Topic - Estonia (3)

5 VÄGA HEA

Tallinn English College
Topic
Estonia
Tallinn
2008

Introduction
Estonia is a small country about the size of Switzerland, or New Hampshire and Massachussetts combined. Estonia is named after the people called ”Ests” who lived in the region in the 1st century AD. The Republic of Estonia is one of the three countries commonly known as the ” Baltic States ”. The other Baltic States are Latvia and Lithuania .

Geographical position
Estonia is situated in northeastern Europe . Estonia is bounded on the north by the Gulf of Finland , on the east by Russia , on the south by Latvia and on the west by the Baltic Sea. In the north it borders on Finland. The coastline of the Baltic Sea in Estonia is characterized by numerous gulfs and bays , the biggest of them being the Gulf of Finland, the Gulf of Riga and the Gulf of Pärnu. Bays include the Narva Bay, Matsalu Bay, Kolga Bay, Kunda Bay, Tallinn Bay etc. Estonia has over 1500 islands , the largest being Saaremaa and Hiiumaa , Muhu and Vormsi . Saaremaa and Muhumaa are connected to each other with a bridge . The best -known smalles islands are Naissaar, Aegna, Ruhnu , Kihnu, Väike-Pakri, Suur-Pakri etc.

Relief
Lying in the north- western part of the East-European Plain , Estonia is mostly flat with an average elevation of about 50 metres above sea level. South- eastern and eastern parts of Estonia are higher than the western parts. The relief of the present -day landscape was shaped during the Ice Age. Ice sheet has carried large boulders and limestone blocks here , not to mention that the hilly terrain in Estonia was also shaped by the continental ice and the melting water. The land is rising 25 cm every one hundred years . In folklore , many features of the relief are explained by the activities of giants such as the legendary national hero Kalevipoeg. The Haanja and Otepää Uplands are particularly rich in Hills . It is here that You find Big Egg Hill , the highest point in the Baltic states with 318 metres above sea level.

Land regions
The northern coast features a steep limestone bank, the Baltic glint, which is one of the world’s most important denudations of Ordovician sedimentary rocks. The glint rises to its highest point (56m) at Ontika . Estonia has over 1,500 islands. The largest of them are Saaremaa, Hiiumaa, Muhu and Vormsi. There are over 1,400 lakes in Estonia, biggest being Lake Peipsi and Lake Võrtsjärv, while the deepest is Rõuge Suurjärv. The two longest rivers are the Võhandu and the Pärnu and the widest is Emajõgi. About 50% of the country is covered by forests while wetlands cover 30%. The landscape of Estonia, through covering a small area, is varied and unique . Lake Peipsi is Estonia’s largest lake and Europe’s fourth largest freshwater lake.

Symbols
The flag – The Estonian blue- black and white national flag was originally the flag of the Estonian Students’ Society and was consecrated in Otepää Church in 1884. Today there is a memorial plaque on the church wall commemorating the event. The Flag Museum, opened in an annex in 1996, attracts tourists who take an interest in the history of the flag. After about half a century, during which it was prohibited by the Soviet authorities, the flag was seen again in public for the first time in Tartu in May 1988. 24 February 1989, Estonia, still part of the Soviet Union, hoisted its tricolor on the tower of Pikk Hermann in Tallinn. Since then the flag has always been hoisted with ceremony on that day, which is the national holiday – the anniversary of the republic. According to the Estonian tradition, the national flag is hoisted at sunrise and lowered at sunset – except on June 23, Victory Day, when it is left out for the shortest night of the year , followed by another public holiday, Midsummer Day.
The Estonian national anthem - entitled My Native Land, My Pride and Joy, was composed in 1848 by Friedrich Pacius, a Finn of German descent. The Estonian- language words were written by Johann Voldemar Jannsen . In 1869 it was performed at the first all-Estonian Song Festival in Tartu and gained popularity during the period of the national movement . After World War I the melody became the national anthem of Estonia and Finland. It was officially adopted in Estonia after the War of Independence in 1920. The anthem was banned during Soviet occupation and another song, My Native Land, My Dearest Love by Gustav Ernesaks (words by Lydia Koidula), became an unofficial anthem at that time and enabled the people to express their feelings of national identity.
The Estonian coat of arms - originates from Denmark, which was ruling Northern Estonia at the time. Lions were first used as Estonia’s heraldic emblem in the 13th century when they appeared on the large coat of arms of Tallinn. A similar motif was later used on the coat of arms of the Province of Estonia under Swedish rule – Estonia changed hands but the three lions remained. In 1925 they were adopted officially. The present large coat of arms is a golden shield charged with three blue lions with a golden oak branch on each side. The small coat of arms is identical but without oak branches. Use of the historic coat of arms as the official insignia of the Republic of Estonia was readopted in August 1990.
In addition to the three main state emblems, Estonia has its national flower (the cornflower), its national bird (the barn swallow) and its national stone (limestone). There are a number of other things in Estonia which have symbolic value without any official status: the oak tree, the weather -vane and the Tower of Pikk Hermann in Tallinn, Hermann Castle in Narva, Big Egg Hill in South Estonia, and others .
6. Climate
The climate in Estonia is determined by the country’s location . Climatic differences are due, above all, to the vicinity of the Baltic Sea and the North Atlantic . Thus, summer temperatures are somewhat lower than the average for that latitude, but winter temperatures are considerably warmer. The coldest month is February, the warmest July .
Permanent snow cover becomes established in the southeast at the beginning of December, at the earliest; and by the end of March , the snow can be more than half a metre deep . Apart from the coast and the Western Islands, the snow vover lasts for approximately 100 days : from the beginning of January to the end of March. In mild winters, however , much of Estonia does not have lasting snow cover at all. Because of the influence of the warm Gulf Stream , the prevailing winds in Estonia blow from the southwest and west. Severe weather conditions , such as tempests and whirlwinds, are rare : the last hurricane raged through Estonia in 1969. The high latitude makes the rotation of seasons and the interchange of light and dark periods of the year well pronounced in Estonia – the maximum length of a summer day on the north coast is 18 hours 14 minutes, wheres during the shortest day in winter the sun appears for a mere 6 hours 3 minutes. Moreover, the long twilight time makes the transition between day and night rather smooth and the nights around the Midsummer Day shorter still.

Flora & fauna
Estonia’s plants and animals aren’t represented in great variety. The percent of forests is growing every year and the most common trees are pine , birch , spruce, aspen, oak and alder . Forests offer a habitat to different wild animals. Among 65 species of mammals , the most widespread are the elk, roe deer, wild boar, hare, hedgehog, squirrel, fox and marten . Some endangered species, such as the brown bear , lynx and wolf , are represented in small numbers . Estonia is believed to have 40,000 living species, but only about 23,500 have so far been discovered . Compared to more northern areas , Estonia has one of the richest diversities of flora and fauna. Estonia’s meadows are very rich in different species and the colours of them are absolutely fantastic.

Population
Estonia is one of the most sparsely populated countries in Europe with 29 people per one square mile. The estimated population in 2007 was 1.3 million. From approximately the first to fifth centuries AD, resident farming was established and the population grew. A more troubled and war-ridden middle Iron Age followed with dangers coming both from the Baltic tribes and from overseas. Several Scandinavian sagas refer to Estonian pirates. During the wars under foreign rule, the number of Estonians diminished. At one point the population in the whole country was only half a million. Although wars devastated the country, it recovered quickly and its people with it. Under Soviet rule in the 20th century, many Estonians, Lithuanians and Latvians were deported to the coldest parts of Siberia . Hundreds of thousands of migrants were relocated to Estonia from other parts of the Soviet Union to conduct industrialization and militarization, contributing to an increase in population of about half a million in just 45 years.

Culture
Estonian is the official language of the Republic of Estonia and is spoken by the majority of people in the country. It belongs to the Balto -Finnic group of the Finno -Ugric languages . Standard Estonian is based on the North-Estonian dialect . Estonian language sounds melodious, because 45 per cent of the sounds are vowels . Estonian is quite hard to learn but that is no problem for local inhabitants, because most of Estonians are hard-working and appreciate education. They are also cool and reserved, but also not too eager to open a conversation with a stranger . Estonia has rich culture. Music and dances have always played an important role in people’s life. The most original part of Estonian folklore is the runic folksong. It was based on the alteration of long and short syllables. In different folksongs either men or women sang and the songs were often accompanied by a musical instrument . Today folksongs are often used by modern composers. A major change in Estonian culture occurred during the period of the National Awakening. Choirs and brassbands were founded in every corner of Estonia, it culminated with the 1st Song Festival in 1869. Since then the Song Festivals have taken place every 4-5 years and have certainly helped Estonians maintain their national identity. Tallinn is the seat of the Estonian National Opera . The Chamber Choir of the Estonian Philharmonic Society is also greatly appreciated thanks to the charisma and hard work of its long-time ex-conductor Tõnu Kaljuste and Paul Hillier. Male voice and boys ’ choirs are equally popular . There are also many pop singers and groups such as Koit Toome, Eda- Ines Etti, Vanilla Ninja, Terminaator , Bedwetters and Traffic . In the middle of the 19th century F. R. Kreutzvald published the national epic Kalevipoeg, based on themes from Estonian folklore. Then national art began to develop . The first Estonian born artist, Johann Köler, depicted Estonian peasants and the countryside in his paintings . August Weizenberg was the first Estonian born sculptor. He and Köler are considered to be the founders of Estonian national art. Tallinn and Tartu are the biggest cultural centres . The majority of higher education establishments are also in these towns.

Sports
The first Estonian mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records was a sportsman. In the Olympic Games of 1912, the Finn Alfred Asikainen and the Estonian Martin Klein wrestled for a record 11 hours and 40 minutes. Klein won and ’Russia’ was given as his country of residence. Many Estonian sports heroes have been immortalised in art. For example Amandus Adamson’s bronze sculpture of Georg Lurich. Before independence, Estonians were the best in the whole Russian empire in athletics (16 records out of 29), wrestling and weightlifting. Estonian sport was therefore born before the independent state. Several great figures of national politics , among them the first president Konstantin Päts, belonged to the sports association. It is no surprise that sportsmen have always been held in high regard in Estonia. The most popular fields of sport are light athletics such as basketball, chess , sailing and cycling . Basketball is the most popular ball game in Estonia, and it is this sport that the best results have been achieved. The Estonians are a Northern people and skiing is a part of their lifestyle. Thousands take part in marathons and for this reason , Estonians have always considered themselves a sporting nation , and the sportsmen, our national heroes.

Religion
The Estonians worshipped their own gods and were one of the last European countries to convert to Christianity, some say it may have been as late as the thirteenth century. In the 11th century, the crusaders reached Estonia and it was dedicated to Virgin Mary . The main religion in Estonia is Lutheranism. During an all-European poll in 2005, 16% of Estonians responded that ”they believe there is a god”, whereas 54% answered that ”they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force ” and 26% that ”they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, god, or life force”. According to the survey , it would have made Estonians the most non- religious people in the then 25-member EU.

Economy
Estonia is not rich in mineral resources. The main natural resources are: building materials (such as clay, sand , gravel and dolomite), oil shale , phosphorite and peat. Oil shale is mined in Kohtla-Järve and it is used as fuel in thermal power stations. Peat is also used as fuel. Dolomite is found in Saaremaa. Economy is primarily based on light industry and the service sector i.e. tourism (one of the most popular branches of the economy), banking, trade, textile and sewing industries give work to many people. The most important branches also include machinery and equipment . Paper and timber industries also employ many workers. Paper was first produced in Estonia in 1677 and it has retained its important role. Estonian furniture industry also has a long tradition. The electronics industry is one of the most promising branches in Estonia and the service sector has rapidly expanded. One tenth of the population receives income from agriculture , fishery and forestry . Food industry is largely based on local agriculture, although there has been a decrease in the importance of it lately. The reason is that farmers lack finances to modernize machinery and the increase in labour productivity has been limited. The production of milk and meat products is the main branch. In the countryside people breed dairy cattle , raise pigs and grow grain, potatoes and vegetables. The main crops are rye, oats, barley, wheat , potatoes and fodder crops. Many farms have specialized in vegetable growing. Strawberries are also quite widely grown and there are many apple orchards in Estonia. The soils are more fertile in the central part and poorer on the islands. Estonia’s GDP (gross domestic product) grew rapidly during the second half of the 1990s and the country now has a solid level of formal education. At the same time, the average life expectancy is among the lowest in the European Union. The most important problems for Estonia today are unemployment , poverty and social exclusion.

Biggest cities
The capital of Estonia is Tallinn. The closest major city to Tallinn is the Finnish capital Helsinki , located at a distance of 85 km on the opposite shore of the Gulf of Finland. Riga is only one day's drive away (307 km). It's also a relatively short trip to St Petersburg (395 km) and Stockholm (405 km). Approximately a third of the Estonian nation live in Tallinn and about 67% of the population reside in cities in general. Tallinn, which at one time or another has fallen under Danish, German, Swedish or Czarist Russian rule, has retained more remnants of its past and in a more complete state than most other cities in Europe. Tallinn’s Old Town, belonging to UNESCO ´s World Heritage List, is a magnificent blend of medieval streetscape and modern convenience, with cafes, restaurants, shops and street fairs all easily accessible inside the impressive city walls. You can see, feel and touch history everywhere in this overwhelmingly romantic city. This is also a city that has won worldwide acclaim for its forward -thinking, state-of-the-art services . A thriving nightlife has also sprung up in Tallinn, the centre of economic and cultural activity in the country; it's also a hub for major festivals and concerts throughout the year. Tallinn has also been chosen to be Europe's capital of culture in 2011. The climate in Tallinn is characterized by a fairly cold winter, a cool spring with little precipitation, a moderately warm summer and a long and rainy autumn. Other larger cities: Tartu, Narva, Kohtla-Järve, and Pärnu.

History
People have lived in Estonia since the Stone Age. Various tribes migrated to Estonia and settled in the country after the retreat of the continental glaciers about eleven thousand years ago. The settlement of Estonia is considered to be among the most permanent in the whole of Europe. Estonians resisted the assaults of Vikings , Danes, Swedes and Russians before the 13th century. In 1346, the Danes, who possessed northern Estonia, sold the land to the Teutonic Knights of Germany , who already possessed Livonia ( southern Estonia and northern Latvia). The Teutonic Knights reduced the Estonians to serfdom. The Estonian capital city of Tallinn was founded by Danish and German crusaders and merchants. In the mid-fourteenth century the Danes sold their possessions in North Estonia to the Livonian Order – a religious fraternity of German crusaders. In 1523 Tallinn became a member of the mercantile Hanseatic League . As a result of the long period of wars between Old Livonia, Russia, Sweden , Denmark and Poland , Sweden gained control of Estonia. The times under the Swedish crown between the Livonian War and the Northern War are remembered in Estonian folklore as the Good Old Swedish Times.
Russia conquered Estonia in the Great Northern War (1700-1721). The Russians ruled for two centuries and after WW I, in 1918, Estonia declared its independence. The War of Independence (1918-20) was fought against the Russian Bolsheviks and local Baltic Germans. During the war, Estonia secured its borders and Soviet Russia recognised Estonia’s independence. As a result of the Molotov -Ribbentrop pact , Estonia was occupied by the Soviet Union during WW II, annexing it to the Soviet Union. However, in 1941, the Germans defeated the Soviet Army and occupied Estonia until 1944. Although the country tried to restore its independence, it was incorporated as a Republic of the USSR.
On August 23. 1989, Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians joined their hands to form a 530 km long Baltic Chain connecting the three Baltic capitals. The independence was restored on August 20, 1991. This time is called the Singing Revolution. The last Soviet troops left in 1994. Since regaining independence Estonia has pursued a policy of co- operation with Western Europe. In December 2002, Estonia took part in EU accessing negotiation with nine other countries. The Accession Treaty was signed on 16 April, 2003 with May 1, 2004 the formal entry date . EU enlargement meant the unification of twenty- five countries after over half a century of political division and the ”Cold War” which followed WW II.

Government
Estonia has parliamentary democracy with three branches of power: legislative, executive and judicial . The legislative power is in the hands of parliament , or, as we call it in Estonia: the Riigikogu (or State Assembly ). The parliament consists of 101 seats and members are elected by popular vote to serve four -year terms .
The Government of Estonia or the executive branch is formed by the Prime Minister, nominated by the president and approved by the parliament. The government consists of 12 ministers, including the prime minister himself . The prime minister has the right to appoint other ministers, whom he will assign with a subject to deal with and who will not have a ministry to control, becoming a ’minister without a portfolio ’. The prime minister has the right to appoint a maximum of 3 such ministers, as the limit of ministers in one government is 15.
The supreme judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court or Riigikogus, with 19 justices. The Chief Justice is appointed by the parliament for nine years on nomination by the president.
The official Head of State is the President of Estonia, who gives assent to the laws passed by Riigikogu, also having the right of sending them back and proposing new laws. The president, however, does not use these rights very often, having a largely ceremonial role. He or she is elected by Riigikogu, with two-thirds of the votes required . If the candidate does not gain the amount of votes neded, the right to elect the president goes over to an electoral body , consisting of the 101 members of Riigikogu and representatives from local councils.

Conclusion
Estonians are a people who are very proud of who they are and what they do. The country may be small, but it’s the people who make it what it really is. Estonians have gone through a lot over the past centuries but they have survived all hardships and will be staying there, in their small beloved land, next to the Baltic Sea.

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Tallinn English College English Sergo Vainumäe 9A TALLINN Report Supervisor: Inge Välja Tallinn 2006 Order of contents: 1.Introduction 2.Toompea 3.Lower Town 4.Kadriorg and Pirita 5.Museums 1. Introduction Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, lies on the Baltic Sea. It is on almost the same latitude east St. Petersburg in Russia, Stockholm in Sweden and Stavanger in Norway, and covers 158 sq km. Tallinn was first marked on a map of the world by the Arab geographer al-Idrisi in 1154, its name then being Kolyvan (probably derived from the name Kalev). In the 13th-century Chronicle of Henricus de Lettis the town was called Lyndanise. Later came Reval (presumably after the old county

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