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General information


Population : 1.3milion people (155th in the World,39th in Europe)
Total Area : 45,227 km^2 (131st in the World,29th in Europe)
Official languages : Estonian
Official currency : Euro(EUR)
Capital : Tallinn
Population density : 28 people/km^2 (182nd in the World,45th in Europe)
Top 5 biggest cities : Tallinn, Tartu, Narva, Pärnu, Kohtla-Järve


Estonia is a parliamentary representative democratic republic in which the Prime Minister of Estonia is the head of government and which includes a multi-party system. The political culture is stable in Estonia, where power is held between two and three parties that have been in politics for a long time. This situation is similar to other countries in Northern Europe. The former Prime Minister of Estonia, Andrus Ansip, is also Europe's longest-serving Prime Minister (from 2005 until 2014).

The country is divided into fifteen counties (Maakonnad), which are the administrative subdivisions of the country. The first documented reference to Estonian political and administrative subdivisions comes from the Chronicle of Henry of Livonia, written in the thirteenth century during the Northern Crusades.

Each county is further divided into municipalities (omavalitsus), which is also the smallest administrative subdivision of Estonia. There are two types of municipalities: an urban municipality – linn (town), and a rural municipality – vald (parish). There is no other status distinction between them. Each municipality is a unit of self-government with its representative and executive bodies. The municipalities in Estonia cover the entire territory of the country.






National sport : Kiiking


National bird : Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica)


National plant: Blue cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)




National instruments: Talharpa







The significance of the 24th of February


The 24th of February celebrates the national holiday in Estonia marking the anniversary of the Estonian Declaration of Independence in 1918. It is commonly celebrated with fireworks, concerts, torchlight marches, parades, and parties. It is the national day of Estonia.

The Estonian Provisional Government decided on 12 February 1919 to consider 24 February to be the date of the declaration of independence. In 1933, the Government discussed whether the national day should be moved to another date at a better time of the year, such as 15 June, to mark the date when the Estonian Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution in 1920. Gottlieb Ney, the director of the National Archives of Estonia said that "… one must reach the conclusion that the 24 February 1918 should be considered the date when the republic began; it is the day when the declaration of independence reached the capital city and actually went to the supreme powers of elected bodies”.

How is it celebrated nowadays ?

Well, Albertti can tell us a thing or two : “ Depending on where you live, there is a military parade in Tallinn so you can go there or watch from TV. Usually 24th is a day like other free national day. In the evening tv makes transmission from national reception and often families and friends gather at someones home and argue about what they see or what clothes are wearing”.










Time for a legend brought for you from the estonian folk, conisdered to be the national poem of the country. So read carefully and prepare the questions cause the estonians are ready with the answers.



There existed an oral tradition within Ancient Estonia of legends explaining the origin of the world. Within old Estonian folklore, a malevolent giant by the name of Kalev appears, battling with other giants or enemies of the nation. The main character of our story is the son of Kalev, named Kalevipoeg, who carries stones or throws them at enemies, and also uses planks edgewise as weapons, following the advice of a hedgehog. He also forms surface structures on landscape and bodies of water and builds towns.

Kalevipoeg travels to Finland in search of his kidnapped mother. During his travel he purchases a sword but kills the blacksmith's eldest son in an argument. The blacksmith places a curse on the sword and is thrown in the river. On returning to Estonia Kalevipoeg becomes king after defeating his brothers in a stone hurling competition. He constructs towns and forts and tills the land in Estonia.

Kalevipoeg then journeys to the ends of the earth to expand his knowledge. He defeats Satan in a trial of strength and rescues three maidens from hell. War breaks out and destruction visits Estonia and Kalevipoeg's faithful comrades are killed, he hands rule over to his brother Olev and withdraws to the forest depressed. Crossing a river, the sword cursed by the Blacksmith and previously thrown in the river, cuts off his legs. He dies and goes to heaven. Taara, in consultation with the other gods, reanimates Kalevipoeg, places his legless body on a white steed, and sends him down to the gates of hell where he is ordered to strike the rock with his fist, thus entrapping it in the rock. So Kalevipoeg remains to guard the gates of hell.

If you want more detailes, go and read the epic poem formed from 20 cantons.









Top 5 visited places by tourists


Tallinn








The most popular place to visit in Estonia is Tallinn, the capital and the hub of medieval architecture. The heart of the city is called Toompea, a hill that retains a historic atmosphere thanks to cobblestone streets and 15th century buildings. The area is amazingly preserved and accessible on foot. From the top of Toompea, you can look out over much of the Old City. Some highlights of the Old City include the bustling shops on Viru Street, the 14th century Town Hall and the opulent 19th century Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.



Tartu







The city of Tartu is considered the intellectual hub of the country, thanks to the impressive and well-known University of Tartu. Between the university and the fact that Tartu is the oldest city in the nation, this city is clearly an interesting destination. Its handsome centre is lined with classically designed 18th-century buildings, many of which have been put to innovative uses. One of the coolest attractions in Tartu is the soup neighborhood. In the soup neighborhood, every street is named after soup ingredients like potatoes, beans and peas.





Lahemaa National Park









One of the most popular national parks in Estonia is Lahemaa. Since it is just an hour’s drive from the capital, it is the ideal day trip. Viru Raba, or Viru Bog, is a must-see part of the park. Trees poke from the swampy ground, and there is a definite ethereal quality. To make it easy to explore Viru Bog, there is a 5-km boardwalk that is usually dry, keeping you out of the water but close enough to admire the scenery.

In the middle of the park is Sagadi Village, a fascinating spot where you can tour Sagadi Manor and learn more about the culture and history of the region.




Saaremaa


The largest Estonian island is called Saaremaa, and it is located in the Baltic Sea. The island has an 8,000-year-old history, and was ruled by Danes, Swedes, Germans and Russians in that time. Today, most visitors spend their time in the island’s capital city of Kuressaare. In Kuressaare, you can explore the completely intact medieval castle.

You can tour the castle and the grounds, which now serve as home to the Regional Museum of Saaremaa. If you’re interested in hiking, sightseeing, birdwatching or photography, then Saaremaa’s Sõrve Peninsula is a spectacularly scenic destination to explore.



Parnu


Where the Parnu River meets the Gulf of Riga, you’ll find the coastal resort city of Parnu. Parnu is known as the summer capital, because it is where so many Estonians choose to take their summer vacations. The biggest reason to come to Parnu is the beach, which boasts fine, white sand and gorgeous dunes. The beach promenade runs along the shore and helps to create the traditional coastal resort feel in the city.

Even after the sun sets for the day, lighting along the promenade ensures that people are still walking and enjoying the coastal scenery. If a rainy afternoon appears, join the locals at Vee Park, a popular indoor water park in Parnu.







Top 3 locations suggested by the locals



Hiking trails


* Kakerdaja Fen hiking trail;


* Keila-Joa Park nature trail


* Viru Bog trail

If you like hiking, Estonia is the country to go. You can find trails for everyone, the nature is great and waiting for you to visit it. For more information ask the locals or try the this site.


Viljandi






In Southern Estonia is the small city of Viljandi. The city has a rich history that is nearly 2,600 years old, and plenty of historic architecture still remains. The 16th century ruins of the Viljandi Order Castle, for example, are a major attraction. The biggest reason to visit Viljandi, however, is the annual folk music festival. Every July, the city attracts as many as 20,000 visitors who come specifically for the folk music.

Narva Castle


The city of Narva is the easternmost destination in the country, not to mention the entire European Union. The city was heavily bombed during World War II, but thankfully the beautiful and historic Narva Castle still stands. The castle, which is also known as Hermann Castle, was built in the 13th century by the Danes as a residence for the Danish King’s vice-Regent. Inside the castle is the Narva Museum as well as a collection of handicrafts workshops where you can watch and even learn the skills used in medieval times. The castle tower overlooks the Ivangorod castle on the Russian side of the river.







Inventions Estonia gave to the world!

*Schmidt telescope!
*Bernhard Schmidt, in 1930.



*Syntetic rubber!
*Ivan Kondakov,in 1901.



*Myoton!
* Arved Vain, 1999.




*Skype!
* Ahti Heinla, Priit Kasesalu, and Jaan Tallinn , colaborators in 2003



*TransferWise!
* Kristo Käärmann and Taavet Hinrikus , in 2011












Famous people from Estonia

Arvo Pärt - is an Estonian composer of classical and religious music. Since the late 1970s, Pärt has worked in a minimalist style that employs his self-invented compositional technique, tintinnabuli. Pärt's music is in part inspired by Gregorian chant.

(born 1935)


Kelly Sildaru - is an Estonian freestyle skier. Sildaru won a gold medal in the slopestyle event in the 2016 Winter X Games beating Tiril Sjåstad Christiansen. With this win, at age 13, Sildaru became the youngest gold medalist to date at a Winter X Games event, and the first person to win a Winter X Games medal for Estonia. She is also the youngest to win two X Games gold medals

(born 2002)


Edward von Lõngus - is an Estonian stencil artist based in Tartu. His works have gotten attention from media and art critics, been presented in art exhibitions and sold in art auctions. He has been compared to Banks because of the style of his works, that often include political and social commentary, use of stencils and unknown identity.
He received the Tartu City Culture Award in 2014 for his work "Cannabeard and witch-hunter", that takes Estonian children book character Sammalhabe ("Mossbeard") and manipulates it to produce a social-critical work about the war on drugs.
His identity is still unknown.



Ilon Wikland - is an Estonian-born Swedish artist and illustrator. Wikland was born in Tartu, Estonia and raised in Haapsalu, Lääne County on Estonia's Baltic coast. In 1944 she escaped with the family of a classmate from the second Soviet occupation of Estonia, to Sweden. She arrived in Sweden as a refugee.

In 1953 Wikland applied for a job as illustrator at Rabén & Sjögren. She was met by Astrid Lindgren, who had just finished writing the book Mio, my Son and who could see immediately that Wikland was able to “draw fairytales”.

(born in 1930)


Kerli Kõiv - better known mononymously as Kerli, is an Estonian singer and songwriter. Born in Elva, Kerli entered multiple singing competitions before being signed to Island Records in 2006 by LA Reid. In 2007, she released her debut self-titled extended play and in 2008, released her debut studio album, Love Is Dead, which charted on the Billboard 200.
The lead single from the album, "Walking on Air," charted in many countries and was also featured as the iTunes Store's Single of the Week where it was downloaded over 500,000 times, a record at that time.[1] In the years following, Kerli was featured on Almost Alice with the song "Tea Party" and she began to abandon her alternative rock sound and started to adopt a more electronic and dance-influenced sound, as can be heard in her 2010 single "Army of Love".


(born 1987)








Traditional food


Mulgipuder




Mulgipuder is made from potatoes and groat. It is very simple to prepare—mix mashed potatoes with groat, add some butter and pour on a delicious sauce that usually contains bacon. Many years ago, local peasants would eat mulgipuder during the most important holidays, as it was considered a fancy dish.

Verivorst



Sausages filled with blood that are cooked or dried and mixed with a filler until they are thick enough to solidify when cooled.

Aspic



Aspic might look quite odd, but it is extremely delicious! Made from pork jelly, which is filled with vegetables, fruits and pieces of meat, aspic is a festive dish and is usually served during the Christmas and Easter holidays.



Rye Bread



Rye bread is as popular in Estonia as it is in Latvia and Lithuania. People from the Baltic countries have a thing for homemade bread, and they cannot imagine their cuisine without it. There are many different types of rye bread, as most of the locals have their own secret family recipes, which their ancestors passed throughout the generations.

Kiluvõileib



Also known as a sprat sandwich. The recipe is simple—dark bread, sprat, boiled egg and some sauce. It might not look attractive, but you can be sure it is delicious.



Traditional desserts

Kama



Kama is one of the most iconic Estonian foods which can be barely found anywhere else in the world. It is a mixture of roasted barley, rye, oat and pea flour, and it is used as an ingredient to make delicious Estonian desserts.

Kohuke



Kohuke is basically freshly pressed sweet curd covered in chocolate or caramel. There are plain as well as flavoured varieties filled with things like berries, chocolate, coconut and kiwifruit. Estonia even has a bread-flavoured kohuke – don’t get this one, it has an acquired taste!

Vastlakukkel



Vastlakukkel is a sweet eaten during Shrove Tuesday, a moving holiday in February. It is made from a wheat bun and is stuffed with delicious whipped cream. Years ago, Vastlakukkel was only eaten as the last festive food before Lent, but today you can purchase it in most of the bakeries throughout the year.

"Kalev" chocolate goodies




Traditional drinks

Kvass




Beer




Vana Tallinn(Liquor)










Interesting facts about Estonia


1.Estonia was the first country in the world to use online political voting.
2.Estonia has two Independence Days. It first achieved independence from the Soviet Union on February 24, 1918 and again on August 20, 1991 after 51 years of occupation. The second date is known as the “Restoration of Independence Day.”
3.Estonia is the least religious country in the world with only 14% of the population claiming any religious beliefs.
4.Almost 50% of Estonia is covered by forest.
5.Out of the nearly 200 countries in the world, Estonia ranks in the second place with a literacy rate of 99.8%.
6.Estonia has the biggest collection of folk songs in the world with written records of 133,000 folk songs.
7.Estonia is also the birthplace of the first Christmas tree.
8.Public transportation in the capital Tallinn is free. Yes, that’s true for the registered residents of the city.
9.Estonia has the highest number of supermodels per capita in the world.
10. Estonia has also been described as one of the most internet-focused countries in Europe.






My 5 words when I hear about Estonia:
#Nature,#Supermodels,#Baltic,#Tallinn,#Folk

What are your 5?





I will end with reminding you that it is the 100 years anniversary of the independence and with a special thanks to Albertti and Vambola Vikat, and a special message from the estonian comunity:








I leave you with a Estonian meme:







Waiting for feedback , comments , opinions and if there is anyone that thinks I missed something , I could do something better or just wants to help me with this project , PM me !

Special thanks to Kariky for the spacers !!




Hope you enjoyed and see you next time!

P.S. Article 39/74!







P.S.2. Don't forget to push the flags !