Communications
Telephones: 531,000 (1997)
Telephone system: the Ministry of Transportation and
Communications (MOTC) administers Estonia's telephone system;
Internet services available throughout most of the country; about
150,000 unfilled subscriber requests
domestic: local—cellular phones services are growing and expanding
to develop rural networks under direction of the MOTC;
intercity—Estonia has a highly developed fiber-optic backbone
(double loop) system presently serving at least 16 major cities
(1998)
international: foreign investment in the form of joint business
ventures greatly improved Estonia's telephone service; fiber-optic
cables to Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide
packet switched service
Radio broadcast stations: 27 commercial broadcast stations, 1 government broadcast station (1997); note—by law 51% of shows must be produced within the EU; equal air time must be given to all candidates during elections by public and private stations
Radios: 1.12 million (1997 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 7 (1997); note—Ministry of Culture administers television licensing; mainly Estonian, European, and Russian programming; by law 51% of shows must be produced within the EU; equal air time must be given to all candidates during elections by public and private stations
Televisions: 1.132 million (1997 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 1,018 km common carrier lines only; does not include
dedicated industrial lines
broad gauge: 1,018 km 1.520-m gauge (132 km electrified) (1995)
Highways:
total: 16,437 km
paved: 8,343 km (including 65 km of expressways)
unpaved: 8,094 km (1997 est.)