Eesti Vabariik Republic of Estonia
Flag Coat of arms Anthem: Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm (English: "My Fatherland, My Happiness and Joy")	Location of Estonia
Capital (and largest city) Tallinn 59°25′N, 24°45′E Official languages Estonian1 Demonym Estonian Government Parliamentary republic  -  President Toomas Hendrik Ilves  -  Prime Minister Andrus Ansip (RE)  -  Current coalition RE, IRL and SDE Independence from Russia and Germany   -  Autonomy declared 12 April 1917   -  Independence declared Officially recognised 24 February 1918 2 February 1920   -  1st Soviet occupation 1940-1941   -  German occupation 1941-1944   -  2nd Soviet occupation 1944-1991   -  Independence restored 20 August 1991  EU accession May 1, 2004 Area  -  Total 45,227 km² (132nd2) 17,413 sq mi   -  Water (%) 4.45%	Population  -  2007 estimate 1,340,602[1] (151th)  -  2000 census 1,376,743   -  Density 29/km² (173rd) 75/sq mi GDP (PPP) 2007 estimate  -  Total $26.85 billion (103th)  -  Per capita $21,800[2]  GDP (nominal) 2006 estimate  -  Total $16,410 million (91st)  -  Per capita $15,310 (41st) Gini (2005) 34 (medium)  HDI (2007) ▲ 0.86 (high) (44th) Currency Estonian kroon (EEK) Time zone EET (UTC+2)  -  Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3) Internet TLD .ee3 Calling code +372 1 Võro and Seto in southern counties are spoken along with Estonian. Russian is widely spoken in Ida-Virumaa due to the Soviet program promoting mass immigration of urban industrial workers from USSR during the occupation.

Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia (Estonian: Eesti or Eesti Vabariik) is a country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. It is bordered to the north by Finland across the Gulf of Finland, to the west by Sweden, to the south by Latvia (343 km), and to the east by the Russian Federation (338,6 km).[5] The territory of Estonia covers 45,227 km² and is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate.

The Estonians are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns, with the Estonian language sharing many similarities to Finnish. The modern name of Estonia is thought to originate from the Roman historian Tacitus, who in his book Germania (ca. AD 98) described a people called the Aestii. Similarly, ancient Scandinavian sagas refer to a land called Eistland. Early Latin and other ancient versions of the name are Estia and Hestia. Until the late 1930s, the name was often written as Esthonia in most English speaking countries.

Estonia is a democratic parliamentary republic and is divided into fifteen counties. The capital and largest city is Tallinn. Estonia has been a member of the United Nations since 17 September 1991[6], of the European Union since 1 May 2004[7] and of NATO since 29 March 2004.[8] Estonia has also signed the Kyoto protocol. With only 1.3 million inhabitants, it comprises one of the smallest populations of the European Union countries.

The settlement of modern day Estonia began around 8500 BC, immediately after the Ice Age. Over the centuries, the Estonians were subjected to Danish, Teutonic, Swedish and Russian rule. Foreign rule in Estonia began in 1227, when as a consequence of the Northern Crusades the area was conquered by Danes and Germans. From 1228–1562, parts or most of Estonia were incorporated into the loosely organized Livonian Confederation of Teutonic Knights, during which time economic activity centered around the Hanseatic League. In the 1500s, Estonia passed to Swedish rule until 1721, when it was ceded to the Russian Empire. The Estophile Enlightenment Period (1750-1840) led to a national awakening in the mid-19th century. In 1918 the Estonian Declaration of Independence was issued, to be followed by the Estonian War of Independence, which resulted in the Tartu Peace Treaty recognizing Estonian independence in perpetuity. During World War II, Estonia was occupied and annexed first by the Soviet Union[9][10][11] and subsequently by the Third Reich, only to be re-occupied by the Soviet Union in 1944.

Estonia regained its independence on 20 August 1991. It has since embarked on a rapid program of social and economic reform. Today, the country has gained recognition for its economic freedom[12] its adaptation of new technologies[13] and as one of the world's fastest growing economies.