Estonia: flag, capital, currency and history

Flag of Estonia

Download the flag of Estonia as a scalable SVG or as a PNG in three sizes. The flag emoji is 🇪🇪.

History of Estonia

Finnic-speaking peoples inhabited the eastern Baltic coast long before the early thirteenth century, when German crusaders and Denmark conquered the territory. Over the following centuries it was ruled by the Livonian Order, Sweden and, from the early eighteenth century, the Russian Empire. An Estonian national awakening grew in the nineteenth century. Independence was declared in 1918, but the Soviet Union occupied the country in 1940. Estonia restored its independence in 1991 and joined the European Union and NATO in 2004. It is a parliamentary republic with its capital at Tallinn.

Key dates

1. 1208Crusading forces begin the conquest of the Estonian lands.
2. 1561Northern Estonia comes under Swedish rule.
3. 1721The Treaty of Nystad confirms Russian control of Estonia.
4. 1918Estonia declares independence on 24 February.
5. 1940The Soviet Union occupies and annexes Estonia.
6. 1991Estonia restores its independence.
7. 2004Estonia joins NATO and the European Union.

A short overview, not a full history. Dates are given for well-documented events only.

Currency of Estonia

Estonia uses the Euro (EUR, €). Use our free currency converter to check exchange rates.

Frequently asked questions

Neighbours of Estonia

LatviaRigaRussiaMoscow

More countries in Northern Europe

DenmarkCopenhagenFinlandHelsinkiIcelandReykjavikIrelandDublinLatviaRigaLithuaniaVilniusNorwayOsloSwedenStockholm