Land use - Drivers and pressures (Estonia)

The total area of Estonia is 45 227 km², of which the mainland is 43 200 km². Approximately 50 % of the territory is covered by forests and agricultural land and mires cover a further fifth of the territory. The population as of January 2009 is 1 340 415 and the average population density is 31 inhabitants per km². The urban population is around 70 % (01.01.2008) and rural about 30 %.

Figure 7. Population in 1970–2008. Data: Statistics Estonia.

Despite the decreasing population, housing, services and related infrastructure have been the main cause of land-take for urban and other artificial areas.

During the period 1991- 2005, near Tallinn  about 5 600 new houses were built: about 1 900 in 2005, about 900 in 2004, about 300 in 2001 and only 100 per year before 2000.

Forty-six per cent of the new built-up areas are situated on former arable land, 28% on former discontinuous urban land and 16% on natural grasslands.

The main pressure on the Estonian environment is caused by the oil shale-based energy production. Estonia has the largest accessible oil shale deposits in the world. Over 80 % of the oil shale mined is used for the production of electricity and heat.

Transport is also an important driver of land-use changes. The increasing number of vehicles is resulting in expansion of the traffic infrastructure.

Assessing Corine Land Cover (1990, 2000 and 2006) database statistics on the first-level class Agricultural areas change has been minimal.

Figure 8. Change of agricultural areas, arable land and number of households, 2001–2007. Source: Estonian environmental review 2009, Statistics Estonia

Intended use of land

Figure 9. Intended use of land. Source: Statistics Estonia, unit hectares

Area of mining activities

Figure 10. Area of mining activities. Source: www.keskkonnainfo.ee. Data: Corine Land Cover.

Read more: Estonian environmental review 2009 http://www.keskkonnainfo.ee/publications/4263_PDF.pdf