Cruising to EstoniaBackgroundAfter centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940, it regained its freedom in 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with Western Europe. It joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004. GeographyLocation: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of
Finland, between Latvia and Russia Coastline3,794 km Maritime claimsTerritorial sea: 12 nm ClimateMaritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers TerrainMarshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south Elevation extremesLowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m EconomyEstonia, as a new member of the World Trade Organization and the European Union, has transitioned effectively to a modern market economy with strong ties to the West, including the pegging of its currency to the euro. The economy benefits from strong electronics and telecommunications sectors and is greatly influenced by developments in Finland, Sweden, and Germany, three major trading partners. The current account deficit remains high; however, the state budget is essentially in balance, and public debt is low. TransportationAirports: 26 (2005) Waterways500 km (2005) Merchant marineTotal: 35 ships (1000 GRT or over) 267,319 GRT/92,993 DWT Sailing Specifics: Ports and terminalsKopli, Kuivastu, Muuga, Tallinn, Virtsu Other Sailing Destinations in the RegionBelgium - Denmark - Estonia - Finland - Germany - Latvia - Lithuania - Netherlands - Norway - Poland - Russia - Sweden Further Reading |
|