National Human Development Report Estonia: 2009

This year’s Human Development Report touches on some issues that have been missing from previous reports, such as the role of the natural environment or the regional and gender-related peculiarities of human development. The first chapter contains a prediction regarding the possible impact a potentially worsening economic environment, especially high unemployment, on Estonia’s human development indicators. The chapter also considers the impact of the economic environment on one the country’s most serious problems – the health and life expectancy of Estonian men. The second chapter takes a look at the relationship between human development and the natural environment from the standpoint of both health and wellbeing. The third chapter provides a closer examination of the regional differences which have become alarmingly large, considering Estonia’s small size. The fourth chapter contains intriguing facts and discussions on whether the openness and dynamism of Estonia’s society is actually a myth that developed as a result of the initial inebriation of success. It also suggests that this myth may not be verified by an in-depth analysis of the social mobil- ity and career opportunities of various population strata and groups. The fifth chapter examines people’s values and the cultural environment, focusing specifically on the gender-related characteristics of cultural patterns and the role of the schools and the media in young people’s socialisation process. As per tradition, the last chapter of the Human Development Report is again devoted to economy. In addition to focusing on Estonia’s international and local business environment, the chapter attempts to predict future trends in the global market, where China’s growing economy is playing an increasingly important role.