Estonia

After having been ruled by the German Order in the middle ages, then under Swedish and Russian rule, Estonia was declared independent 2 February 1920. During World War II, the country was occupied...

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After having been ruled by the German Order in the middle ages, then under Swedish and Russian rule, Estonia was declared independent 2 February 1920. During World War II, the country was occupied by the Soviet Union and not until 20 August 1991 did it become an independent nation once again. The country is beautifully situated by the Baltic Sea. Almost half of Estonia’s economy is based on oil shale and limestone, together with an income from forests, covering almost half of the county’s area. During World War II, the Swedish speaking and Baltic German minorities fled the country, while the Jews were eradicated. Today the majority of the population speaks Estonian and a minority speaks Russian. Gay life is centred around capital Tallinn where a Pride festival is held each year. Contrary to the other Baltic States, homosexuality is not such a big issue in Estonia.