ABSTRACT
The Estonian people have inhabited the shores of the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea for thousands of years. Distinctly different from their Latvian neighbors to the south and the Russians to the east, Estonians have maintained a strong ethnic identity. Estonia’s fate can be attributed to its strategic location. The irregular rocky coastline affords numerous natural harbors, providing protection from the ravages of storms and an ideal sailing venue. Ethnic Estonians have consequently experienced the unenviable dilemma of seeing their own numbers declining while the number of inmigrants has grown. As is common elsewhere, native Estonians tend to be more concerned with their natural environment than newer immigrants. Although at 45,100 square kilometers Estonia is only one third the size of Illinois, it possesses a variety of mineral and natural resources. Estonia’s main industrial products are agricultural commodities, forest products, and mineral resource extraction and processing.
