Book Description
This Dictionary provides an encyclopedic overview of Estonia from the 12th Century to the present, with two-thirds devoted to the past 100 years, and one-quarter covering the past decade and half. The only such work on Estonia in English, it consists of detailed, analytical articles on the economic, political, and social transition of Estonia from the beginning of its written history to its membership in the European Union.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"Estonia, with a population of only 1.4 million, is located at the interface of East and West - between Eastern Orthodoxy and Western Protestantism, between Russia and European countries such as Sweden and Germany. As such, its territory has been a battlefield, subject to the Germans, Swedes, and Russians. Only with the "national awakening" at the end of the 19th century were the Estonians able to begin asserting control over their nation and its culture. Alas, the independent Republic of Estonia only lasted two decades, and it was not until the collapse of the Soviet Union that the new state of Estonia was created in 1991." "Since then the image of Estonia has been transformed from a forgotten component of the authoritarian and economically moribund Soviet Union to a democratic, vibrant, and competitive member of modern Europe. The road hasn't been easy, with success dependent on the efforts of not only the Estonians but also on the rest of the international community. Still, the country can now look back on major achievements, including membership in the United Nations, NATO, and the European Union, as well as reasonable economic, social, and political progress." The only such work on Estonia in English, this historical dictionary provides an encyclopedic overview of the significant people, places, and events in Estonian history from the twelfth century to the present, as well as the economic, political, and social transition of Estonia from the beginning of its written history to membership in the European Union.

SYNOPSIS