Atika, Kapri, Borodino, Soodoma, Kosova, Pariis – historical places in the world? These are just some of the names of places in Estonia.
What is the connection between KaZaA, Skype and Hotmail? Of course, Estonia! It is here that these technologies were developed.
Estonia has the highest number of craters due to meteorite hits (per unit of area) in the world.
Which souvenir is most often bought by tourists in Estonia? Vana Tallinn – a well known and valuable Estonian liquor.
An Estonian sensation is a very low average age of members of party and government elites (it is often stated that this is one of the reasons of the success of the radical reforms in Estonia).
Estonia is currently one of the most economically attractive countries in the world. According to the Index of Economic Freedom (2005) Estonia was in 4th place. Hong Kong, Singapore and Luxembourg were the only countries classified ahead of Estonia.
In 1994 Estonia became the first country in the world to introduce flat tax – currently it stand at 22% (or 0%) and it is being lowered.
Estonians can submit political bills, pay taxes and vote by the Internet. Since 2003 Estonians, thanks to electronic ID cards can carry out banking transactions or pay for bus tickets or eating at a restaurant.
Thanks to computerization members of the Parliament can take part in Riigikogu sessions even from remote places throughout the world. All that is needed is a computer with access to the Internet.
Do you remember Pippi Longstocking and The Six Bullerby Children? These characters and their worlds were drawn by a drawer of Estonian descent Ilon Wikland (Maire-Ilon Pääbo). Estonian town architecture became an inspiration for worlds which were based on Astrid Lingren’s books with whom Wikland cooperated for 20 years. Ilon Wikland was born in 1930 in Tartu, spent her childhood in Haapsalu and also lived in Tallinn. In 1944 due to the possibility of Soviet occupation, she along with her family moved to Sweden where she lives to this day.
