|
|
| Location | Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia | | | Geographic coordinates | 59 00 N, 26 00 E | | | Zone | Europe | | | Area | total: 45,226 sq km land: 43,211 sq km water: 2,015 sq km note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea | | | Land boundaries | total: 633 km border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km | | | Coastline | 3,794 km | | | Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states | | | Climate | maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers | | | Terrain | marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south | | | Elevation extremes | lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m | | | Natural resources | oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud | | | Irrigated land | 3,794 km | | | Natural hazards | sometimes flooding occurs in the spring | | Environment - current issues | air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted to the air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 80% less than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to water bodies in 2000 was one twentieth the level of 1980; in connection with the start-up of new water purification plants, the pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations | | Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | | | Geography - note | the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands | |
|