About 62 percent of the people are Estonians. They are ethnically and linguistically close to the Finns, speaking a Finno-Ugric language. Russians are the largest minority with 30 percent of the total population. Other minorities include Ukrainians, Belarusians, Finns, Jews, and Latvians. Before Soviet annexation in 1940, Russians comprised only 8.5 percent of the total population.
Russian employment is confined largely to the industrial sector in Estonia.
Lutheranism is the traditional Estonian religion. Other forms of Christianity are also practiced in the country. In 1992 laws were passed that greatly restricted Estonian citizenship. According to the laws, which are based on a 1939 law, all residents who lived in Estonia before 1940 and their descendants are automatically granted citizenship, regardless of ethnicity. Other inhabitants are required to meet a residency requirement and pass a proficiency exam in Estonian, although language restrictions may be waived for the aged and disabled.