Facts about Estonia
Geographically, Estonia is on the north-eastern edge of the European Union, bordering Russia and Latvia.
Finland is a short hop across the sea – just 80km away.
There are ferries to Tallinn from Helsinki (Finland) or Stockholm (Sweden).
Estonia is in the Schengen Area so we have open borders with the rest of Europe.
Brits, Americans, Canadians and Australians can also enter Estonia visa-free.
Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport, named after our late President, has direct flights all over Europe.
Estonia has a population of just 1.3 million but is larger than Denmark or Holland.
The Estonian language is a nightmare to learn.
Everyone in tourism speaks good English and often German, Finnish, Russian and Swedish too!
Estonia was occupied by the Soviets for decades but Estonia sees itself as more influenced by Nordic tastes and traditions - Scandinavia with a twist.
Occupation by Germans, Swedes and Russians has influenced the architecture of cathedrals, cobbled streets, manor houses and palaces.
Great food is everywhere and you can even eat marinated bear here!
In winter it gets very cold and we get plenty of beautiful snow.
No, there are no polar bears in Estonia.
Roads are traffic jam free.
Estonia is almost 50% forest.
Tallinn is our medieval capital and by far the biggest city, with a population of around 400,000.
In 2011 Tallinn will be the European Capital of Culture.
Tartu, with 100,000 people, is our young yet timeless university town.
Estonia has over 1,500 islands.
The official name of Estonia is the ‘Republic of Estonia’.
Estonia is situated in the Baltic region of Northern Europe and spreads over an area of approximately 45,226 sq km.
The capital of Estonia is Tallinn, while its currency is Estonian kroon. Tallinn is also the largest city in the country.
Majority of the population in Estonia is Evangelical Lutheran, followed by Russian Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox.
The official language of Estonia is Estonian, while Russian is also spoken widely.
Estonia follows the system of ‘Parliamentary Republic’.
Estonia is the smallest of all the Baltic States, being only slightly bigger than Switzerland or Denmark.
Tartu is the cultural capital of Estonia, while Parnu is its summer capital.
Estonia gained independence from Soviet Union in the year 1991.
Munamagi (Egg Mountain) is the highest point in Estonia, measuring 318 m. It is also the highest point in the entire Baltic region.
The first, public Christmas tree in Estonia was placed in the old town square in Tallinn, in the year 1441.
Each year, on 24th December, the President of Estonia, proclaims Christmas peace and takes part in a mass.
Estonia is a member of the World Trade Organization and the European Union.
Estonia has been named after ‘Ests’, the people who lived in the region in first century AD.
The Republic of Estonia is one of three countries commonly known as the ‘Baltic States’, the other two being Latvia and Lithuania. However, there is as such no political unity between the states.
Lake Peipsi, the largest lake in Estonia, is also the fourth largest and the biggest transboundary lake in Europe.
Estonia has the highest number of meteorite craters per land area in the world.
Estonia is one of the most sparsely populated countries in Europe.
Estonia converted to Christianity only in the thirteenth century.
I’ve consulted my score chart and I’ve never shagged an Estonian. A Lithuanian yes, a Swede (several), yes, a Finn, even, yes…but never an Estonian. I’ll aim to put that right now next month. Come on Ireland.
