Estonia Geography - 2024

Location

Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia

Geographic coordinates

59 00 N, 26 00 E

Map references

Europe

Area

total: 45,228 sq km

land: 42,388 sq km

water: 2,840 sq km

note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea

Area - comparative

about twice the size of New Jersey

Area comparison map:

Land boundaries

total: 657 km

border countries (2): Latvia 333 km; Russia 324 km

Coastline

3,794 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: limits as agreed to by Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Sweden, and Russia

Climate

maritime; wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Terrain

marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

Elevation

highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m

lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m

mean elevation: 61 m

Natural resources

oil shale, peat, rare earth elements, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud

Land use

agricultural land: 22.2% (2018 est.)

arable land: 14.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 7.2% (2018 est.)

forest: 52.1% (2018 est.)

other: 25.7% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land

20 sq km (2016)

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s): Lake Peipus - 4,300 sq km (shared with Russia); Lake Võrtsjärv - 270 sq km

Population distribution

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations

Natural hazards

sometimes flooding occurs in the spring

Geography - note

the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands