Estonia Government

What is the capital of Estonia?

Country Name Estonia
Full Country Name Republic of Estonia
Local - Long Eesti Vabariik
Local - Short Eesti
Former Name Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic (while occupied by the USSR)
Etymology- history of name the country name may derive from the Aesti, an ancient people who lived along the eastern Baltic Sea in the first centuries A.D.
Government Type parliamentary republic
Capital Name Tallinn
Capital - geographic coordinate 59 26 N, 24 43 E
Capital Time Difference UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight Savings Time +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Independence 24 February 1918 (from Soviet Russia); 20 August 1991 (declared from the Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union)
National Holiday Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia and established its statehood; 20 August 1991 was the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union restoring its statehood
Constitution history: several previous; latest adopted 28 June 1992, entered into force 3 July 1992

amendments: proposed by at least one-fifth of Parliament members or by the president of the republic; passage requires three readings of the proposed amendment and a simple majority vote in two successive memberships of Parliament; passage of amendments to the "General Provisions" and "Amendment of the Constitution" chapters requires at least three-fifths majority vote by Parliament to conduct a referendum and majority vote in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2015

Estonia Capital City Map

Source: Google Maps

Estonia Government and Politics

Who is the president of Estonia?

Executive Branch: chief of state: President Alar KARIS (since 11 October 2021)

head of government: Prime Minister Kaja KALLAS (since 26 January 2021)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament

elections/appointments:

president indirectly elected by Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); if a candidate does not secure two thirds of the votes after 3 rounds of balloting, then an electoral college consisting of Parliament members and local council members elects the president, choosing between the 2 candidates with the highest number of votes; if a president is still not elected, the process begins again; election last held on 30 to 31 August 2021 (next to be held in 2026); prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament

election results:

2021: Alar KARIS (independent) elected president; won second round of voting in parliament with 72 of 101 votes

2016: Kersti KALJULAID elected president; won sixth round of voting in parliament with 81 of 98 votes (17 ballots blank); KALJULAID sworn in on 10 October 2016 - first female head of state of Estonia
Citizenship Criteria: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Estonia

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Legal System: civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; age 16 for local elections
Legislative Branch: description: unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open- list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)

elections: last held on 5 March 2023; next elections 7 March 2027

election results:

2023: percent of vote by party - Reform 31.2%, EKRE 16.1%, Center 15.3%, E200 13.3%, SDE 9.3%, Pro Patria 8.2%, Left 2.4%, Right 2.3%, Greens 1.0%; seats by party - Reform 37, EKRE 17, Center 16, E200 14, SDE 9, Pro Patria 8; composition - men 71, women 30, percent of women 29.7%
Judicial Branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 19 justices, including the chief justice, and organized into civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional review chambers)

judge selection and term of office: the chief justice is proposed by the president of the republic and appointed by the Riigikogu; other justices proposed by the chief justice and appointed by the Riigikogu; justices appointed for life

subordinate courts: circuit (appellate) courts; administrative, county, city, and specialized courts
Regions or States: 15 urban municipalities (linnad, singular - linn), 64 rural municipalities (vallad, singular vald)

urban municipalities: Haapsalu, Keila, Kohtla-Jarve, Loksa, Maardu, Narva, Narva-Joesuu, Paide, Parnu, Rakvere, Sillamae, Tallinn, Tartu, Viljandi, Voru

rural municipalities: Alutaguse, Anija, Antsla, Elva, Haademeeste, Haljala, Harku, Hiiumaa, Jarva, Joelahtme, Jogeva, Johvi, Kadrina, Kambja, Kanepi, Kastre, Kehtna, Kihnu, Kiili, Kohila, Kose, Kuusalu, Laane-Harju, Laane-Nigula, Laaneranna, Luganuse, Luunja, Marjamaa, Muhu, Mulgi, Mustvee, Noo, Otepaa, Peipsiaare, Pohja-Parnumaa, Pohja-Sakala, Poltsamaa, Polva, Raasiku, Rae, Rakvere, Räpina, Rapla, Rouge, Ruhnu, Saarde, Saaremaa, Saku, Saue, Setomaa, Tapa, Tartu, Toila, Tori, Torva, Turi, Vaike-Maarja, Valga, Viimsi, Viljandi, Vinni, Viru-Nigula, Vormsi, Voru
Political Parties and Leaders: Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) or K [Juri RATAS]

Estonia 200 [Kristina KALLAS]

Estonian Conservative People's Party (Konservatiivne Rahvaerakond) or EKRE [Martin HELME]

Estonian Greens (Greens/EFA) [Marko KAASIK & Johanna Maria TOUGU]

Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) or RE [Kaja KALLAS]

Pro Patria (Isamaa) [Helir-Valdor SEEDER]

Social Democratic Party or SDE [Lauri LAANEMETS]
International Law Organization Participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International Organization Participation: Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic Representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kristjan PRIKK (since 7 July 2021)

chancery: 2131 Massachusetts Ave, NW

Washington, DC, 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101

FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108

email address and website:

Embassy.Washington@mfa.ee

https://washington.mfa.ee/

consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic Representation from US: chief of mission: Ambassador George P. KENT (since 21 February 2023)

embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn

mailing address: 4530 Tallinn Place, Washington DC 20521-4530

telephone: [372] 668-8100

FAX: [372] 668-8265

email address and website:

acstallinn@state.gov

https://ee.usembassy.gov/
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