According to Statistics Estonia, in 2011 the ratio of research and development expenditures to the gross domestic product rose upon a novel level – 2.41%, surpassing for the first time the EU mean of 2.03%.
According to Statistics Estonia, in 2007 19.5% of the Estonian population lived in relative poverty, a similar amount to the previous year. The difference in income between the poorest and richest fifth of the population was fivefold, leaving Estonia persistently in the top ten of the poorest countries in Europe.
According to Statistics Estonia, in 2009 the ratio of research and development (R&D) expenditures to the gross domestic product (called the intensity of the R&D) reached unprecedented level of 1.42% despite the actual decrease of those expenditures.
According to the second estimates of Statistics Estonia, the gross domestic product (GDP) of Estonia increased by 2.2% in the 2nd quarter of 2012 compared to the same quarter in the previous year.