Estonia - Economic Indicators

Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia

59 00 N, 26 00 E

Europe

about twice the size of New Jersey

3,794 km

maritime; wet, moderate winters, cool summers

marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m

oil shale, peat, rare earth elements, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud

arable land 14.9%; permanent crops 0.1%; permanent pasture 7.2%

40 sq km (2012)

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations

sometimes flooding occurs in the spring

air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; however, the amounts of pollutants emitted to the air have fallen dramatically and the pollution load of wastewater at purification plants has decreased substantially due to improved technology and environmental monitoring; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations

the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands

1,251,581 (July 2017 est.)

Estonian 68.7%, Russian 24.8%, Ukrainian 1.7%, Belarusian 1%, Finn 0.6%, other 1.6%, unspecified 1.6% (2011 est.)

Estonian (official) 68.5%, Russian 29.6%, Ukrainian 0.6%, other 1.2%, unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)

Lutheran 9.9%, Orthodox 16.2%, other Christian (including Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal) 2.2%, other 0.9%, none 54.1%, unspecified 16.7% (2011 est.)

-0.57% (2017 est.)

10.1 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

12.6 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

-3.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations

TALLINN (capital) 391,000 (2015)

26.6 years (2014 est.)

9 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

1.6 children born/woman (2017 est.)

6.4% of GDP (2014)

3.43 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

5 beds/1,000 population (2015)

urban: 100% of population

rural: 99% of population

total: 99.6% of population

urban: 0% of population

rural: 1% of population

total: 0.4% of population (2015 est.)

urban: 97.5% of population

rural: 96.6% of population

total: 97.2% of population

urban: 2.5% of population

rural: 3.4% of population

total: 2.8% of population (2015 est.)

NA

NA

NA

21.2% (2016)

5.5% of GDP (2014)

parliamentary republic

15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond); Harjumaa (Tallinn), Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide), Jogevamaa (Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere), Parnumaa (Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa (Kuressaare), Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi), Vorumaa (Voru)

20 August 1991 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union)

Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia and established its statehood; 20 August 1991 was the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union

civil law system

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal; age 16 for local elections

Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) or EK [Juri RATAS]

Estonian Conservative People's Party (Konservatiivne Rahvaerakond) or EKRE [Mart HELME]

Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) or RE [Kaja KALLAS]

Free Party or EV [Andres HERKEL]

Social Democratic Party or SDE [Jevgeni OSSINOVSKI]

Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica (Isamaa je Res Publica Liit) or IRL [Helir-Valdor SEEDER]

Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white; various interpretations are linked to the flag colors; blue represents faith, loyalty, and devotion, while also reminiscent of the sky, sea, and lakes of the country; black symbolizes the soil of the country and the dark past and suffering endured by the Estonian people; white refers to the striving towards enlightenment and virtue, and is the color of birch bark and snow, as well as summer nights illuminated by the midnight sun

barn swallow, cornflower; national colors: blue, black, white

Estonia, a member of the EU since 2004 and the euro zone since 2011, has a modern market-based economy and one of the higher per capita income levels in Central Europe and the Baltic region, but its economy is highly dependent on trade, leaving it vulnerable to external shocks. Estonia's successive governments have pursued a free market, pro-business economic agenda, and sound fiscal policies that have resulted in balanced budgets and the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the EU.

The economy benefits from strong electronics and telecommunications sectors and strong trade ties with Finland, Sweden, Germany, and Russia. After two years of robust recovery in 2011 and 2012, the Estonian economy faltered in 2013 with only 1.6% GDP growth, mainly due to a continuing recession in much of the EU. GDP growth dropped below 2% in 2015 due to lower demand in key Scandinavian and Russian export markets. Rapid increases in investment, which includes EU development funding, and the recovery of export markets contributed to an estimated 4.2% GDP growth in 2017. Inflation also rose in 2017 alongside increased global prices for food and energy, which make up a large share of Estonia’s consumption basket.

Estonia is challenged by a shortage of labor, both skilled and unskilled, although the government has amended its immigration law to allow easier hiring of highly qualified foreign workers, and wage growth that outpaces productivity gains. The government is also pursuing efforts to boost productivity growth with a focus on innovations that emphasize technology start-ups and e-commerce.

$41.2 billion (2017 est.)

$39.62 billion (2016 est.)

$38.82 billion (2015 est.)

$25.68 billion (2017 est.)

4% (2017 est.)

2.1% (2016 est.)

1.7% (2015 est.)

$31,500 (2017 est.)

$30,200 (2016 est.)

$29,600 (2015 est.)

26.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

24.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

26% of GDP (2015 est.)

grain, potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish

food, engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textiles; information technology, telecommunications

3.8% (2017 est.)

670,200 (2017 est.)

8.4% (2017 est.)

6.8% (2016 est.)

21.3% (2015 est.)

34.8 (2015 est.)

35.6 (2014 est.)

38% of GDP (2017 est.)

-0.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

9.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

9.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

calendar year

3.8% (2017 est.)

0.8% (2016 est.)

0% (31 December 2017 est.)

0.05% (31 December 2016 est.)

4.2% (31 December 2017 est.)

4.23% (31 December 2016 est.)

$13.42 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$11.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$16.55 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$14.66 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$23.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$20.97 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$6.76 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$6.799 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$7.127 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$452 million (2017 est.)

$443 million (2016 est.)

$14.02 billion (2017 est.)

$12.36 billion (2016 est.)

machinery and electrical equipment 30%, food products and beverages 9%, mineral fuels 6%, wood and wood products 14%, articles of base metals 7%, furniture and bedding 11%, vehicles and parts 3%, chemicals 4% (2016 est.)

Sweden 17.9%, Finland 16%, Latvia 9.2%, Russia 6.5%, Lithuania 6%, Germany 5.9%, Norway 4.1% (2016)

$15.31 billion (2017 est.)

$13.31 billion (2016 est.)

machinery and electrical equipment 28%, mineral fuels 11%, food and food products 10%, vehicles 9%, chemical products 8%, metals 8% (2015 est.)

Finland 13%, Germany 11%, Lithuania 9%, Sweden 8.3%, Latvia 8.2%, Poland 7.2%, Netherlands 6.3%, Russia 5.7%, China 4.8% (2016)

$389.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$352.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)

$19.05 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$18.3 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$23.84 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$22.19 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$9.771 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$9.396 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

0.89 (2017 est.)

0.9 (2016 est.)

0.92 (2015 est.)

0.89 (2014 est.)

0.76 (2013 est.)

9.779 billion kWh (2015 est.)

8.158 billion kWh (2015 est.)

5.613 billion kWh (2016 est.)

3.573 billion kWh (2016 est.)

2.864 million kW (2015 est.)

75.6% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0.2% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

25.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2017 est.)

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

29,140 bbl/day (2016 est.)

21,250 bbl/day (2016 est.)

34,410 bbl/day (2016 est.)

0 cu m (2015 est.)

964 million cu m (2015 est.)

0 cu m (2015 est.)

471 million cu m (2015 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

5.8 million Mt (2015 est.)

the publicly owned broadcaster, Eesti Rahvusringhaaling (ERR), operates 3 TV channels and 5 radio networks; growing number of private commercial radio stations broadcasting nationally, regionally, and locally; fully transitioned to digital television in 2010; national private TV channels expanding service; a range of channels are aimed at Russian-speaking viewers; in 2016, there were 42 on-demand services available in Estonia, including 19 pay TVOD and SVOD services; roughly 85% of households accessed digital television services (2016)

.ee

ES (2016)

18 (2013)

1 (2012)

gas 2,360 km (2016)

335 km (320 km are navigable year-round) (2011)

2.17% of GDP (2016)

2.09% of GDP (2015)

1.95% of GDP (2014)

1.91% of GDP (2013)

1.9% of GDP (2012)

Estonian Defense Forces (Eesti Kaitsevagi): Ground Forces (Maavagi), Navy (Merevagi), Air Force (Ohuvagi), Reserves (Kaitseliit) (2016)

18-27 for compulsory military or governmental service, conscript service requirement 8-11 months depending on education; NCOs, reserve officers, and specialists serve 11 months (2016)

Russia and Estonia in May 2005 signed a technical border agreement, but Russia in June 2005 recalled its signature after the Estonian parliament added to its domestic ratification act a historical preamble referencing the Soviet occupation and Estonia's pre-war borders under the 1920 Treaty of Tartu; Russia contends that the preamble allows Estonia to make territorial claims on Russia in the future, while Estonian officials deny that the preamble has any legal impact on the treaty text; Russia demands better treatment of the Russian-speaking population in Estonia; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Estonia implements strict Schengen border rules with Russia

growing producer of synthetic drugs; increasingly important transshipment zone for cannabis, cocaine, opiates, and synthetic drugs since joining the European Union and the Schengen Accord; potential money laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking is a concern, as is possible use of the gambling sector to launder funds; major use of opiates and ecstasy