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Administrative divisions 15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond): Harjumaa (Tallinn), Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide), Jogevamaa (Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere), Parnumaa (Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa (Kuressaare), Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi), Vorumaa (Voru) note: counties have the administrative center name following in parentheses
Administrative divisions > A note counties have the administrative center name following in parentheses
Administrative divisions > Note counties have the administrative center name following in parentheses
Ambassadors from Finland > Current Finnish Ambassadors > Ambassador	Jaakko Kalela
ambassadors to the United States > Ambassador	Juri Luik
Capital city	Tallinn
Capital city > Daylight saving time +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Capital city > Geographic coordinates	59 26 N, 24 43 E
Capital city > Name	Tallinn
Capital city > Time difference UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution	adopted 28 June 1992
Copyright > Reference	Art. 38,
Corruption	6.4		[27th of 160]
Council of EU, 2005 > Country leader	Juhan Parts
Council of EU, 2005 > Country votes	4		[20th of 25]
Council of EU, 2005 > European party of leader EPP
Council of EU, 2006 > Country leader	Andrus Ansip
Council of EU, 2006 > Country votes	4		[20th of 25]
Council of EU, 2006 > European party of leader ELDR
Council of EU, 2007 > Country leader	Andrus Ansip
Council of EU, 2007 > Country votes	4		[23rd of 27]
Council of EU, 2007 > European party of leader ELDR
countries' copyright length > Usual term of copyright protection	50 pma (EU)
date of transition to republican system of government > Republic since	March 15, 1917
Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission Ambassador Stanley Davis PHILLIPS
Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn
Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX	[372] 668-8265
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address use embassy street address
Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone	[372] 668-8100
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery 2131 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission	Ambassador Vaino REINART
Diplomatic representation in the US > Consulate(s) general	New York
Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX	[1] (202) 588-0108
Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone	[1] (202) 588-0101
Elections > Head of state Election by parliament (1.-3. round) / electoral college (4. round)
embassies and high commissions in Ottawa > Address 260 Dalhousie St, Suite 210
embassies and high commissions in Ottawa > Neighbourhood	Byward Market
European Council > Current composition of the European Council > Title	Prime minister
European Parliament constituency > Comparison with member states without constituencies > per Seat	216k
European Parliament constituency > Comparison with member states without constituencies > Seats	6		[24th of 25]
Executive branch > Cabinet Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament
Executive branch > Chief of state President Toomas Hendrik ILVES (since 9 October 2006)
Executive branch > Election results Toomas Hendrik ILVES elected president on 23 September 2006 by a 345-member electoral assembly; ILVES received 174 votes to incumbent Arnold RUUTEL's 162; remaining 9 ballots left blank or invalid
Executive branch > Elections president elected by Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); if a candidate does not secure two-thirds of the votes after three rounds of balloting in the Parliament, then an electoral assembly (made up of Parliament plus members of local governments) elects the president, choosing between the two candidates with the largest percentage of votes; election last held 23 September 2006 (next to be held in the fall of 2011); prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament
Executive branch > Head of government Prime Minister Andrus ANSIP (since 12 April 2005)
Flag description pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white
Flag modification	7		[149th of 197]
Foreign relations > Croatia > Date of Establishment	March 2, 1992
Foreign relations > Nepal > Date of Establishment	April 20, 1992
General government final consumption expenditure > annual % growth	7.48 %		[26th of 147]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$	1,450,763,000 constant 2000 US$		[68th of 145]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$ (per capita)	1,077.753 constant 2000 US$ per c		[24th of 146]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant LCU	24635400000
General government final consumption expenditure > current LCU	30090300000
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$	2,390,396,000 $		[73rd of 169]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per $ GDP)	0.182 $ per $1 of GDP		[47th of 184]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per capita)	1,775.794 $ per capita		[29th of 184]
Government type	parliamentary republic
Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom	Nigel Haywood
Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom > Resident Heads of Missions > Type	Embassy
Independence 20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Independence Day > Date	February 24
International organization participation Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)
Legal system based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Legislative branch unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Legislative branch > Election results percent of vote by party - Estonian Reform Party 27.8%, Center Party of Estonia 26.1%, Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica 17.9%, Social Democratic Party 10.6%, Estonian Greens 7.1%, Estonian People's Union 7.1%, other 5%; seats by party - Estonian Reform Party 31, Center Party 29, Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica 19, Social Democratic Party 10, Estonian Greens 6, Estonian People's Union 6
Legislative branch > Elections last held 4 March 2007 (next to be held in March 2011)
Management time dealing with officials > % of management time	2.29 %		[34th of 38]
National holiday Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia; 20 August 1991 was the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union
Parties in the Council of the European Union > leaders > European > party ELDR
Parties in the Council of the European Union > leaders > Leader	Andrus Ansip
Parties in the Council of the European Union > leaders > Votes	4		[23rd of 27]
Policy uncertainty > % of managers surveyed ranking this as a major business constraint	5.12 %		[37th of 38]
political parties > Multi party	•
Political parties and leaders Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR]; Estonian Greens (Rohelised) [Marek STRANDBERG]; Estonian People's Union (Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN]; Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) [Andrus ANSIP]; Estonian United Russian People's Party or EUVRP [Yevgeniy TOMBERG]; Social Democratic Party (formerly People's Party Moodukad or Moderates) [Ivari PADAR]; Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica (Isamaa je Res Publica Liit) [Mart LAAR]
Political pressure groups and leaders Nochnoy Dozor/Night Watch anti-fascist movement (leader Alexander KOROBOV)
Post-Soviet states > Political problems > Government and Tax > Average	76.26		[1st of 15]
Prime minister	Andrus Ansip
Procedures to build a warehouse > number	13		[136th of 168]
Procedures to build a warehouse > number (per capita)	8.915 per 1 million people		[37th of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number	25		[131st of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number (per capita)	18.572 per 1 million people		[36th of 171]
Procedures to register property > number	3		[159th of 167]
Procedures to register property > number (per capita)	2,228.661 per 1 billion people		[43rd of 167]
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament > %	18.8 %		[64th of 174]
Stabilisation and Association process > Croatia	entered the EU later
Stabilisation and Association process > Stabilisation and Association process > Republic of > Macedonia	entered the EU later
Start-up procedures to register a business > number	6		[150th of 171]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number (per capita)	4.457 per 1 million people		[41st of 171]
Status democracy
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens
Time required to build a warehouse > days	117 days		[141st of 168]
Time required to enforce a contract > days	275 days		[146th of 171]
Time required to register property > days	51 days		[80th of 167]
Time required to start a business > days	35 days		[83rd of 171]
Time to prepare and pay taxes > hours	104 hours		[149th of 169]
Time to resolve insolvency > years	3 years		[67th of 151]
Total businesses registered > number	86,816		[49th of 71]
Total businesses registered > number (per capita)	64.141 per 1 million people		[22nd of 83]
Trademarks, nonresidents	583		[39th of 99]
Trademarks, nonresidents (per capita)	0.432 per 1 million people		[13th of 146]
Trademarks, residents	1,241		[36th of 98]
Trademarks, residents (per capita)	0.92 per 1 million people		[9th of 142]
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International Russia recalled its signature to the 1996 technical border agreement with Estonia in 2005, rather than concede to Estonia's appending prepared a unilateral declaration referencing Soviet occupation and territorial losses; Russia demands better accommodation of Russian-speaking population in Estonia; Estonian citizen groups continue to press for realignment of the boundary based on the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty that would bring the now divided ethnic Setu people and parts of the Narva region within Estonia; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Estonia must implement the strict Schengen border rules with Russia
UN membership date	17 Sep. 1991
United Nations mission http://spunk.vm.ee/euro/english/speeches.html http://www.vm.ee/eng
Washington, D.C. embassies > Neighborhood	Embassy Row

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