Population 1 January 1999 Harju county Persons Share of total *EU15:1997

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1 ESTONIA HARJU COUNTY Population density Land use Harju EU15* Number of weekly flights (11/1999) to (persons/km ) (%) county Nordic countries 103 Farm lands Transition countries 40 Wooded areas of which: other Baltic States 25 Total area (km ) Other uses Other European destinations 17 *EU15:1997 Harju county is located on the northern coast of Estonia along the Gulf of Finland. The length of the coastline is approximately 320 km and includes several peninsulas. Harju county has a number of islands, such as Naissaar, Prangli and Aegna close to Tallinn and the Pakri islands close to Paldiski. Most of Harju county is located on the flat north Estonian plateau. The Baltic limestone bluff runs parallel to the sea giving a varying character to the landscape. Thanks to the large forests in the western and southeastern parts of the county, the share of wooded land in Harju county is above the Estonian average. Harjumaa is among the counties with the least arable land in Estonia. Harju is the second largest county in Estonia in terms of area (4,333 km²), only Pärnumaa is larger, but Harjumaa has the highest population density. The county can be considered as comprised of the capital city Tallinn and its close hinterland, especially since the mobility of the commuting workforce has increased in the last decades. Formerly the area of Harju county was significantly larger than it is today, and covered major part of the present Rapla county, which became a separate county as recently as Population 1 January 1999 Harju county Persons Share of total Total population % Urban population % Rural population % Ethnic Estonians* % Other ethnicity* % Five biggest towns Tallinn Maardu Keila Saue Paldiski * Approximately 1/3 of Estonia s population lives in Harju county, and 85% of them in towns. 68 Nordregio

2 Population 1998 Harju county Estonia EU15 Population density (inhabitants/km ) Age groups in % of total: under 20 years years and over Although lying only slightly above the EU average, Harju county is the most densely populated region in Estonia. Tallinn developed into a trade centre in the 9 th -10 th centuries, as the east-west trade route passing through the Gulf of Finland grew in importance. An international trading site developed on the territory of the present Tallinn Old Town, where foreign merchants settled and lived for lengthy periods. Tallinn was first mentioned in written history on a map drawn by the famous Arab geographer Al-Idrisi in 1154, when it was named as Kolõvan. The fleet of the Danish King Waldemar II landed at Tallinn in 1219 and a town was built under Toompea hill, the former Estonian stronghold, which had been further fortified by the conquerors. The citizens of the town were largely of German origin and many of them moved to Estonia from Gotland. Tallinn (Reval) was granted a city s freedom (the Lübeck rights) in The Danes controlled Harju county until 1346, when it was sold to the Teutonic Knights. Medieval Tallinn was a member of the Hanseatic league with its heyday lasting from the second half of the 14 th century until the first half of the 16 th century. In 1561, Tallinn and HARJU Population by age group and sex in % of total; 1 January 1999 WOMEN EU15 MEN Harju county came under Swedish rule. Tallinn continued to function as a provincial centre of the Swedish kingdom and wealthy town until 1710, when Russian emperor Peter the Great captured it by war. After this the town acquired the additional function having its port serve as a naval base. The building of the Tallinn-St. Petersburg railway in 1870 ushered in a new stage of development during which the city grew rapidly. Large Annual population change per 1000 persons ( ) HARJU COUNTY Resident population 1 January Harju county industrial enterprises and shipyards were established in the beginning of the 20 th century. During the period of the independent republic of Estonia ( ) Tallinn developed into a capital city with the latter s typical administrative and cultural functions. The city suffered from heavy damage under the Second World War, when it was occupied by first German and then Soviet forces. Tallinn was heavily bombed in Many Tallinn residents emigrated. The post-war (as well as pre-war) Soviet repressions had a strong impact on Tallinn, since a large share of the country s former elite, its prosperous middle class and intellectuals, lived in the capital. Under Soviet rule, Tallinn lost its contacts with the western world. Forced industrialisation after the war Natural change Net migration Population change There are few families with young children (0-4 years) in Harju county. Nordregio The significant emigration and out-migration of the early 1990s has diminished in Harju county. 69

3 resulted in a demand of extra labour, which came predominantly from Russia. Yet most of the large enterprises in Tallinn played a peripheral role in the Soviet industrial system. The significance of military industry and modern industries in general was lower in Tallinn than in e.g. Riga Employment change (Index 1992=100) Harju Estonia EU15 A rapid and profound structural change took place in Tallinn s economy with Estonia s turn towards market economy and with the restoration of independence in The previously over-industrialised city changed in a few years into a predominantly service-oriented economy and has become a modern city with a wide international network. The development of IT has been very rapid. For example, the Internet is used by 21% of Estonia population (placing it in 6 th position among European countries). Tallinn as the capital naturally plays a key role in that development. The capital region has been involved in several bilateral and international co-operation projects financed by the EU or its Member States e.g. Helsinki-Tallinn Euregio, Via Baltica Spatial Development Zone, and the Baltic Palette through which economic as well as cultural, educational and other co-operation is being developed. Numerous international companies as well as organisations and projects have their representatives in Tallinn. Nowadays there are 19 rural municipalities and seven cities in Harju county: Tallinn, Kehra, Keila, Loksa, Maardu, Paldiski, Saue. The town of Maardu with 16,200 inhabitants grew up around a phosphate mining and processing centre. After phosphate production came to an end, two large enterprises have dominated it: the Muuga Port and the Iru Thermal Power Employment in Harju county has developed as in Estonia in general. Station. Keila (10,000 inhabitants) grew into a town after the opening of the St. Petersburg-Tallinn-Paldiski railway line in The town Paldiski was an Imperial Russian naval port, established in the second half of the 18 th century. It has been a military city for most of its history. The population of the town (3,900 inhabitants) decreased markedly after the restoration of Estonia s independence, due to the departure of the Russian military and their dependants. The prospects of the town are primarily connected with port economy, but currently with civilian commercial activities (export-oriented port). Loksa with 3,900 inhabitants developed at the site of a brick factory and later became a port with ship repair docks, which still operate. Kehra with 3,700 inhabitants is a single- Labour market (Labour Force Survey data) Harju county Labour Employed Unemployed force % (4 700) Women and youth unemployment rate 1998 (Labour force survey data) Harju Estonia EU15 county Total Women Youth under Males Females ( ) = uncertain data The unemployment rate in Harju county has been fairly stable the last five years. Harju county does not differ significantly from the Estonian average in terms of female and youth unemployment. 70 Nordregio

4 Share of total No. of enterprises Share of total No. of enterprises Share of total No. of enterprises Size class by No. of employees Enterprises by size class 1998 (December) Harju Estonia EU15* Tourism: 1994, 1996, 1998 Harju county Number of visitors per 100 inhabitants Guest nights per 100 inhabitants % % - 93% % % - 6% % % - 1% % 181 1% - 0.2% Total % % - 100% Enterprises per 100 inhabitants *1996 Harju is the county with most enterprises per capita in Estonia International Domestic Harju county, and especially Tallinn, is by far the prime target for foreign visitors to Estonia. enterprise settlement, which grew up around a cellulose plant established in the 1930s. The town Saue, with 5,000, inhabitants is mainly a residential town near Tallinn with some enterprises- e.g. the Finnish coffee and spices producer Paulig Baltic. Economic indicators Harju Estonia EU15 county GDP per capita in PPS 1996 (index EU15=100) Employed by sector 1998** Primary production 3% 10% 5% Manufacturing 30% 33% 29% Services 68% 57% 65% *EU15: 1997 Harju has the highest GDP/capita of all the Baltic regions and also the largest service sector of Estonia. Nordregio All the main transport arteries of Estonia meet in Tallinn or nearby, therefore the area can be considered to have the greatest logistical potential in Estonia. The entire road network of Harju county has a radial pattern, which ensures good communications with the capital city. The several ports play a major role in the development of the capital region. Muuga Harbour near Tallinn is one of the biggest transit shipping complexes in the Baltic, with oil products its most prominent shipment goods. The port is second only to Ventspils among the Baltic Sea ports in terms of trade volume. Several other ports are also located close to the city of Tallinn, in Viimsi in the immediate vicinity of the city and in Paldiski, to the west. The reconstructed Tallinn airport was reopened late in 1999, significantly improving the transport contacts vital for the development of foreign trade. Ferry connections between Tallinn and Helsinki have been steadily increasing during the 1990s. By 1998 Tallinn was, with nearly 6 million passengers, the 5 th -largest Baltic passenger port. It is difficult to compare Harju county s population with that of the other Estonian counties, since it includes the national capital Tallinn with its 412,000 residents. Therefore the county s population is significantly greater than the other Estonian counties 555,000, or 37% of the entire population of Estonia. Yet its population is smaller than that of the capital regions of the other Baltic states, and the county of Kaunas in Lithuania. Almost 90% of Harju county s population is concentrated in Tallinn and its surrounding municipalities, although this area forms only 30% of the county s territory. The process of population concentration in and around the capital is likely to continue. The population of Tallinn city region has nevertheless decreased somewhat during the 1990s, but in Harju county excluding Tallinn population began to increase in the second half of the decade. Only 54% of the inhabitants in Harju county are ethnic Estonians. The general population decline occurred mainly among non-estonian inhabitants in the beginning of the 1990s. Because of a low birth rate among the urban population, the decrease is likely to continue. The share of children 15 years and under is 17%, which is the lowest figure in Estonia and the third-lowest among all 51 Baltic regions - only Riga and Ludza in 71

5 Latvia have fewer children. The share of the elderly is also low, reflecting the concentration of working population in the region. The educational level of the Harju county population is high as compared to the national average: 40% of residents have tertiary level education. On the one hand, this is the result of the concentration of higherqualification jobs in the capital region but, on the other hand, also of the large number of universities and research institutions found here. There are 33 vocational and college type schools in Tallinn and Harju county, and more than 13,000 pupils study in these institutions. There are 23 universities with a total of ca. 25,000 students, 4 of them public universities: the Tallinn Technical University, Tallinn Pedagogical University, Estonian Academy of the Arts and the Estonian Musical Academy. The most attractive private universities are Concordia International University, the Estonian Institute for Humanities and the Estonian Business School. Nearly 2/3 of all students studying in the tertiary level institutions of Estonia live in the capital region. Besides its universities, Tallinn also houses several important Estonian research centres. Five science societies of the Estonian Academy of Sciences are located here, as are dozens of research institutes and centres which cooperate closely with the Estonian universities and similar institutions in a number of foreign countries. The Foundation TTU Innovation Centre and TTU Development Centre EAK operate at the Technical University and Mustamäe Technology Park is under development. The county s labour force participation rate is the highest in Estonia more than 68%. The unemployment rate in Harjumaa is lower than in Estonia as a whole. Unemployment is higher among the non-estonians (ca. 16%), who are frequently hampered by limited knowledge of the Estonian language, which is essential in many professions and studies. In Harju county, Tallinn excluded, a relatively high proportion, 43%, of the employed people do not work in their home municipalities but commute to work instead. The general living standard in the region is the highest in Estonia and the average salary is EEK 1,000 (EUR 60) above than the national average. Most of the government institutions are concentrated in Tallinn as the capital city; therefore the public sector employs approximately 58,800 persons (entire Harjumaa 75,500). The importance of the capital region in Estonia s economy is overwhelming. Tallinn is seen as a gateway, whose development has great impact on EDUCATION IN HARJU COUNTY SCHOOL YEAR 1998/1999 Number University level education of students Tallinn Technical University Tallinn Pedagogical University Estonian Business School Concordia international University Institute of Law 698 Estonian Academy of Arts 594 Estonian Academy of Music 463 Estonian Institute of Humanities 352 Tallinn Baccalaureate Private College 286 Theological Seminary of EELC 9 Eurouniversity 7 Total Non-university tertiary level education Tertiary level institutions Higher education institutions: Estonian Academy of Arts 45 Tallinn Pedagogical University 1188 Tallinn Technical University 1029 Estonian Business School 293 Eurouniversity 249 Tallinn Baccalaureate Private College 195 Estonian Maritime Academy 695 Estonian Public Service Academy 857 Academy of Estonian Defence Forces 85 Tallinn Institute of Technology 673 Audentes Business School 548 Estonian-American Business College 919 Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary 59 Studium Primum 615 Mainor School of Economics 321 Institute of Economic Law and Politics 237 Private Higher School of Social Sciences "Veritas" 609 University of Social Sciences "LEX" 374 Tallinn Pedagogical College 594 Tallinn Medical School 622 Total the development of the whole state. This is particularly clear in the distribution of foreign investments. Approximately 80-90% of all foreign investments in Estonia, a total of $2.44 billion, have been made in Harju county and most in Tallinn. The largest single investments were made several years ago by Swed- 72 Nordregio

6 ish banks in Estonian banking and by Finnish and Swedish investors in the Estonian telecom sector. The significance of the primary sector in Harju county is the lowest in Estonia. Only 3% of the employed are involved in the sector. During the Soviet period agriculture in Harju county was concentrated on vegetable growing and poultry breeding due to the closeness of the capital city market. Nowadays production is more varied and operated on a smaller scale. Approximately 30% of the employed are involved in the manufacturing industry, besides Tallinn mainly in towns and settlements like Maardu, Keila, Kehra and Loksa. The share of food processing, textile production, engineering and electronics is high among the manufacturing industries. The latter two produce mainly for export. Elcoteq Tallinn AS, a member of the Nordic telecommunication cluster, is the most important communication equipment producer in Estonia. The food processing industry is mainly oriented at the domestic market, but major enterprises have in most cases foreign partners, frequently from the Nordic countries. Enterprises like the Saku Brewery, bakery AS Leibur and producer of spices Paulig Baltic are typical examples. Textile companies, like AS Baltika and AS Klementi, sell about 2/3 of their production to foreign markets. Mechanical engineering, electronics and textiles are the manufacturing sectors that have expanded most rapidly during the latter part of the 1990s. The largest enterprises in Harju county can be found in the manufacturing and service sectors. The county s five largest commercial employers are the telecommunication company Eesti Telefon AS, with 3,270 employees, Elcoteq Tallinn AS, with 2,500 employees, financial institution Hansapank with 1,920 employees, maritime transport company Eesti Merelaevandus AS, having 1,570 workers and furniture manufacturer AS TVMK with 1,290 workers. As the result of a rapid and profound structural change which the capital region economy underwent in the 1990s, the share of the work force employed in the service sector is nowadays nearly 70%. Therefore, this area has the greatest share of services workers in Estonia and in the Baltic states as a whole, together with the Riga region. Tourism is certainly a very important sector of the economy in Tallinn. In 1999, a total of 3.18 million foreign tourists visited Estonia, with 30% of them overnight guests. According to World Tourism Organisation statistics, the increase in the number of tourists staying overnight in Estonia during 1999 was the largest in Europe. Most of the foreign tourists arrive in the country in Tallinn and the majority will not travel beyond the city. Finns constitute the largest group of foreign tourists. Tallinn s greatest attraction is its beautiful medieval old town, which is included on the World Heritage List of sites. Numerous cultural events also attract visitors, primarily the annual Old Town Days festival and several international festivals (e.g. the Baroque music festival, Jazzkaar), as do the museums, galleries and theatres. The favourable location of the passenger harbour and airport close to the city centre, the presence of numerous conference centres and high quality services and accommodation facilities have raised Tallinn s popularity as a city of conference tourism. Presently a modern leisure centre, including a sports and concert hall seating 10,000, at the popular seaside recreation area Rocca-al-Mare as well as a football stadium with 5,000 seats are under construction. Harju county can also offer picturesque manor houses as tourist attractions. A small part of Estonia s largest nature protection area the Lahemaa National Park which covers a total of 30,264 ha, is included in the eastern part of the county. Harju county also has a considerable maritime tourism potential with numerous ports and small islands. Already it registers almost 2/3 of all yacht visits to Estonian ports. Nordregio 73