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1987: The "Phosphate Wars" was a call against the Soviet Union planning to implement phosphate mines in Estonia, eventually leading to general criticism of Soviet policy.

1988: The "Singing Revolution" began.

1990: Estonian elections were re-instituted.

October 20th,1992: Estonian gained independence from Russia.

October 31st, 1994: Russian forces withdrew from Estonia.

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Ethnic conflicts begin as Soviet Russia occupies Estonia during World War Two.

Forced Russification deports over 200,000 Estonians to several different parts of the USSR and many Estonian traditions and customs are suppressed.

Much of the population was forced into non-strategic areas with other non-indigenous peoples, promoting ethnic tensions.

After the Soviet Union lost power in Estonia, the Estonian government divided the citizenry between citizens and non-citizens, mostly depriving the title of citizen to non-indigenous peoples that immigrated to Estonia under the Soviet regime. However, non-citizens are the only people in the world where they are still able to vote in elections regardless, according to the Local Government Council Election Act of May 1996.

Comparatively, the ethnic conflicts in the Baltic states are some of the least violent among the modern nations that were a part of the Soviet Union. In Estonia, the majority of the conflict happened between Estonian and Russian students in the late 1980s, sparking demonstrations against the Soviet system which eventually led to the government supporting such demonstrations as a way to provide context for their independence, even going so far that their laws supersede Soviet law.

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History of Estonia before Major Ethnic Conflicts

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History of Estonia before Major Ethnic Conflicts

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c. 600-800 A.D.: Many traditional Estonian villages and village society formed.

c. 1050 A.D.: Age of prosperity. Fortresses built for defense and diffusion of iron tools and weaponry across the country. Counties formed.

End of 12th Century-1290: Crusades against Estonians, Livonians, and Latvians. Estonia incorporated into Holy Roman Empire.

1290-1710: Many regions governed and controlled by Scandinavian, Polish, and Russian powers until the Russian Empire annexed it in 1710 from Sweden.

March 3rd, 1917: Estonia made into a national government by revolutionists.

February 24th, 1918: Estonia declared independence. Germans occupied capital the next day.

February-November 1918: German occupation until end of war.

November 11th, 1918-February 2nd, 1920: Estonian War for Independence against Communist armies and the Baltic Landeswehr.

February 2nd, 1920: War ends with Russia recognizing sovereignty of Estonia in the Tartu Peace Treaty.

March 12th, 1934: A coup establishes an authoritarian state order.

November 1st, 1939: World War II begins. Estonia declares neutrality.

October 28th, 1939: Estonia and Russia sign a mutual assistance pact, allowing Russia to build bases in Estonia.

June 16th, 1940: Estonia is occupied by Soviet Russia as the world focuses on the occupation of Paris. Russification begins.

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Ethnic Demographics of Estonia (% of population)

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Ethnic Demographics of Estonia (% of population)

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Estonian: 69.1%

Russian: 25.3%

Ukrainian: 1.8%

Belarusian: 1.0%

Other: 3%

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Ancient Counties of Estonia circa Medieval Era

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Ancient Counties of Estonia circa Medieval Era