European sustainable development rural actor database


Estonia

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Coordinate
Language:
Estonian

Currency:
Estonian Kroon
Area:
43,698.00

Population:
1.30

Density:
29.70

GIP:
11

GIP per cap.:
8,205.00

Political regime:
Republic

Head of State:
M. Toomas Hendrik Ilves
Head of governement:
M. Andrus Ansip (Estonian Reform Party)
Eutropean Union Membership:
2004
National anthem:
Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm (My Native Land, My Pride and Joy)
Generals Informations


Administrative organization
Rural life
Sustainability


Administrative organization

Form of State: Unitarian State.
Legislative power rests exclusively with the Parliament.
General administrative powers in areas of national sovereignty are:

  • justice
  • foreign affairs
  • national defence
  • finances
  • supervisory powers

The State is also responsible for:

  • maintenance of public order
  • infrastructure development and maintenance
  • industry and commerce
  • education
  • labour policy
  • health management
  • motorways

Interesting Ministries:

  • Ministry of the Environment. Minister: M. Jaanus Tamkivi. In charge of environmental education.
  • Ministry of Agriculture. Minister: M. Helir-Valdor Seeder. In charge of rural development.

Administrative units

Name

Number

Competences

NUTS 1

NUTS 2

NUTS 3

Groups of Maakond

5

LAU 1

Maakond (provinces)

15

Counties are administrative units representing the central government at local level. There is no elected regional level.

Environmental management

Economic and spatial development

Supervision over single acts of local self-governments

Coordination of emergency situations

LAU 2

Vald (communes rurales – 202), inn (towns – 39)

241

Education (nursery, primary and secondary levels)

Maintenance of public areas

Social welfare and services

Welfare services for the elderly

Housing and utilities

Water supply and sewer maintenance

Spatial planning

Maintenance of local public roads

Local public transport

Maintenance of public order

Municipal libraries and museums

Sports and leisure facilities

Total public expenditure: € 3.7 billions = 33.2% GDP.
Sub-national public expenditure: € 0.9 billions = 8.3% GDP = 24.9% total public expenditure.

Rural life

Utilized agricultural area: 18.4% total area, i.e. about 8040 km2.
Rural population: 30.9% total population.
Labour force in agriculture: 38,000 Annual Work Units (AWU).
Unemployment rate by degree of urbanisation:

  • Densely populated areas: 9.8%
  • Intermediate areas: 8.4%
  • Thinly populated areas: 6.5%

Employment rate by degree of urbanisation:

  • Densely populated areas: 68%
  • Intermediate areas: 64.2%
  • Thinly populated areas: 61.2%

Youth unemployment ratio by degree of urbanisation:

  • Densely populated areas: 7.4%
  • Intermediate areas: 2.6%
  • Thinly populated areas: 4.1%
  • Total: 5.5%

Share of organic area in total utilised agricultural area: unavailable data.

Sustainability

National Sustainable Development Strategy: since the Rio Conference, Estonia adopted an important number of acts, strategies and actions in favour of sustainable development. However, only in 2005 the Estonian government and Parliament adopted a National Sustainable Development Strategy. Entitled “Sustainable Estonia 21”, this strategy aims at developing Estonia until 2030. It is based on the three traditional pillars of sustainable development and ads a fourth one, regarding cultural issues.
The Estonian SDS is therefore organised in 4 main sections, each of them providing several thematic objectives:

  • viability of the Estonian cultural space: extent of the Estonian cultural space, functionality of the Estonian culture, Temporal continuity and plasticity of the Estonian culture.
  • growth of welfare: economic wealth, level of security in all areas (health status, risk of illness, crime rate, risk of unemployment, distribution of stress), diversity of opportunities (for self-realisation, recreation, social communication).
  • a coherent society: social inclusion, regional balance, strong civil society.
  • ecological balance: use of natural resources in ways and quantities that ensure ecological balance, reduction of pollution, preservation of biological diversity and natural areas.

Environmental protection expenditure in the public sector: 0.2 % of GDP, i.e. 17 € per capita.
Government expenditure on environment protection, in % of GDP: 0.7%.
Government expenditure on environment protection, in % of total government expenditure: unavailable data.
Area protected under the Habitats Directive as a percentage of total area: 15.9%.