Estonia Travel | Estonia Country Profile (2024)
Estonia Travel
The mainland and 1,500 islands form Estonia. Estonia is a small country located northeast of Europe. The Baltic Sea surrounds Estonia on the west and north side. Estonia shares a border with Russia on the east side and Latvia on the south side. The Baltic Sea in the north lies between Estonia and Finland.
History of Estonia-
- Mid 9th Century- Vikings were first invaders in Estonia.
- 11th and 12th Centuries- The kings from Denmark and Sweden tried to invade Estonia and also tried to spread Christianity and failed. Same time Russians made multiple attempts to invade Estonia and failed.
- 12 and 13th Centuries- Danish kings occupied Estonia and traded lands.
- 14 to 16th Centuries- Swedish, Polish and Russian rulers tried to rule the territory of Estonia and fought multiple wars. During the later few years of the 16th century, Estonia was devastated, and people had difficulties in supporting families. Farming and labor work was challenging to find, and Taxes were extremely high.
- 17th and 18th Centuries- Russian and Swedish emperor fought several wars while Russian keeping the overall control of the land of Estonia.
- 19th Century- The Estonian revolution was initiated in 1905. Estonians were able to remove Russians from Estonia with the help of the German army in 1918. The political instability lasted for several years until the end of the second world war in Estonia.
Geography of Estonia:
Estonia comprises of Rocky and sandy beaches, forests, and several lakes. Norva river separates Estonia from Russia. The melted water from Glaciers in the north forms northern rivers. The tallest mountain is 318 meters in height. The longest river of Parnu stretches to 90 miles, and the largest lake Pepius is shared with Russia.
Places To Visit In Estonia-
Cities in Estonia-
- Tallinn- Tallinn is the largest and capital city of Estonia. The town was the center of medieval settlers as well as part of most Estonian history. The city is safe, great accommodations available at a reasonable cost. The city of Tallinn is located on the coast of the Baltic sea that offers a scenic view of ocean and city. International and domestic flights arrive at Tallinn. The traveling is a lot safer and more accessible from Tallinn to other towns within Estonia and neighboring countries.
- Parnu- The coastal town Parnu has several beautiful beaches and resorts. The city is divided by the Parnu river. The resort hotels and private accommodation are reasonable, and some allow outside food. One can relax in a small hotel or spacious resort at the bank of Baltic sea during winter and summer.
Image Source - Oteppa- Oteppa is one of the popular skiing resort in eastern Europe. Most visitors come from Russia, Finland, and Latvia during winter. The historical small town provides all kinds of hospitality for visitors at a reasonable cost.
Image Source - Narva- Narva is a quiet town in Estonia with low traffic and visitors. Few European prefer to spend quite a few days at Narva. Most tourists are repeat customers.
- Tartu- The midsize town is located in the middle of Estonia. The population of Tartu is 92,000. Not many visitors come to Tartu. The living accommodation is reasonable, and the quality of food is excellent. Many Swedish and Finnish come to this town for good food and outstanding hospitality.
- Viljandi- Small town in Estonia with a population of 17,000 has a church and ruins of Viljandi castle that was built in the 17th century. The church is known as St John’s Church of Viljandi.
Image Source - Haapsalu– The coastal town is located northwest section of Estonia. A small town has a population of 12,000 people. The city of Haapsalu is known for “Mud Cure”. Several repeat visitors come for Mud Cure treatment every year. Today there are 3 to 4 medical care center in town providing care therapy.
Islands in Estonia-
- Hiiumaa Island- This is the second-largest island in the Baltic sea that belongs to Estonia. The diameter of the island is about 22 kilometers. The population of the island is 9,500. Several Ferries travel between the island and Tallinn.
- Saaremaa Island- The island is south of Hiiumaa island. Regular ferries bring people for Stolkholm, Helsinki, Rega, and Tallinn. The population of the island is 32,000.
Lake in Estonia
Lake Peipus- The lake separates Estonia from Russia. The Peipus lake is one of the largest lakes in Eastern Europe. One can drive along the bank of the lake or take a river ride in a local boat.
National Parks in Estonia –
There are three natural forest reserves of Estonia considered as National Park. The Matsalu, Soomas, and Lehmaa forest are preserved as a national park that protects natural rehabilitation of wild animals. One can drive through the park. There are not many hotels or rental properties.
Ethnic Groups in Estonia
The majority population consists of Estonian that makes 2/3rd of the community. The second-largest population is formed by Russians that consist of 25% of the total population. Prominent among other ethnic minorities are Ukrainians, Belarusians, and Finns.
Climate of Estonia
The humid climate in Estonia fluctuates between May and November. The cyclonic wind often causes severe damage in the city and villages that occasionally destroys the forest. There are four seasons like spring, summer, autumn and winter in Estonia.
- Winter Temperature- Temperature in Estonia between December and March can be anywhere between 00 and 320 F. The mean winter temperature from December to March is 17 to 23 °F (−8 to −5 °C).
- Spring Temperature- April and May in Estonia is considered as spring and temperature fluctuates between 200 F and 300 F. Occasionally temperature may increase to 40 to 500 F with bright sunshine.
- Summer Temperature- The mean summer temperature from June to September is 61 to 63 °F (16 to 17 °C). Temperature as low as 510 F is frequently observed and temperature never goes above 800 F.
- Autumn Temperature- Rain fall is common during autumn season. Autumn season spreads from Late August to Late October. Storms are also occasionally observed in late October and early November.
- Population of Estonia – The population of Estonia as of 2020 is 1.328 million. Most Estonian (2/3rd) live in cities. The majority of the rural population, nearly 1/3rd, consists of ethnic Estonian.
- World Politics- Estonia is part of European Union. Since 2004 Estonia is a part of North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Wild Animal Life
The most common wild animals observed in Estonia are Elk, Roe Deer, Red Deer, Wild Pigs, and Rabbits. Animals less often seen are Foxes, Badgers, Bears, Coypu, and lynx.
Language Spoken in Estonia
The official language is Estonian. The Estonian language originated from the Finni-Ugric dialect of Uralic language. The second common language is Russian. Most speak the Estonian language.
Religion in Estonia
The majority of the population in Estonia are atheists or nonreligious. Most religions belong to Evangelical Lutheran and Eastern Orthodox religions. Minority populations belong to Roman Catholics, Baptists, and Methodists. In 1180 German Monk from Holstein landed on the Latvian coast. He tried to spread Christianity for 16 years. He succeeded in spreading Christian religion in Latvia and neighboring Estonia.
Transportation-
- Tallinn Airport- Several domestic and international flights arrive and depart from the International airport of Tallinn in Estonia.
- Sea Port- Ferries and Cruises travel periodically between Stockholm (Sweden), Helsinki (Finland), Riga (Latvia), and St. Petersberg (Russia).
- Road Transport- The traveling by local taxi is less worrisome within any cities in Estonia. Rental cars are available.
Telecommunications-
Most international telephone and data plan works in Estonia. Local telephone and wifi devices are available for a reasonable price in local telephone shops, mostly in the mall.
- Capital Town of Estonia- Tallinn
- Currency of Estonia – Euro.
