Front: Kristjan Raud (1865-1943), Estonian artist

Raud spent long years studying in St.Petersburg, Dusseldorf and Munich. He returned to Estonia in 1903 to establish his artistic career. Most of his works were based on Estonian folklore. Raud is remembered not only as one of the first national romantic Estonian artists but also as the best-known illustrator of the Estonian epic Kalevipoeg (The Son of Kalev).

Back: Toampea castle with Tall Hermann

Front: Karl Ernest von Baer (1792-1876), Estonian/German embryologist

von Baer was the first to discover the female ovum in 1827 and the subsequent realization that male and female parents make an equal genetic contribution to their offspring.

Back: Tartu University building

Front: Paul Keres (1916-1975), Estonian chess champion

Paul Keres was born in Narva. He studied mathematics at the University of Tartu 1938-1941. He became the Estonian chess champion for the first time in 1935. Keres remained among the world's best competing chess players until the mid-1960s. In 1959 and 1962, Paul Keres was named Estonia's best sportsman of the year. At the Chess Olympics, Paul Keres received a team gold medal seven times.

Back: Teutonic fortress along Narva River

Front: Jakob Hurt (1839-1907), teacher and paster

Hurt was born in Põlva, southeastern part of Estonia. He studied at the University of Tartu 1859-63. Even during his student years, Hurt was absolutely strong-minded in preserving his Estonian culture. Later he worked on both collecting and publishing numerous Estonian folklore and poetry. He spent some years as a teacher and was sent to Otepää church as pastor in 1872.

Back: Tamme-lauri oak tree at Urvaste

Estonia, located in eastern Europe, was Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic of the U.S.S.R. Became independent in 1991. For a more detailed country profile, see CIA World Factbook on Estonia.

Euro becomes the official currency for Estonia on January 1, 2011.