In 2016 domestic politics in Estonia were focused onthe hotly contested presidential election. IncumbentToomas Hendrik Ilves was serving his second term

and was thus ineligible to run, and the three parties in theruling coalition were unable to settle on a single candidatefor the largely ceremonial post. After three rounds of par-liamentary voting and two rounds of voting in Estonia’selectoral college failed to settle thematter, the decision returned toParliament. On October 3 KerstiKaljulaid was elected Estonia’s firstfemale president. The followingmonth the government of PrimeMinister Taavi Rõivas was toppledafter losing a no-confidence vote;on November 23 Jüri Ratas of thepro-Russian Centre Party tookpower as prime minister.

Vital statisticsBirth rate per 1,000 pop-ulation (2015): 10.6(world avg. 19.5).

Death rate per 1,000population (2015): 11.6(world avg. 8.1).

Life expectancy at birth(2014): male 72.3 years;female 81.5 years.

Adult population (ages15–49) living with HIV(2009): 1.2% (worldavg. 0.8%).

DemographyPopulation (2016): 1,317,000.Density (2016)2: persons per sq mi80.5, persons per sq km 31.1.

Sex distribution (2015): male 46.86%;female 53.14%.

Population projection: (2020)1,287,000; (2030) 1,211,000.

Major cities (20163): Tallinn423,420; Tartu 93,687;Narva 58,204; Pärnu 39,828;Kohtla-Järve 35,928.

Urban-rural (2014):

Estonia

Official name: Eesti Vabariik (Republic ofEstonia).

Form of government: unitary multiparty repub-lic with a single legislative house (Riigikogu,or Parliament [101]).

Head of state: President Kersti Kaljulaid.Head of government: Prime Minister Jüri Ratas.

Capital: Tallinn.Official language: Estonian.Official religion: none.Monetary unit: euro (>)1; valuation (Sept. 1,2016) 1 U.S.$ = >0.89; 1 £ = >1.19.

Ethnic composition (2016):

Age breakdown (2015):

Religious affiliation (2011)7:

Area and population area population

20163

Counties Capitals sq mi sq km estimate

Harju Tallinn 1,673 4,333 576,265Hiiu Kärdla 395 1,023 9,348Ida-Viru Jõhvi 1,299 3,364 146,506Järva Paide 950 2,460 30,709Jõgeva Jõgeva 1,005 2,604 31,298Lääne Haapsalu 920 2,383 24,580Lääne-Viru Rakvere 1,401 3,628 59,467Pärnu Pärnu 1,856 4,807 82,997Põlva Põlva 836 2,165 28,218Rapla Rapla 1,151 2,980 34,148Saare Kuressaare 1,128 2,922 33,481Tartu Tartu 1,156 2,993 145,003Valga Valga 789 2,044 30,524Viljandi Viljandi 1,321 3,422 47,853Võru Võru 890 2,305 33,973TOTAL 16,7694, 5, 6 43,4324, 5, 6 1,314,370

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National economyBudget (2015)8. Revenue: >8,179,700,000 (tax revenue 55.4%, of which

direct taxes 35.8%, indirect taxes 19.6%; social contributions28.6%). Expenditures: >8,088,500,000 (social benefits 33.7%;employee compensation 28.7%; other purchases of goods andservices 17.1%).

Public debt (external, outstanding; 2008): U.S.$918,000,000.Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry,

fishing (2014): wheat 615,500, barley 458,100, rapeseed 166,200,potatoes 117,300, oats 65,000, rye 49,600, pork 49,5009, cab-bages and other brassicas 25,8349, carrots and turnips 21,0599;livestock (number of live animals) 358,700 pigs, 261,4009 cattle;roundwood 8,674,000 cu m, of which fuelwood 26%; fisheriesproduction 68,440 (from aquaculture 1%); aquatic plants pro-duction 626 (from aquaculture, none). Mining and quarrying(2013): oil shale 19,000,000; peat 1,050,000. Manufacturing

(value added in U.S.$’000,000; 2014): wood products (excluding furni-ture) 550; food products and beverages 485; fabricated metal products462; machinery and equipment 296; furniture 240. Energy production(consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 2012) 11,967,000,000 (6,978,000,000),by source (2013): fossil fuels 84.6%; renewable energy 15.4%, ofwhich biomass 5.4%, wind 3.8%, other 6.2%; hard coal (metric tons;2011) none (70,000); lignite and oil shale (metric tons; 2012)18,796,000 ([2011] 13,000); crude petroleum, none (none); petroleumproducts (metric tons; 2011) none (840,000); natural gas (cu m; 2011)none (600,000,000).

Population economically active (2015): total 683,100; participation rates:ages 15–74, male 74.0%; female 65.3%; unemployed 6.2%, of whichyouth (ages 15–24) 13.1%.

Average household size (2004): 2.5.Gross national income (GNI; 2015): U.S.$24,249,000,000 (U.S.$18,480per capita); purchasing power parity GNI (U.S.$27,510 per capita).

Land use as % of total land area (2009): in temporary crops 10.0%,left fallow 0.7%, in permanent crops 0.2%, in pasture 7.7%, forestarea 52.5%.

MilitaryTotal active duty personnel (November 2015):

5,750 (army 92.2%, navy 3.5%, air force4.3%)15. Military expenditure as percentageof GDP (2015): 2.0%; per capita expendi-ture U.S.$355.

Foreign trade12

Imports (2014): >13,733,000,000 (machinery andequipment 28.2%, mineral products 12.8%, agricul-tural products and foods 10.8%, transport equip-ment 8.6%, chemicals and chemical products8.1%). Major import sources:

Exports (2014): >12,090,000,000 (machinery andequipment 29.2%, mineral products 11.1%, agricul-tural products and foods 10.1%, wood and woodproducts 9.2%, metals and metal products 7.2%). Major export destinations:

Transport and communicationsTransport. Railroads (20163): route length 1,333 mi, 2,146

km; passenger-km (2010) 248,000,000; metric ton-kmcargo (2010) 6,642,000,000. Roads (20163): total length10,313 mi, 16,597 km (paved 69%); passenger-km (2006)

12,900,000,00013; metric ton-km cargo (2008)8,279,000,000. Vehicles (20163): passenger cars676,596; trucks and buses 106,540.

Education and healthLiteracy (2015): total population age 15 and over literate99.8%; males literate 99.8%; females literate 99.8%.

Health (2014): physicians 4,418 (1 per 298 persons); hospi-tal beds 7,333 (1 per 179 persons); infant mortality rateper 1,000 live births 2.5; undernourished population(2006–08) less than 5% of total population.

1The euro (>) replaced the kroon (EEK) on Jan. 1, 2011, at an exchange rate of >1 = EEK 15.65. 2Basedon land area of 16,367 sq mi (42,390 sq km). 3January 1. 4Detail does not add to total given because ofrounding. 5Total includes 1,596 sq mi (4,133 sq km) of Baltic Sea Islands and the areas of small inlandlakes. 6The total area of Estonia, including the Estonian portion of Lake Peipus (590 sq mi [1,529 sqkm]), Lake Võrtsjärv, and Muuga harbour, is 17,462 sq mi (45,227 sq km). 7Age 15 and over.8Preliminary. 92013. 10Net taxes. 11Unemployed. 12Imports c.i.f.; exports f.o.b. 13Passenger cars10,000,000,000; buses 2,900,000,000. 14Subscribers. 15Other military groups include the Defence League(12,000) and the Reserve (30,000).

Internet resources for further information:• Statistics Estonia www.stat.ee/en• Eesti Pank www.eestipank.ee/en

Structure of gross domestic product and labour force2015

in value % of total labour % of labour>’000,000 value force force

Agriculture, fishing, forestry,and hunting 620.6 3.0 25,000 3.7

Mining and quarrying 245.2 1.2 3,100 0.5Manufacturing 2,676.8 13.1 120,600 17.7Public utilities 698.3 3.4 10,600 1.6Construction 1,115.9 5.4 61,800 9.0Trade, restaurants 2,498.1 12.2 110,000 16.1Transp. and commun. 2,430.3 11.9 73,000 10.7Finance, real estate 2,533.0 12.4 19,800 2.9Pub. admin., defense 1,260.9 6.2 42,400 6.2Services 3,626.9 17.7 174,700 25.6Other 2,754.910 13.510 42,30011 6.211

TOTAL 20,460.9 100.0 683,1004 100.04

Communications units unitsnumber per 1,000 number per 1,000

Medium date in ’000s persons Medium date in ’000s persons

TelephonesCellular 2015 1,90414 1,48714

Landline 2015 388 303

Internet users 2009 970 724Broadband 2015 36714 28714

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