It's a tribute to the resilience of the Estonians that during the ten years since the Declaration of Independence in August 1991 they've transformed their country from a dour outpost of the former Soviet Union into a viable nation with the most stable economy in the Baltic region. This is even more impressive in the light of the fact that Estonians have ruled their own country for barely thirty years out of the past eight hundred. A Finno-Ugric people related to the Finns, the Estonians have had the misfortune to be surrounded by powerful, warlike neighbours. The first to conquer Estonia were the Danes, who arrived at the start of the thirteenth century; they were succeeded in turn by German crusading knights, Swedes and then Russians. Following a mid-nineteenth-century cultural and linguistic revival known as the National Awakening, the collapse of Germany and Tsarist Russia allowed the Estonians to snatch their independence in 1918.
Their brief freedom between the two world wars was extinguished by the Soviets in 1940 and Estonia disappeared from view again.
When the country re-emerged from the Soviet shadow in 1991, some forty percent of its population were Russians who had been encouraged to settle there during the Soviet era.

	Location:	Baltic’s, North Western Europe
	Size:	17,462 sq miles
	Population:	1,356,045
	Capital City:	Tallinn
	Language:	Estonian, Russia (about 30%)
	Currency:	Estonian Kroon (EKR)
	Country Code:	+372
	Time Zone:	GMT + 2
	Electricity:	220 volts AC, 50Hz, 2 pin plugs
	Ferry Ports:	Tallinn
	Airports:	Tallinn
	Dept. of Tourism:	www.visitestonia.com

By Car: Estonia’s main roads are in reasonable condition and traffic is fairly light outside the towns. There's no motorway to speak of - just a few stretches of two-lane highway either side of Tallinn and another near Pärnu. Signs are not illuminated and fairly small, so driving at night is best avoided. Car headlights must be used 24 hours a day. Petrol stations can be a rare site in rural areas. Speed limits are 50kph in built-up areas and 70 to 120kph on the open road. In towns it's forbidden to overtake stationary trams so that passengers can alight in safety, and drink driving is obviously illegal.

By Bus: There is a wide network covering most of the country, including express services. Prices are very low and buses are still the most important means of transport. Bus tickets can either be bought from the bus station ticket office or direct from the driver. Buses are also useful for travelling to the other Baltic countries with services linking Tallinn, Vilnius and Riga.

By Rail: The rail system is underdeveloped but most major cities are connected to the network. Estonian Railways serve a route on the EVR Express between St Petersburg (Russian Federation) and Tallinn.

By Ferry: Ferries connect Estonia with Finland, Sweden and Germany through the main ferry port in Tallinn

By Air: There are domestic flights from Tallinn to the islands of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa (this service does not operate during the winter). Aeroflot, Air Baltic, Finnair, Lithuanian Airlines and SAS also operate flights to Tallinn. Flights to Tallinn via Moscow, Helsinki, Riga or Stockholm are available from all major European cities.

Lahemaa National Park

It contains mostly virgin forest with beautiful lakes, rivers, fishing villages and historic manor houses.

Estonian National Museum, (Tartu)

Devoted to peasant life and the development of Estonia, the Estonian National Museum also includes some imaginatively recreated farmhouse interiors. English text and guided tours on request.

Tallinn Town Hall Square

Open-air concerts are held here in summer and its many cafés and eating places make it a bustling meeting place for both tourists and Tallinn locals alike.

Kiek-in-de-Kök

Built in about 1475, Kiek-in-de-Kök houses a museum with several floors of maps, weapons and models of old Tallinn.

Tallinn, the ancient Hanseatic city and capital, has many historical and architectural monuments, particularly in the old town centre which is dominated by the steeple of the medieval Town Hall (14th – 15th centuries), the oldest in northern Europe.

Two hours' drive from Tallinn is Pärnu, a small 13th-century town on the banks of the Pärnu River. Pärnu is Estonia's Summer Capital. This is a town designed for escape, for relaxation and for diversion. It attracts the youth by its beautiful beach and wide range of entertaining events; more mature people appreciate its fresh air, mud baths and quiet environment. The city becomes packed with so many events and festivals that any visitor could be forgiven for thinking that the rest of Estonia was closed for the season.

A definite rivalry exists between Tallinn, the nation´s political and economic capital, and Tartu, Estonia´s intellectual capital. Estonia´s second city Tartu seems more relaxed, less pretentious, and saner than its noisy adversary. Tartu is one of the oldest university towns in Europe. In 1632, Swedish King Gustavus II Adolphus opened Academia Gustaviana here and for centuries, nearly all of Estonia´s VIPs came to study here. About 8,000 students are currently enrolled at the university, which heavily influences the life and pulse of Tartu.

Saaremaa is the largest island in the West Estonian Archipelago. With wooden windmills and juniper fields, lighthouses and ruined churches, thatched villages and beaches Saaremaa is one of the most popular destinations in Estonia.