Ever wanted to eat blood sausages washed down with a syrupy liquor of unknown origin, go bog walking and sleep with 80 untouchable nuns and novices? You can do it all in Estonia, the small territory which packs in some charming quirks without ruining your budget.
The early years of independence brought hardship, but Estonia is recovering. Despite the rapid changes since it regained its independence in 1991, there's still a lot of tradition, including a language packed with deep 'oo's and 'uu's and thriving folk shindigs.
Full country name: Republic of Estonia
Area: 45,226 sq km
Population: 1.41 million
Capital City: Tallinn
People: Estonian (65%), Russian (28%), Ukrainian (2.5%)
Language: Estonian
Religion: 23% Christian (Lutheranism and Orthodoxy)
Government: parliamentary republic
Head of State: President Arnold Rüütel
Head of Government: Prime Minister Juhan Parts
GDP: US$15.52 billion
GDP per capita: US$11,000
Annual Growth: 5.5%
Inflation: 3.7%
Major Industries: Food, clothing, oil shale, metals, woodworking
Major Trading Partners: Finland, Sweden, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania
Member of EU: Yes
