[citation needed] Languages spoken in Estonia largely reflect the composition of the indigenous and immigrant ethnic groups residing in Estonia, and thus have changed with historical trends affecting the ethnic makeup of the country.

Similarly to other northern European peoples, religion plays a rather small part in the lives of most Estonians.

Decreasing population pressures are explained by a higher death than birth rate and periods of an excess of emigrants over immigrants.

[16] The population mainly increased as a result of net immigration of European Union citizens.

The infant mortality rate in Estonia has decreased considerably during the past decades.

After 1994, life expectancy gradually increased to reach 68.3 years in males and 79.2 in females in 2012.

At that time Estonians were still the predominant ethnic group, while all others constituted 12% of the population of Estonia.

Major Jewish communities were present in Estonia between 1918 and 1940 in Tallinn, Pärnu, Kilingi-Nõmme, Narva, Tartu, Valga, and Võru.

[38] Population of Estonia by ethnic group 1897–2021 As a result of the Soviet occupation from 1944 to 1991 and Soviet policies, the share of ethnic Estonians in the population resident within currently defined boundaries of Estonia dropped to 61.5% in 1989, compared to 88% in 1934.

[37][42] In 2008, the largest ethnic groups in Estonia were Estonians 68.7%, Russians 25.6%, Ukrainians 2.1%, Belarusians 1.2%, and Finns 0.8%.

The numbers had changed a little by the time of the 2021 census, when they were reported as Estonians 69.1%, Russians 23.6%, Ukrainians 2.1%, Belarusians 0.9%, and Finns 0.6%.

Both registered immigration and net migration were several times bigger than the average of recent years, due to the arrival of war refugees from Ukraine.

[7] Many languages are spoken in Estonia, including Estonian (official), Võro, Russian, Ukrainian, English, Finnish, German and others.

[45] Estonian and Finnish are closely related, belonging to the same Finnic branch of the Uralic language family.

One-third of the standard vocabulary is derived from adding suffixes to root words.

During the Soviet era, the Russian language was imposed in parallel to, and often instead of, Estonian in official use.

Census data show that in 2021 an estimated 76% of Estonia's population speak a foreign language.

While 10 years ago the most widely spoken foreign language in Estonia was Russian, today it is English.

[49]Religion in Estonia (2011)[50] [51] According to the most recent Eurobarometer Poll 2010,[52] 18% of Estonian residents responded that "they believe there is a God", whereas 50% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 29% that "they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, god, or life force".

A survey conducted in 2006–2008 by Gallup showed that 14% of Estonians answered positively to the question: "Is religion an important part of your daily life?

The organisation Maavalla Koda (Taaraism) unites adherents of animist traditional religions.

[55][56] The Russian neopagan organisation "Vene Rahvausu Kogudus Eestis" is registered in Tartu.