ESTONIA

ESTONIA / EESTI.

Estonian ligthouses.
Lighthouse in Vaindloo Island.
Stamp issued on 25.09.1996.
Face value: 2.50 Estonian kroon.
Design: Roman Matkiewicz (b. Tallinn, 27.02.1966).
Printing: Offset lithography.
Print: 765.000 copies.

Catalogs
- AFA No. 308.
- Michel No. 283.
- Scott No. 309.
- StampWorld No. 315.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 280.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 283.

Vaindloo (Estonian: Vaindloo saar; Swedish: Stenskär) is a small island located in the Gulf of Finland in the Baltic Sea. It has an area of 0,06 km² (0,023 sq mi) and marks the northernmost point of the nation of Estonia, situated 26 km (16 mi) north of the continental land. It belongs to the community of Vihula, in Lääne-Viru County. The island is notable for its functioning lighthouse (Vaindloo tuletorn), built in 1871 and is managed by the Estonian Maritime Administration. A previous lighthouse constructed of timber was erected on Vaindloo in 1718. In addition to the lighthouse, there is a station of the Estonian Border Guard with a 50-meter-high (160 ft) observation tower and a radar. The island is also is an important breeding sanctuary for some birds.