Population growth in Estonia
From 1960 to 2021 the population of Estonia increased from 1.21 million to 1.33 million people. This is a growth of 9.9 percent in 61 years. The highest increase in Estonia was recorded in 1964 with 1.45 percent. The biggest decrease in 1993 with -2.54 percent.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 160.2 percent.
The average age in Estonia rose by 2.92 years from 2012 to 2021 from 40.78 to 43.70 years (median value).
Around 69 percent of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This growing trend of urbanization is increasing by 0.4 percent annually.
› Population growth in worldwide comparison
Back to overview: Estonia
Population development in Estonia since 1960
(Data given in 1000 inhabitants) On average, 2.1 people live together per household in Estonia.| Year | Population Estonia | Change Estonia | Birth rate | Death rate | Population World | Change World | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1,225,000 | 1.12 % | 16.5 ‰ | 10.6 ‰ | 3,072 M | 1.30 % | |
| 1962 | 1,242,000 | 1.35 % | 16.1 ‰ | 10.9 ‰ | 3,125 M | 1.72 % | |
| 1963 | 1,259,000 | 1.39 % | 15.3 ‰ | 10.5 ‰ | 3,190 M | 2.08 % | |
| 1964 | 1,277,000 | 1.45 % | 15.4 ‰ | 10.0 ‰ | 3,255 M | 2.05 % | |
| 1965 | 1,295,000 | 1.37 % | 14.6 ‰ | 10.4 ‰ | 3,322 M | 2.06 % | |
| 1966 | 1,309,000 | 1.08 % | 14.2 ‰ | 10.5 ‰ | 3,392 M | 2.11 % | |
| 1967 | 1,319,000 | 0.79 % | 14.2 ‰ | 10.4 ‰ | 3,462 M | 2.05 % | |
| 1968 | 1,331,000 | 0.93 % | 14.9 ‰ | 10.7 ‰ | 3,533 M | 2.06 % | |
| 1969 | 1,345,000 | 1.05 % | 15.4 ‰ | 11.3 ‰ | 3,607 M | 2.09 % | |
| 1970 | 1,360,000 | 1.10 % | 15.8 ‰ | 11.2 ‰ | 3,682 M | 2.09 % | |
| 1971 | 1,377,000 | 1.24 % | 16.1 ‰ | 10.9 ‰ | 3,761 M | 2.13 % | |
| 1972 | 1,393,000 | 1.13 % | 15.6 ‰ | 11.1 ‰ | 3,837 M | 2.03 % | |
| 1973 | 1,406,000 | 0.96 % | 15.1 ‰ | 11.1 ‰ | 3,913 M | 1.98 % | |
| 1974 | 1,418,000 | 0.87 % | 15.1 ‰ | 10.9 ‰ | 3,988 M | 1.93 % | |
| 1975 | 1,429,000 | 0.79 % | 14.9 ‰ | 11.6 ‰ | 4,063 M | 1.86 % | |
| 1976 | 1,440,000 | 0.72 % | 15.1 ‰ | 12.1 ‰ | 4,135 M | 1.80 % | |
| 1977 | 1,450,000 | 0.74 % | 15.2 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | 4,208 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1978 | 1,460,000 | 0.69 % | 15.0 ‰ | 12.2 ‰ | 4,281 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1979 | 1,468,000 | 0.56 % | 14.9 ‰ | 12.3 ‰ | 4,357 M | 1.76 % | |
| 1980 | 1,477,000 | 0.61 % | 15.0 ‰ | 12.3 ‰ | 4,433 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1981 | 1,488,000 | 0.71 % | 15.4 ‰ | 12.3 ‰ | 4,511 M | 1.76 % | |
| 1982 | 1,498,000 | 0.72 % | 15.4 ‰ | 11.9 ‰ | 4,592 M | 1.80 % | |
| 1983 | 1,509,000 | 0.69 % | 16.0 ‰ | 12.1 ‰ | 4,674 M | 1.78 % | |
| 1984 | 1,519,000 | 0.65 % | 16.0 ‰ | 12.6 ‰ | 4,756 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1985 | 1,529,000 | 0.67 % | 15.5 ‰ | 12.7 ‰ | 4,839 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1986 | 1,540,000 | 0.75 % | 15.7 ‰ | 11.7 ‰ | 4,925 M | 1.77 % | |
| 1987 | 1,552,000 | 0.78 % | 16.2 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | 5,013 M | 1.78 % | |
| 1988 | 1,562,000 | 0.62 % | 16.0 ‰ | 11.9 ‰ | 5,101 M | 1.77 % | |
| 1989 | 1,568,000 | 0.40 % | 15.5 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | 5,190 M | 1.74 % | |
| 1990 | 1,569,000 | 0.07 % | 14.2 ‰ | 12.4 ‰ | 5,280 M | 1.74 % | |
| 1991 | 1,561,000 | -0.50 % | 12.4 ‰ | 12.6 ‰ | 5,368 M | 1.67 % | |
| 1992 | 1,533,000 | -1.81 % | 11.8 ‰ | 13.1 ‰ | 5,453 M | 1.57 % | |
| 1993 | 1,494,000 | -2.54 % | 10.2 ‰ | 14.2 ‰ | 5,538 M | 1.56 % | |
| 1994 | 1,463,000 | -2.12 % | 9.7 ‰ | 15.2 ‰ | 5,622 M | 1.52 % | |
| 1995 | 1,437,000 | -1.77 % | 9.4 ‰ | 14.5 ‰ | 5,707 M | 1.51 % | |
| 1996 | 1,416,000 | -1.46 % | 9.4 ‰ | 13.4 ‰ | 5,790 M | 1.45 % | |
| 1997 | 1,400,000 | -1.13 % | 9.0 ‰ | 13.3 ‰ | 5,872 M | 1.43 % | |
| 1998 | 1,386,000 | -0.96 % | 8.8 ‰ | 14.0 ‰ | 5,954 M | 1.39 % | |
| 1999 | 1,390,000 | 0.29 % | 9.0 ‰ | 13.4 ‰ | 6,034 M | 1.35 % | |
| 2000 | 1,397,000 | 0.48 % | 9.4 ‰ | 13.2 ‰ | 6,114 M | 1.32 % | |
| 2001 | 1,388,000 | -0.63 % | 9.1 ‰ | 13.3 ‰ | 6,194 M | 1.30 % | |
| 2002 | 1,379,000 | -0.63 % | 9.4 ‰ | 13.3 ‰ | 6,273 M | 1.28 % | |
| 2003 | 1,371,000 | -0.63 % | 9.5 ‰ | 13.2 ‰ | 6,352 M | 1.26 % | |
| 2004 | 1,363,000 | -0.60 % | 10.3 ‰ | 13.0 ‰ | 6,432 M | 1.25 % | |
| 2005 | 1,355,000 | -0.57 % | 10.6 ‰ | 12.8 ‰ | 6,512 M | 1.25 % | |
| 2006 | 1,347,000 | -0.59 % | 11.0 ‰ | 12.9 ‰ | 6,593 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2007 | 1,341,000 | -0.46 % | 11.8 ‰ | 13.0 ‰ | 6,674 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2008 | 1,337,000 | -0.27 % | 12.0 ‰ | 12.5 ‰ | 6,757 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2009 | 1,335,000 | -0.19 % | 11.8 ‰ | 12.1 ‰ | 6,840 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2010 | 1,331,000 | -0.23 % | 11.9 ‰ | 11.9 ‰ | 6,922 M | 1.20 % | |
| 2011 | 1,327,000 | -0.30 % | 11.1 ‰ | 11.5 ‰ | 7,004 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2012 | 1,323,000 | -0.36 % | 10.6 ‰ | 11.7 ‰ | 7,089 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2013 | 1,318,000 | -0.36 % | 10.3 ‰ | 11.6 ‰ | 7,176 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2014 | 1,315,000 | -0.26 % | 10.3 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
| 2015 | 1,315,000 | 0.07 % | 10.6 ‰ | 11.6 ‰ | 7,405 M | 1.97 % | |
| 2016 | 1,316,000 | 0.03 % | 10.7 ‰ | 11.7 ‰ | 7,492 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2017 | 1,317,000 | 0.12 % | 10.5 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | 7,578 M | 1.15 % | |
| 2018 | 1,322,000 | 0.35 % | 10.9 ‰ | 11.9 ‰ | 7,662 M | 1.10 % | |
| 2019 | 1,327,000 | 0.37 % | 10.6 ‰ | 11.6 ‰ | 7,743 M | 1.06 % | |
| 2020 | 1,330,000 | 0.20 % | 9.9 ‰ | 11.9 ‰ | 7,821 M | 1.01 % | |
| 2021 | 1,331,000 | 0.11 % | 7,888 M | 0.86 % |
Birth and death rate in Estonia
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. For example, the year 2020 in the graph: The population in Estonia increased by about 2,620 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 11.9 per 1,000 people (~ 15,800 deaths) and the birth rate was 9.9 per 1,000 people (~ 13,100 births). As a result, around 5,320 inhabitants have to be added by migration from other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 15,468 in Estonia. The number of births was 13,936 annually.
The changes in births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.
Birth rate Death rate
Comparison of the global population density
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