Located by the Baltic Sea, Estonia is a small country that many people don’t know much about, but it has a fascinating history. It encompasses more than 17,000 square miles including the mainland and its many islands. These Estonia facts will help you learn more about the unique European country and the rich culture of its people. Read on for some interesting facts about Estonia:
5 Estonia Facts
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- Estonia was the first country to allow online voting. (source) In 2005, Estonia became the first country in the world to allow legally-binding elections. In 2023, more than half of their parliamentary election votes were cast online.
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- There are more than 2,000 islands in Estonia. (source) While many of these islands have no residents, some can still be visited by interested tourists. Saaremaa is the largest island in Estonia at more than 1,000 square miles and has a population of 33,000.
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- Nearly 1 million people speak Estonian as their first language. (source) Estonian is the official language of Estonia, but residents also speak Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Swedish, German, and several other languages.
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- Estonia is ranked as the country with the best internet privacy. (source) Based on factors like data collection, cyberattacks, and anonymous communication restrictions, Estonia came in first in a ranking of internet safety around the world.
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- Estonia is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. (source) Tallinn, which is a 13th century medieval city, and Struve Geodetic Arc, a group of survey triangulations, are both areas of cultural importance on the United Nations’ list of World Heritage Sites.
