Facts about Estonia - 30 things you (might) not know

Writer: Peter Bergström

Updated: August 2026 | Estonia is a small country with a surprising amount to tell. It is home to one of Europe's most digitalized societies, an island with a unique female-led culture, traces of several hundred years of Swedish history, and a meteorite crater formed by a violent impact thousands of years ago.

Facts about Estonia

We have visited Estonia several times, and one of the times we took a longer trip around the entire country in a camper van. Estonians have made their mark in everything from chess and wrestling to technology and – believe it or not – the sport of wife carrying. Here are 30 fun, historical and sometimes quite unexpected facts about Estonia!

1. Estonia has only two land neighbors

Estonia borders Latvia to the south and Russia to the east. Finland lies to the north across the Gulf of Finland and Sweden to the west, across the Baltic Sea. The country is a member of both the EU and NATO and has been closely linked to the rest of Europe since its independence was restored in 1991.

2. Johannes Kotkas was one of Estonia's top wrestlers

The Estonian wrestler Johannes Kotkas was one of the greats of his time in Greco-Roman wrestling. He won European Championship gold in 1938, 1939 and 1947, and took Olympic gold in heavyweight in Helsinki in 1952.

3. Paul Keres was one of the world's top chess players

Paul Keres (1916–1975) is one of Estonia's greatest sports figures of all time. He was among the world's elite in chess for several decades and came close to winning the world championship title on several occasions. Keres was extremely popular in Estonia and his portrait appeared on the Estonian five-kroon banknote before the country switched to the euro.

4. An old Soviet prison lies partially underwater at Rummu

Rummu quarry is one of the strangest places in Estonia. During the Soviet era, prisoners worked in the limestone quarry next to the prison. When the operation ceased and the pumping of groundwater stopped, the quarry filled with water. Today, parts of the old facility are under the turquoise-green water surface and the place has become famous for swimming and diving.

5. One fifth of Estonia's land area is protected

Estonia has large natural areas with forests, bogs, wetlands and a long coastline. At the end of 2025, about 20 percent of the land area was protected, and if you also count water areas, the proportion was 23.5 percent. Estonia has six national parks: Lahemaa, Soomaa, Matsalu, Vilsandi, Karula and Alutaguse.

6. The sport of kiiking was invented in Estonia

The most unusual sport to say the least kiiking was developed in Estonia in the 1990s. Here you stand on a large, specially built swing and try to make it go all the way around – that is, 360 degrees. The longer the swing arms you can rotate around with, the better the results. Something to try on your next trip to Estonia?

7. Women have an unusually strong role on Kynö

Kynö, or Kihnu in Estonian, is known for its vibrant traditional culture. As men historically often worked at sea for long periods, women took on a great deal of responsibility for the farms, families and local cultural life. Kynö's traditional culture has been on UNESCO's list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2008.

8. Narva has strong traces of the Swedish era

The border town Narva has a dramatic history in which Sweden played an important role. The Battle of Narva was fought here in 1700, where Charles XII's Swedish army defeated a significantly larger Russian force. The city includes Hermannsborg, old bastions from the Swedish era and the monument Svensklejonet.

9. Swedes lived in Estonia for hundreds of years

Swedish-speaking groups lived along the west coast of Estonia and on several of the islands at least from the 13th century. On Dagö (Hiiumaa), Ormsö (Vormsi), Runö (Ruhnu) and Nuckö (Noarootsi) there are still traces of the Estonian Swedish culture. On Dagö There are, among other things, places and place names that are reminiscent of Swedish history.

10. Estonia is one of the world's most digitalized societies

Estonia has made a name for itself for its far-reaching digitalization. Many government matters can be handled online and the country was an early adopter of digital identity and electronic public services. In 2005, Estonia also became the first country in the world to offer the possibility of voting via the internet in a national election.

11. Estonia celebrates both independence and restored independence

The Republic of Estonia declared its independence on 24 February 1918. The country was later occupied by the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union again. On 20 August 1991, the decision was made to restore Estonia's independence. Therefore, both 24 February and 20 August are important national holidays.

12. A huge meteorite hit Saaremaa thousands of years ago

On Saaremaa (Saaremaa) there is spectacular Kaali field with nine meteorite craters. The meteorite is believed to have struck about 7,500–7,600 years ago. The largest crater is about 110 meters in diameter and 22 meters deep. The meteorite broke up before impact and also created eight smaller craters.

13. Northern Estonia became Swedish in the 16th century

In 1561, the nobility of northern Estonia and the city of Tallinn placed themselves under the protection of the Swedish King Erik XIV. In the following decades, Sweden's possessions in the area grew, and parts of present-day Estonia came to belong to the Swedish Empire until the early 18th century.

14. Hundreds of Estonian Swedes were forced to leave Dagö in 1781

In 1781, a large group of Swedish-speaking farmers were forced to leave Dagö after a long conflict over their rights. They had to travel about 2,000 kilometers to present-day Ukraine, where they founded the village of Gammalsvenskby. Many died during the difficult journey and the first years in the new area.

15. Kiek in de Kök in Tallinn got its name from a humorous idea

The mighty cannon tower Look in the Kitchen was built in Tallinn in the 15th century and was part of the city's defenses. The name comes from Low German and means roughly "peek into the kitchen". From the high defense towers, the guards were said to be able to see down into the kitchens of the houses below.

16. One of the world's tallest known pine trees grows in Estonia

At Ootsipalu in southeastern Estonia there is an unusually tall pine (Pinus sylvestris) that has been measured at around 46.6 meters.

17. Estonians dominated the World Wife Carrying Championship for many years

Finland may have invented the competition, but the Estonians were almost unbeatable in it for a long time. Wife Carrying World Championships. Estonian couples won the world championship eleven years in a row between 1998 and 2008. A special carrying technique where the partner hangs upside down over the shoulders of the carrier even became known as Estonian carry.

18. Kalevipoeg is Estonia's great national epic

Kalevipoeg is the Estonian national epic and is about the mighty hero Kalev's son, who possesses superhuman strength. The epic was compiled primarily by Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald in the 19th century and has had great significance for Estonia's national identity.

19. Café Maiasmokk has been serving sweets since 1864

In Tallinn is located Maiasmokk, which is often described as Estonia's oldest still-operating café. It opened in its current location in 1864. Here you can still sit down in a historic setting and eat pastries and sweets in the middle of Tallinn's old town. Read more about restaurants and cafes in Tallinn here.

20. The Estonian Open Air Museum shows rural life in the past

The Estonian Open Air Museum is located in Rocca al Mare just outside central Tallinn. Here, historic farms, windmills, schoolhouses, chapels and other buildings from different parts of the country have been brought together to show how people lived in the Estonian countryside during different times.

21. Estonia's blue, black and white flag has its roots in the 19th century

The blue, black and white flag was first used by Estonian students in the 19th century and eventually became a symbol of the entire Estonian nation. The flag was inaugurated in Otepää in 1884 and became the official national flag when Estonia became independent. The colors have had several different symbolic interpretations over the years, so I wouldn't pin down a single meaning for blue, black and white.

22. Ilon Wikland was born in Estonia

The illustrator Ilon Wikland was born in 1930 in Tartu and grew up with her grandparents in Haapsalu. In 1944, at the age of 14, she fled from Estonia to Sweden. She later became one of Sweden's most beloved illustrators through her long collaboration with Astrid Lindgren. In Haapsalu Today there is the Ilons Sagoland experience center.

23. Estonia has raised several international top models

For a country with a small population, Estonia has produced a remarkable number of internationally successful models. Among the most famous are Carmen Kass, Karmen Pedaru and Elisabeth Erm.

24. Püssirohukelder in Tartu is located in an old powder cellar

I Tartu is there the unusual pub Püssirohu cellars, which is located in an old gunpowder cellar at Domberget. The impressive venue has a ceiling that reaches just over ten meters above the floor and has become an attraction in itself. Here I would also skip the "world's highest pub ceiling" unless we find a current Guinness record that still stands.

25. Kuressaare has an unusually large number of spas

The city of Kuressaare on Saaremaa has a long tradition as a health resort and spa town and an impressive number of spas in relation to its small population.

26. The University of Tartu was founded by Gustav II Adolf

The University of Tartu was founded in 1632 by the Swedish King Gustav II Adolf under the name Academia Dorpatensis. This makes the university one of the oldest in Northern Europe and a clear legacy of the Swedish period in Estonia.

27. Parika has an almost heart-shaped lake

In Viljandi County is located Parika, a marsh and forest area where one of the lakes has a distinct heart-shaped shape. Hiking trails and bridges run through the area, and the small lake looks especially good in photos taken from above.

28. Skype was largely developed by Estonian programmers

Estonia has a strong connection to Skype. The service was founded by Swede Niklas Zennström and Dane Janus Friis, while a large part of the technical development was done by Estonian programmers.

29. The Cross Mountain on Dagö tells about the fate of the Estonian Swedes

On Dagö there is Cross Hill, Korsberget, which is associated with the Swedish-speaking inhabitants who were forced to leave the island in 1781.

The site has over time been filled with crosses made of natural materials and has become a strong symbol of the memory of the Estonian Swedes. Swedish history is still clearly present in several places along Estonia's west coast and islands.

30. Estonia's Great Song Festival Brings Together Tens of Thousands of Singers

The Estonian Song Festival Laulupidu is one of the country's most important cultural traditions. The great song festival is held every five years in Tallinn and brings together tens of thousands of singers and a huge audience.

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