Famous Esties

Carmen Kaas
The delectable 26-year old model is probably the most famous Estonian in the world. She was first spotted by an Italian modelling scout (that’s what he claimed he was anyway) when she was just 14. Having modelled for all of the world’s leading designers and labels Carmen ran for the European Parliament in 2004.

Lennart Meri
Former Estonian President Lennart-Georg Meri died in 2006. The charismatic politician served as Estonia’s President from restored independence in 1992 until 2001.As well as being a renowned statesman, who worked for freedom throughout the former Soviet Union, Meri also published several critically acclaimed books during his distinguished life.

Tanel Padar, 2XL (and Dave Benton)
When Estonia won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2001 some Estonian nationals declared that it marked one of the proudest days in the country’s history. Six years later many of those Estonians are eating their own words as they’ve come to realise just how ‘silly’ the Eurovision Song Contest actually is. Still, Tanel Padar remains a national hero for many of his fellow countrymen along with the members of backing group 2XL and, of course, soul-man Dave Benton (who is actually from the Caribbean island of Aruba)

Mart Poom
Estonia’s national football goalkeeper is very well known in England where he had spells at Sunderland, Derby County and Arsenal football clubs. From a distance Poom bears a resemblance to another goalkeeping legend, Peter Schmeichel, but fortunately for the Estonian he does not suffer from the same silly red nose problem that helped set Schmeichel aside from other goalkeepers of his era.

Markko Martin
Markko Martin helped put Estonia on the map with some sterling performances as a rally car driver at the beginning of this decade. He competed in 84 rallies before the death of his British co-pilot Michael Park caused him to exit the sport.

Mart laar
Two-times prime minister of Estonia Mart Laar was much loved by many Estonians as he guided his countrymen towards European Union entry. As often seems to happen in this part of the world, Laar was then involved in a series of corruption scandals that dirtied his image. He later came up smelling like roses after being acknowledged as one of the architects of Georgia’s ‘Rose Revolution’

Jaan Tallinn
Has this Estonian saved the world from the hands of the greedy multinational telecommunications companies? Young Jaan will be remembered for generations to come for being the architect of the skype programme, which amongst its many benefits allows Indians sat in a telephone call centre in Hyderabad to give directions to callers who want to know where the nearest chip shop is in the northern English town of Rochdale.