EstoniaEs·to·ni·a (?-st??n?-?) A country of north-central Europe west of Russia, bordering on the Baltic Sea. Settled before the 1st century ad, it was held successively between the 13th and 18th centuries by the Danes, German Livonian Knights, Swedes, and Russians. Estonia became an independent republic in 1918 but was annexed by the USSR in 1940. Occupied by Germany in 1941, it reverted to Soviet control in 1944 and was known as the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic. Full independence was gained in 1991. Tallinn is the capital and the largest city.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.Estonia (??st??n??) or formerly Esthonian (Placename) a republic in NE Europe, on the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic: low-lying with many lakes and forests, it includes numerous islands in the Baltic Sea. It was under Scandinavian and Teutonic rule from the 13th century to 1721, when it passed to Russia: it was an independent republic from 1920 to 1940, when it was annexed by the Soviet Union; became independent in 1991 and joined the EU in 2004. Official language: Estonian. Religion: believers are mostly Christian. Currency: euro. Capital: Tallinn. Pop: 1 266 375 (2013 est). Area: 45 227 sq km (17 462 sq miles)Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014Es?to?ni?a (??sto? ni ?, ??sto?n y?) n. a republic in N Europe, on the Baltic, S of the Gulf of Finland: an independent republic 1918?40; annexed by the Soviet Union 1940; regained independence 1991. 1,408,523; 17,413 sq. mi. (45,100 sq. km). Cap.: Tallinn. Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.