Estonia is a North-European country located along the south-eastern coast of the Baltic Sea. Its capital, Tallinn, lies about 80 km south of Helsinki across the Gulf of Finland. Estonia is the smallest of the Baltic states – slightly larger than Switzerland or Denmark. It borders Russia in the east, with St. Petersburg just across the north-eastern border and Latvia in the south.

Population

The population of Estonia is a bit over a million, the majority of the population are Estonians and Russians. Approximately a third of the inhabitants live in Tallinn.

Geography

The area of Estonia is 45 227 sq. km, ca 350 km from east to west and 240 km from north to south. There are many islands and lakes. Seasons vary widely in Estonia, summers are warm and winters severe with lots of snow.

Economy

As a member of the European Union, Estonia is part of the world's largest economic zone.
In 1994, Estonia became one of the first countries in the world to adopt a flat tax, with a uniform rate of 26% regardless of personal income.

Estonia exports machinery and equipment (33% of all exports annually), wood and paper (15% of all exports annually), textiles (14% of all exports annually), food products (8% of all exports annually), furniture (7% of all exports annually), and metals and chemical products.

Culture

During the last decade summer theatre has become an inseparable part of both the Estonian cultural summer and theatre life. Performances beyond the theatre building, in the open air, are naturally nothing new.

Estonian culture developed in earnest during the nineteenth-century period of national awakening. Elements of Estonian peasant culture, such as songs and folktales, were brought together by the country's first cultural elite after 1850.

Marie Under (1883-1980) is regarded by many as Estonia’s greatest modern poet.
Alo Mattiisen (1961-1996) was a highly influential pop music composer of the late ’80s. He wrote pro-independence rock songs that became virtual anthems during the independence drive.

During the next several years, many of Estonia's artists, poets, and writers would become involved in politics.