Estonia is a low-lying and partly swampy plain with numerous streams and lakes. Moderated by marine influences, the climate is temperate and humid. The official language is Estonian, a Finno-Ugric language. Estonia is largely Christian. The dominant religion is Lutheranism, and the Orthodox community is also important.
Agriculture is important, with livestock raising and dairy farming predominant.
The leading crops are potatoes, barley, rye, wheat, and vegetables. Forestry provides material for the paper, lumber, plywood, and furniture industries. Manufacturing is significant in N Estonia. Engineering and metalworking are the chief industries, followed by the mining of shale. The shale-processing industry produces artificial gas and chemicals.