Estonia is a state in the north-part of Europe , on the northeast coast of the Baltic Sea . It is washed from the north by the waters of the Gulf of Finland , from the west by the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga .
Estonia has an area of 45,226 km², with a length of 240 km from north to south, and 350 km from west to east [1] .
The total length of the border is 1633 km. The length of the borders with Latvia is 339 km, Russia - 294 km.
Length of coastline 3794
Estonia includes 1521 islands in the Baltic Sea with a total area of 4.2 thousand km². The largest of them are Saaremaa and Hiiumaa , as well as Muhu , Wormsi , Kihnu and others, which are part of the Moonsun archipelago (Moonsuu). Despite the significant area, less than 5% of the country's population lives on the islands. Estonian rivers are small, but quite full-flowing.
The surface is low hilly and marshy area.
The highest point - the city of Suur-Munamägi ( Suur-Munamägi ) 318 m.
Content
- 1 Climate
- 2 Water resources
- 3 Flora
- 4 fauna
- 5 See also
- 6 notes
- 7 References
Climate
Water resources
Estonia has a dense river network . The rivers of northern and western Estonia (Narva, Pirita, Kazari, Pärnu, etc.) flow directly into the bays of the Baltic Sea, and the rivers of eastern Estonia have a drain into inland waters: Lake Võrtsjärv in the south (Põltsamaa River) and Lake Peipsi (r. Emayygi) and Pskov Lake in the east. The longest river, Vykhandu, has a length of 162 km and flows into the Warm Lake. The most watery rivers are the Narva, through which the flow of Lake Peipsi goes to the Gulf of Finland, and Emajõgi. Only the river is navigable. Emayygi, and below the city of Tartu. During spring floods, the water level in the rivers rises significantly (up to 5 m).
Estonian lakes occupy about 5% of the country's territory, in total there are more than 1,100 of them, almost all of them are of glacial origin [2] . According to more accurate information, there are approximately 1200 natural lakes in Estonia (having an area of more than one hectare , that is, 0.01 km²) and they occupy 4.7% of the country's area [3] . The largest lake in the country of Peipsi (or Peipsi) is located in the east and forms a natural and historical border with Russia. The area of Lake Peipsi is 3,555 km², of which 1,616 km² (44.2%) belong to Estonia. Estonia's largest inland water body - Lake Võrtsjärv, with an area of 269 km².
Flora
The border of the plant-geographical provinces of Eastern and Central Europe passes through Estonia: almost 35% of the total number of all species or subspecies in Estonia are on the border of their distribution zone. Most species that reach the boundaries of the range are located on the northern, northeastern, or eastern borders (for example, fenugreek, Siberian iris, aromatic cocktails, white and red pollen head, ivy, blackthorn), which indicates the predominantly European origin of Estonian vegetation. However, species that grow on the western, northwestern, or southern borders are common here (meringia bocantiflora, buzulnik, common princess).
Caught on the border of the area of distribution, plants entered Estonia in different climatic periods and are called relics of the corresponding period. There are also some plant species that have developed here in Estonia: of the plant species unique to Estonia, the Saaremaa rattle is well known, the Estonian saussurea is less well known. In fact, in Estonia, 83 species or subspecies common here are distinguished, most of which belong to a small species of the hawk family. Over time, many species were added to the ancient plants, the spread of which was promoted by human activity. Mostly due to agriculture and freight, many weeds have spread. Many meadow plants (caustic buttercup, soddy pike and common ruffle) have taken root much earlier in Estonia. Of the lower plants in Estonia, more than 2500 species of algae and 680 species of lichen were found. According to the latest data, the Estonian flora is represented by 1441 species of vascular plants, together with their subspecies there are 1538 species [4] . [5] [6] .
Fauna
The species diversity of wildlife is small - approx. 60 species of mammals. The most numerous are moose (approx. 7000 individuals), roe deer (43 000), hares, wild boars (11 000). In the 1950s and 1960s, maral, red deer, and raccoon dog were introduced. In the largest forests in many parts of Estonia, brown bears (approx. 800 individuals) and lynx (approx. 1000 individuals) are found. In the forests there are also foxes, pine marten, badger, squirrels. Forest ferret, ermine , weasel are common, along the shores of water bodies - European mink and otter . Hedgehog, shrew , mole are very common.
The most diverse avifauna. It numbers 331 species, with 207 species nesting permanently in Estonia (about 60 live all year round). The most abundant are wood grouse and hazel grouse (in coniferous forests), woodcock (in swamps), black grouse (in forest glades), coot , bittern , shepherdess , reeds , mallard and other ducks (on lakes and the sea coast), as well as owl , woodpeckers , larks , kestrel . Such rare bird species as white-tailed eagle , golden eagle , snake-eater , large and small spotted spotted eagle , osprey , white and black stork , and gray crane are under protection. On the islands of the western archipelago, common eider , crested blacken , broad-nosed , large merganser , turpan , gray goose, gulls nest. Birds are especially numerous during the spring and autumn mass migration to places of summer nesting or for wintering in tropical countries. There are 3 species of lizards and 2 species of snakes, including an ordinary viper (see the List of reptiles of Estonia ).
More than 70 species of fish live in freshwater reservoirs and coastal waters (cyprinids, salmonids, smelt , vendace , codfish , bream, roach , perch , pike perch , pike , burbot , trout , crucian carp, tench, common carp, herring, sprat, cod, flounder , whitefish, eel, etc.). Many of them are of commercial importance [4] . [5] [6] .
See also
- List of ground beetles in Estonia
- List of reptiles of Estonia
- List of birds in Estonia
Notes
- ↑ Estonia is the smallest country in the world?
- ↑ Magic lakes of Estonia (Russian) on mastertrip.ru
- ↑ Estonian water network (Russian) on estonica.org
- ↑ 1 2 ESTONICA. Encyclopedia about Estonia. Nature. . Date of treatment June 4, 2013. Archived June 4, 2013.
- ↑ 1 2 Repl. ed. M.I. Rostovtsev. Estonia. // Soviet Union. Geo description in 22 volumes. - Moscow: "Thought", 1967. - S. 254 p. with ill., cards. and diagram .; 9 l ill .; 1 liter kart..
- ↑ 1 2 Under the general. ed. V.E. Sokolova, E.E. Syroechkovsky. Reserves of the Baltic States and Belarus. // Reserves of the USSR. - Moscow: "Thought", 1989. - S. 317 [2] p. ill., cards. - ISBN 5-244-00317-8 .