This Country Profile provides a basic overview of the legal history and institutional structures of the Republic of Estonia (Eesti Vabariik), based on research produced by GlobaLex at NYU Law School and the Library of Congress. Under Estonia's Constitution, Islamic law (sharīʿa or fiqh) has no legal status.
Country Background
Estonia is located in Eastern Europe, bounded by the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland. It is bordered by Latvia and Russia. The capital of Estonia is Tallinn. The official language is Estonian. The country’s population in 2016 was approximately 1.3 million. Estonia is a predominantly Christian country.
Constitution & Legal Structure
Estonia is referred to as a parliamentary republic. The modern Estonian state was founded in 1918, but lasted only two years before it became part of the USSR. After 50 years of Soviet rule, Estonia officially became an independent sovereignty in 1991, and joined the European Union shortly afterwards. The Constitution was written in 1992 and has since been amended (most recently in 2015). Estonia has three branches of government: legislative, executive, and judicial.
Constitutional Status of Islamic Law
Islamic law has no constitutional status in Estonia.
Jurisdiction(s) of Islamic Law
Islamic law has no official jurisdiction of operation in Estonia.
Dominant School of Islamic Law
Estonia has no official school of Islamic law.
Sources of Law for Legal Research
Official Publications
Unofficial Databases
References:
For an extended list of legal resources for this country, see the Library of Congress’s Research Guide, and for a narrative review, see the GlobaLex Foreign Law Research Guide (most updated version, where available). The Constitution is available in the LOC Guide in its original language and at Constitute in English translation. For full versions of past constitutions, amendments, and related legislation, see HeinOnline World Constitutions Illustrated or Oxford Constitutions of the World [subscription required for each].