Half of the gross domestic product of Estonia is created in Tallinn

The share of Harju county’s value added has gradually increased in the GDP of Estonia, for example ten years ago, i.e. in 1996, the share of Harju county comprised 53% of Estonia’s GDP. In 2006, Harju county was followed, at a great distance, by Tartu county and Ida-Viru county whose shares in the GDP of Estonia were respectively 9.8% and 7.2%. Three counties which had contributed the least to the GDP of Estonia for several years running were Hiiu, Põlva and Jõgeva counties (with the respective proportions of 0.5%, 1.1% and 1.2% in the GDP).

Share of county's value added in the GDP of Estonia, 2006 (percentages)

In 2006, the GDP of Estonia per capita was 152,610 kroons, while the respective indicator of Harju county was 239,987 kroons or 157.3% of the Estonian average. But the relevant indicator of Tallinn accounted for 172% of the Estonian average. Harju county was followed by Tartu and Pärnu counties, where the indicators of GDP per capita were respectively 88.3% and 73.1% of the Estonian average. The smallest GDP per capita was continuously observed in Jõgeva and Põlva counties in 2006, respectively 43.8% and 47.4% of the Estonian average.

County's GDP per capita, 2006 (share of the average in Estonia)

In 2006, 67.2% of the value added of Estonia was produced in the tertiary sector, 29.7% in the secondary sector and 3.1% in the primary sector. Over the last ten years, the share of primary sector has been continuously decreasing and the share of tertiary sector has been increasing.

It is characteristic of Estonia that in the counties which share of the GDP in the country’s GDP is large (Harju, Tartu and Ida-Viru counties), the share of primary sector is very small. But in the counties which share of the GDP in the country’s GDP is the smallest (Jõgeva, Hiiu and Põlva counties), the primary sector has a relatively large share.

Thus, in 2006, 73.8% of the Harju county’s value added was produced in the tertiary sector and only 0.8% in the primary sector. In Tartu county, the tertiary sector accounted for 66.9% and the primary sector 2.9%. But in Ida-Viru county, which is one of the three counties characterized by the largest GDP, almost half of the value added (49.6%) was produced in the secondary sector. This reflects the important role of mining, electricity and manufacturing in the economic activity of this county. The share of primary sector was very modest (1.6%) in Ida-Viru county.

In Jõgeva, Hiiu and Põlva counties, the share of primary sector was 19.3%, 15.5% and 17.0% respectively.

Primary sector includes the economic activities of agriculture, hunting and forestry; and fishing. Secondary sector includes mining and quarrying; manufacturing; electricity, gas and water supply; and construction. Tertiary sector includes wholesale and retail trade; hotels and restaurants; transport, storage and communication; financial intermediation; real estate, renting and business activities; public administration and defence; compulsory social security; education; health and social work; other community, social and personal service activities.