FACTS &FIGURES

Estonian population: Estonia`s population ranks amongst the smallest in the world : as 1st of January 2013, just 1

286540 people live in Estonia - a density of only 29.6 people per sq km.

Many of the world’s largest cities have more citizens than all the towns in Estonia put

together.

About 70% of Estonians live in urban areas.

Estonian capital: Tallinn. 32,63% of Estonian population live in the capital city.

Estonian area:

The size of Estonia is 45 227 km2, of which 5% are lakes and 10% are islands.

Forests and woodlands cover almost half of the Estonian territory.

Total area of Estonian fens and bogs is about 140 000ha.

Estonian Nature conservation began in 1910 with the measures taken to protect wild birds on

Vaikla island.

An admirable 18% of the country is afforded protection within nature reserves that vary in

size from the large national parks to the smaller, locally protected reserves. There are five

national parks in Estonia: Vilsandi, Matsalu, Soomaa, Lahemaa and Karula.

ESTONIAN POSITION IN EUROPE

Estonia is a small country on the eastern bank of the Baltic Sea.

Our neighbours are Russia and Latvia, over the Finnish Bay live

our Finnish friends.

Estonia stretches 350 km from east to west and 240 km from

north to south and is larger than Slovenia, Holland, Denmark or

Switzerland.

ESTONIAN CLIMATE

We have four seasons.

In winter the average temperature is -5 ºC and in summer +17

ºC. We are happy to enjoy lot of snow in winter when we can

ski, skate and make snowmen.

In spring and autumn it rains a lot and in summer we swim and

enjoy the hot sun.

ESTONIAN LANDFORMS

In northern Estonia there is also a narrow coastal line which is

lowland. You can see a small mountain-like area in the north-

east. It’s called Pandivere highland and the highest point is 166

metres above sea level.

In the western part of

Estonia we have

mostly lowlands and

fens. There are lot of

protected areas and

Matsalu National Park.

Southern-Estonia is an exotic area for Estonians, because there

are our higher mountains. The tallest of them being 318 metres,

it’s called Suur Munamägi (The Great Egg Mountain ). The area

itself is called Haanja highland.

ESTONIAN ISLANDS

We have 1521 islands in Estonia. The largest of them being

Saaremaa, Hiiumaa, Muhu and Vormsi.

The islands’ lifestyle plays a very important

role in our history and islands are usually the

first choice for Estonians’ summer

vacations.

ESTONIAN WETLANDS

Over 22 % of our country is filled with wetlands. We are

proud to have 9836 fens. That is more than twice the

number of villages in Estonia.

PEATLANDS

Peatlands are typical habitats in Estonia and occupy

approximately one quarter of the territory. All today`s

Estonian peatlands were formed after the last iceage. For

humans, bog trails provide a thrilling nature experience

with their quietness and solitude.

Many birds such as Golden Plover, Whimbrel, Great Grey

Shrike and Parrot Crossbill nest in Estonian bogs. Bogs

also provide habitat for large carnivores and a selection of

dragonflies and butterflies that are extremely rare in

Europe.

ESTONIAN LAKES

There are nearly 1,200 lakes in Estonia, 1000 of them are natural lakes and 200 are artifical

lakes.

Estonia has 2 big lakes: Peipsi-Pihkva (3555 km2 , average of depth 7,1m) and Võrtsjärv

(270,7 km², average of depth 2,8m.). Estonia has only 46 lakes that are deeper than 15m, and

as a matter of fact, they all are in South-Estonia.

The majority of Estonian lakes are small and shallow. Half of them are smaller than 3

hectares.

Estonian lakes are mixing water two times a year, in spring - usually in April-May and in

October-November in the autumn, when the whole water column is at 4 ° C. In some lakes

(eg Verevi) spring water does not mix, but only mixes in the autumn, but this is not the case

every year. In summer, the temperature of the water layers can be quite different. Large and

shallow lakes are open to the winds (eg Lake, Võrtsjärv Vagula, Ermistu) and the water

temperature is relatively uniform. Small lakes have a layered surface and the bottom

temperature difference is often 15-20 degrees. Particularly noticable, the temperature in

dark-watered lakes where the surface temperature during the summer months is 20-25 º C,

but at a depth of

3-4 meters can

drop by 10

degrees per

meter.

Lakes in Estonia

ESTONIAN FLORA

Our national flower is the cornflower.

Surprisingly, You can find a lot of wild orchids here.

FORESTS

Over half of Estonia`s territory is covered with natural forests

and for that we are ranked 4th in Europe. The most common tree

in Estonian woods is the Scots Pine followed by birches, Norway

Spruce, alders and Aspen. In addition to the above mentioned we

also see English Oak,European Ash, Mountain Elm and Norway

Maple with undergrowth formed by Hazel, Fly Honeysuckle and

Mountain Currant .

One of the most important and endangered type of forests in

Estonia is Western Taiga. Besides Estonia, Western taiga forests

in Europe can only found in Sweden, Finland, Russia and to a

small extent in Lithuania.

WOODED MEADOWS

Estonian wooded meadows are among the richest plant

communities in the world. For example, in the Western wooded

meadow at Laelatu we have counted 76 different plants in one

square metre.

ALVARS

In Europe alvars can only be found in Estonia and southern

Sweden. An alvar is a biological environment based on a

limestone plain with thin or no soil.

COASTAL MEADOWS

Western Estonian coastal meadows are flat and low and directly

influenced by salty sea water. Our coastal meadows are valuable

resting sites for for numerous species of migratory birds.

FLOODED MEADOWS

Estonia also has great flood communities resulting from a

combination of river floods and human activity. In western

Estonia you will find the Kasari river which has the biggest

floodpain in the country, it is in Matsalu National Park, covering

around 4000 ha. The flood is often called the fifth season there.

Flooded meadows are important feeding and nesting habitats for

such interesting birds as Ruff, Great Snipe, Lesser Spotted eagles

and Black Stork.

ESTONIAN FAUNA

Estonian forests are renowned in Europe for their healthy populations of

mammals with around 700-800 Lynx, over 150 Wolves, 500-600 Brown Bears

and almost 20 000 Beavers – a tremendous number for such a

small country.

In Estonia several European rarities have been recorded – the

most endangered examples being the European Mink, several

species of dormouse and the Flying Squirrel.

In addition to the native residents three species have been ontroduced outside the

country :

The Raccoon Dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), the American Mink and the

Muskrat.

The Population of Elk is

estimated at 12 000 and Wild

Boars at about 20 000

individuals.

Siberian Flying Squirrel

(Pteromys volans)– is a pride

of Estonian forests – in Europe

they can be found only in

Estonia and Finland.

SEMI-AQUATIC ANIMALS

Estonian forests and woodlands are well-known for their high number of semi-

aquatic mammals. Almost 20 000 European Beavers and 2000 Otters. An

exceptional number for such a small territory.

American Indians called the beaver the „Sacred

Centre“ of the land.

The European Mink is our rarest mammal. Since

1999 a long-term general project has been in

progress to protect the European Mink.

Most animals in our forests are wolf, bear,

moose, fox, rabbit and lot of species of rodents.

When lucky one might even meet a wild cat in

our woods – a lynx.

Wolf Bear Moose

Fox Rodent (beaver)

Rabbit

DID YOU KNOW?

. Estonian flora is comprised of about 1440 species of mosses, 800 species of

lichens and 3000 species of algae.

. 36 species of Orchids have been found in Estonia.

. Hawk Owls are uncommon but regular winter visitors in Estonia.

. Estonia is one of the few countries in Europe where 8 different species of

Woodpeckers live.

. In one national park in Estonia more White - backed Woodpeckers nest than in

the whole of Sweden.

. Compared with Poland, four times as many Ural Owls and six times as many

White-backed Woodpeckers (Dendrocopos leucotos) breed in Estonia.

. The most common grouse of Estonian Forest is the Hazel Grouse (Bonasa

bonasia) with up to 40 000 pairs nesting here.

. In May 1997, in a single day, one million passing arctic waterfowl were counted

at Cape Põõsaspea.

. Great Snipe (Gallinago media) is listed on the first category of protected bird

species in Estonia. Therefore there is only one site for public birdwatching

tourists near Tartu. From May to late June, after sunset, the meadows resound

with the bubbling call of Great Snipes – a breeding species for which Estonia is

internationally important.

. On the 27th May in 2007 during a 24 hour birdwatching race in Estonia, 194

bird species were recorded – it is the best result in Europe after Spain.

. At Kabli Bird Station leg ringing activity was started in 1969.The same kind of

Helgoland trap is still used nowadays to catch the birds.

. Around 10% of the European population of Common Cranes make a stopover

every autumn in West Estonia.

. The breeding population of Common Cranes in Estonia has increased from 300

breeding pairs to 7000 pairs during the last 40 years.

DID YOU KNOW?

. All three large carnivore species in Estonia – Brown Bear, Wolf and Lynx – are

still managed as game animals.

. The Flying Squirrel is the logo of Estonian Fund for Nature.

. The Polish are hoping to relocate Lynxes from Estonia to the Polish Mazuri

region in an effort to restore their presence. The Polish World Wildlife Fund

(WWF) is hoping that Lynx from Estonia will save the Polish local lynx

population.

. European Mink is the most endangered mammal in Europe. The main reason

why they are disappearing is because of the more aggressive American Mink.

Estonia has the major role worldwide in protecting European Mink.