Estonia
Europe Β· Capital: Tallinn
How it is run: Estonia is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Estonia is home to 1.4 million people in Northern Europe, where people speak Estonian.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
1.4 million people
That is about 169 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
45,227 kmΒ²
About the size of a small US state such as Vermont or New Hampshire.
ποΈ How crowded
About 30 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
37th most people in Europe
28th largest by land in Europe.
π£οΈ Official languages
Estonian
π° Money
Euro (β¬)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
79.3 years on average
One of the healthier countries β good hospitals and clean water make a big difference.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$34,418
An upper-middle-income country: growing cities, and more families joining the middle class.
π’ Living in cities
70.7% of people
Mostly a city country β think buses, trains and apartment blocks.
π Kids under 15
15.3% of the population
An older country β there are more grandparents than schoolchildren.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+372
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.ee
π§ People here are called
Estonian
π·οΈ Name at home
Eesti
Also written: Eesti, Republic of Estonia, Eesti Vabariik.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Eastern European Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Estonia touches 2 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Estonia
French
Estonie
Arabic
Ψ₯Ψ³ΨͺΩΩΩΨ§
Chinese
η±ζ²ε°ΌδΊ
Japanese
γ¨γΉγγγ’
Russian
ΠΡΡΠΎΠ½ΠΈΡ
Portuguese
EstΓ³nia
German
Estland
Put it in perspective π
- Russia β the most populated country in Europe β has about 105.0Γ as many people as Estonia.
- Estonia covers roughly 431 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Estonia lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 683 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Estonia sits in the temperate zone, the belt where most of the world's farms and big cities are.
π·οΈ Official name
Republic of Estonia
ποΈ Capital
Tallinn
π Region
Europe Β· Northern Europe
π€ Country code
EE
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Estonia π
π§ Where on the map
59.0Β° N, 26.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+2 β when it is noon in London it is about 14:00 in Tallinn.
- Estonia is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- Estonia is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- Estonia sits in the temperate zone, the belt where most of the world's farms and big cities are.
- Estonia sits in Northern Europe, in the northern and eastern half of the globe.
- Estonia is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Estonia has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Estonia can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Estonia spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Estonia?
Tallinn
Which money do people spend in Estonia?
Euro (β¬)
How many countries share a land border with Estonia?
2 β Latvia, Russia.
Roughly how many people live in Estonia?
1.4 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.