Harju County
Estonia's economic core generating 63% of national GDP from Tallinn, with €2,384 average wages and 85% service-sector concentration.
Harju County is Estonia's economic nucleus—generating 63% of national GDP from 2% of the territory. Tallinn, the capital, concentrates government, finance, technology, and services within a metropolitan area that dwarfs all other Estonian urban centers combined. When Estonia became synonymous with digital governance, Harju County built the infrastructure.
The digital economy defines Tallinn's competitive advantage. E-government, e-residency, digital signatures, and blockchain voting emerged from this compact city. Skype was born here; subsequent tech startups followed. Information and communication services, along with financial and professional activities, dominate the service sector that constitutes 85% of county economic output.
Wage premiums reflect economic concentration. Tallinn's average monthly gross wage of €2,384 (Q1 2025) exceeds other counties significantly. GDP per capita reaches 134% of the national average. Over 50% of new Estonian companies register in Harju County each year.
The biological pattern is extreme preferential attachment: Harju County attracts resources that might otherwise distribute across Estonia, creating prosperity within a small geographic area while draining economic activity from peripheries. The 7.6% unemployment rate (Q3 2025) suggests even this core faces challenges when national economic conditions deteriorate.