Geography & environment — Estonia
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for Estonia: Europe
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
Europe
- Geographic Coordinates
59 00 N, 26 00 E
- Total Area
17,463 Square Miles 45,228 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
16,366 Square Miles 42,388 Square Kilometers
- Water Area
1,097 Square Miles 2,840 Square Kilometers
- Land Boundaries
393 Miles 633 Kilometers
- Border Countries
Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km
- Coastline
2,357 Miles 3,794 Kilometers
Physical geography
- Terrain
Marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south
- Highest Point
318 Meters
- Highest Point Location
Suur Munamagi 318 m
- Lowest Point Location
Baltic Sea 0 m
- Natural Resources
Oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud
- Irrigated Land
2 Square Miles 4 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Climate
- Climate
- daylight is present only between 9: 30
- a.m. and 3: 00 p.m. Prevailing gray skies from November through January make daylight seem even more fleeting. The sun, when it shines, hugs the horizon, thus giving the impression that it is early morning or late afternoon even at midday. It is often difficult to say exactly when winter ends and spring begins. After the Vernal Equinox (March 21), daylight increases dramatically. Most days in late March, April, and May are sunny. Daytime temperatures, however, may still remain in the 30°-45°F range into late April, and it is not safe to put winter clothing into storage until late May. Occasional snow flurries and light snow are possible even through May. Summer in Estonia is a short, magical season. July and August temperatures are the warmest, averaging 67°-75°F (19°-24°C). Mornings are cooler and the late afternoon can warm up to the low-80’s. The surface water temperature in the Baltic Sea is from 60°-78°F (16°-26°C). The heaviest rains occur in July and August, but they are usually passing showers. During summer months, Estonia benefits from its northern latitude, with daylight extending long into evening hours and reappearing well before earliest risers are out of bed. From early June to mid-July, there is no real "nighttime." The short autumn can start as early as late August and is generally cool and rainy.
- Terrain
Marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south
- Location
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia
- Total Area
17,463 Square Miles 45,228 Square Kilometers
- Border Countries
Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km
Environment
- Environment - Current Issues
- Air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale-burning power plants in the northeast
- however, the number of pollutants emitted to the air has fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 80% less than in 1980
- the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to water bodies in 2000 was one-twentieth the level of 1980
- in connection with the start-up of new water purification plants, the pollution load of wastewater decreased
- Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be monitored
- coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations
- Environment - International Agreements
- Party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands Signed,
- but not ratified: none of the selected agreements