During the Soviet occupation and annexation of Estonia some towns and villages like Narva, Jõhvi, Kohtla-Järve, Sillamäe, Maardu and Paldiski experienced almost total repopulation by Russiansand other Russian speakers and also new city districts that were meant to accommodate mostly Russians were built in Tallinn.

Estonians made up about 80% of Tallinn's population before World War II, but make up only 49% in 2019.

Today Northern Estonia has two main ethnic groups: Estonians and Russians.

In 2005, the oil-shale-fired Narva Power Plants accounted for 95% of the country's electrical generation.

Russian is the second most spoken language, mainly in Tallinn and Ida-Viru County.

The East Estonian dialect (similar to the Votic language) sometimes also reaches Ida-Viru County.