Statistical Yearbook of Estonia describes the life of Estonia in figures

If the Yearbook integrates the annual overviews of environment, population, social and economic fields into one volume, then the presentation of Statistics Estonia focuses on two subjects.

Was the impact of economic crisis over by the year 2011? Has the household living niveau and purchasing power improved? To answer these questions, let us observe the situation of retail trade enterprises and households’ expenditures in the presentation of the Yearbook.

Ms Tiina Pärson, Head of the Annual Statistics of Entrepreneurship Service will present an overview of the situation in retail trade last year. "The retail sales revenue of retail trade enterprises increased in 2011 compared to the previous year and the retail sales of goods also grew after three years’ decline," remarked Ms Pärson. "At the same time it is interesting to note how much the price increase of goods and the trade margin have influenced the growth of retail sales and which the situation of Estonian retail trade is in comparison with other EU countries," she added.

"Households’ expenditures were the biggest and they had the most cash to be spent in hand in 2007," said Ms Piret Tikva, Head of the Social Surveys Service, who will present an overview of the household living niveau. "After that the share of compulsory expenditures (food and housing in total) in household budget has increased and people have less money and possibilities for other expenditures," said Ms Tikva. She also added that comparing the Baltic countries it can be stated that household expenditures in Estonia and Latvia are slightly larger than in Lithuania. "The share of compulsory expenditures in household budget of Lithuania is also bigger than in Estonia and Latvia," she explained.

The presentation of the Yearbook to journalists will take place today, on 27 July, at 13:00, in the Information Centre of Statistics Estonia (15 Endla St, ground floor).