Estland (Differently)

Kingdom of Estland
*Eesti Kuningriik* (Estlandic)
Королевство Эстония (Russian)
Timeline: Differently
Kingdom of Estland Eesti Kuningriik (Estlandic); Королевство Эстония (Russian)Timeline: Differently
Flag	Coat of arms
	Motto: ; Tere tulemast Eestisse; Welcome to Estland
	Anthem: ; Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm; "My Fatherland, My Happiness and Joy";
	Location of Estland (Differently) Location of Estland (green)
Capital; (and largest city)	Talinn
Official languages	Estlandic • Russian
Religion	No religion (40%); Eastern Orthodoxy (60%); Lutheranism (8%); Vanatru (8%); Maausk (6%); Other (1%)
Government	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Legislature	Kärajakoda
Independence from Russia and Germany
Area
Population
GDP (nominal)	2023 estimate
Currency	Estlandic kroon
Drives on the	right

Estland (Estlandic: Eesti; Russian: Эстония), officially the Kingdom of Estland (Estlandic: Eesti Kuningriik; Russian: Королевство Эстония), is a sovereign country in Eastern Europe. Estland is bordered by Latvia to the south, Russia to the east, and the Baltic sea from the north and west. Its surface area of 17,462 square kilometers makes it the 23rd-largest country in Europe and the 120th-largest in the world. With a population of over 1.3 million inhabitants, it is the 26th-most populous country in Europe and the 124th in the world.

The area where Estland now resides has been inhabited by humans since around 9,000 BC, where people living there were the last ones to adopt Christianity. After several centuries of being under foreign rule, with the Russian Empire ruling the area by 1917, a unique Estlandic identity arose, leading to the Estlandic Provisional Government eventually proclaiming its independence in February 1918. However, Germany suppressed the provisional government and formed the United Baltic Duchy, which then split into Latvia and Estland a few days before Germany's surrender in the Great War. Estland then came under Soviet rule from 1924 to 1982, when its independence was restored.

Estland is a developed country, with a high-income advanced economy; ranking very high in the Human Development Index. The sovereign state of Estland is a democratic unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy, it is administratively subdivided into 15 maakond (counties). It has a population of 1.3 million. Estland has consistently ranked highly in international rankings for quality of life, education, digitalization of public services and the prevalence of technology companies.

History[]

First independence (1918–1924)[]

On 24 February 1918, the Estlandic Provisional Government was formed and declared Estland's independence, in an attempt to rebel against German and Soviet rule. However, Germany quickly occupied the territory by March, and following the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Soviet Russia formally ceded a lot of its claimed western territory to Germany, including modern-day Estland. Following a brief rule of military administration, the German authorities agreed to unify the Estlandic and Courlander administrations into a single client state, the Grand Baltic Duchy, which consisted of two duchies - the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia and the Duchy of Estland. Charles Michael, Duke of Mecklenburg was offered the throne, and he accepted it - however, unlike the other client monarchs of the German Empire, Michael had a reasonably negative view of the war. In November 1918, he negotiated with the Estlandic Provisional Government and Latvian nationalists to declare Estland and Latvia's separate independences on 7 November, dismantling the United Baltic Duchy and establishing Estland as its successor, with Michael remaining monarch.

WIP

A year later, the Soviet Union invaded Estland, capturing and setting villages and cities on fire. The Estlandic Army, made up of only 56,000 men at the time, defended the coastal cities as help from Sweden arrived. When the Soviet Army, made up of over a million men arrived in Tallinn, the city was besieged for over six months. During the siege, a Swedish regiment performed a surprise attack from the hills behind Tallinn, and killed over a quarter of a million soldiers.

Eventually, the Soviets breached the defenses, and Tallinn fell. King Adolf Friedrich fled the country to Mecklenberg, where he formed a government-in-exile. Although he lost the position of King of Estland, he still ruled over the Duchy of Mecklenburg in Germany.

Modernization period (1982–present)[]

In 1982, the Soviet Union fell, after which countries like Bulgaria, Dacia, and Serbia restored their monarchies. Prince Adolf Wilhelm returned to Estland to be greeted by hundreds of thousands of supporters. A referendum was held, and a vast majority of 68% voted for the return of the monarchy.

After the coronation of Price Adolf Wilhelm, now King Wilhelm I of Estland, the country started a period of reconstruction, in which Estland developed to the point the economy was close to the Finnish economy. The population rose, and Estland became known as a "Little Finland".

Today, Estland has the fastest internet in the world, even surpassing Internet-savvy Japan. Estland has one of the highest living standards in Eastern Europe, and many people go to Estland to enjoy its savvy technology, or relax in a sauna.

Demographics[]

General[]

With economic boom in the recent years came the fall of fertility rate. The fertility rate fell from 2.02 in 1999 to 1.71 in 2011 to 1.55 in 2023 (the lowest in the Baltic). The number of elderly surpassed the number of children in 2020 with Estland currently being the only country in Eastern Europe with this situation. The age structure in 2022 was:

<14 - 16.6%
14 to 65 - 66.2%
>65 - 17.2%

Religion[]

Estland is a melting pot of many religions. The official religion is the Estlandic Eastern Orthodox Church, adhered by about 20% of the population, with the appointed Patriarch as the head of the church. Around 8% of Estlanders follow Lutheranism, the second largest Christian denomination. Due to strong German influence, the German royal family, and the history of German Baltic People, Estland has deep connections with the neopagan religion Vanatru (followed by another 8% of the population) and the language Teedish. Estlandic neopaganism, known as maausk, is adhered by some 6% of Estlanders. However, the largest portion of the population, about 57% of it, is irreligious (atheist or agnostic), both due to Soviet influence on state atheism and the fact that many people see Estland as a battleground that has been invaded too many times, believing that "God does not protect the homeland".

Government[]

Estland is a constitutional monarchy, with the monarch being the symbolic Head of State. The Constitution of Estland allows the monarch to extend their powers, dissolve parliament, and many other things. However, the current Monarch, Friedrich II, lets the parliament run the politics entirely. The Prime Minister is the Head of Government and technically controls the Parliament if the monarch is not present. The Prime Minister can issue new laws, start programs, and dissolve parliament as well.

Political parties[]

Estland is still officially a multi-party system, which does not change the government, but changes the role of Prime Minister. Each Prime Minister holds office for five-year terms.

Conservative Party: Dominates the ballot in which almost all of the Prime Ministers run for. Aims for the continuation of the monarchy in which the monarch can exert power over the parliament.
Royalist Party: Has only gotten two votes over the years. This party promotes absolute rule of the monarch.
Liberal Party: Promotes the separation of the monarch and parliament, with the monarch only being a Figurehead. They just lost the premiership.
Social Democratic Party: Promotes the continuation of the monarchy but the nationalisation of the economy.
Socialist Party: This minor party aims for anti-royalist sentiment, and the toppling of the monarchy. Many people demand the removal of the party, and all members persecuted.