Welcome to Estonia. SECTOR Study Tour for Belarussian and Moldovan Environmental CSOs August 9 16, 2014

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1 Welcome to Estonia SECTOR Study Tour for Belarussian and Moldovan Environmental CSOs August 9 16, 2014

2 Place Area: km km of sea boarder km of land boarder 1521 islands, largest islands are Saaremaa, Hiiumaa and Muhu 1000 lakes, largest is the border lake Peipsi 1700 rivers and streams Forests cover 55% of the country Marshlands cover 22% of the territory Highest hill: Suur Munamägi (Great Egg Hill), 318 m

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4 Facts and figures Longest day: 18 hours and 40 minutes of sunshine Shortest day: 6 hours and 4 minutes of twilight Warmest temperature: +35, coldest: -40 Barn Swallow, the national bird lives half a year in Egypt According to WHO global air quality ranking Estonia enjoys the cleanest air in the world

5 Facts and figures Longest ice road in Europe: 40 km between the mainland and Hiiumaa island No, we don t have polar bears but we have approx. 600 brown bears, 1000 lynx, elks... Nearest capitals: Helsinki (85 km), Riga (310 km), Stockholm (375 km) Distance from Tallinn to Minsk: 790 km Distance from Tallinn to Chisinau: 177o km

6 People Population: million Population density: 31 inhabitants per km 2 Urban population: 68% Largest ethnic groups: Estonians (69%), Russians (24%), Ukrainians (1.7%), Finns (1%) Belarusians live in Estonia, 6 cultural or other type of associations 502 Moldovans live in Estonia. Existing Estonian Moldova Association, dance group Bucuria and tavern

7 Moldova village in Eastern Estonia

8 Language Estonian language belongs to the Finno-Ugric language family and is closely related to Finnish - No articles, no gender, no future tense - 14 cases - Many vowels Kuuuurijate töööö jäääärel Sõida tasa üle silla

9 Story We arrived to the Baltic sea 5000 years ago from Urals and assimilated the people who were living here before us Our ancient religion and folklore has been influenced by Kaali meteorite which fell to Saaremaa island about 3500 years ago c Viking Age in Northern Europe

10 1154 Estonia (Astlanda) on the world map End of 12th century Part of Holy Roman Empire The northern part of Estonia belongs to Denmark 13th 14th centuries Costal Swedes inhabited the islands and the western coast 1525 The first known book printed in the Estonian language The beginning of the "age of three kings" of Denmark, Sweden and Poland 1625 South Estonia came under Swedish rule 1632 A university was opened in Tartu

11 1710 The Estonian authorities surrendered to the Russian tsar Mid-19th century end of 19th century The age of Estonian's "national awakening" 1869 The first national song festival in Tartu Estonia declared itself an independent democratic republic The Estonian War of Independence against Russia First Estonian Republic The First World War and collapse of the Russian Empire

12 Soviet Union occupied Estonia 1941, 1945, 1949 Mass deportations in the Baltic states Estonians were deported to Siberia people escaped to the West 1944 Exile government was formed in Sweden

13 Singing Revolution 1987 Beginning of the "Singing Revolution The "Baltic Way The restoration of the independence of the Republic of Estonia

14 Song and dance festivals Let us listen!

15 Music Composers Arvo Pärt and Erki-Sven Tüür Conductor Neeme Järvi Choirs Jazz Festivals

16 Religion Second Most secular country in Europe The Lutheran Church is the majority church Estonian Council of Churches as a platform for Churches working together

17 E-State Most highly-developed ID card system in the world, providing access to a range of online services, complimented by a Mobile-ID solution Ranks no 2 on Internet freedom (Freedom house, 2013) Fast and free WiFi almost everywhere E-tax declarations within 3 minutes E-recipes, E-school, E-elections Highest no of start-ups per capital Skype was developed here European Union IT Agency operates in Tallinn

18 Head of the State President Toomas Hendrik Ilves Elected for a second term by the Parliament on August 29, 2011 Civil society patron Listed among 5 titans on democracy developments in 2012, representing Estonia as the most technologically advanced democracy on Earth.

19 Cooperation between Estonia and Moldova and Belarus eceap.eu/en The Ministry of Foreign affairs vm.ee/en/taxonomy/term/55

20 A few things about Tallinn 1248 Tallinn received the city rights End of the 13th century Tallinn joined the Hanseatic League 1265 Tallinn got the coining right 1441 The world s first Christmas tree in the Old Town Square 1422 The Europe s oldest operating pharmacy was founded in the Old Town Square Vana Toomas the official guardian of Tallinn