1. Estonia and Estonians
2008
Piret Linnamäe

2. The Estonian national flag

3. The Estonian coat of arms

4. Capital: Tallinn Population over 400 000 people

5. Language: Estonian
Estonian is very close to Finnish

6. The Estonian national anthem
My Native Land, My Pride and Joy (Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm)
Composed in by Friedrich Pacius.
The Estonian language words were written by Johann Voldemar Jannsen.

7. The cornflower is Estonian national flower

8. The barn swallow is Estonian national bird

9. Area: sq km

10. Estonia and Europe

11. The highest point in Estonia and also in the Baltic states is Suur Munamägi (318 m)
The lookout tower

12. Lake Peipsi (3555 sq km) is the biggest in Estonia and the fourth biggest in Europe

13. The longest rivers are Võhandu (162 km) and Pärnu (144 km)

14. Population: 1,4 million people
Estonians 65%
Russians 28%
Ukrainians 2,5%
Belorussians 1,5%
Finns 1%
Others about 2%

15. National holiday: 24 February (anniversary of the republic)

16. The President of the republic Toomas Hendrik Ilves and Mrs Evelin Ilves

17. The President and the First Lady at home

18. Prime Minister Andrus Ansip

19. There are 15 counties in Estonia

20. Rapla - the capital of Rapla county Population: 5618 people (01.01.08)
The flag of Rapla parish
The emblem of Rapla parish

21. Rapla from the plane

22. Rapla church (built in 1901, one of only two churches in Estonia with twin towers)

23. The oldest house in Rapla – the pastor´s house

24. Rapla stone bridge (built in the end of 19th century)

25. Alu Population: 886 people (01.01.08)

26. Alu manor house (built 1862-1868)

27. Alu park and the ponds

28. Folk dancers in Rapla costumes
Folk dancers in Rapla costumes. Folk dance and singing is very popular in Estonia.

29. The first all-Estonian Song Festival took place in Tartu in 1869

30. Folk costumes are always in fashion
Tallinn 2007

31. Estonian traditional food
black bread (must leib)
potatoes (kartulid)
pork (sealiha)
blood sausages (verivorstid)
sauerkraut (hapukapsas)
headcheese (sült)
anchovy with spices (vürtsikilu)
sour milk with grain flour (kama)
smoked sprats in oil (sprotid)

32. Blood sausages, pork, potatoes, sauerkraut and lingonberry jam – Estonian Christmas meal

33. Shrove Tuesday always means pea or bean soup and buns with whipped cream

34. Birthday cake with fresh strawberries – a must in summer