Estonia

Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Lake Peipus and Russia. The territory of Estonia consists of the mainland, the larger islands of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, and over 2,300 other islands and islets on the east coast of the Baltic Sea, covering a total area of 45,335 square kilometres (17,504 sq mi). Tallinn, the capital city, and Tartu are the two largest urban areas. The Estonian language is the indigenous and official language. It is the first language of the majority of the population of 1.4 million.
estonia

Some of the key events about Estonia

  • 1227
    The Danish invasion and conquest of northern Estonia began
  • 1558
    The Livonian War broke out, devastating much of Estonia
  • 1710
    The Great Northern War and plague killed about 70% of the Estonian population
  • 1816
    Serfdom was officially abolished in Estonia, but peasants remained economically dependent on landowners
  • 1918
    Estonia declared independence from Russia, establishing itself as a sovereign nation
  • 1918
    The Estonian War of Independence began, resulting in significant loss of life
  • 1920
    The Tartu Peace Treaty was signed, ending the Estonian War of Independence
  • 1940
    The Soviet Union occupied and annexed Estonia, ending its independence
  • 1941
    Nazi Germany occupied Estonia, leading to widespread persecution and deportations
  • 1944
    Soviet forces reoccupied Estonia, initiating a period of Stalinist repression
  • 1949
    Mass deportations of Estonians to Siberia were carried out by Soviet authorities
  • 1986
    The Chernobyl disaster affected Estonia with increased radiation levels and health concerns
  • 1991
    Estonia regained its independence from the Soviet Union through the Singing Revolution
  • 1994
    The last Russian troops withdrew from Estonian territory
  • 2004
    Estonia joined both NATO and the European Union
  • 2005
    Estonia became the first country to hold nationwide internet voting in local elections
  • 2011
    Estonia adopted the euro as its official currency
  • 2014
    Estonia became the first country to offer e-Residency, a transnational digital identity
  • 2016
    Estonia launched the world's first data embassy in Luxembourg to ensure digital continuity
  • 2021
    Estonia was elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council

Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.

Estonia Latest news

EU plans first-ever penalties against digital attacks from Russia and others

EU plans first-ever penalties against digital attacks from Russia and others

European Union prepares to hit back at cyber-attacks and election meddling with new sanctions package. Brussels aims to punish 19 targets from various countries for undermining EU stability

Politics • December 10 2024 , 09:31 PM  •  908 views
Chinese ships linked to mysterious Baltic Sea cable breaks - what's going on?

Chinese ships linked to mysterious Baltic Sea cable breaks - what's going on?

Three major underwater infrastructure damages in Baltic Sea over past two years raise questions about security. Chinese vessels presence during two recent incidents makes investigators look closer at these cases

Society, Politics, Science • December 3 2024 , 11:04 AM  •  1270 views
Russian ex-lawyer gets prison time for social media posts about Ukraine situation

Russian ex-lawyer gets prison time for social media posts about Ukraine situation

A former head of lawyers association faces harsh consequences for his online statements about military actions in Ukraine. Russian courtʼs decision adds to growing list of similar cases since early-2022

Society, Politics • November 28 2024 , 03:08 PM  •  1761 views
EU Parliament settles on new Commission team while big challenges loom ahead

EU Parliament settles on new Commission team while big challenges loom ahead

EU Parliament reached deal on next Commission members under **Ursula von der Leyen**ʼs leadership. The new team faces major tasks including Ukraine support climate goals and US-EU relations

Economics, Politics • November 20 2024 , 08:32 PM  •  892 views
Train tracks tell story: How Baltic states try to break free from Russian influence

Train tracks tell story: How Baltic states try to break free from Russian influence

Three Baltic countries work on huge rail project to connect with Europe‚ leaving russian-gauge tracks behind. This transport shift shows how Estonia Latvia and Lithuania keep moving away from their big neighbor

Society, Economics, Politics • November 15 2024 , 07:44 PM  •  722 views
How Baltic train tracks tell a story of freedom from Russian influence

How Baltic train tracks tell a story of freedom from Russian influence

A massive rail project is changing how Baltic states connect with Europe‚ leaving behind Soviet-era infrastructure. This shift mirrors their 35-year journey from occupied territories to modern EU members

Economics, Politics • November 15 2024 , 07:37 PM  •  539 views
Trump's Ukraine stance forces Europe to rethink its defense strategy

Trump's Ukraine stance forces Europe to rethink its defense strategy

Europe faces new reality as Trump hints at cutting Ukraine support worth $60 billion. EU must decide how to fill massive funding gap while dealing with internal political challenges

Economics, Politics • November 13 2024 , 10:46 AM  •  2887 views
Russian doctor gets prison time for chat with fallen soldier's family

Russian doctor gets prison time for chat with fallen soldier's family

A 68-year old pediatrician faces jail after discussing war with her patientʼs mother. The case adds to growing list of Russians sentenced for expressing views about military operations

Society, Politics • November 12 2024 , 01:44 PM  •  710 views
Small towns and big plans: How regular people prepare for uncertain times

Small towns and big plans: How regular people prepare for uncertain times

From Estonia to Taiwan regular citizens join defense training programs as global threats increase. Local communities work on emergency skills while governments build resilience plans

Society, Business, Politics • November 11 2024 , 04:22 PM  •  1332 views
Small towns and big plans: How regular people prepare for the worst in Estonia and Taiwan

Small towns and big plans: How regular people prepare for the worst in Estonia and Taiwan

Citizens in Estonia and Taiwan take action to build stronger communities through defense training. Local initiatives show how everyday people adapt to modern-day challenges while governments create new safety plans

Society, Politics • November 11 2024 , 04:09 PM  •  1064 views