Estonia is a Northern European country that has suffered more than its fair share of occupation. Centuries ago, Estonia had to deal with rule by the Danish, then the Swedish, and—more recently—the Soviet Union. However, despite these challenges, Estonia has thrived and came into its own as an independent, democratic country. The most extraordinary thing about Estonia is its grasp of technology. When it comes to Internet access, Estonia is one of the most connected countries in the world, and its education is also top-notch.

10. Kiiking

When we were kids, just about all of us probably used a swing-set at some point. They are at found in most public parks and are a pretty ubiquitous part of everyone’s childhood. However, in Estonia, swinging is much more than just something children do to pass the time. As children, we probably all tried to swing over the bars at some point, and found it was pretty much impossible, due to the design of our swing-sets. We would compromise by simply getting really high and then seeing how far we could leap out. (more…)