Geography
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 area:
45,100 sq km
land area:
43,200 sq km
comparative area:
slightly larger than New Hampshire and Vermont combined
note:
includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea
Land boundaries:
total:
557 km
border countries:
Latvia 267 km, Russia 290 km
Coastline:
1,393 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone:
limits to be fixed in coordination with neighboring states
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
claims over 2,000 sq km of Russian territory in the Narva and Pechora regions - based on boundary established under the 1921 Peace Treaty of Tartu; disputes maritime border with Latvia - primary concern is fishing rights around Ruhne Island in the Gulf of Riga
Climate:
maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers
Terrain:
marshy, lowlands
lowest point:
Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point:
Suur Munamagi 318 m
Natural resources:
shale oil, peat, phosphorite, amber
Land use:
arable land:
22%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
11%
forest and woodland:
31%
other:
36%
Irrigated land:
110 sq km (1990)
Environment:
current issues:
air heavily polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products, chemicals at former Soviet military bases
natural hazards:
flooding occurs frequently in the spring
international agreements:
party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
