Aminet 6/Aminet 6 - June 1995.iso/Aminet/docs/misc/wfbook93_texi.lha/texi/74.data

Text File | 1995-03-27 | 11.6 KB | 395 lines

@node Geography (Estonia)
@section Geography (Estonia)

@display

Location:
  Northeastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Sweden and Russia
Map references:
  Arctic Region, Asia, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  45,100 km2
 land area:
  43,200 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly larger than New Hampshire and Vermont combined
 note:
  includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea
Land boundaries:
  total 557 km, Latvia 267 km, Russia 290 km
Coastline:
  1,393 km
Maritime claims:
 territorial sea:
  12 nm
International disputes:
  international small border strips along the northern (Narva) and southern
  (Petseri) sections of eastern border with Russia ceded to Russia in 1945 by
  the Estonian SSR
Climate:
  maritime, wet, moderate winters
Terrain:
  marshy, lowlands
Natural resources:   shale oil, peat, phosphorite, amber
Land use:
 arable land:
  22%
 permanent crops:
  0%
 meadows and pastures:
  11%
 forest and woodland:
  31%
 other:
  36%
Irrigated land:
  110 km2 (1990)
Environment:
  air heavily polluted with sulphur dioxide from oil-shale burning power
  plants in northeast; radioactive wastes dumped in open reservoir in
  Sillamae, a few dozen meters from Baltic Sea; contamination of soil and
  ground water with petroleum products, chemicals at military bases



@end display

@node People (Estonia)
@section People (Estonia)

@display

Population:
  1,608,469 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  0.52% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  14.05 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  12.13 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  3.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  19.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  69.75 years
 male:
  64.75 years
 female:
  74.99 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  2.01 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
 noun:
  Estonian(s)
 adjective:
  Estonian
Ethnic divisions:
  Estonian 61.5%, Russian 30.3%, Ukrainian 3.17%, Belarusian 1.8%, Finn 1.1%,
  other 2.13% (1989)
Religions:
  Lutheran
Languages:   Estonian (official), Latvian, Lithuanian, Russian, other
Literacy:
  age 9-49 can read and write (1970)
 total population:
  100%
 male:
  100%
 female:
  100%
Labor force:
  796,000
 by occupation:
  industry and construction 42%, agriculture and forestry 20%, other 38%
  (1990)



@end display

@node Government (Estonia)
@section Government (Estonia)

@display

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Republic of Estonia
 conventional short form:
  Estonia
 local long form:
  Eesti Vabariik
 local short form:
  Eesti
 former:
  Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic
Digraph:
  EN
Type:
  republic
Capital:
  Tallinn
Administrative divisions:
  none (all districts are under direct republic jurisdiction)
Independence:
  6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Constitution:
  adopted 28 June 1992
Legal system:
  based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts
National holiday:
  Independence Day, 24 February (1918)
Political parties and leaders:
  Popular Front of Estonia (Rahvarinne), NA chairman; Estonian Christian
  Democratic Party, Aivar KALA, chairman; Estonian Christian Democratic Union,
  Illar HALLASTE, chairman; Estonian Heritage Society (EMS), Trivimi VELLISTE,
  chairman; Estonian National Independence Party (ENIP), Lagle PAREK,
  chairman; Estonian Social Democratic Party, Marju LAURISTIN, chairman;
  Estonian Green Party, Tonu OJA; Independent Estonian Communist Party, Vaino
  VALJAS; People's Centrist Party, Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman; Estonian Royalist
  Party (ERP), Kalle KULBOK, chairman; Entrpreneurs' Party (EP), Tiit MADE;
  Estonian Fatherland Party, Mart LAAR, chairman; Safe Home; Moderates;
  Estonian Citizen
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
Elections:
 President:
  last held 20 September 1992; (next to be held NA); results - no candidate
  received majority; newly elected Parliament elected Lennart MERI (NA October
  1992)
 Parliament:
  last held 20 September 1992; (next to be held NA); results - Fatherland 21%,
  Safe Home 14%, Popular Front 13%, Moderates 10%, Estonian National
  Independence Party 8%, Royalists 7%, Estonian Citizen 7%, Estonian
  Entrepreneurs 2%, other 18%; seats - (101 total) Fatherland 29, Safe Home
  18, Popular Front 15, Moderates 12, ENIP 10, Royalists 8, Estonian Citizen
  8, Estonian Entrepreneurs 1
 Congress of Estonia:
  last held March 1990 (next to be held NA); note - Congress of Estonia was a
  quasi-governmental structure which disbanded itself October 1992 after the
  new Parliament and government were installed
Executive branch:
  president, prime minister, cabinet



@end display

@node Government (Estonia 2. usage)
@section Government (Estonia 2. usage)

@display

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament (Riigikogu)
Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court
Leaders:
 Chief of State:
  President Lennart MERI (since NA October 1992)
 Head of Government:
  Prime Minister Mart LAAR (since NA October 1992)
Member of:
  CBSS, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ILO, IMF, IMO, NACC,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU
Diplomatic representation in US:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Toomas Hendrik IIVES
 chancery:
  (temporary) 630 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2415, New York, NY 10111
 telephone:
  [phone]
 consulate general:
  New York
US diplomatic representation:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Robert C. FRASURE
 embassy:
  Kentmanni 20, Tallin EE 0001
 mailing address:
  use embassy street address
 telephone:
  011-[358] (49) 303-182 (cellular)  FAX:
  [358] (49) 306-817 (cellular)
 note:
  dialing to Baltics still requires use of an international operator unless
  you use the cellular phone lines
Flag:
  pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal
  horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white



@end display

@node Economy (Estonia)
@section Economy (Estonia)

@display

Overview:
  As of June 1993 Estonia ranks first among the 15 former Soviet republics in
  moving from its obsolete command economy to a modern market economy. Yet
  serious problems remain. In contrast to the estimated 30% drop in output in
  1992, GDP should grow by a small percent in 1993. Of key importance has been
  the introduction of the kroon in August 1993 and the subsequent reductions
  in inflation to 1%-2% per month. Starting in July 1991, under a new law on
  private ownership, small enterprises, such as retail shops and restaurants,
  were sold to private owners. The auctioning of large-scale enterprises is
  progressing with the proceeds being held in escrow until the prior ownership
  (that is, Estonian or the Commonwealth of Independent States) can be
  established. Estonia ranks first in per capita consumption among the former
  Soviet republics. Agriculture is well developed, especially meat production,
  and provides a surplus for export. Only about one-fifth of the work force is
  in agriculture. The major share of the work force engages in manufacturing
  both capital and consumer goods based on raw materials and intermediate
  products from the other former Soviet republics. These manufactures are of
  high quality by ex-Soviet standards and are exported to the other republics.
  Estonia's mineral resources are limited to major deposits of shale oil (60%
  of the old Soviet total) and phosphorites (400 million tons). Estonia has a
  large, relatively modern port and produces more than half of its own energy
  needs at highly polluting shale oil power plants. It has advantages in the
  transition, not having suffered so long under the Soviet yoke and having
  better chances of developing profitable ties to the Nordic and West European
  countries. Like Latvia, but unlike Lithuania, the large portion of ethnic
  Russians (30%) in the population poses still another difficulty in the
  transition to an independent market economy.
National product:
  GDP $NA
National product real growth rate:
  -30% (1992 est.)
National product per capita:
  $NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1%-2% per month (first quarter 1993)
Unemployment rate:
  3% (March 1993); but large number of underemployed workers
Budget:
  revenues $223 million; expenditures $142 million, including capital
  expenditures of $NA (1992)
Exports:
  $NA
 commodities:   textile 11%, wood products and timber 9%, dairy products 9%
 partners:
  Russia and the other former Soviet republics 50%, West 50% (1992)
Imports:
  $NA
 commodities:
  machinery 45%, oil 13%, chemicals 12%
 partners:
  Finland 15%, Russia 18%
External debt:
  $650 million (end of 1991)
Industrial production:
  growth rate -40% (1992)
Electricity:
  3,700,000 kW capacity; 22,900 million kWh produced, 14,245 kWh per capita
  (1992)



@end display

@node Economy (Estonia 2. usage)
@section Economy (Estonia 2. usage)

@display

Industries:
  accounts for 30% of labor force; oil shale, shipbuilding, phosphates,
  electric motors, excavators, cement, furniture, clothing, textiles, paper,
  shoes, apparel
Agriculture:
  employs 20% of work force; very efficient; net exports of meat, fish, dairy
  products, and potatoes; imports of feedgrains for livestock; fruits and
  vegetables
Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for illicit drugs from Central and Southwest Asia to
  Western Europe; limited illicit opium producer; mostly for domestic
  production
Economic aid:
  US commitments, including Ex-Im (1992), $10 million
Currency:
  1 Estonian kroon (EEK) = 100 NA; (introduced in August 1992)
Exchange rates:
  kroons (EEK) per US$1 - 12 (January 1993)
Fiscal year:
  calendar year



@end display

@node Communications (Estonia)
@section Communications (Estonia)

@display

Railroads:
  1,030 km (includes NA km electrified); does not include industrial lines
  (1990)
Highways:
  30,300 km total (1990); 29,200 km hard surfaced; 1,100 km earth
Inland waterways:
  500 km perennially navigable
Pipelines:
  natural gas 420 km (1992)
Ports:   coastal - Tallinn, Novotallin, Parnu; inland - Narva
Merchant marine:
  68 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 394,501 GRT/526,502 DWT; includes 52
  cargo, 6 roll-on/roll-off, 2 short-sea passenger, 6 bulk, 2 container
Airports:
 total:
  29
 useable:
  18
 with permanent-surface runways:
  11
 with runways over 3,659 m:
  0
 with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
  10
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  8
Telecommunications:
  300,000 telephone subscribers in 1990 with international direct dial service
  available to Finland, Germany, Austria, UK and France; 21 telephone lines
  per 100 persons as of 1991; broadcast stations - 3 TV (provide Estonian
  programs as well as Moscow Ostenkino's first and second programs);
  international traffic is carried to the other former USSR republics by
  landline or microwave and to other countries by leased connection to the
  Moscow international gateway switch via 19 incoming/20 outgoing
  international channels, by the Finnish cellular net, and by an old copper
  submarine cable to Finland soon to be replaced by an undersea fiber optic
  cable system; there is also a new international telephone exchange in
  Tallinn handling 60 channels via Helsinki; 2 analog mobile cellular networks
  with international roaming capability to Scandinavia are operating in major
  cities



@end display

@node Defense Forces (Estonia)
@section Defense Forces (Estonia)

@display

Branches:
  Ground Forces, Maritime Border Guard, National Guard (Kaitseliit), Security
  Forces (internal and border troops)
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 387,733; fit for military service 306,056; reach military
  age (18) annually 11,570 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
  124.4 million kroons, NA% of GDP (forecast for 1993); note - conversion of
  the military budget into US dollars using the current exchange rate could
  produce misleading results



@end display