- Margus Hanson
Margus Hanson (born January 6 1958 in Tartu) is an Estonian politician.
- Andrus Ansip
Andrus Ansip (born 1 October 1956) is the current Prime Minister of Estonia, and chairman of the Estonian Reform Party (Estonian: "Reformierakond").
- Toomas Hendrik Ilves
Toomas Hendrik Ilves (born December 26, 1953) is the current President of Estonia. He is a former diplomat and journalist, was the leader of the Social Democratic Party in the 1990s and later a member of the European Parliament. His term as President began on 9 October, 2006.
- Arvo Pärt
Arvo Pärt, is an Estonian composer, often identified with the school of minimalism and more specifically, that of "mystic minimalism" or "sacred minimalism". He is considered a pioneer of this style, along with contemporaries Henryk Górecki and John Tavener. Arvo Pärt is best known for his choral works.
- Mart Laar
Mart Laar (born April 22 1960 in Viljandi) is an Estonian statesman and historian. He was the Prime Minister of Estonia from 1992 to 1994 and from 1999 to 2002. Laar was a member of the right-of-center Pro Patria Union, which in 2006 merged with the more technocratic Res Publica Party. In addition to being a politician, Laar has written several books on Estonian and Russian history. He was also a history teacher in Tallinn, …
- Kaia Kanepi
Kaia Kanepi (pronunciation: "KEYE-ah ka-NEP-I"; born June 10, 1985 in Tallinn) is an Estonian professional female tennis player. Her career-high was No. 45 on July 16, 2007. She is right-handed and play two-handed backhand. Her favourite surface is clay.
- Lennart Meri
Lennart Georg Meri (March 29, 1929 – March 14, 2006) was a writer, film director and politician who served as President of Estonia from 1992 to 2001. Meri was a leader of the Estonian independence movement.
- Urmas Paet
Urmas Paet (born April 20 1974) is an Estonian politician and currently the Foreign Minister of Estonia. He is a member of the Estonian Reform Party. Paet was born in Tallinn, Estonia. He graduated from the University of Tartu in 1996 with a BA in Political Science and continued his graduate studies there, however without ever obtaining the degree. He had been active in journalism during his studies, and continued in that career until 1999, …
- Juhan Parts
Juhan Parts (born 27 August 1966 in Tallinn) is a former Prime Minister of Estonia, and former chairman of the Res Publica Party. Since April 5 2007 he is the Minister of Economy and Communication in Andrus Ansip's second government. Juhan Parts is a member of the Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica party.
- Siim Kallas
Siim Kallas (born 2 October 1948 in Tallinn) is an Estonian politician, currently serving as European Commissioner for Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud. He is also one of five vice-presidents of the 27-member Barroso Commission. Kallas has been Prime Minister of Estonia, Estonian Minister of Finance, Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and member of the Riigikogu. Kallas is a member and former leader of the free-market liberal Estonian Reform Party.
- Jaak Aaviksoo
Jaak Aaviksoo (born 11 January 1954 in Tartu, Estonia) is an Estonian politician and current Estonian Minister of Defense. He is a member of liberal conservative Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica.
- Veljo Tormis
Veljo Tormis (b. August 7, 1930) is an Estonian composer considered by most Estonians to be one of their most important composers of the 20th century. Internationally, his fame arises chiefly from his extensive body of choral music, which exceeds 500 individual choral songs, most of it a cappella. The great majority of these pieces are based on traditional ancient Estonian folksongs ("regilaulud"), either textually, melodically, or merely stylistically.
- Maret Ani
Maret Ani was, at the start of 2006, the top-ranked Estonian tennis player. Ani was a junior basketball champion, but devoted herself to tennis from the age of 14. She moved to Italy three years later after finding sponsorship for coaching. She was coached initially by Aita Põldma and later by Pierfrancesco Restelli.
- Tanel Padar
Tanel Padar (born October 27, 1980) is an Estonian singer. He is best known for winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2001. Padar became famous by winning the "Kaks takti ette", a biennial televised competition for young Estonian singers, in 1999. In 2000 he was one of the backing vocalists for Ines - who at the time was also his girlfriend - at the Eurovision Song Contest 2000.
- Jürgen Ligi
Jürgen Ligi is an Estonian Reform Party politician and a former Estonian Minister of Defense. From 1995 to 2005 he was a member of Riigikogu, the parliament of Estonia. Since 2007 he is again a member of Riigikogu.
- Arnold Rüütel
Arnold Rüütel (born May 10, 1928) was the President of the Republic of Estonia from 2001 to 2006. He was the second President since Estonia regained its independence in 1991. Rüütel also served as the last Chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 1990 to 1992, during the collapse of the Soviet Union and restoration of independence
- Kristiina Ojuland
Kristiina Ojuland was the foreign minister of Estonia from 2002 through 2004. In June 2004 she ran for the post of secretary-general of the Council of Europe, but was defeated, receiving only 51 of 299 votes. She is a member of the Estonian Reform Party. On 11 February 2005 she was fired as foreign minister by Arnold Rüütel for what he says was the disappearance of 100 secret documents. Ojuland has said the files disappeared before she took the post.
- Markko Märtin
Markko Märtin is a rally car driver from Estonia, who competed in the World Rally Championship from 2000 until 2005. Märtin, as understudy to then-team mates Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz, shot to prominence with Ford in 2002. He was on target to notch up victory on that year's Acropolis Rally Greece, his career first, until suffering two punctures and instead being forced to concede to the more experienced McRae.
- Carmen Kass
Carmen Kass (born September 14, 1978 in Paide, Estonia) is an Estonian supermodel.
- Mart Poom
Mart Poom is an Estonian football goalkeeper. He currently plays for Watford, whom he joined on May 26, 2007 from Arsenal.
- Erki Nool
Erki Nool is an Estonian decathlete and politician. He is a winner of the gold medal for Decathlon in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Although Nool did not place first in any individual event, his total score was the highest. Nool won the title after the competition referee decided to over-rule a discus judge who had red-flagged his last and only valid attempt due to alleged step-out.
- Ene Ergma
Ene Ergma (b. 29 February, 1944 in Rakvere) is an Estonian politician. She is a member of the political party Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica. Before the two parties merged she was a member of Res Publica Party.
- Marko Matvere
Marko Matvere is an Estonian actor. He has worked at the Tallinn City Theatre since graduating from the Higher Theatre School of the Estonian Academy of Music in 1991.
- Marko Asmer
Marko Asmer is a race car driver born in Tallinn, Estonia on 1984-07-30. He drove in British Formula Three in 2004, prior to that driving two races of the 2003 Formula Renault V6 Eurocup for the STRS team. He is currently driving in the Japanese and British Formula Three. It should be noted that Asmer was the first Estonian to drive a Formula One car when he first tested for the Williams F1 team in 2003. He is currently (14.
- Rein Lang
Rein Lang (born July 4 1957 in Tartu, Estonia) is an Estonian politician, a member of the Estonian Reform Party since 1995, and a diplomat. He is currently serving as the Minister of Justice.
- Neeme Järvi
Neeme Järvi (b. June 7, 1937) is an Estonian-born American conductor. Neeme Järvi was born in Tallinn and studied first there and then in Leningrad under Evgeny Mravinsky, among others. Early in his career, he held posts with the Estonian Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra, the Estonian State Symphony Orchestra and the Opera in Tallinn. In 1971 he won first prize in the International Conductors Competition at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome.
- Eiki Nestor
Eiki Nestor (born September 5 1953) is an Estonian politician. He was the leader of the Social Democratic Party of Estonia from 1994 to 1996. Nestor has been a member of the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th Parliament of Estonia, being a Minister without Portfolio in charge of regional affairs from 1994 to 1995 and a Minister of Social Affairs from 1999 to 2002.
- Jaan Kirsipuu
Jaan Kirsipuu (born July 17, 1969 in Tartu) is an Estonian road bicycle racer, living in France. He is one of Estonia's top athletes. He has the distinction of being the only cyclist to drop out of the Tour de France 13 consecutive times. In spite of this, he was a very successful rider, winning multiple stages in the event, and wearing the yellow jersey for six days in 1999. Kirsipuu retired at the end of the 2006 season.
- Tiit Vähi
Tiit Vähi is an Estonian politician, Prime Minister of Estonia from 1995 to 1997, and acting Prime Minister for several months during 1992 under the transitional government. Born in Valga, Estonia, Vähi graduated from the Tallinn Technical University with a degree in Engineering. From the time of his graduation until 1992, he served in several top managerial post with the Valga Trucking Company.
- Erkki-Sven Tüür
Erkki-Sven Tüür is an Estonian composer. Tüür was born in Kärdla on the Estonian island of Hiiumaa. He studied flute and percussion at the Tallinn Music School from 1976 to 1980 and composition with Jaan Rääts at the Tallinn Academy of Music and privately with Lepo Sumera from 1980 to 1984. From 1979 to 1984 he headed the rock group In Spe, which quickly became one of the most popular in Estonia. Tüür left In Spe to concentrate on composition, …
- Jaan Kross
Jaan Kross (born 19 February 1920) is the most eminent contemporary Estonian writer.
- Jaan Kaplinski
Jaan Kaplinski (born January 22, 1941, Tartu) is an Estonian poet, philosopher and culture critic. Kaplinski is known for his independent mind, focus on global issues and support for left-wing/liberal thinking. He has been deeply influenced by Eastern philosophical schools (taoism and especially buddhism). Kaplinski studied languages and linguistics at Tartu University, graduating as a French philologist in 1966, and has worked as a translator, …
- Gerd Kanter
Gerd Kanter (born May 6, 1979) is an Estonian discus thrower. He competed at the 2004 Olympics, but didn't reach the final. 2005 was his breakthrough year as he won silver medals at the World Championships and World Athletics Final, took home a victory in the European Cup and won the World University Games. He also threw more than 70 metres for the first time.
- Lenna Kuurmaa
Lenna Kuurmaa (born September 26, 1985 in Tallinn, Estonia) is an Estonian musician, singer, songwriter, and a member of the girl group Vanilla Ninja. Born to Rain and Anne Kuurmaa, she has one brother, Raido, who is 3 years older. Lenna has green eyes. She was attending the same secondary school with Maarja Kivi. Lenna's hobbies are music and sport. She loves to dance, and when she has free time she goes to the playing field.
- Taavi Veskimägi
Taavi Veskimägi is an Estonian politician. He is a Chairman of the Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica, Vice Speaker of the Estonian Parliament (Riigikogu), and former Minister of Finance.
- Tõnis Lukas
Tõnis Lukas is an Estonian politician. He is co-chairman of the Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica, member of the Estonian Parliament (Riigikogu), and former Minister of Education. After graduating from secondary school and spending another year in technical school in Tallinn, Tõnis Lukas went on to study history in University of Tartu. He graduated in 1987 and continued postgraduate studies from 1989 to 1992, receiving his Master degree in history 1997.
- Andres Tarand
Andres Tarand (born 11 January 1940 in Tallinn), is an Estonian politician and Member of the European Parliament for the Social Democratic Party, part of the Party of European Socialists. Tarand also served as the Prime Minister of Estonia from 1994 to 1995. Born in Tallinn, Tarand graduated from the University of Tartu with a degree in climatology in 1963. After receiving his first degree he continued his studies at Tartu receiving a second degree in geography in 1973.
- Andrus Värnik
Andrus Värnik is an Estonian javelin thrower. 87,83, his personal best set in 2003, is also the Estonian record. Värnik won his first international medal, a silver medal, in the 2003 World Championships in Athletics, throwing 85.17. The next year he finished 6th in the javelin contest at the Olympic Games with the result 83.25. With 87.17 he won a surprise gold medal at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics ahead of Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen, …
- Eduard Tubin
Eduard Tubin (June 18, 1905 - November 17, 1982) was an Estonian composer and conductor.
- Tiiu Kuik
Tiiu Kuik ("tee-you qu-ick") (born March 16, 1987) is an Estonian supermodel. Born in Tallinn, Kuik has walked the runways for more than 40 designers, including Gucci, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton, among others. She is now representing CoverGirl cosmetics. At the age of 13, she was at a local food fair in Estonia when the owner of the "TopModel" agency discovered her. She was then sent to Japan for modeling work, and after that, to Italy.