“ The capital, Tallinn (Reval) was founded in 1219 at the mouth of the Gulf of Finland, and in 1917 had 160,000 inhabitants. The university town of Tartu (Dorpat) had 60,000 inhabitants. The population of the port of Parnu, on the Gulf of Riga, was 23,000, and that of the manufacturing town of Narva 35,000.
Religion and Instruction.—There is no State religion in Esthonia. Five-sixths of the population are Lutherans, the rest Orthodox, Catholics, &c.
Elementary education is obligatory and gratuitous. In 1897 the illiterates among the population above the age of 10 years numbered 3 per cent. ”

“ Production and Industry.—Latvia is mainly an agricultural country, but an increasing number of people are passing from agricultural to industrial life. At present Latvia can export in large quantities only flax and timber. ”

“ Religion and Instruction.—The majority of the population in Latvia is Protestant, but in Latgale and one district of Courland there are also many Roman Catholics, while in Riga, Windau and south-east of Livonia there are about 200,000 Greek Orthodox Letts. Jews form about 4.29 per cent. ”

“ The signatures of 25,000 citizens are necessary in demanding a referendum, proposing a new law, or amending the existing laws. The budget and measures affecting war, peace and foreign treaties cannot he submitted to a referendum. ”

“ Latvian timber lands, State and private, produce annually about 172.5 million cubic feet of timber, mostly redwood, which can be exported to the extent of about 14 per cent. either as logs or sawn goods, or manufactured into furniture, or building material. ”

“ The minority nationals (Germans, Russians, Swedes, and Letts) are guaranteed education in their mother tongue.
For higher education there are the Dorpat University (founded in 1632) , which on December 1, 1919, was re-opened as an Esthonian seat of learning maintained by the Government; number of students (1920) 2,127; the Technicum at Tallinn is a higher professional school with 500 students in 1920.
Justice.—The supreme judicial power is invested in the State Court of Justice, which is elected by the State Assembly and sits in Tartu (Dorpat) . ”

“ Recent census returns for the United States, Austria, Brazil, Colombia, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Panama, and Switzerland are included in this, the fifty-eighth, issue of the Year Book. All the sections have received the usual revision; the information respecting Russia has been furnished from official Soviet sources. Since last year Montenegro has disappeared as an independent entity, while, on the other hand, Fiume is now one of the States of the world. Of these there are at present 64, counting the British Empire as one. ”

“ Production.—Agriculture is the chief occupation. Half the area of Esthonia was taken up by large landed properties of more than 2,000 hectares each. By the passing of the Agrarian Reform Bill these estates were parcelled out to the peasants. ”

“ Of this number 1,227 were supported by self-government institutions, for example of communities, suburbs, towns or of the State, and 30 were private schools kept by private individuals. The number of higher schools with a seven years' course amounted to 211, seven of which are private. ”