Demographic Development of Estonian Population: Recent Changes in the Context of the Long-term Trends

Estonia, the northernmost of the three Baltic countries, has an area of 45,215 square kilometres and a population of 1,565.7 thousand (census 1989) (EKDK, 1996–1999). Estonian people have lived on the present territory for more than 5,000 years, so Estonia may be considered one of the oldest nations in Europe in that respect. At the beginning of the 13th century, the country lost its independence after twenty years of fighting against combined attacks by Germans, Danes, Swedes, and Russians. Since then, Estonia began to serve as a dividing line between the Roman Catholic and Orthodox worlds, a division, which has maintained its importance until today. Although the geopolitical dividing line was moved westwards due to the victory of Russia in the Northern War (1700–1721), the Baltic provinces secured substantial autonomy under the Russian Empire.