Tallinn is the capital of Estonia and a centre of maritime, air, rail and road transport due to its strategic location. The sea has influenced the development and natural environment of Tallinn.

The Hanseatic town of Tallinn, which developed as a strategic location for trade, received its town bylaws in 1248. A pearl of medieval architecture, the Old Town of Tallinn has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1997.

Almost one-third of Estonia’s population lives in Tallinn and the city is the country’s economic and innovation centre, as well as its development engine. Tallinn’s technological and mobility infrastructure combined with its attractive, diverse and small-scale urban environment provides great economic potential. Acutely aware of contemporary challenges, Tallin aims at producing greater economic value and well-being while using fewer resources and creating less waste.

There is no doubt that tomorrow’s sustainable society will be a digital and smart one and Tallinn has made a name for itself as one of the world’s most technologically-oriented cities. Digital technologies and services are part of the daily lives of its people, thereby resulting in efficiency and affordable communications. These technologies provide new services and products, access to large amounts of information, and help the voices of ordinary citizens be heard.

Tallin’s approach of Think Global, Test in Tallinn is being used to develop Tallinn into a Smart City. As a city, Tallinn can provide dedicated business support for smart city initiatives and actively share the experience it gained from actual case studies with other cities.