentive waiter with 5-10% of the bill, but no one will condemn you for paying strictly according to the check.

Estonian banks are open on weekdays from 9:00 to 18:00, exchange offices usually work longer. Some financial institutions are open on Saturdays (until lunch), but Sunday is a day off everywhere. Credit cards of common payment systems are accepted both in large stores and in small souvenir shops. There are ATMs even in the outback, it is safe to use them: credit card fraud is rare in Estonia.

They will be an excellent opportunity not only to relax in comfort, but also to learn a lot of interesting things about the Baltic neighbor.

Another interesting fact about is the country with the largest Wi-Fi access in Europe. More than 1100 access points have been created here, which is simply incredible for a country with such a small area.

Wi-Fi literally covers almost the entire country and you can connect to the network in any locality in almost any cafe or store.

There are all conditions for an excellent beach holiday, and especially for families with children. The mass of playgrounds, the cleanest equipped beaches and wonderful ones attract a lot of tourists here.

Holidays in Estonian

The best observation deck, from where it opens up especially amazing, is located on the bell tower, and the view from here allows you to decorate the travel album with memorable panoramic photos.

The cultural capital of St. John is rightfully considered, in which one of the oldest in Europe has been working since the 17th century. Its main building is a historical and architectural landmark, which all city guests aspire to visit. One of the most photographed places is this, as well as with its clay stucco ornaments, and the most visited is where a strong half of the tourist brethren is ready, without interrupting, to listen to the guide. In total, at least twenty museums are open, in which both children and adults find a lot of interesting things for themselves.

Mysterious Island

It also has its own islands, rightly called unique nature reserves. The largest one is easily accessible by ferry.

Its pristine beauty overshadows all the creations of human hands. On there are bays and rocky beaches, where fans of solitude and lovers of natural masterpieces like to relax. Comfortable hotels and guest houses offer visitors real comfort and the opportunity to be one with nature. Sand dunes, cool sea waves, tart pine aroma spreading in the air - it is not in vain that it is considered one of the best Baltic resorts.

The sights of the island are worthy of a separate story. The Sõrve lighthouse has been lighting the way for sailors and fishermen for almost four hundred years, and with windmills tells inquisitive travelers about ancient folk crafts and gives you the opportunity to try to make a memorable souvenir with your own hands. One of the oldest in Europe, built in the 13th century, has been preserved in the capital of the island. Its museum keeps many interesting exhibits, among which are urban legends about the old fortress.

Tasty and healthy

Traveling around is not complete without visiting its restaurants with national dishes on the traditional menu. The main and favorite dishes of Estonians can be tasted in any local cafe. On Christmas Eve, the menu will certainly include jellied meat and black pudding served with lingonberry sauce, and on Maslenitsa - buns garnished with whipped cream. Pickled Baltic herring, stew with sauerkraut and fragrant pates, soft cheeses and rich soups made from potatoes, cabbage or peas with smoked meats are always loved here.

Estonians love coffee and know how to make and drink it. After many hours of sightseeing, it's so nice to go to a cafe in any Estonian city, order a cup of a fragrant drink of light Scandinavian roast and, closing your eyes in unearthly bliss, remember the past day and relive its especially bright moments.
And then breathe a sigh of relief, remembering that this evening, fortunately, is not the last ...

goBaltia

Useful information for tourists about Estonia, cities and resorts of the country. As well as information about the population, the currency of Estonia, the cuisine, the features of visa and customs restrictions in Estonia.

Geography of Estonia

Estonia is a state in the north-east of Europe, on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea. It borders with Russia, Latvia. In the north it is washed by the Gulf of Finland, in the west by the Baltic Sea. Estonia owns more than 1500 islands, the largest of which are Saaremaa and Hiiumaa. The relief is predominantly flat with an extensive network of lakes.

State

State structure

The form of government is a republic. The head of state is the president, the legislative body is the State Assembly.

Language

Official language: Estonian

Widely spoken - English, Russian, Finnish and German.

Religion

The majority of believers are Lutherans (70%) and Orthodox (20%).

Currency

International name: EUR

From 1992 to 2010, the Estonian kroon was used in the country. The transition to the euro took place on January 1, 2011.

History of Estonia

The territory of modern Estonia was inhabited approximately two and a half thousand years before the birth of Christ. The favorable geographical position at the crossroads of trade routes from East to West and from North to South led to great interest in this piece of land, inspired many kings to military campaigns and gave rise to many strife.

Since the 13th century, Estonia has been under the influence of the Teutonic Order. Knight's castles, which have survived to a greater or lesser extent to this day, are one of the most important objects of tourism.

In 1285 Tallinn became part of the Hanseatic League. German merchants were mainly trading. Subsequent generations of Germans, who finally settled in Estonia, built family estates throughout the country. The Germans were the first wave in a long line of conquerors. Danes, Swedes, Poles and Russians all passed through Estonia, enforcing their will, building cities and castles, exporting goods through Estonian ports.

At the end of the 19th century, a wave of national liberation movement arose in Estonia. On February 24, 1918, Estonia declared its independence. True, Estonia did not remain free for long. In 1940, Estonia was annexed to the Soviet Union, and only in 1991 (August 20) was able to regain independence, leaving the USSR peacefully. Today the country is a member of the UN and the IMF.

The territory of modern Estonia was inhabited approximately two and a half thousand years before the birth of Christ. A favorable geographical position at the crossroads of trade routes from East to West and from North to South caused great interest in this piece of land, inspired many kings to military campaigns and gave rise to many strife ....

Popular Attractions

Tourism in Estonia

Where to stay

The whole of Estonia is one huge resort. Hotels and sanatoriums are located here wherever there are suitable conditions for this. After the country gained independence, the number of hotels increased from a few dozen to several hundred. Estonia has a fairly developed tourism industry, which is reflected in the breadth and quality of the hotel stock, as well as a really high level of service in hotels.

Hotels in the country have a standard five-star classification plus a separate classification of motels from one to three stars - everything is strictly controlled at the state level.

In one-star hotels in Estonia, the reception is open from 7.00 to 23.00. Rooms from 9 sq. m and above there is a bath, toilet and towels. Breakfast is included in the price. Unlike one-star rooms, two-star rooms have a telephone and at least 10% of these rooms are non-smoking.

In three-star hotels, the reception is open around the clock. Guests have access to computers with the Internet, each room has a TV. Breakfast, at the request of the guest, is served in the room. Daytime and evening meals are organized at the hotel restaurant.

Four-star hotels in most cases have an elevator. The rooms are equipped with comfortable furniture, TV with international channels, mini-bar and a computer with Internet access. Hot meals can be served in the room for a minimum of 16 hours per day. In addition to this set of services, five-star hotels are distinguished by round-the-clock service, the presence of their own restaurant, swimming pool and fitness center.

For more budget-conscious tourists, there is always a choice in Estonia between small private hotels, Bed & Breakfasts, hostels and campsites (both campgrounds and caravan sites).

Many old sanatoriums and boarding houses have been completely refurbished into modern health-improving complexes, where tourists are offered a variety of health programs and spa services.

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Popular hotels

Tours and attractions in Estonia

Estonia is a small charming country on the coast of the Baltic Sea. Its centuries-old history, rich cultural heritage and magnificent natural landscapes will fill your holiday with an unforgettable experience. Here you will find the picturesque shores of the Gulf of Finland and Riga, many beautiful islands, dense forests, lakes, nature reserves and national parks. It will be a great pleasure to get acquainted with ancient cities and colorful fishing villages, as well as visiting magnificent medieval castles, interesting museums, ancient churches and monasteries.

The capital of Estonia, Tallinn, is one of the most beautiful and best-preserved medieval cities in Europe. Of course, the historical center of Tallinn, the Old Town, deserves special attention. Its narrow winding streets, the remains of fortress walls, medieval towers, old houses with red tiled roofs and numerous weather vanes create a magical atmosphere and unique flavor. You should definitely visit Toompea Castle, Tallinn City Hall, St. Olaf and St. Nicholas Churches, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Glen Castle, Kadriorg Palace, Holy Spirit Church, Niguliste Church, Maarjamägi Castle, Estonian Maritime Museum, Art Museum, Botanical Garden and Zoo. In the vicinity of Tallinn, the Estonian Open Air Museum Rocca al Mare and the ruins of St. Brigid's Monastery are of interest.

Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia and its cultural centre. Among the many sights of the city of Tartu, the most interesting are Toomemägi (Domberg) hill with the ruins of the Peter and Paul Cathedral (Dom Cathedral), the Tartu Observatory and the Old Anatomikum, the Town Hall and the Town Hall Square, St. John's Church, the Estonian National Museum, the National Gallery, the Toy Museum, the House Museum Oskar Luts, Angel's and Devil's bridges, Botanical garden and St. Anthony's courtyard.

The ancient city of Narva and its main attraction - Herman's Narva Castle are very popular among tourists. Also in Narva it is worth visiting the Alexander Church, the Town Hall, the Resurrection Cathedral, the Narva Museum, the Art Gallery and the oldest park in Narva - the Dark Garden. Of particular interest is the complex of buildings of the Krenholm manufactory, located on the island of the same name.

Estonia includes more than one and a half thousand islands and Saaremaa is not only the largest of them, but, perhaps, the most interesting. Its main attraction, the Bishop's Castle in Kuressaare (the largest settlement on the island), is considered the only medieval castle that has been completely preserved to this day in the Baltic countries. Today the castle houses the Saaremaa Museum and the Art Gallery. Among the natural attractions of the island, Kaali lakes (meteorite crater) and Karujärv should be noted. Lovers of nature and silence will have a lot of fun walking around the Viidumäe Nature Reserve. Saaremaa is also known for its excellent mud baths. The picturesque islands of Hiiumaa and Vormsi are definitely worth a visit.