How Has Baltic Became The New IT Hub Of EU

Baltic, the area in Europe that wasn’t too popular before, has proven to be the jewel that is sought by many investors. The three areas in baltic, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania that are inhabited by 6 million people in total have turned into the most active IT hub in Europe. The highlight is Estonia, a country that is said to have the best digital community in the world.

There's nothing special about Estonia when you see it as a country with a population of about 1.3 million that just became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Economically, Estonia was initially classified as a poor country in natural resources (SDA). But the country's leaders have a different perspective on the future.

After becoming sovereign, Estonia invests in science and technology with a focus on the digital era. Yes, in the 1990s, Estonia was thinking about digitalization and advanced technology to make people's lives easier in the future.

When it joined the European Union on May 1, 2004, the World Bank considered Estonia the highest-income country in Europe. The economy is growing fast due to the seriousness of investing in information technology so that all sectors of life are carried out digitally.

Every Citizen Has Digital Identification

The label of Estonia as the best digital society in the world was popularized by Wired. Estonia has the most advanced digital life, for example, because it has an Estonian identity card (ID-kaart) which includes a digital signature since 2002.

Estonians are called pioneers because they are able to build an efficient, secure, and transparent digital ecosystem that can save time and money.

In Europe, with the exception of Belarus, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine and the overseas territories of France and Georgia, Estonian Kaart IDs can be used by Estonian citizens as cross-border travel documents.

It took a great deal of courage to invest in IT solutions and how to go the tough route on that information technology path," wrote e-Estonia, the site tasked with introducing and promoting Estonia digitally.

Interestingly enough, Estonia has a total of 49 legal gambling locations you can visit. These casinos are open for 24 hours, so if you do have spare time and want to try gambling for the first time, feel free to try.

First Country in the World to Use E-Voting and Virtual Residency

Estonia adopted online e-voting in 2005. The country then offered virtual residency to citizens of other countries in 2014. Virtual residency is a kind of permit for non-Estonian citizens to start and manage a business in the European Union online.

This concept offers a digital identity and status issued by the Estonian government and provides access to a transparent and accountable digital business environment.

Skype, a video chat service purchased by Microsoft, was launched in Estonia in 2003. This proves Estonia has had unicorns for a long time.

Access to Government Sites 24 Hours

Everyone in Estonia pays taxes online, and it takes less than five minutes. Access to government and bank websites can be done at any time. Even access to medical records and connecting to hospitals can also be done anytime, anywhere.