Difference between revisions of "Estonia"
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Estonia (older English spelling Esthonia; Estland in German and several other Germanic languages), officially the Republic of Estonia (Estonian: Eesti or Eesti Vabariik), is a country in Northern Europe. Estonia has land borders to the south with Latvia and to the east with Russia. It is separated from Finland in the north by the Gulf of Finland and from Sweden in the west by the Baltic Sea. | Estonia (older English spelling Esthonia; Estland in German and several other Germanic languages), officially the Republic of Estonia (Estonian: Eesti or Eesti Vabariik), is a country in Northern Europe. Estonia has land borders to the south with Latvia and to the east with Russia. It is separated from Finland in the north by the Gulf of Finland and from Sweden in the west by the Baltic Sea. | ||
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The name Estonia is thought to be originating from the Roman historian Tacitus as Aestii were a people he described in his book Germania (ca. 98 CE). Eistland in the ancient Scandinavian sagas and Estia, Hestia and Estonia in early Latin sources are other origins of the modern national name of Estonia. | The name Estonia is thought to be originating from the Roman historian Tacitus as Aestii were a people he described in his book Germania (ca. 98 CE). Eistland in the ancient Scandinavian sagas and Estia, Hestia and Estonia in early Latin sources are other origins of the modern national name of Estonia. | ||
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The Estonian people are ethnically related to the Finns. The Estonian language is one of the Finno-Ugric languages and as such, along with its close relative Finnish as well as Hungarian, is one of the few official languages of the European Union that is not of Indo-European origin. | The Estonian people are ethnically related to the Finns. The Estonian language is one of the Finno-Ugric languages and as such, along with its close relative Finnish as well as Hungarian, is one of the few official languages of the European Union that is not of Indo-European origin. | ||
Revision as of 10:12, 28 June 2007
Estonia (older English spelling Esthonia; Estland in German and several other Germanic languages), officially the Republic of Estonia (Estonian: Eesti or Eesti Vabariik), is a country in Northern Europe. Estonia has land borders to the south with Latvia and to the east with Russia. It is separated from Finland in the north by the Gulf of Finland and from Sweden in the west by the Baltic Sea.
The name Estonia is thought to be originating from the Roman historian Tacitus as Aestii were a people he described in his book Germania (ca. 98 CE). Eistland in the ancient Scandinavian sagas and Estia, Hestia and Estonia in early Latin sources are other origins of the modern national name of Estonia.
The Estonian people are ethnically related to the Finns. The Estonian language is one of the Finno-Ugric languages and as such, along with its close relative Finnish as well as Hungarian, is one of the few official languages of the European Union that is not of Indo-European origin.
