You might have heard of Estonia, but do you know any more than that? Despite being a full member of the European Union, Estonia is often an undiscovered country.
It’s tucked away in the northeast of Europe, wedged between Russia, Latvia, and the Baltic Sea, and is the most northerly of the Baltic States. This hidden gem is full of natural wonders, historical sites, and magical nature.
So let’s explore this humble Baltic country with 15 enchanting facts about Estonia you probably didn’t know!
Estonia is one of the smallest countries in Europe.
Its population stands at only 1.3 million as of 2021, small even on a global scale, and it has an area of only 17,505 square miles (45,339 square kilometers).
While there are certainly smaller nations worldwide, Estonia’s relatively recent independence, combined with its tiny stature, contributes to its lack of awareness among other countries around the world.
Estonia is one of the most digitally advanced societies.
Imagine the simplicity of being able to vote online. What about filing your taxes online with just a few clicks? Or even signing a legal document from the other side of planet Earth!
This is the reality in Estonia, the world’s first e-government.
They aim to create a more efficient and effective society for the citizens with less bureaucracy while adding transparency in essential areas such as healthcare or education.
You can become an e-resident there.
Speaking of their technologically advanced government, they even offer the ability to become an online resident of their country through their e-residency program.
That’s right, with just your computer, you can apply to form a company in the European Union and all the benefits that entails.
It gets seriously cold in Estonia.
In winter, Estonia can experience temperatures around 20.3°F (-6.5°C) and has records showing nights dropping to -45°F (-46.3°C). The ground becomes rock hard, and a layer of ice covers the land.
They have heavy snowfall between January and February, and when it’s cold enough, the sea even freezes!
More than 50% of Estonia is covered in forest.
Not only that, but nearly a quarter of the country consists of protected areas as well, leading Estonia to have the 4th best air quality in the world.
These forests are teeming with wildlife, including lynxes, foxes, rabbits, deer, and even bears!
It is a country rich in nature.
As a country so densely covered in forests, Estonia is a wonderful home to wildlife. Around 65 different species of mammals live in the country’s woodlands.
These include around 250 wolves, 950 brown bears, 12,000 wild boar, 12,000 moose, and about 130,000 wild goats.
Much of Estonia’s symbolism relates to its closeness with nature.
Many symbols from nature represent Estonia, one of which is the Cornflower. This symbol is ingrained so deeply in Estonian roots that its flag includes the color “Cornflower Blue” in its trio alongside black and white.
Other symbols include Baltic Herring, their national fish, and Grey Limestone, their national stone.
You can see their flag in nature itself.
Speaking of Estonian colors, their flag is a horizontal tricolor or blue, black, and white. While black is already an unusual color for a European country’s flag, it gets even better.
Estonia’s nature can represent each color: blue is the sky, black is the earth and trees, and at the bottom of the flag, white is the snow.
While many countries may have similar symbolisms, this can be physically seen throughout the country on a clear winter’s day, as dark trees shed their leaves, appearing black, snow covers the ground, and the bright blue sky shines through!
Northern Europe’s best-preserved medieval city is in Estonia.
Tallinn, Estonia’s capital, was granted city rights by the king of Denmark in the 13th century. Since then, even through multiple wars, the Old Town of this capital city has been incredibly well preserved.
