Capital City:

Brief National History:

The smallest and northern-most of the Baltic States, Estonia was a province of Imperial Russia from 1721. Due to its previous history, a significant minority of German descent, the 'Baltic Germans' remained present. Attempts at Russification of the population only stirred growing nationalism.

Following the chaos of the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, Estonia became an independent republic on 24 February 1918. Estonia was soon attacked by the Bolshevik army. Germany occupied Estonia in December 1917 to stop the Russian advance. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk on 3 March 1918 recognised Estonian independence and formally ended the war on the Eastern Front. However, with the German surrender 0n 11 November 1918, German forces were withdrawn from Estonia and the Bolshevik army again invaded on 22 November 1918. The Russians were driven out with British help in January 1919. The USSR finally recognised Estonian independence by the Treaty of Tartu, signed on 2 February 1920. The economic depression of the early 1930s brought unrest and a coup in March 1934, but in 1938 a presidential system of government was established.

Under the 23 August 1939 Russian-German Non-Aggression Pact, the Baltic States were secretly assigned to the Soviet Union. Estonia was occupied on 17 June 1940 by Soviet troops and re-annexed as the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic. Large numbers of Estonians were deported to Siberia, others fled the country or joined resistance groups in the forests.

The territory was 'liberated' by the German Army in 1941 - driving out the Russians, but the Red Army returned in 1944 and many Estonians again fled abroad. A small band of guerrillas fought against the Soviets until 1950.

During the 1960s and 1970s Estonia became the wealthiest republic in the Union, through the development of heavy industry. However, 'Glasnost' and increasing anti-Soviet feeling led in December 1988 to the Estonian Supreme Soviet declaring its sovereignty. Estonian was restored as the official language again.

On March 1990, the Estonian parliament declared the start of a gradual transition to independence, and in May adopted the country's current name. Following heavy-handed tactics by Soviet troops in neighbouring Latvia and Lithuania, Estonian voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum for independence on 3 March 1991. During the Soviet coup of August 1991, the Estonian government declared immediate independence on 20 August 1991. The Soviet Union recognised Estonian independence on 6 September 1991. The last Russian troops were withdrawn by 31 August 1994. Since independence Estonia has developed close ties with Finland, as both countries have shared ethnic and cultural backgrounds. In November 2002 Estonia was invited to become a member of NATO, and it formally joined on 2 April 2004.

Further Information on Estonia:

Military Air Arms:

• Air Force (Eesti Õhuvägi)

Other Central Government Agencies:

• Border Guard (Eesti Piirivalve Lennusalk)