| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Estonia conventional short form: Estonia local long form: Eesti Vabariik local short form: Eesti former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the country name may derive from the Aesti, an ancient people who lived along the eastern Baltic Sea in the first centuries A.D. |
| Government type | parliamentary republic |
| Capital | name: Tallinn geographic coordinates: 59 26 N, 24 43 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the Estonian name is generally believed to be derived from "Taani-linn" (originally meaning "Danish castle", now "Danish town") after a stronghold built in the area by the Danes; it could also have come from "tali-linn" ("winter castle" or "winter town") or "talu-linn" ("home castle" or "home town") |
| Administrative divisions | 15 urban municipalities (linnad, singular - linn), 64 rural municipalities (vallad, singular vald) urban municipalities: Haapsalu, Keila, Kohtla-Jarve, Loksa, Maardu, Narva, Narva-Joesuu, Paide, Parnu, Rakvere, Sillamae, Tallinn, Tartu, Viljandi, Voru rural municipalities: Alutaguse, Anija, Antsla, Elva, Haademeeste, Haljala, Harku, Hiiumaa, Jarva, Joelahtme, Jogeva, Johvi, Kadrina, Kambja, Kanepi, Kastre, Kehtna, Kihnu, Kiili, Kohila, Kose, Kuusalu, Laane-Harju, Laane-Nigula, Laaneranna, Luganuse, Luunja, Marjamaa, Muhu, Mulgi, Mustvee, Noo, Otepaa, Peipsiaare, Pohja-Parnumaa, Pohja-Sakala, Poltsamaa, Polva, Raasiku, Rae, Rakvere, Räpina, Rapla, Rouge, Ruhnu, Saarde, Saaremaa, Saku, Saue, Setomaa, Tapa, Tartu, Toila, Tori, Torva, Turi, Vaike-Maarja, Valga, Viimsi, Viljandi, Vinni, Viru-Nigula, Vormsi, Voru |
| Independence | 24 February 1918 (from Soviet Russia); 20 August 1991 (declared from the Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union) |
| National holiday | 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 restoring its statehood |
| Constitution | history: several previous; latest adopted 28 June 1992, entered into force 3 July 1992 amendments: proposed by at least one-fifth of Parliament members or by the president of the republic; passage requires three readings of the proposed amendment and a simple majority vote in two successive memberships of Parliament; passage of amendments to the "General Provisions" and "Amendment of the Constitution" chapters requires at least three-fifths majority vote by Parliament to conduct a referendum and majority vote in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2015 |
| Legal system | civil law system |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Estonia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal; age 16 for local elections |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Kersti KALJULAID (since 10 October 2016) head of government: Prime Minister Kaja KALLAS (since 26 January 2021) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); if a candidate does not secure two-thirds of the votes after 3 rounds of balloting, then an electoral college consisting of Parliament members and local council members elects the president, choosing between the 2 candidates with the highest number of votes; election last held on 30-31 August 2021; in a first round of voting on 30 August, parliament failed to elect a president; in a second round on 31 August, the sole candidate, Alar KARIS, received 72 votes of 101 votes (there were 8 blank votes and 21 electors not present); KARIS will be inaugurated on 11 October 2021; prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament election results: Alar KARIS elected president on 31 August 2021; parliament vote-Alar KARIS (independent) 72 of 101 votes; note – KARIS follows Kersti KALJULAID, who was Estonia's first female president; KALLAS is Estonia's first female prime minister |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 3 March 2019 (next to be held in March 2023) election results: percent of vote by party - RE 28.9%, K 23.1%, EKRE 17.8%, Pro Patria 11.4%, SDE 9.8%, other 9%; seats by party - RE 34, K 26, EKRE 19, Pro Patria 12, SDE 10; composition - men 72, women 29, percent of women 28.7% |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 19 justices, including the chief justice, and organized into civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional review chambers) judge selection and term of office: the chief justice is proposed by the president of the republic and appointed by the Riigikogu; other justices proposed by the chief justice and appointed by the Riigikogu; justices appointed for life subordinate courts: circuit (appellate) courts; administrative, county, city, and specialized courts |
| Political parties and leaders | Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) or K [Juri RATAS] Estonia 200 [Kristina KALLAS] 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] Pro Patria (Isamaa) [Helir-Valdor SEEDER] Social Democratic Party or SDE [Jevgeni OSSINOVSKI] |
| International organization participation | 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 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Kristjan PRIKK (since 7 July 2021) chancery: 1990 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101 FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108 email address and website: Embassy.Washington@mfa.ee https://washington.mfa.ee/ consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Brian RORAFF (since July 2019) embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn mailing address: 4530 Tallinn Place, Washington DC 20521-4530 telephone: [372] 668-8100 FAX: [372] 668-8265 email address and website: acstallinn@state.gov https://ee.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | 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 |
| National symbol(s) | barn swallow, cornflower; national colors: blue, black, white |
| National anthem | name: "Mu isamaa, mu onn ja room" (My Native Land, My Pride and Joy) lyrics/music: Johann Voldemar JANNSEN/Fredrik PACIUS note: adopted 1920, though banned between 1940 and 1990 under Soviet occupation; the anthem, used in Estonia since 1869, shares the same melody as Finland's but has different lyrics |
Source: CIA World Factbook
This page was last updated on September 18, 2021
