Republic of Estonia

Republic of Estonia is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered in the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation. With a population of 1,29 million, it is one of the least populous members of the European Union.

Estonias symbols are our Coat of Arms, most Estonian people like also the cornflower and the barn swallow. The cornflower has grown on Estonian soil for more than 10,000 years. The barnswallow, the national bird, is a characteristic guest of Estonian homes. Its call can be heard from practically everywhere from barn rafters in the country.

Traditional Estonian food has substantially been based on meat and potatoes and on fish in coastal and lakeside areas, but is influenced by many other cuisines by now. The most typical foods in Estonia have been rye bread, pork, potatoes and dairy products. Black pudding, head cheese and sauerkraut with oven-baked potatoes have been part of the traditional Estonian menu that nowadays are mostly Christmas specialities.

Tallinn, the capital, has seen development of an information technology sector; in its 13 December 2005, edition, The New York Times characterized Estonia as a "sort of Silicon Valley on the Baltic Sea". One of Tallinn's sister cities is the Silicon Valley town of Los Gatos, California. Skype is one of the best-known of several Estonian start-ups originating from Tallinn. Many start-ups started from the Soviet-era Institute of Cybernetics. The economic sectors of Tallinn also include the light, textile, and food industry, as well as the service and government sector. There is a small fleet of ocean going-trawlers that operate out of Tallinn. Port of Tallinn is one of the biggest ports in the Baltic sea region.

The University of Tartu is among the oldest universities in Norhtern Europe and the highest ranked university in Estonia. Over 17,000 student are studying in this university. The universitys four museums, its Botanical Gardens, and sports facilities are, by and large, open to the general public. In the Erasmus programme for student exchange, the University of Tartu cooperates with more than 200 universities in 26 countries.

Tallinn University of Techology is the only technical university in Estonia. It is the nations leading academic institution in engineering, business and public administration. Tallinn University of Technology is a modern, international university teaching the newest knowledge and skills necessary for todays international and competitive marketplace.