Estonia is currently a parliamentary republic, with a president, prime minister, and a cabinet. However, this wasn’t always the case. Until 1991, Estonia was controlled by the Soviet Union. Russian citizens at the time of Soviet occupation were the country’s largest minority at 8.2% (Demographic Problems -Estonica 2010). World War II left Estonia’s population in ruins. 25% of the population was lost as war casualties. Over 90,000 deaths were estimated. This large decrease in population made repair and growth extremely difficult. WWII had caused Estonia to become a state "characterized by slow generation replacement where it took considerably longer for the wounds to heal; Estonian population may never recover these losses” (Estonica).
In addition to the loss of sheer numbers causing demographic issues, the political structure and influence of the Soviet Union was causing problems in Estonia as well. The Soviet economy, publically run, was much less advanced than those in Europe. After gaining independence, the country struggled with shifting to a privatized and urban economy (Estonica). Estonia has made strides in becoming a powerful privatized state.
