Estonia
| Population | 1.4 m |
| Capital | Tallinn |
| Surface area | 43,400 km2 |
| Official Language | Estonian |
| Gross domestic product (GDP) (in euros) | 19.11 bn |
| GDP as a % of EU-27, based on 2009 data | 0.2 |
| GDP per capita by purchasing power standards (indexed to EU average of 100) | 68.2 |
| Currency | Kroon (EEK) |
| Human development index (HDI), an index based on life expectancy, education and GDP (max. 1) | 0.860 |
| World rank in HDI | 44/177 |
| Key economic sectors | Services (75); industry (21); agriculture (4) |
| Unemployment in July 2009 | 15.5% (source: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/table) |
| Main religious denominations (numbers in thousands) | Lutheran (152); Estonian Orthodox Church (144) |
| Political system | A unicameral national assembly is elected for four year terms, and a President for five-year terms. All presidential candidates must gain the nominations of at least one-fifth of assembly deputies in order to stand. |
| Electoral system | There are 12 electoral districts with eight to 12 mandates in each. A candidate is elected by gaining more than ‘quota’ (the number of votes cast divided by the number of mandates), or else being on a party list which achieves more than quota nationally. A presidential candidate must achieve a two-thirds majority of votes to be elected. If one does not, then an electoral college, comprising national deputies and local councillors, must choose the president by simple majority. |
| Current (March 2010) leaders | President: Toomas Ilves (b. 1954), since October 2006 Prime minister: Andrus Ansip (b. 1956), since April 2005 |
| Previous leaders: | Presidents: Arnold Rüütel (2001-06); Lennart Georg Meri (1992-2001) Prime ministers: Juhan Parts (2003-05); Siim Kallas (2002-03) |
| Joined the EU/EC | 2004 |
| Commissioner from country in Barroso II College of Commissioners, and portfolio | Siim Kallas (Transport) |
| Number of MEPs | 6/754 |
| Turnout in 2009 EP elections (%) | 43.2 |
| Member of eurozone | No |
Except where a specific reference is inserted, the sources for this profile are either Neill Nugent’s book itself, or Barry Turner (ed.), The Statesman’s Yearbook Online, Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave Macmillan. If your library subscribes, you can gain access at
http://www.statesmansyearbook.com