Terrain

Estonia's terrain is for the most part a gently undulating plain, differences in altitude are rather small. The country's highest point is Suur Munamagi (317 m) in the south-east. More than 20% of the mainland is occupied by marshland. The islands make up 10% of the total area, lakes and water reservoirs cover another 5% of the country's surface. The two largest lakes are Lake Peipus, which Estonia shares with Russia and which is the 4th largest lake in Europe, measuring 3500 sq. km; and Vortsjärv. The major part of Estonia is covered with glacial sediments. The elongated moraines as well as numerous boulders demonstrate ice-age glaciation.

Climate

The climate is on the cool side of temperate. Owing to the country's closeness to the sea, its climate enjoys maritime influences, so that the winters are relatively mild and the summers are warm. Towards Estonia's interior the climate verges on continental, and annual variation in temperature becomes wider. Annual precipitation varies between 500 and 700 mm.

Fauna/Flora

About one quarter of the country is covered with forest, mainly consisting of pine, birch, aspen, and fir. Estonia has a multifarious fauna, which comprises more than 1,470 species. On the coast of the Gulf of Finland, Laheema National Park was set up. The country?s wildlife includes elks, deer, and wild boars. Several species have been protected by legislation owing to their small numbers, among them are the beavers, red deer, and willow grouses. The diverse bird population comprises around 300 different species. Quite remarkable is the large number of eagles. Finally, one of the unique sights of the Estonian fauna is the European flying squirrel.

History/Politics

In the mid-third millennium BC, Finno-Ugric tribes arrived from the East and mixed with the forerunners of the Baltic people who had previously migrated there. The oldest written record of Estonia was made by "al-Idrisi" in 1154. At the end of the 12th century, German military and religious expansion to the east increased. By the year 1227, Estonia had been conquered. After the conquest, small feudal states were formed. Estonia was divided between the Livonian Order (until 1237 the Order of the Knights of the Sword), Denmark and the bishops of Tartu and Saare-Lääne. After various uprisings between 1343 and 1345, the Danish king sold his territories in the north of Estonia to the Livonian Order of Teutonic Knights (1346). The Teutonic Knights ruled together with the Hanseatic merchants, who had established trading centres along the coast. The Livonian Order was dissolved in 1561. The town of Tallinn and the nobility of Northern Estonia then submitted to the protection of the Swedish crown.

By 1645, all of Estonia was under Swedish rule. Swedish rule lasted until 1721, when Estonia was ceded to Russia by the Peace of Nystadt. The Russian Revolution brought self-government to the Estonians, and in 1918 an independent republic was proclaimed. After a war against the invading Red Army of the Bolsheviks, the Tartu Peace Treaty was signed in 1920 between Russia and Estonia, wherein Russia recognized the Republic of Estonia. Subsequently, the new republic was accorded legal recognition by Great Britain, France, Italy, Germany, the United States, and several other countries. In June 1940 Soviet troops occupied Estonia and the other Baltic republics, Latvia and Lithuania, in accordance with the Hitler-Stalin Pact. When Germany attacked the USSR in June 1941, Estonia was occupied by German troops. After the withdrawal of the Germans, the Soviet Army returned in September 1944, and over 60,000 Estonians fled to Sweden and Germany. During the following 45 years, the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic was accorded de facto recognition by most countries.

After Communist rule collapsed in the USSR in 1991, the Soviet government formally recognized the independence of the Baltic republics on 6 September of the same year. In 1993, Estonia signed a free-trade agreement with Latvia and Lithuania, duties on imports were removed, and visa and customs regulations were standardized. In February 1994, Estonia joined the Partnership for Peace Programme, which allows for limited military co-operation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). In August 1994, Russia withdrew her troops. In July 1995, Estonia became an associate member of the European Union (EU). The country's economic situation has largely stabilized, compared to the dramatic developments in the first few years of independence.

Economy

Estonia's continued adherence to market reforms, disciplined fiscal and monetary policies, and a liberal free trade regime resulted in gross domestic product growth in 2000 of 6% and an inflation rate of 5% in 2001. Consumer Price Index increased by 6.9% between May 2000 and May 2001. Export increased by 36.9% and import by 31.7% (years 2000-2001), Estonia's main target country for export being Finland (31.7% share), followed by Sweden (14.3%) and Germany (5.9%). Current unemployment rate (first quarter of 2001) is 14.2%. Major industries are food, clothing, oil shale, metals, and woodworking. However, there is a growing tourism sector in Estonia, due to a strong increase in the number of tourists accommodated (587,898 in 1996 to 1,118,102 in 2000). In 2000, 74% of all accommodated tourists were foreign visitors.

Culture

Estonia's native folklore survived centuries of foreign domination thanks largely to a rich oral tradition of songs, verses and chants on subjects like the seasonal cycle, farming the land, family life, love, and myths. The oldest Estonian song type, going back to the first millennium BC, is the runic chant. Modern Estonian literature began to develop in the early 19th century with the poems of Kristjan Jaak Peterson. The national epic poem, Kalevipoeg (Son of Kalev), was written in the mid-19th century by Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald. Estonia's foremost literary figure of the 20th century is Anton Hansen Tammsaare. Novelist Jan Kross and poet Jaan Kaplinski recently received international acclaim.