Estonia Profile.pdf - WorldMap

ReligionNon-ChristianBuddhistsTraces are found with two congregations known. The number of adherents is not known.MuslimsIn 2003 there were approximately 20,000 known Muslims. A majority of these Muslimsare of the Tatar and Azer ethnic origins. They follow the Shi’a school of thought withinthe Muslim belief system.JewishIn 2003 there were approximately 3,000 followers of Judaism in Estonia.NeopagansFollowers believe in a local ancient deity named Taara. The belief system has its roots inFinnish folk religion. In a poll taken of 1000 Estonians, 6% said they held to a belief inTaara, however it is not know officially how many adherents there are to this particularreligion or if this percentage is a true representation of the population as a whole.Catholics/Orthodox ChurchesEstonian Apostolic-Orthodox ChurchThis is the second largest church with 58 congregations and approximately 18,000members registered with the Ministry of Internal Affairs.Russian Orthodox ChurchThere is a somewhat significant number of Russian Orthodox Churches in Estonia, but asthey have yet to register with the government, they are not sure of the total number ofcongregations.Old BelieversThere are approximately 15,000 followers and 11 congregations across Estonia. The OldBelievers practice what they would call the pure form of Russian Orthodoxy. They aredescendents of Russians who fled religious persecution by Patriarch Nikon in the 1650’s.Patriarch Nikon reformed the Russian Orthodox Church to be more in line with the Greek