More than half of the gross domestic product of Estonia is continuously created in Harju county

In 2007, the GDP of Estonia in current prices was 244.5 billion kroons, of which the GDP of Harju county was 146.0 billion kroons. Harju county was followed by Tartu county and Ida-Viru county, whose share in the GDP of Estonia in 2007 was 10.0% and 7.7%, respectively. Tallinn gave about a half of the total GDP of Estonia (49.2%) and 82% of the GDP of Harju county.

The share of Harju county in the GDP of Estonia slightly decreased compared to 2006, mainly due to the rise in the share of Tartu, Ida-Viru, Pärnu and Lääne counties. Tartu county’s rise in the share was mostly due to the city of Tartu, although the change was slight. The decrease in the share of Harju county was caused by a fall in the share of Tallinn in the GDP of Estonia, the rest of Harju county, however, experienced a rise. The three counties, which contributed the least to the total GDP were Hiiu, Põlva and Jõgeva (with the GDP of 0.4%, 1.2% and 1.2%, respectively).

In 2007, the GDP of Estonia per capita was 182,238 kroons, while the respective indicator of Harju county was 279,268 kroons or 153.2% of Estonian average. Harju county was followed by Tartu and Pärnu counties. The smallest GDP per capita was in Jõgeva and Valga counties.

GDP per capita by county, 2006–2007

In 2007, 66.6% of the total value added was produced in the tertiary sector, 30.0% in the secondary and 3.4% in the primary sector.

73.5% of the value added of Harju county was produced in the tertiary sector and only 0.9% in the primary sector. In Tartu county the tertiary sector accounted for 68.3% and the primary sector for 3.1%. In Ida-Viru county more than a half (50.7%) of the value added was produced in the secondary sector. This reflects the important role of mining, electricity and manufacturing in the economic activity of the county. The share of the primary sector in Ida-Viru county was humble (1.8%). The share of the primary sector was the biggest in Põlva and Jõgeva counties — 18.9% and 18.0%, respectively.

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

Statistics Estonia publishes the regional growth rates for the regional GDP for the first time. In 2007 the GDP of Estonia grew 7.2% compared to the previous year. In Northern Estonia (Harju county) the growth compared to the previous year was 6.4%. Since the share of Northern Estonia is the greatest in the total GDP of Estonia, the contribution of this region to the growth of the GDP of Estonia is the largest. In 2007 Northern Estonia’s contribution to GDP growth was 3.9 percentage points. The other bigger contributor was Southern Estonia (Jõgeva, Põlva, Tartu, Valga, Viljandi and Võru counties) that contributed by 1.4 percentage points to the growth of the GDP.

Primary sector — agriculture, hunting and forestry; fishing.

Secondary sector — mining and quarrying, manufacturing, electricity, gas and water supply, construction.

Tertiary sector — 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.