According to the preliminary data of Statistics Estonia, in 2020, the total production value of Estonian construction enterprises in Estonia and abroad was 3 billion euros. The construction volume decreased by 6% year on year. Considering only the Estonian construction market, the decrease in construction volume was 3%.

In January 2021, the producer price index of industrial output, which expresses changes in the producer prices of industrial goods manufactured in Estonia for the domestic market and for exports, increased by 0.8% compared to December 2020 and by 2.3% compared to January 2020.

Today, on 25 February, the Statistical Council held a meeting where they reviewed last year’s results and commended the production of official statistics, but the Council also acknowledged that the statistical system continues to be underfunded. The Council was briefed on the methodology approved by Statistics Estonia for the Population and Housing Census: namely, a register-based census, which is in accordance with EU regulations, combined with a sample survey to collect data on characteristics not covered by registers.

At the end of last year and beginning of this year, Statistics Estonia carried out the main rehearsal of the Population and Housing Census. 843 persons living at 422 addresses responded to the test survey online. Interviewers collected responses from 785 persons living at 410 addresses. The test survey response rate was 87.5% and the received feedback was generally positive.

Of the databases of Statistics Estonia, API functionality was up to now offered by the one at andmebaas.stat.ee. Now, API functionality has been added to the database on PxWeb platform, available at andmed.stat.ee/en/stat. All of those who used an API to access andmebaas.stat.ee should make the change to the PxWeb API.

According to Statistics Estonia, in 2020, the labour force participation rate was 71.6%, the employment rate was 66.7%, and the unemployment rate was 6.8%. There were 47,900 unemployed persons, which is 16,600 more than in 2019.

According to Statistics Estonia, in 2020, Estonian accommodation establishments served nearly 2 million tourists, whose nights spent totalled 3.7 million. The number of visitors fell by 48% compared to 2019.

According to Statistics Estonia, in 2020, exports of goods decreased by 1% and imports by 6% year on year. There was a fall in trade in the first half of the year, which was counterbalanced by the growth in the final months of the year – in December, exports grew by 25% and imports by 10%.

In January 2021, the consumer price index, which expresses the change in the prices of consumer goods and services, rose by 0.7% compared to December 2020 and by 0.2% compared to January 2020. Goods were 0.8% cheaper than in January 2020 and services were 2% more expensive.

According to Statistics Estonia, the total production of industrial enterprises in 2020 was 5% smaller than the year before. Production decreased in all three main industrial sectors: by 19% in energy production, by 13% in mining and by 4% in manufacturing.

According to the preliminary data of Statistics Estonia, the total turnover of retail trade enterprises in 2020 was nearly 7.7 billion euros. Compared to 2019, turnover increased by 4% at constant prices.

According to the preliminary data of Statistics Estonia, 847,800 tonnes of milk and 79,900 tonnes of meat were produced in 2020. This is, respectively, 3% and 5% more than the year before. The utilised agricultural area without kitchen gardens increased by 3,000 hectares and totalled 983,000 hectares.