Tallinn

Tallinn
City
From top: Old Town, KUMU, Tallinn Song Festival Grounds, Kadriorg Palace, Viru Gate, City Centre
Flag Coat of arms Logo
Tallinn
Coordinates: 59°26′14″N 24°44′43″E / 59.43722°N 24.74528°E / 59.43722; 24.74528Coordinates: 59°26′14″N 24°44′43″E / 59.43722°N 24.74528°E / 59.43722; 24.74528
Country	Estonia
County	Harju County
First appeared on map	1154
Town rights	1248
Government
• Deputy Mayor	Taavi Aas (Centre Party)
Area
• City	159.2 km2 (61.5 sq mi)
Elevation	9 m (30 ft)
Population (1 December 2016)
• City	444,085
• Rank	1st (67th in EU)
• Density	2,800/km2 (7,200/sq mi)
• Metro	542,983
Demonym(s)	Tallinner
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal code	15199
Area code(s)	(+372) 64
Vehicle registration	A-B
GDP(nominal)	2014
- Total	€10($13) billion
- Per capita	€23,000($30,000)
Website	www.tallinn.ee

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Historic Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn
Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List
Location	Estonia
Type	Cultural
Criteria	ii, iv
Reference	822bis
UNESCO region	Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription	1997 (21st Session)

Tallinn (/ˈtɑːlɪn/ or /ˈtælɪn/,Estonian pronunciation: [ˈtɑlʲˑinˑ]; names in other languages) is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, 80 km (50 mi) south of Helsinki, east of and west of Saint Petersburg. From the 13th century until 1918 (and briefly during the Nazi occupation of Estonia from 1941 to 1944), the city was known as Reval. Tallinn occupies an area of 159.2 km² (61.5 sq mi) and has a population of 443,894. Approximately 32% of Estonia's total population lives in Tallinn.

Tallinn was founded in 1248, but the earliest human settlements are over 5,000 years old, making it one of the oldest capital cities of Northern Europe. Due to its strategic location, the city became a major trade hub, especially from the 14th to the 16th century, when it grew in importance as part of the Hanseatic League.

Tallinn's Old Town is one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tallinn is the major political, financial, cultural and educational center of Estonia. Often dubbed the Silicon Valley of Europe, it has the highest number of startups per person in Europe and is a birthplace of many international companies, including Skype. Providing to the global cybersecurity it is the home to the NATO Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence. It is ranked as a global city and has been listed among the top 10 digital cities in the world. The city was a European Capital of Culture for 2011, along with Turku in Finland.