Estonia's area of 45 227 km2 is similar to that of the Netherlands, but the population (1.4 million) is ten times smaller. Estonia has more than 1 500 islands, 1 000 lakes (5 percent of the Estonian territory), 7 000 rivers and streams. Bogs and wooded swamplands of different types cover over one fifth of the country
Climate
Estonia lies in the northern part of the temperate climate zone and in the transition zone between maritime and continental climate. The Baltic Sea causes differences between the climate of coastal and inland areas. But as Estonia is small country, these differences are not drastic.
The average annual temperature in Estonia is 5 °C. The average temperature in February, the coldest month of the year, is -5.2 °C. The average temperature in July, which is considered the warmest month of the year, is 18 °C. It is not unusual, however, that the temperature rises to 30 degrees in summers. Lowest temperature ever recorded is -44 °C and the highest has been + 36 degrees.
Author: Vahur Mäe
Landscape
Landscape of Estonia is rather peculiar. Most of Estonia is quite plain, from 20 to 100 metres above the sea level, but in the southern Estonia landscape is quite hilly. This makes travelling across Estonia very interesting. The highest point in Estonia is Suur Munamägi (Great Egg Hill), whose tip is 318 metres above sea level. Suur Munamägi is in fact the highest point in the Baltic region.
The most dramatic geological features near the sea are the limestone cliffs on the Gulf of Finland, which plunge sheer 50 metres into the sea. Nowhere else on the shores of the Baltic can such terraced powerful limestone cliffs be found. Limestone is Estonia national stone.
Author: Tanel Voormansik
Meadows in Estonia are rich in different species much more so than in Western Europe. In the summer, tourists travelling around the countryside can discover the variety and colour of the roadside meadows. The type of meadow richest in species is the wooded meadow. In one wooded meadow in Vahenurme in Pärnumaa County one can find 74 different species of flora per square metre. Such a density of botanic life is rare in Europe. Centuries ago, there were many such wooded meadows in, among other places, southern Finland, Sweden and elsewhere in Europe. Nowadays, such meadows can only be found in Estonia.
Swamps and bogs
Because Estonia is plain, number of swamps is also very high. There are approximately 7000 swamps in Estonia. Swamps cover 21% of Estonian territory. Most of these are located in the central and eastern parts of the country.
Swamps are keeping our natural water-system clean. This makes drinking from rivers and streams relatively safe. Swamps also offer us a great number of interesting activities, like hiking, picking berries etc. But swamps may me quite dangerous for inexperienced person and hiking in swamps should be never performed alone.
The best place to visit marshes is in the Soomaa National Park in Western Estonia. Soomaa means "Bogland" in Estonian and impressive bogs cover the majority of the park with the thickness of the peat layer reaching up to 7 metres in some places. Swamp like this isn’t elsewhere in Europe.
Islands
Estonia has more than 1 500 islands. The largest of these is Saaremaa, which is about 2 900 square kilometres in size. Saaremaa is followed in size by Hiiumaa, Muhu and Vormsi. The islands and the coastal areas of the mainland are interesting owing to the fact that they are on the migratory route for waterfowl. Twice a year - in the spring and autumn - several hundreds of thousands of birds are visitors in Estonia. The barnacle goose, the swan, the eider plus many more are protected species. Islands are also good fishing places. Main fishing takes place from the sea. Main fishes near islands shore are pike, sea trout and in the island of Hiiumaa also Id.
