1. Sirly Pikknurm

2.  History
 Politics
 Economy
 Religion
 Neighbours
 Culture
 Sport
 Geography – Climate & Landscape

3.  Baltic Sea
 Neighbours:
◦ Russia – East
◦ Latvia – South
◦ Finland – North
◦ Sweden – West
 Strategic place

4.  Capital – Tallinn
◦ Population: ~400 000
 Population of Estonia: ~1 340 000
◦ 69% Estonians
◦ Other 31%:
 Russians 25.5%
 Ukrainians 2.1%
 Belarussians 1.3%

5.  National language: Estonian
◦ Finno-Ugric
◦ Relative languages:
 Finnish
 Hungarian?
 Area: 45 227 km2
 15 Counties
 Currency: EURO
(1st January 2011)

6.  1208-1227 – Ancient War of Independence
◦ vs. Livonian Brothers of the Sword
◦ More than 700 years of occupation
 24 February 1918 – Estonian Declaration of
Independence
 1940 – Estonia’s annexation by USSR
 1941-1944 – German Occupation
 1945-1991 – Soviet Occupation
 24 August 1991 – Estonia’s re-independence

7.  Democratic parlamentary republic
 President: Toomas Hendrik Ilves
 Prime Minister: Andrus Ansip
 Parliament – 101 members
 4 main parties:
◦ Estonian Reform Party
◦ Pro Patria and Res Publica Union (IRL)
◦ Estonian Centre Party
◦ Estonian Social Democrats
 Main subject in Foreign Politics - Russia

9.  International organizations:
◦ United Nations
◦ European Union
◦ NATO
◦ etc.
 Eurozone & Schengen Agreement
 Small country – voice isn’t heard in the EU

10.  GDP: ~ $25 billion
 Main export: Machinery & Equipment (33%)
 Major trading partner: Finland
 Inflation & Unemployment
 Economy has one of the best growth rates in
Europe (because of joining the Eurozone)!

11.  Atheism: ~76%
◦ Soviet Occupation
 Main religion: Protestant (Lutherian)

12.  Latvia & Lithuania
 Shared the same fate
 Competing in everything
 Estonia is the best developer in Balticum

13.  Estonian Song and Dance celebration
◦ Choral festival
◦ 25000+ singers
◦ Every 5 years
◦ Since 1869
◦ Youth celebration
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_lc92Rq4j4

14.  Skiing – the most important sport
◦ Many winter olympic medals
 Football – the most popular sport
◦ Play-offs of Euro 2012 qualification
 Athletics
◦ Olympic gold in decathlon
and discus throw

15.  4 seasons
◦ Cold winters and reasonable summers
 Coldest month: February (avg. -5 °C)
 Warmest month: July (avg. +18 °C)

16.  Flat – highest point 318m
 Forest covers ~40% of territory
 1521 islands, under 20 inhabited

17.  We have invented Skype, which is probably
our greatest invention!
 Our important discovery is the mammal egg
cell, discovered by Karl Ernst von Baer in 1827
 We won the Eurovision Song Contest in
2001, with the song
„Everybody“
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj9BRdHhk2I