Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a small country in Northern Europe. Estonia has land borders to the south with Latvia and to the east with Russia. It is separated from Finland in the north by the Gulf of Finland and from Sweden in the west by the Baltic Sea.

Estonia was occupied by the Soviet Union in June 1940. Subsequently, the country was occupied by Nazi Germany from 1941 to 1944. Soviet forces reconquered Estonia in the autumn of 1944. Estonia formally declared independence on August 20, 1991. Estonia joined NATO on 29 March 2004 and the European Union on 1 May 2004. Estonia is now a stable democracy with a rapidly developing economy

An important element in Estonia's post-independence reorientation has been closer ties with the Nordic countries, especially Finland and Sweden. Indeed, Estonians consider themselves a Nordic people rather than Balts, based on their linguistic, cultural and historical ties with Sweden, Denmark and particularly Finland.

Inhabitants: 1,342,409
Area: 45,226km2
Capital: Tallinn (400,911)
Languages: Estonian
Religion: Historically Lutheran
GDP per capita: $21,860
Government: Republic
Climate: Temperate