Portal:Estonia

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The Estonia Portal

Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia (Estonian: Eesti or Eesti Vabariik; Germanic languages: Estland; Finnish: Viro), is a country in Northern Europe. Estonia has land borders to the south with Latvia and to the east with Russia. It is separated from Finland in the north by the Gulf of Finland and from Sweden in the west by the Baltic Sea.

Estonia has been a member of the European Union since 1 May 2004 and of NATO since 29 March 2004. The Estonians are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns, with the Estonian language sharing many similarities to Finnish. The modern name of Estonia is thought to originate from the Roman historian Tacitus, who in his book Germania (ca. AD 98) described a people called the Aestii. Similarly, ancient Scandinavian sagas refer to a land called Eistland. Early Latin and other ancient versions of the country's name are Estia and Hestia.

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Haapsalu Castle(also Haapsalu Episcopal Castle, Estonian: Haapsalu piiskopilinnus) is a castlewith cathedralin Haapsalu, western Estonia. It was founded in the thirteenth century to be a center for Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek. When there is a full moonin the month of August, it is said that an image of a maiden, the White Lady, appears on the inner wall of the chapel.

In 1228, the Archbishop of Riga, Albert of Riga formed a new diocese consisting of Läänemaa, Saaremaa and Hiiumaa and designated Gottfried, an abbot of Dünamünde Cistercian monastery, as the bishop. The bishopric was created as a state of Holy Roman Empire on 1 October 1228, by Henry, King of the Romans. Papal legate Wilhelm of Modena fixed these borders permanently in 1234. The first residence of the Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek was located in Lihula Castle, where with the help of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword, a stronghold was built of stone. In an attempt to avoid conflicts with the influential Order, the Bishop transferred the diocese's residence to Perona, where it was burned by Lithuanians ten years later. A new center for the diocese was chosen in Haapsalu, where an Episcopal stronghold and cathedral were started. Building of the castle went on for three centuries.

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Credit: Siim Ainsaar

The largest of nine craters at Kaali, found on the island of Saaremaa, Estonia.

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Toomas Hendrik Ilves (born December 26, 1953) is the current President of Estonia. He is a former diplomat and journalist, was the leader of the Social Democratic Party in the 1990s and later a member of the European Parliament. He was elected to the post by an electoral college on September 23, 2006 and his term as President began on October 9, 2006.

Ilves was born in Stockholm, Sweden; his parents were Estonian refugees. He grew up in the United States and graduated from Leonia High School in Leonia, New Jersey in 1972 as valedictorian. He attended a bachelors degree in psychology from Columbia University and a masters degree in the same subject from the University of Pennsylvania.

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Did you know...

...that Saaremaa was once the wealthiest county of ancient Estonia and the home of notorious Estonian pirates, sometimes called the Eastern Vikings?
...that Suurpea is the northernmost point of mainland Estonia and the northernmost point of the contiguous part of the European Union?
...that the Estonian river which flows from Lake Võrtsjärv through Tartu County into Lake Peipus, is called Emajõgi, meaning "Mother River" in Estonian? ...Archive
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Main topics

Counties: Harju County • Hiiu County • Ida-Viru County • Järva County • Jõgeva County • Lääne County • Lääne-Viru County • Pärnu County • Põlva County • Rapla County • Saare County • Tartu County • Valga County • Viljandi County • Võru County

History: Ancient Estonia • Estonian Crusade • Danish Estonia • Livonian War • Duchy of Livonia • Swedish Estonia • Estophilia • Estonian Age of Awakening • Autonomous Governorate of Estonia • Estonia in World War II • Occupation of Estonia by Nazi Germany • History of the Jews in Estonia • Estonian SSR

Politics: Parliament • President • Prime Minister • Cabinet • Constitution • Elections • Political parties

Geography: Islands • Lakes • Rivers

Economy: Tallinn Stock Exchange • Estonian kroon

Military: Maavägi • Merevägi • Estonian Air Force

Demographics: Language

Culture: Cinema • Cuisine • Education • Literature • Music • Public holidays

Symbols: Flag • Coat of arms • National anthem (Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm)

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