 Definition  Field Listing  Rank
Order
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Background: |
After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and
Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly
incorporated into the USSR in 1940, it regained its freedom in 1991,
with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops
left in 1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and
political ties with Western Europe. It joined both NATO and the EU
in the spring of 2004. Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Location: |
Eastern
Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia
and Russia |
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Geographic coordinates: |
59 00 N, 26
00 E |
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Map references: |
Europe
|
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Area: |
total:
45,226 sq km
land: 43,211 sq km
water: 2,015
sq km
note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea
|
|
Area - comparative: |
slightly
smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined |
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Land boundaries: |
total: 633 km
border countries: Latvia 339 km,
Russia 294 km |
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Coastline: |
3,794 km
|
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Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic
zone: limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states
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Climate: |
maritime,
wet, moderate winters, cool summers |
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Terrain: |
marshy,
lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south |
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest
point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Suur Munamagi
318 m |
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Natural resources: |
oil shale,
peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea
mud |
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Land use: |
arable
land: 16.04%
permanent crops: 0.45%
other:
83.51% (2001) |
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Irrigated land: |
40 sq km
(1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards: |
sometimes
flooding occurs in the spring |
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Environment - current issues: |
air polluted
with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in
northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted to the air have
fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 80% less than in 1980;
the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to water bodies in
2000 was one twentieth the level of 1980; in connection with the
start-up of new water purification plants, the pollution load of
wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and
manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be
monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations |
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Environment - international agreements: |
party
to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not
ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Geography - note: |
the mainland
terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than
1,500 islands Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Population: |
1,341,664
(July 2004 est.) |
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Age structure: |
0-14
years: 16% (male 110,452; female 104,363)
15-64
years: 67.5% (male 431,493; female 474,255)
65 years and
over: 16.5% (male 72,819; female 148,282) (2004 est.) |
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Median age: |
total: 38.8 years
male: 35.1 years
female: 42.1 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate: |
-0.66% (2004
est.) |
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Birth rate: |
9.79
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate: |
13.27
deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate: |
-3.16
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio: |
at
birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06
male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65
years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female
total population:
0.85 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate: |
total:
8.08 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.32 deaths/1,000
live births
female: 6.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2004
est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 71.38 years
male: 65.78 years
female: 77.33 years (2004 est.) |
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Total fertility rate: |
1.39 children
born/woman (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
1% (2001
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
less than
7,700 (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
less than 100
(2001 est.) |
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Nationality: |
noun:
Estonian(s)
adjective: Estonian |
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Ethnic groups: |
Estonian
65.3%, Russian 28.1%, Ukrainian 2.5%, Belarusian 1.5%, Finn 1%,
other 1.6% (1998) |
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Religions: |
Evangelical
Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Estonian Orthodox, Baptist, Methodist,
Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Word of Life,
Jewish |
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Languages: |
Estonian
(official), Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish, other |
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.8% (2003 est.) Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Country name: |
conventional long form: Republic of Estonia
conventional short form: Estonia
local long
form: Eesti Vabariik
local short form: Eesti
former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic |
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Government type: |
parliamentary republic |
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Capital: |
Tallinn
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Administrative divisions: |
15 counties
(maakonnad, singular - maakond): Harjumaa (Tallinn), Hiiumaa
(Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide), Jogevamaa (Jogeva),
Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere), Parnumaa (Parnu),
Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa (Kuressaare), Tartumaa
(Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi), Vorumaa (Voru)
note: counties have the administrative center name
following in parentheses |
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Independence: |
regained on
20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
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National holiday: |
Independence
Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 is the date Estonia
declared its independence from Soviet Russia; 20 August 1991 is the
date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union |
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Constitution: |
adopted 28
June 1992 |
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Legal system: |
based on
civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts |
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Suffrage: |
18 years of
age; universal for all Estonian citizens |
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Executive branch: |
chief of
state: President Arnold RUUTEL (since 8 October 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Juhan PARTS (since 10
April 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by
the prime minister, approved by Parliament
elections:
president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; if he or she
does not secure two-thirds of the votes after three rounds of
balloting in the Parliament, then an electoral assembly (made up of
Parliament plus members of local governments) elects the president,
choosing between the two candidates with the largest percentage of
votes; election last held 21 September 2001 (next to be held in the
fall of 2006); prime minister nominated by the president and
approved by Parliament
election results: Arnold RUUTEL
elected president on 21 September 2001 by a 367-member electoral
assembly that convened following Parliament's failure in August to
elect then-President MERI's successor; on the second ballot of
voting, RUUTEL received 188 votes to Parliament Speaker Toomas
SAVI's 155; the remaining 24 ballots were either left blank or
invalid |
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Legislative branch: |
unicameral
Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 2
March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)
election
results: percent of vote by party - Center Party 25.4%, Res
Publica 24.6%, Reform Party 17.7%, Estonian People's Union 13%, Pro
Patria Union (Fatherland League) 7.3% People's Party Moodukad 7%;
seats by party - Center Party 28, Res Publica 28, Reform Party 19,
Estonian People's Union 13, Pro Patria Union 7, People's Party
Moodukad 6 |
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Judicial branch: |
National
Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life) |
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Political parties and leaders: |
Center Party
of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman]; Estonian
People's Union (Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN]; Estonian Reform Party
(Reformierakond) [Siim KALLAS]; Estonian United Russian People's
Party or EUVRP [Yevgeniy TOMBERG, chairman]; Pro Patria Union
(Isamaaliit) [Tunne KELAM, chairman]; Res Publica [Juhan PARTS];
Russian Baltic Party [Sergei IVANOV]; Social Democratic Party
(formerly People's Party Moodukad) [Ivari PADAR, chairman] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
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International organization participation: |
BIS, CBSS,
CE, EAPC, EBRD, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),
ISO (correspondent), ITU, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTrO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Juri LUIK
chancery: 2131
Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 588-0101
FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108
consulate(s) general: New York |
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Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Joseph M. DeTHOMAS
embassy:
Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn
mailing address: use embassy
street address
telephone: [372] 668-8100
FAX:
[372] 668-8134 |
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Flag description: |
pre-1940
flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal horizontal
bands of blue (top), black, and white Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Economy - overview: |
Estonia, as
a new member of the World Trade Organization, is steadily moving
toward a modern market economy with increasing ties to the West,
including the pegging of its currency to the euro. The economy
benefits from strong electronics and telecommunications sectors.
Estonia has been invited to join the European Union and will do so
in May 2004. The economy is greatly influenced by developments in
Finland, Sweden, Russia, and Germany, four major trading partners.
The high current account deficit remains a concern. However, the
state budget enjoyed a surplus of $130 million in 2003. |
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GDP: |
purchasing
power parity - $17.35 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate: |
4.7% (2003
est.) |
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GDP - per capita: |
purchasing
power parity - $12,300 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 4.9%
industry: 30.3%
services: 64.8% (2003) |
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Investment (gross fixed): |
30.2% of GDP
(2003) |
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Population below poverty line: |
NA (2000)
|
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest
10%: 3%
highest 10%: 29.8% (1998) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini
index: |
37 (1999)
|
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
1.3% (2003
est.) |
|
Labor force: |
654,000 (2003
est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture
11%, industry 20%, services 69% (1999 est.) |
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Unemployment rate: |
10.1% (2003)
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Budget: |
revenues: $3.806 billion
expenditures: $3.648
billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.) |
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Public debt: |
7.4% of GDP
(2003) |
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Agriculture - products: |
potatoes,
vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish |
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Industries: |
engineering,
electronics, wood and wood products, textile; information
technology, telecommunications |
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Industrial production growth rate: |
5% (2000
est.) |
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Electricity - production: |
7.937 billion
kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption: |
6.192 billion
kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - exports: |
1.19 billion
kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - imports: |
0 kWh (2001)
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Oil - production: |
5,100 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption: |
24,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports: |
NA (2001)
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Oil - imports: |
NA (2001)
|
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Natural gas - production: |
0 cu m (2001
est.) |
|
Natural gas - consumption: |
1.27 billion
cu m (2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2001
est.) |
|
Natural gas - imports: |
1.27 billion
cu m (2001 est.) |
|
Current account balance: |
$-1.15
billion (2003) |
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Exports: |
$4.075
billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities: |
machinery
and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles 14%, food products
8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001) |
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Exports - partners: |
Finland
21.9%, Sweden 12.5%, Russia 11.5%, Germany 8.4%, Latvia 7.4%,
Lithuania 4% (2003 est.) |
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Imports: |
$5.535
billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities: |
machinery
and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%, textiles 10.3%,
foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001) |
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Imports - partners: |
Finland
15.9%, Germany 11.1%, Russia 10.2%, Sweden 7.7%, Ukraine 4.3%, China
4.2%, Japan 4.1% (2003 est.) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: |
$1.377
billion (2003) |
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Debt - external: |
$7.002
billion (2003 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient: |
$108 million
(2000) |
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Currency: |
Estonian
kroon (EEK) |
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Currency code: |
EEK |
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Exchange rates: |
krooni per
US dollar - 13.8564 (2003), 16.6118 (2002), 17.4781 (2001), 16.9686
(2000), 14.6776 (1999) |
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Fiscal year: |
calendar
year Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Telephones - main lines in use: |
475,000
(2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular: |
881,000
(2002) |
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Telephone system: |
general
assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint business
ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial fiber-optic
cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in the digital
mode; Internet services are available throughout most of the country
- only about 11,000 subscriber requests were unfilled by September
2000
domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data,
and Internet services is available throughout the country
international: country code - 372; fiber-optic cables to
Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide
packet-switched service; two international switches are located in
Tallinn (2001) |
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Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 0, FM 98,
shortwave 0 (2001) |
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Television broadcast stations: |
3 (2001)
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Internet country code: |
.ee |
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Internet hosts: |
82,142 (2004)
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Internet users: |
444,000
(2002) Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Railways: |
total:
958 km
broad gauge: 958 km 1.520-m/1.524-m gauge (132 km
electrified)
note: gauge being increased from 1.520-m to
1.524-m to reduce wear on wheels and rail as lines are modernized
(2003) |
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Highways: |
total:
51,411 km
paved: 10,334 km (including 94 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 41,077 km (2000) |
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Waterways: |
500 km
(2003) |
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Pipelines: |
gas 859 km
(2003) |
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Ports and harbors: |
Haapsalu,
Kunda, Muuga, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn |
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Merchant marine: |
total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 212,998 GRT/177,488
DWT
by type: bulk 2, cargo 12, container 4, petroleum
tanker 2, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea/passenger 5
foreign-owned: Netherlands 1
registered in other
countries: 45 (2003 est.) |
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Airports: |
29 (2003
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 14
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to
3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523
m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 15
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to
3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523
m: 4
under 914 m: 6 (2003 est.) Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Large portions of this information is from the US government open source publication "The World Factbook", other content copyright © Stratus-Pikpuk, Inc. You may use this information without permission for educational or other non-profit purposes if you refer to us as the source, contact us if you want to use this commercially.
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