LOS ANGELES _ Set free by the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, tiny Estonia has developed Eastern Europe's most robust economy, a functional welfare state and _ remarkably _ perhaps the most digitally advanced government in the world.
Since the turn of the 21st century, Estonia has offered each citizen a government-issued "digital identity" _ including a chip-embedded national ID card that can be used for social security, health insurance, voter registration, banking and much more. It also now offers "e-residency" for people around the world who want to be part of its digital revolution, allowing them to register a business in Estonia, which is part of the European Union.
The northernmost of the three Baltic nations, Estonia has one big problem: Its eastern neighbor. Russia, which long dominated Estonia and now deeply resents its membership in NATO, represents an existential threat.
Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid was in Los Angeles last week, where she discussed her country's digital initiative and other matters in a speech to the Los Angeles World Affairs Council at the downtown California Club. She later sat down with the Los Angeles Times for a Q&A, which has been edited for length and clarity:
