Estonia
Estonia is a place of striking contrasts. #7 in spirits consumption but near the bottom in fertility rate. Explore the contradictions that define this nation.
Estonia is a country in Europe with a population of 1.34M and an area of 45,227 km². Life expectancy is 78.5 years.
At a Glance
The numbers that define this country
Human Development Index
0.91The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Internet Users (%)
92.2%The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
CO2 Per Capita
6.11How many tonnes of CO2 the average person produces per year.
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
49.3KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
GDP Per Capita
$41.5KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
Life Expectancy
79.2 yearsHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
Where They Stand Out
Global rankings worth knowing
💰Gender Pay Gap (%)
24.7%How much less women earn compared to men, expressed as a percentage of men's wages.
🍻Spirits Consumption
4.59How many liters of spirits the average adult (15+) drinks per year.
👥Death Rate
12.57The number of deaths per 1,000 people each year.
🌍Coastline Length
3.8KTotal coastline length from CIA World Factbook.
🌱Forest Coverage (%)
57.1%The percentage of land covered by forests - natural or planted trees at least 5 meters tall (excludes orchards and urban parks).
Did You Know?
Facts that catch players off guard
Only ranks #135 in foreign patents
Foreign Patents: 1.00
How many patent applications are filed by non-residents each year.
World Bank 2023Has one of the highest rates of infant mortality
Infant Mortality: 1.60
The number of babies who die before their first birthday, per 1,000 live births.
World Bank 2023Only ranks #194 in fdi inflows (% gdp)
FDI Inflows (% GDP): -8.0%
Foreign investment flowing into the country as a percentage of GDP.
World Bank 2023Ranks #2 globally in gender pay gap (%)
Gender Pay Gap (%): 24.7%
How much less women earn compared to men, expressed as a percentage of men's wages.
OECD 2024Ranks #7 globally in spirits consumption
Spirits Consumption: 4.59
How many liters of spirits the average adult (15+) drinks per year.
Our World in Data 2023Surprised? See how you stack up.
Play NowHow Estonia Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
GDP per Capita
Above avgGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
World Bank 2023Life Expectancy
Above avgHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
World Bank 2023Human Development Index
Above avgThe Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Our World in Data 2023Internet Users
Above avgThe percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
World Bank 2023Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Test Your IntuitionAbout Estonia
After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940 -- an action never recognized by the US and many other countries -- it regained its freedom in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with the West. It joined both NATO and the EU in 2004, formally joined the OECD in 2010, and adopted the euro as its official currency in 2011.
- Location
- Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia
- Climate
- maritime; wet, moderate winters, cool summers
- Terrain
- marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south
- Natural Resources
- oil shale, peat, rare earth elements, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud
- Natural Hazards
- sometimes flooding occurs in the spring
- Size Comparison
- about twice the size of New Jersey
- Languages
- Estonian (official) 67.2%, Russian 28.5%, other 3.7%, unspecified 0.6% (2021est.)
- Religions
- Orthodox 16.5%, Protestant 9.2% (Lutheran 7.7%, other Protestant 1.5%), other 3% (includes Roman Catholic, Muslim, Jehovah's Witness, Pentecostal, Buddhist, and Taara Believer), none 58.4%, unspecified 12.9% (2021 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Estonian 69.1%, Russian 23.7%, Ukrainian 2.1%, other 4.6%, unspecified 0.5% (2021 est.)
- Major Cities
- 454,000 TALLINN (capital) (2023)
- Government Type
- parliamentary republic
- Capital
- Tallinn
- Capital Coordinates
- 59 26 N, 24 43 E
- Capital Timezone
- UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Official Name
- Republic of Estonia
- Name Origin
- derives from the name of the people who lived along the eastern Baltic Sea in the first centuries A.D., which came from the Baltic word aueist, meaning "waterside dwellers"
- Independence
- 24 February 1918 (from Soviet Russia); 20 August 1991 (declared from the Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union)
- National Symbols
- barn swallow, cornflower
- National Anthem
- "Mu isamaa, mu onn ja room" (My Native Land, My Pride and Joy)
- UNESCO Heritage
- 2 (both cultural)
- Overview
- high-income, service-based EU and eurozone economy; rebound in exports playing a role in economic recovery; rising food prices contributing to inflation; decrease in labor force participation and rising unemployment rate; recovery depends on boosting private investment and productivity rates
- Industries
- food, engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textiles; information technology, telecommunications
- Agricultural Products
- milk, wheat, barley, rapeseed, peas, oats, potatoes, rye, pork, triticale (2023)
- Export Partners
- Finland 14%, Latvia 10%, Lithuania 9%, Sweden 7%, Russia 6% (2023)
- Export Commodities
- cars, wood, broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum, prefabricated buildings (2023)
- Import Partners
- Finland 11%, Germany 11%, China 10%, Lithuania 6%, Poland 6% (2023)
- Import Commodities
- cars, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, natural gas, packaged medicine (2023)
- Military Forces
- Estonian Defense Forces: Land Forces, Navy, Air Force; Estonian Defense League Ministry of Interior: Police and Border Guard Board, Internal Security Service (2025)
- Military Service
- 18-27 for compulsory military or governmental service for men; conscript service requirement 8-11 months depending on education; non-commissioned officers, reserve officers, and specialists serve 11 months; women can volunteer, and as of 2018 could serve in any military branch (2025)
- Energy Mix
- fossil fuels: 52.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 9.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); wind: 10.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); hydroelectricity: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); biomass and waste: 27.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Broadcast Media
- 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, with a range of channels 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
Deep Dive
77 of 154 metricsEvery stat we track, organized by category
Related Countries
Neighboring Countries
Latvia
Lithuania
Åland Islands
FinlandCountries with Similar GDP
U.S. Virgin Islands
Croatia
Romania
Puerto Rico
PolandCompare Estonia with...
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AzerbaijanShare a Fact
Share something surprising about Estonia!
The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Frequently Asked Questions about Estonia
Estonia has a population of 1.34M, ranking #156 globally by population.
Estonia is located in Europe. It has an area of 45,227 km².
Life expectancy in Estonia is 78.5 years, ranking #59 globally.
Estonia's GDP per capita (PPP) is 49.3K, ranking #51 globally.
Estonia ranks particularly high in Human Development Index (#36), Internet Users (%) (#48), CO2 Per Capita (#52).
Estonia has an HDI of 0.905, ranking #36 globally. The HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income indicators.
Estonia has a population density of 32.1 people per km², ranking #168 globally.
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