Jodi Collies, age 15, of Freeport, Ill., for her question:

WHERE IS ESTONIA?

Estonia Is a European country that is bordered on the north by the Gulf of Finland, by the Baltic Sea on the west, Latvia on the south and Lake Peipus on the east. It is now part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

At one time Estonia was part of the Russian Empire, but after World War I it became an independent country. Then in 1940 it was taken over by the Soviet Union.

Members of the Teutonic Knights, a German religious and military order that was involved in the Crusades, were the first to try to convert heathen tribes who lived along the Baltic. The Germans claimed the land and set up great estates.

In 1521 Estonia, then with Latvia a part of the state of Livonia, put itself under the protection of Sweden. But in 1721, after a long war between Charles XII of Sweden and Peter the Great of Russia, Estonia was ceded to Peter. Peter established his capital not too far away at St. Petersburg (now the city of Leningrad).

Czar Alexander I abolished serfdom in 1817 but the peasants of Estonia continued to receive harsh treatment. A number of revolts were put down and attempts on the part of Russia to make Estonians adopt Russian customs failed.

During World War I Estonia, as a province of Russia, was on the side of the Allies. After the war the Estonians drove out the Russians and declared their independence.

For 19 years Estonia enjoyed peace at home and abroad. But in 1939 the U.S.S.R. demanded that Estonia and two other Baltic states, Lithuania and Latvia, allow construction of Soviet airfields and naval bases. A year later the U.S.S.R. accused Estonia and its Baltic neighbors of plotting against the~Soviet Union and used this as an excuse to invade and occupy ail three states.

Since the 1940s, Estonia has been part of the Soviet Union.

Estonia closely resembles Denmark. Dairying and poultry raising are important industries. Butter is the chief export, with timber and timber products ranking next. Also important is the raising of rye, potatoes, barley, oats, wheat and flax. Cotton also is grown for Estonia's textile industry.

There are three important cities in Estonia: Tallinn, Tartu and Narva.

Tallinn is on the Gulf of Finland and is the capital. It is a quaint town with German type buildings with red tiled roofs end narrow streets. It grew up around a castle that still remains along with the wails that enclosed the ancient city. It is a clean and well kept city.

Tartu is an old university town that was founded by Gustavus Adolubus of Sweden. In its early years it was attended mostly by Germans and was much like Germany's University of Heidelberg.

Narva is a textile center.