Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a Northern European country on the Baltic Sea. It shares borders with Finland (across the Gulf), Latvia, and Russia. Its territory includes the mainland and over 2,300 islands, with Tallinn as its capital. The official language is Estonian, spoken by the majority of its 1.4 million residents. Estonia is a member of the European Union and NATO.
Around 1905, the neo-romantic literary movement Young Estonia (Noor-Eesti) emerged, led by poet Gustav Suits and including writers Friedebert Tuglas, Villem Grünthal-Ridala, and Johannes Aavik. The movement's aesthetic programme was influenced by Finnish, French, German, Scandinavian and Italian literature, incorporating Impressionism, Symbolism and Expressionism.
During the 1905 Russian Revolution, the first Estonian political parties were founded and popular unrest resulted in demonstrations, riots and looting. The Tsarist government reacted brutally with executions, jailings, and deportations.
In 1906, the Vanemuine in Tartu and the Estonia Theatre in Tallinn formally became professional institutions.
From 1908 onwards, Estonia Theatre became known for its star actors and for its pioneering work in opera and operetta.
In 1908, the history of cinematographic film production in Estonia started with a newsreel documenting a visit to Tallinn by then King Gustav V of Sweden.
In 1913, narrative filmmaking soon followed, with early works such as Laenatud naene by Johannes Pääsuke.
In 1914, early narrative filmmaking soon followed, with works such as Karujaht Pärnumaal by Johannes Pääsuke.
In November 1917, Russian Bolsheviks seized power in Saint Petersburg and the Estonian mainland, disbanding the Provincial Assembly.
In 1917, following the collapse of the Russian Empire, the Russian Provisional Government merged the two main Estonian-speaking governorates into one Autonomous Governorate of Estonia.
On 24 February 1918, the Estonian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed in Tallinn, and the first national government was formed.
After 1918, the newly independent Estonia sought to express its identity through new buildings.
During the 1918–1940 period of independent Estonia, artists increasingly integrated contemporary European avant-garde influences.
In 1918, Estonia declared its independence from the Russian and German empires, marking a pivotal moment in its history.
In January 1919, an Estonian counter-offensive, led by Johan Laidoner, expelled the Bolshevik forces within weeks during the Estonian War of Independence.
In April 1919, the Estonian Constituent Assembly was elected and passed a sweeping land reform and adopted a highly liberal constitution, establishing Estonia as a parliamentary democracy.
In 1919, courses were offered in Estonian for the first time at the University of Tartu.
In 1919, the Pallas Art School was founded in Tartu, marking a turning point in Estonian art and giving rise to a generation of artists.
On 2 February 1920, Russia and Estonia signed the Peace Treaty, where both countries recognized each other's independence.
In 1920, Estonia had a victory in the War of Independence which is celebrated on 23 June as Võidupüha.
Since 1920, Estonia has participated at the Olympic Games.
As a member of the former League of Nations from 1921.
In 1922, the Estonian parliament building at Toompea, designed by Eugen Habermann and Herbert Johanson, was completed, combining a traditionalist exterior with a unique Expressionist interior.
In 1923, Estonia signed a mutual-defence pact with Latvia, enhancing regional security.
In 1925, Estonia's cultural-autonomy law for ethnic minorities, was adopted and was one of the most liberal of its time.
In 1932, Estonia signed non-aggression pacts with the Soviet Union, seeking to maintain peaceful relations.
In 1933, the right-wing Vaps movement spearheaded a constitutional reform establishing a strong presidency in Estonia.
On 12 March 1934, Konstantin Päts, acting head of state, extended a state of emergency over the entire country, under the pretext of a coup planned by the Vaps movement.
In 1934, Estonia was followed by the Baltic Entente, strengthening cooperation among the Baltic states.
Estonia's best Olympic rankings were 14th at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
In 1937, a referendum adopted a new constitution in Estonia, as part of the political changes during the "era of silence".
In 1938, an election including opposition candidates provided a new bicameral parliament in Estonia.
In August 1939, the Nazi-Soviet Pact secretly assigned Estonia to the Soviet Union's sphere of influence.
In September 1939, during the Soviet invasion of Poland, Joseph Stalin pressured the Estonian government into signing a "mutual assistance treaty", allowing the USSR to establish military bases in Estonia.
In 1939, Estonia signed non-aggression pacts with Germany, attempting to secure its neutrality.
In 1939, the German-speaking population mostly left Estonia.
On 14 June 1940, the Soviet Union instituted a full naval and air blockade on Estonia, shooting down the airliner Kaleva. On 16 June, the USSR demanded free passage of the Red Army into Estonia and the establishment of a pro-Soviet government.
On 6 August 1940, Estonia was formally annexed by the Soviet Union as the Estonian SSR.
During the 1918–1940 period of independent Estonia, artists increasingly integrated contemporary European avant-garde influences. The founding of the Pallas Art School (1919–1940) in Tartu marked a turning point, giving rise to a generation of artists including Konrad Mägi, Nikolai Triik, Kristjan Raud, and printmaker Eduard Wiiralt, whose works captured both the avant-garde spirit and uniquely Estonian sensibilities.
In 1940, Estonia was first invaded and occupied by the Soviet Union (USSR), marking the beginning of a tumultuous period in its history.
In 1940, the Estonian Citizens' Committees began registering citizens according to jus sanguinis (i.e. people who were citizens of Estonia in 1940, and their descendants).
In 1940, the lowest recorded temperature in Estonia was −43.5 °C (−46.3 °F).
In June 1941, c. 11,000 Estonians were deported to Russia, and when Germany launched Operation Barbarossa against the Soviet Union on 22 June, the Summer War began in Estonia.
In late August 1941, Soviet armed forces and officials evacuated Tallinn by sea, suffering massive losses in the process.
In 1941, about a thousand Estonian Jews were killed, numerous forced labour camps were established, and occupied Estonia was merged into Reichskommissariat Ostland.
In 1943, German occupation authorities instituted limited conscription, leading to the formation of the Estonian Waffen-SS division.
In 1944, Estonia lost around one fourth of its population through war-related deaths, deportations and evacuations.
In 1944, many writers fled Estonia due to the Soviet rule.
In 1944, the Soviet Army reached the Estonian borders again, leading to general conscription and fierce battles. Tallinn was captured on 22 September, and by November and December, the entire country was under Soviet occupation.
In 1944, when the Soviet army occupied Estonia, many Estonian artists fled westwards.
In 1945, the Soviet Union initiated Russification policies to reshape Estonia's demographics and dilute its cultural identity.
In March 1949, around 20,000 Estonians were mass deported to the Siberian gulag as part of the Soviet regime's collectivisation policy.
In 1966, the first Estonian modernist art works got the official permission from the Soviet authorities to be displayed in public exhibitions.
Estonians faced additional hardships, as thousands were forcibly conscripted into Soviet military conflicts, including the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia.
Estonians faced additional hardships, as thousands were forcibly conscripted into Soviet military conflicts, including the Soviet–Afghan War of 1979–1989.
In 1979, Estonian dissidents grew increasingly vocal, with notable protests such as the Baltic Appeal to the United Nations.
In 1980, Estonian dissidents grew increasingly vocal, with notable protests such as the Letter of 40 intellectuals.
In 1980, Tallinn hosted the sailing events for the Moscow Olympics. This triggered international boycotts in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the continuing occupation of the Baltic countries. The Estonian exile community and Western nations condemned the events held on occupied soil.
On August 23, 1987, the Hirvepark meeting in Tallinn called for the public disclosure of the secret protocols of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact that had led to Estonia's occupation. While not explicitly demanding independence, the organisers aimed to reinforce the continuity of the Estonian state as the foundation for a restoration based on legal principles.
In 1987, animator Priit Pärn gained international recognition with Breakfast on the Grass.
In November 1988, the parliament of Soviet-controlled Estonia asserted the primacy of Estonian laws with the Sovereignty Declaration, inspiring similar declarations across other Soviet republics.
In 1988, the Singing Revolution began in Estonia, signaling a period of non-violent protests against Soviet rule.
On August 23, 1989, two million people formed the Baltic Way, a human chain spanning Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, to demonstrate unity in pursuit of independence.
Between 1945 and 1989, the proportion of ethnic Estonians in the country dropped from 97% to 62% due to Soviet Russification policies.
In February 1990, the Estonian Citizens' Committees' registration led to the election of the Congress of Estonia, a special parliament for the restoration of the nation's independence via legal continuity of its citizenry.
Between 1944 and 1990, exiled writers published 267 novels, 181 poetry collections, and 155 memoirs, reflecting their determination to preserve national identity through art and literature.
In 1990, Estonia launched its first private radio station.
In 1990, the Baltic News Service (BNS), a private news agency, was established to cover the Baltic states.
In March 1991, a general referendum showed that 78.4% of voters supported full independence for Estonia.
During the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt in Moscow, Estonia declared the restoration of independence on August 20, 1991.
In August 1991, Estonia restored its full independence following the Singing Revolution and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
On September 6, 1991, the central government of the Soviet Union recognised the independence of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. On September 17, 1991, the three countries became members of the United Nations.
As a member of the United Nations since 1991.
In 1991, Estonia restored its independence, leading to major changes in the country's demographics, stratification, and distribution of family income.
Since the end of the Soviet occupation in 1991, the Estonia–Russia relations have remained strained.
In 1992, Estonia issued its first private TV licences.
In 1992, a new Constitution of Estonia was approved by referendum, a new national currency (Estonian kroon) was introduced, and the 1992 Estonian parliamentary and presidential elections were held. Lennart Meri was elected president and Mart Laar became prime minister.
In 1992, current constitution adopted by a referendum.
In 1992, the highest recorded temperature in Estonia was 35.6 °C (96.1 °F).
In 1993, the Law on Cultural Autonomy for National Minorities was reinstated.
Since its debut in 1993, Õnne 13 portrays everyday lives of Estonian families through changing societal landscapes, remaining the most popular TV show in Estonia.
In 1994, Estonia adopted a flat tax rate of 26%, applying the economic theories of Milton Friedman.
In 1994, the last military units of the former Soviet, now Russian, armed forces left Estonia.
In 1994, the most significant disaster to affect the Estonian people in recent history was the sinking of the cruiseferry Estonia in the Baltic Sea.
Since 1995, Estonia has participated in numerous international security and peacekeeping missions.
In 1998, Animator Priit Pärn won the Grand Prize at the Ottawa International Animation Festival.
Around 2000 BC, archaeological estimates place the population within Estonian territory at approximately 10,000 inhabitants.
In 2000, 68.3% of Estonia's population was Estonian, and 80% of the population spoke Estonian. 12% of the population learned Estonian as a foreign language.
In 2001, Estonia won the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Everybody" performed by Tanel Padar and Dave Benton.
In 2003, the Estonian European Union membership referendum was held.
In 2004, Estonia joined the EU and experienced rapid economic growth.
In 2004, the Estonian government established regulations categorizing populated areas as küla (village), alevik (small town or small borough), alev (town), and linn (city).
In 2004, the Ingrian Finnish minority in Estonia elected a cultural council and was granted cultural autonomy.
Estonia became the first country globally to enable nationwide binding Internet voting in 2005 local elections.
In 2005, Estonia's flat tax rate was reduced to 24%.
Since 2005, Estonia became the first state to hold general elections over the Internet, showcasing its digital advancement.
Estonia's best Olympic rankings were 12th at the 2006 Winter Olympics.
In 2006, Estonia's flat tax rate was reduced to 23%.
In April 2007, the Estonian authorities successfully stopped a multi-day pro-Russian riot in Tallinn and repelled a simultaneous wave of Russian cyberattacks targeting Estonian institutions. This incident further strained the relations with Russia.
In 2007, Eesti Rahvusringhääling was established, consolidating radio and television services previously provided by Eesti Raadio and Eesti Televisioon.
In 2007, Estonia joined the Schengen Area.
In 2007, Estonia signed a cooperation treaty with the European Space Agency.
In 2007, Estonian Sign Language was officially adopted under the Estonian Language Act and is used by an estimated 4,500 people.
In 2007, the Estonian Swedes minority similarly received cultural autonomy.
In 2007, the construction industry in Estonia employed over 80,000 people, roughly 12% of the total workforce.
By 2008, the number of Swedish residents in Estonia had risen again, numbering almost 500 people, owing to property reforms enacted in the early 1990s.
Due to the 2008 financial crisis, Estonia's economic growth stalled in 2008, prompting strict government budget cuts to meet the criteria for adopting the euro.
In 2008, Estonia's flat tax rate was reduced to 21%.
In 2008, the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence was established in Tallinn.
In 2008, the United Nations Human Rights Council report called the citizenship policy of Estonia as "discriminatory".
In 2008, the financial crisis led to a contraction of Estonia's GDP, prompting governmental budget adjustments.
In 2009, Estonia's Gini coefficient, a measure of income inequality, was 31, which was higher than the EU average, although it showed a clear drop.
In 2009, wind energy comprised only 6% of Estonia's energy consumption, but its share has been rapidly growing in recent years.
Since at least 2009, logging has increased significantly across both private and protected lands, including national parks.
The peak strength of Estonian deployment in Afghanistan was 289 soldiers in 2009.
As of July 2010, 84.1% of Estonian residents were citizens of Estonia, 8.6% were citizens of other countries, and 7.3% were "citizens with undetermined citizenship".
By 2010, Estonia's economy began to recover, driven by exports, with annual industrial output increasing by over 20%.
By 2010, nearly two-thirds of the native Russian-speakers of Estonia had learnt to speak Estonian proficiently.
In 2010, Estonia joined the OECD.
Starting in 2010, Estonian composer Arvo Pärt became the world's most performed living composer.
On January 1, 2011, Estonia adopted the euro as its currency.
In 2011 the Baltic states were invited to co-operate with Nordic Defence Cooperation in selected activities.
In 2011, 69.8% of Estonia's population was Estonian, and 82% of the population spoke Estonian. 14% of the population learned Estonian as a foreign language.
In 2011, 97% of those who identify with a religion considered themselves Christians.
In 2011, Estonia joined the Eurozone.
In 2011, Estonia's real GDP growth reached 8%.
Since the 2011 census, Eastern Orthodoxy has surpassed Lutheranism in terms of church membership in Estonia.
As of 2012, forests covered 48% of Estonia's land area, supporting a wide range of plant species.
In 2012, the oil shale industry contributed about 4% to Estonia's GDP.
Tallinn hosts the eu-LISA systems, operational since 2012.
As of 2013, the oil shale industry in Estonia was among the most developed globally, supplying approximately 70% of the country's total primary energy needs.
In 2013, Tangerines received nominations for both the Academy Awards and Golden Globes.
In 2013, the Estonian electricity market was liberalised, integrating into the Nord Pool Spot network.
In 2013, the research satellite ESTCube-1 was successfully launched.
Also part of NATO, the Baltic Air Policing deployment has been based in Ämari Air Base since 2014.
In 2014, Estonia launched the e-residency programme, extending digital services to non-residents.
In 2014, Estonia legalised civil unions for same-sex couples with a law approved by the parliament.
In 2014, the smoke sauna tradition of Võru County was included in the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage.
As of 2015, Estonia spends around 1.5% of its GDP on Research and Development.
In 2015, Estonia accepted quota refugees under the migrant plan agreed upon by EU member states.
In 2015, a study by Pew Research found that among the 45% of respondents who declared themselves to be religiously unaffiliated, 9% were atheists, 1% were agnostics, and 35% believed in "nothing in particular".
Since 2015, the Estonian defence budget has been over 2% of GDP, fulfilling its NATO defence spending obligation.
In 2016, same-sex couples gained the right to sign cohabitation agreements.
Estonia held the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2017.
Since 2017, the Rail Baltica project has been in progress to integrate Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania into the European standard gauge railway system.
Since the administrative reform in 2017, there are in total 79 local governments in Estonia, including 15 towns and 64 rural municipalities.
As of May 2018, the Ease of Doing Business Index by the World Bank Group ranked Estonia 16th in the world.
According to the 2018 PISA report, Estonian students placed 1st in Europe and globally ranked 5th in reading, 8th in mathematics, and 4th in sciences.
In 2018, Estonia's exported goods amounted to €10.4 billion.
In 2018, Estonian composer Arvo Pärt was the world's most performed living composer.
By 2019, Estonia had approximately 1.05 million hectares of arable land and 0.24 million hectares of natural grasslands.
In 2019, significant job creation occurred in Estonia's manufacturing sector, particularly in the production of electrical equipment and the repair and installation of machinery and equipment.
In 2020, the total profit margin for manufacturing companies in Estonia was 4.9%.
According to 2021 census data 76% of the population can speak a foreign language. Also, 17% of the native speakers of standard Estonian reported that they can also speak a dialect of Estonian.
According to data collected from the 2021 census, approximately 29% of Estonia's population identified with a religion.
In 2021, 69.4% of Estonia's population was Estonian, with 84% speaking Estonian, including 67% as their mother tongue and 17% as a foreign language. English became the most widely spoken foreign language.
In 2021, Estonia conducted a census and continued to stand out among European countries for its highly educated population, with 43% of the population aged 25–64 having a university education.
In 2021, Estonia's net greenhouse gas emissions were 13.4 million CO₂-equivalent tons and waste production was 19.4 million tons. Oil shale extraction was 9.2 million tons and groundwater extraction was 236.5 million m³.
As of January 2022, Estonia had 1,291 startups, including seven unicorn companies.
In 2022, Estonia's net greenhouse gas emissions increased to 14.3 million CO₂-equivalent tons and waste production rose to 22.9 million tons. Oil shale extraction increased to 10.7 million tons and groundwater extraction remained at 236.5 million m³.
In 2022, Ukrainian refugees arrived in Estonia, representing around 6% of the national population.
In 2022, the state forestry agency RMK reported a record profit of 1.4 billion euros.
According to Reporters Without Borders, in 2023, Estonia ranked 8th place on the Press Freedom Index globally.
As of 2023, Estonia boasted 170 museums, whose collections collectively hold over 10 million artefacts.
As of 2023, Estonia has a total of 514 schools.
As of 2023, Estonia has prohibited the import of pipeline gas from Russia. In 2023, Estonia's gas consumption was recorded at 3.42 TWh.
In 2023 parliamentary elections, over half of the votes were cast online. Kaja Kallas of the Reform Party formed a coalition government with Estonia 200 and the Social Democratic Party.
In 2023, Estonia's GDP (PPP) per capita reached $46,385, ranking 40th globally according to the IMF.
In 2023, an agreement giving preferential status to the Lutheran church ended.
In 2023, gay registered partners and married couples gained limited right to adopt.
In 2023, monitoring of five coastal water bodies in Estonia indicated suboptimal ecological statuses. High mercury levels in biota were a major contributor to these classifications, and in Tallinn Bay, tributyl tin concentrations in sediments also exceeded safe limits.
In 2023, the research satellite ESTCube-2 was successfully launched.
According to Reporters Without Borders, in 2024, Estonia ranked 6th place on the Press Freedom Index globally.
According to the 2024 Global Peace Index, Estonia is the 24th most peaceful country in the world.
As of 2024, Estonia has 47 cities, 13 towns, 186 small towns, and 4,457 villages. Tallinn is the capital and largest city.
Gay couples gained the right to marriage in Estonia in 2024.
In 2024, Estonia achieved a first-place ranking in the Environmental Performance Index.
In 2024, Estonia began transitioning all public schools to Estonian-only instruction.
In 2024, after Kaja Kallas' resignation, Kristen Michal became the prime minister.
In 2024, the registered unemployment rate in Estonia was 7.6%.
On January 2025, Estonia's population was 1,369,285, about 3% higher than in the 2021 census. The country was represented by 211 different self-reported ethnic groups and 243 different mother tongues were spoken.
With the total number of all-time Olympic medals won (44) in relation to its population (1.4 million) as of 2025, Estonia is the 12th most successful country in the world in terms of accumulated Olympic medals per capita.
Estonia's 2035 target of 8 million tons.
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