Cruising to Estonia

Background

After 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.

Geography

Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia
Geographic coordinates: 59 00 N, 26 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 45,226 sq km
Land: 43,211 sq km
Water: 2,015 sq km; note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea

Coastline

3,794 km

Maritime claims

Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states

Climate

Maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Terrain

Marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

Elevation extremes

Lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
Highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m

Economy

Estonia, 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.

Transportation

Airports: 26 (2005)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 12
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 14
Heliports: 1 (2005)
Pipelines: gas 859 km (2004)
Railways: total: 958 km
Roadways: total: 56,849 km

Waterways

500 km (2005)

Merchant marine

Total: 35 ships (1000 GRT or over) 267,319 GRT/92,993 DWT
By type: cargo 10, passenger/cargo 23, petroleum tanker 2
Foreign-owned: 4 (Denmark 1, Finland 1, Norway 2)
Registered in other countries: 71 (Antigua and Barbuda 12, The Bahamas 1, Belize 5, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 3, Dominica 8, Georgia 1, Isle of Man 2, Malta 4, Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 1, Panama 3, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 25, Slovakia 1, Vanuatu 1) (2005)

Sailing Specifics: Ports and terminals

Kopli, Kuivastu, Muuga, Tallinn, Virtsu

Other Sailing Destinations in the Region

Belgium - Denmark - Estonia - Finland - Germany - Latvia - Lithuania - Netherlands - Norway - Poland - Russia - Sweden

Further Reading

Back to "vacations"

 


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