A country of north-central Europe west of Russia, bordering on the Baltic Sea. Settled before the 1st century a.d., it was held successively between the 13th and 18th centuries by the Danes, German Livonian Knights, Swedes, and Russians. Estonia became an independent republic in 1918 but was annexed by the USSR in 1940. Occupied by Germany in 1941, it reverted to Soviet control in 1944 and was known as the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic. Full independence was gained in 1991. Tallinn is the capital and the largest city. Population: 1,499,000.
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