Estonians don’t take kindly to their country being described as tiny. Geographically, Estonia is larger than Denmark, Belgium, Holland, Israel and others.

Estonia is distinguished by its over 1000 islands (the other two Baltics have none) and by its winding coastline—which, with its twists and turns, adds up to a surprising 3,794 kilometers. Estonia also has more marshland per square kilometer than anywhere in Europe; bogs cover some 20 percent of the country. Forests cover nearly 40 percent.

Tallinn population: 430,000. Other large cities: Tartu, 105,000; Narva, 80,000; Kohtla-Järve, 70,000; Pärnu, 50,000.
Total territory: 45,227 sq. km, a bit larger than the Netherlands.
Highest Point: Suur Munamägi (Big Egg Mountain) is 318 meters high; this glorified hill in south Estonia is the highest point in the Baltics.

Climate

The climate in Tallinn is characterized by a fairly cold winter, a cool spring with little precipitation, a moderately warm summer and a long and rainy autumn.

However, some summers have weeks at a stretch of temperatures around +30°C and a warm, sunny summer can keep autumn at bay until mid-October.

Average temperature in July +16,7°C, in February -4°C.

Ethnicity

Tallinn's population is registered 400,200 (as of May 2007).

According to information published by the Estonian Foreign Ministry in 2007, the population of Estonia comprised the following self-reported ethnic groups.

Estonians: 922,000 (68.6 %), Russians: 345,000 (25.6%), Ukrainians 28,000 (2.1%), Belarusians: 16,000 (1.2), Finns: 11,163 (0.8%).

Language

Linguistically, Estonian is closely related to the Finnish language. Estonians, as an ethnic group, are a Finnish people. Indigenous Estonian-speaking ethnic Estonians constitute nearly 70% of the total population of about 1.3 million people. Nevertheless, Russian, Finnish, English and German are also understood and widely spoken.

Religion

The largest denomination is Lutheran (30%) followed by Russian Orthodox (28%), and Catholic (3%). However, only about 20% of Estonians practice any religion.

According to the results of the most recent Eurostat "Euro barometer" poll, in 2005 Estonians have been made the most non-religious people in the then 25-member European Union. Historically, however, Estonia used to be stronghold of Lutheranism due to its strong links to the Nordic countries.

Quotables about Tallinn

"The streets of Tallinn are not straight, and are so narrow that cabmen are forced to ride with bells in order not to run into those coming in the opposite direction. An inquisitive gossip can see everything across a street into the room of her neighbour."
—Russian officer Alexander Bestuzhev in 1821, in an account of his trip to Tallinn.

"Tallinn...a town of pewter-colored steeples, red roofs, quaint alleyways, numerous towers like gigantic pepper boxes and a treasure of medieval architecture."
—The Manchester Quarterly, 1933.

"Estonia...the cheapest and most interesting country in Europe."
—From the American travel book, Undiscovered Europe, 1932.

"Tallinn is built on salt."
—A saying in the Middle Ages, referring to riches Tallinn accumulated from East-West trade; salt from Spain to Russia was a main transit item.