Estonia and Latvia

By Noah McMullan and Ryan Likens

Physical Geography of Estonia

Landforms of EstoniaHarju-Viru limestone plateau: Is considered a less geologically uniform. It is an exposure area of Ordovician and Silurian limestone.

West-Estonian Lowlands: West Estonian lowlands are low and flat area encompassing approximately one-fifth of the territory of Estonia.

West Estonian Archipelago: The parts of this island are Tallin, the capital, North Estonia, South Estonia, West Estonia.

Harju-Viru limestone plateau

Water in Estonia

The Baltic Sea: The Baltic Sea has two parts. The Gulf of Riga and The Gulf of Finland. The width of the national territorial waters is about 12 nautical miles.

Lake Peipsi: Lake Peipsi is the 5th largest lake in Europe with a total of 3555 square km. Lake Peipsi actually has 3 parts, Lake Peipsi, Lake Pihkva, and deep Lake Lämmijärv.

The Narva River: The Narva River is the largest river in Estonia; two thirds of its catchment area is located at the territory of Russia. The Narva river is 77 km long, of this, 30 km has been damned by the Narva River Reservoir.

The Narva River

The Baltic Sea

Climate and Weather

The Estonian climate and weather is temperate and mild, characterized by warm summers and fairly severe winters. The weather is often breezy and humid due to the proximity of the Baltic Sea. Seasons in Estonia vary widely.

Plants, Animals, and Resources

Plants: The Lily, Iris, Orchid, Red Helleborine, Ivy, Blackthorn, Arctic bramble, Hawaii Plumeria Flowers, Lily of the Valley, Cornflower, Algae, Lichens, Raspberry, Red deadnettle, White clover, Buttercup and Ox-Eyed Daisy are some of the popular flowers grown on the land of Estonia.

Animals: Estonian animals include 10 different types of rodents, 2 types of bats, 2 types of hares, 2 types of dolphins and whales, 12 types of carnivores, which includes bears, wolverines, seal, etc. Also there are deer, elk, and wild boars.

Resources: Natural Resources: Oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud.

Size and Borders

SizeEstonia is about the size of West Virginia. Estonia is 45,227 km², and West Virginia is 62,755 km².

Borders

Estonia is bordered by Latvia and Russia.

History

WWIWorld War I began in 1914. In July-August of 1914, first larger mobilization of men and requisition of horses began in Estonia. By the beginning of 1917, about 100,000 men had been drafted to the Russian Army, more than 10% of those died. On February 19, 1918, the German invaded the mainland in Estonia. On February 24, 1918, the German advance and the declaration of the Republic of Estonia. When Central Powers lost the war, Germany started withdrawing their troops from Estonia. After the war, with the Germans leaving, Soviet Russia invaded Estonia, and this was known as the Estonian War of Independence(1918-1920). On February 2, 1920, they signed the Tartu Peace Treaty, and the war ended. The War of Independence cost the Estonian troops about 2,300 men, and about 13,800 were wounded.

WWIIIn World War II(1939-1945) Estonia declared itself neutral, and did not take any defensive measures. The Soviets set up military bases in Estonia. The Soviet Union and the Germans signed a Non-Aggression pact in August 1939. In 1940 the Soviets took over Estonia. On August 6, Estonia was incorporated a union republic into the Soviet Union. In 1941 the population was reduced a lot in Estonia, due to people being arrested and taken to Soviet Prison camps and/or killed, people getting deported, and people having to be resettled. On June 22, 1941, the Germans declared war against the Soviet Union. The people who have successfully avoided the Soviet mobilisation, fought with Germany against the Soviet Union, driving them out of Estonia. When the Soviet Union was forced out of Estonia, the Estonian military units were disbanded by the Germans, and were then under the command of the German Army. Many people managed to escape to Finland. The German occupation in Estonia lasted from 1941-1944. The Soviets recovered, and invaded Estonia in February, 1944. The Germans didn’t want to give up Estonia but they eventually retreated. In Autumn, 1944, about 70,000 Estonians fled from Estonia to Germany, and Sweden. Upon arrival, they were immediately installed in refugee camps.

WWII Part 2Immediately after conquering Estonia, the Soviet security forces embarked on active suppression of the resistance movement and arrested the Estonians who had served in the German or Finnish armies. In World War II Estonia lost a total of 200,000 people: executed, killed in action, imprisoned, deported, mobilised, forcefully evacuated and those who fled the country. For Estonia, the political consequences of World War II ended with the restoration of independence in 1991 and the Russian troops leaving the country in 1994.

IndependenceEstonia became independent, finally separating from the Soviet Union in 1990-1991.

Culture

Religion: The dominant religion in Estonia is Evangelical Lutheranism. Estonians were Christianized by the Teutonic Knights in the thirteenth century. During the Reformation, Lutheranism spread, and the church was officially established in Estonia in 1686.

Language: The language in Estonia is Estonian.

Music: A common type of music is Folk Music. The older folk songs are called runic songs. And the newer music, rhythmic songs. Some common instruments are the fiddle, zither, concertina, and accordion.

Food: In the fall and winter, soups and stews predominate, with potatoes a staple at most meals. In the spring and summer, fresh tomatoes and cucumbers accompany every meal. Sandwiches are common breakfast fare, and coffee is drunk frequently throughout the day and at social events. In coastal areas, fish is eaten. Many people grow fruits, vegetables, and berries during the summer and can what remains in the fall. Family dinners are infrequent, as both parents usually work. Most families try to share one meal together on the weekend.

Culture: Holidays/TraditionsJan 1, New Year's Day. Feb 24, Independence Day.

Mar 25, Good Friday. Mar 27, Easter Sunday.

May 1, Spring Day. May 15, Whit Sunday.

June 23, Victory Day. Jun 24, St John's Day.

Aug 20, Independence Restoration Day. Dec 24, Christmas Eve.

Dec 25, Christmas Day. Dec 26, 2nd Day of Christmas.

CultureArt: Literature: Nationalism has depended on writing, and Estonians self-identify themselves in fictional works. Early novels mirrored rural hardships in distinctively Estonian settings. In the 1960s, writers began to comment on the lack of cultural and political freedom. Jaan Kross reinvented Estonian cultural heroes in his historical novels.

Graphic Arts: Applied arts, including pottery, ceramics, and textiles, often incorporate national motifs.

Performance Arts: Drama, ballet, and opera have been popular since the nineteenth century. Estonian classical music has gained global recognition through the composers Arvo Pärt, Veljo Tormis, and Eduard Tubin and the conductors Eri Klas and Neeme Järvi.

Culture: Clothes

Population

Population: 1.325 Million(2013)

City or Rural: 68% of Estonia is city life, and 32% is rural.

Population Pyramid

Population Density

Government

FlagThree equal horizontal bands of blue, black, and white; various interpretations are linked to the flag colors; blue represents faith, loyalty, and devotion, while also reminiscent of the sky, sea, and lakes of the country; black symbolizes the soil of the country and the dark past and suffering endured by the Estonian people; white refers to the striving towards enlightenment and virtue, and is the color of birch bark and snow, as well as summer nights illuminated by the midnight sun.

Capital

The Capital of Estonia is Tallinn.

President

The President of Estonia is Kersti Kaljulaid.

Latvia

Landforms and Water of LatviaThe Gaizinkalns is the highest point in latvia and is located in the Vidzemes Highlands in eastern latvia.

The are some low hills in the west and far southeast also a few high hills are found to the east of riga.

And some small lakes and swamps dot the countryside.

Important rivers include the Daugava, Gauja, Lielupe, Venta and Salaca.

Climate of Latvia

The climate of latvia has nice weather in the summer gets pretty cold in the Winter.Latvia experiences reasonably mild weather, beginning in january and ending in March Average temperatures range from 10c, (50f) to 15c and (59f) in Winter and sometimes getting as cold as -6.6c.

Plants , Animals, ResourcesAnimal life: Storks,Deers,Lynx,Amphibians,Wolves

Plant life: Lichen,ferns,Orchids,water chestnut,Mushroom

Resources: Limestone,sand,dolomite,gypsum,clay and peat, oil has been found in the Kurzeme Peninsula and latvia has hydropower plants on the western Dvina River.

The size of Latvia is 24,938 mi2

The country’s that border Latvia are the Lithuania in the south the Baltic Sea the Gulf of Riga in the west Russian in the east and Belarus in the southeast.

Culture of Latvia AKA {mainly food for this slide}

Food The food staples mainly eat rye, wheat, and potatoes. Milk, butter, sour cream, and curd cheese Pork is the most commonly eaten meat. Smoked fish are particularly popular in Rīga and the coastal areas. A huge variety of bread is available in markets and shops.

Latvia’s ReligionLatvia’s religion is Lutheranism is the main christian among ethnic Latvias due to a strong historical link to Nordic countries.

Latvia’s languageThe language of Latvia is Latvian. I know right.

Latvia folk dress

population

Population 1,965,686 ( july 2016 est.)

Density map

government

Latvia’s flagthree horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon; the flag is one of the older banners in the world; a medieval chronicle mentions a red standard with a white stripe being used by Latvian tribes in about 1280

Latvia’s capital Riga

Latvia’s current president is Raimonds Vējonis

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