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FACTS &FIGURES
Estonian population: Estonia`s population ranks amongst the smallest in the world : as 1st of January 2013, just 1
286540 people live in Estonia - a density of only 29.6 people per sq km.
Many of the world’s largest cities have more citizens than all the towns in Estonia put
together.
About 70% of Estonians live in urban areas.
Estonian capital: Tallinn. 32,63% of Estonian population live in the capital city.
Estonian area:
The size of Estonia is 45 227 km2, of which 5% are lakes and 10% are islands.
Forests and woodlands cover almost half of the Estonian territory.
Total area of Estonian fens and bogs is about 140 000ha.
Estonian Nature conservation began in 1910 with the measures taken to protect wild birds on
Vaikla island.
An admirable 18% of the country is afforded protection within nature reserves that vary in
size from the large national parks to the smaller, locally protected reserves. There are five
national parks in Estonia: Vilsandi, Matsalu, Soomaa, Lahemaa and Karula.
ESTONIAN POSITION IN EUROPE
Estonia is a small country on the eastern bank of the Baltic Sea.
Our neighbours are Russia and Latvia, over the Finnish Bay live
our Finnish friends.
Estonia stretches 350 km from east to west and 240 km from
north to south and is larger than Slovenia, Holland, Denmark or
Switzerland.
ESTONIAN CLIMATE
We have four seasons.
In winter the average temperature is -5 ºC and in summer +17
ºC. We are happy to enjoy lot of snow in winter when we can
ski, skate and make snowmen.
In spring and autumn it rains a lot and in summer we swim and
enjoy the hot sun.
ESTONIAN LANDFORMS
In northern Estonia there is also a narrow coastal line which is
lowland. You can see a small mountain-like area in the north-
east. It’s called Pandivere highland and the highest point is 166
metres above sea level.
In the western part of
Estonia we have
mostly lowlands and
fens. There are lot of
protected areas and
Matsalu National Park.
Southern-Estonia is an exotic area for Estonians, because there
are our higher mountains. The tallest of them being 318 metres,
it’s called Suur Munamägi (The Great Egg Mountain ). The area
itself is called Haanja highland.
ESTONIAN ISLANDS
We have 1521 islands in Estonia. The largest of them being
Saaremaa, Hiiumaa, Muhu and Vormsi.
The islands’ lifestyle plays a very important
role in our history and islands are usually the
first choice for Estonians’ summer
vacations.
ESTONIAN WETLANDS
Over 22 % of our country is filled with wetlands. We are
proud to have 9836 fens. That is more than twice the
number of villages in Estonia.
PEATLANDS
Peatlands are typical habitats in Estonia and occupy
approximately one quarter of the territory. All today`s
Estonian peatlands were formed after the last iceage. For
humans, bog trails provide a thrilling nature experience
with their quietness and solitude.
Many birds such as Golden Plover, Whimbrel, Great Grey
Shrike and Parrot Crossbill nest in Estonian bogs. Bogs
also provide habitat for large carnivores and a selection of
dragonflies and butterflies that are extremely rare in
Europe.
ESTONIAN LAKES
There are nearly 1,200 lakes in Estonia, 1000 of them are natural lakes and 200 are artifical
lakes.
Estonia has 2 big lakes: Peipsi-Pihkva (3555 km2 , average of depth 7,1m) and Võrtsjärv
(270,7 km², average of depth 2,8m.). Estonia has only 46 lakes that are deeper than 15m, and
as a matter of fact, they all are in South-Estonia.
The majority of Estonian lakes are small and shallow. Half of them are smaller than 3
hectares.
Estonian lakes are mixing water two times a year, in spring - usually in April-May and in
October-November in the autumn, when the whole water column is at 4 ° C. In some lakes
(eg Verevi) spring water does not mix, but only mixes in the autumn, but this is not the case
every year. In summer, the temperature of the water layers can be quite different. Large and
shallow lakes are open to the winds (eg Lake, Võrtsjärv Vagula, Ermistu) and the water
temperature is relatively uniform. Small lakes have a layered surface and the bottom
temperature difference is often 15-20 degrees. Particularly noticable, the temperature in
dark-watered lakes where the surface temperature during the summer months is 20-25 º C,
but at a depth of
3-4 meters can
drop by 10
degrees per
meter.
Lakes in Estonia
ESTONIAN FLORA
Our national flower is the cornflower.
Surprisingly, You can find a lot of wild orchids here.
FORESTS
Over half of Estonia`s territory is covered with natural forests
and for that we are ranked 4th in Europe. The most common tree
in Estonian woods is the Scots Pine followed by birches, Norway
Spruce, alders and Aspen. In addition to the above mentioned we
also see English Oak,European Ash, Mountain Elm and Norway
Maple with undergrowth formed by Hazel, Fly Honeysuckle and
Mountain Currant .
One of the most important and endangered type of forests in
Estonia is Western Taiga. Besides Estonia, Western taiga forests
in Europe can only found in Sweden, Finland, Russia and to a
small extent in Lithuania.
WOODED MEADOWS
Estonian wooded meadows are among the richest plant
communities in the world. For example, in the Western wooded
meadow at Laelatu we have counted 76 different plants in one
square metre.
ALVARS
In Europe alvars can only be found in Estonia and southern
Sweden. An alvar is a biological environment based on a
limestone plain with thin or no soil.
COASTAL MEADOWS
Western Estonian coastal meadows are flat and low and directly
influenced by salty sea water. Our coastal meadows are valuable
resting sites for for numerous species of migratory birds.
FLOODED MEADOWS
Estonia also has great flood communities resulting from a
combination of river floods and human activity. In western
Estonia you will find the Kasari river which has the biggest
floodpain in the country, it is in Matsalu National Park, covering
around 4000 ha. The flood is often called the fifth season there.
Flooded meadows are important feeding and nesting habitats for
such interesting birds as Ruff, Great Snipe, Lesser Spotted eagles
and Black Stork.
ESTONIAN FAUNA
Estonian forests are renowned in Europe for their healthy populations of
mammals with around 700-800 Lynx, over 150 Wolves, 500-600 Brown Bears
and almost 20 000 Beavers – a tremendous number for such a
small country.
In Estonia several European rarities have been recorded – the
most endangered examples being the European Mink, several
species of dormouse and the Flying Squirrel.
In addition to the native residents three species have been ontroduced outside the
country :
The Raccoon Dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), the American Mink and the
Muskrat.
The Population of Elk is
estimated at 12 000 and Wild
Boars at about 20 000
individuals.
Siberian Flying Squirrel
(Pteromys volans)– is a pride
of Estonian forests – in Europe
they can be found only in
Estonia and Finland.
SEMI-AQUATIC ANIMALS
Estonian forests and woodlands are well-known for their high number of semi-
aquatic mammals. Almost 20 000 European Beavers and 2000 Otters. An
exceptional number for such a small territory.
American Indians called the beaver the „Sacred
Centre“ of the land.
The European Mink is our rarest mammal. Since
1999 a long-term general project has been in
progress to protect the European Mink.
Most animals in our forests are wolf, bear,
moose, fox, rabbit and lot of species of rodents.
When lucky one might even meet a wild cat in
our woods – a lynx.
Wolf Bear Moose
Fox Rodent (beaver)
Rabbit
DID YOU KNOW?
. Estonian flora is comprised of about 1440 species of mosses, 800 species of
lichens and 3000 species of algae.
. 36 species of Orchids have been found in Estonia.
. Hawk Owls are uncommon but regular winter visitors in Estonia.
. Estonia is one of the few countries in Europe where 8 different species of
Woodpeckers live.
. In one national park in Estonia more White - backed Woodpeckers nest than in
the whole of Sweden.
. Compared with Poland, four times as many Ural Owls and six times as many
White-backed Woodpeckers (Dendrocopos leucotos) breed in Estonia.
. The most common grouse of Estonian Forest is the Hazel Grouse (Bonasa
bonasia) with up to 40 000 pairs nesting here.
. In May 1997, in a single day, one million passing arctic waterfowl were counted
at Cape Põõsaspea.
. Great Snipe (Gallinago media) is listed on the first category of protected bird
species in Estonia. Therefore there is only one site for public birdwatching
tourists near Tartu. From May to late June, after sunset, the meadows resound
with the bubbling call of Great Snipes – a breeding species for which Estonia is
internationally important.
. On the 27th May in 2007 during a 24 hour birdwatching race in Estonia, 194
bird species were recorded – it is the best result in Europe after Spain.
. At Kabli Bird Station leg ringing activity was started in 1969.The same kind of
Helgoland trap is still used nowadays to catch the birds.
. Around 10% of the European population of Common Cranes make a stopover
every autumn in West Estonia.
. The breeding population of Common Cranes in Estonia has increased from 300
breeding pairs to 7000 pairs during the last 40 years.
DID YOU KNOW?
. All three large carnivore species in Estonia – Brown Bear, Wolf and Lynx – are
still managed as game animals.
. The Flying Squirrel is the logo of Estonian Fund for Nature.
. The Polish are hoping to relocate Lynxes from Estonia to the Polish Mazuri
region in an effort to restore their presence. The Polish World Wildlife Fund
(WWF) is hoping that Lynx from Estonia will save the Polish local lynx
population.
. European Mink is the most endangered mammal in Europe. The main reason
why they are disappearing is because of the more aggressive American Mink.
Estonia has the major role worldwide in protecting European Mink.