| 21 Jul 1940 |
Estonia is declared a socialist republic of Councils in accordance with a declaration passed by the Chamber of Deputies (Riigivolikogu) on 21 Jul 1940 (Official Gazette, No. 74, 21 Jul 1940, pp. 1059-1061) |
| 21 Jul 1940 - 8 May 1990 |
Eesti Nõukogude Sotsialistlik Vabariik = Èstonskaja Sovetskaja Socialističeskaja Respublika (Эстонская Советская Социалистическая Республика) | Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic |
| 22 Jul 1940 |
Estonia applied for accession to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in accordance with a declaration passed by the Chamber of Deputies (Riigivolikogu) on 22 Jul 1940 (Official Gazette, No. 76, 22 Jul 1940, pp. 1083-1084) |
| 6 Aug 1940 |
Estonia is admitted to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in accordance with a law passed by the Supreme Council of the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics 6 Aug 1940 (USSR Supreme Soviet, 1st Soviet, 7th session, 1940, 149-152, 188) |
| 28 Aug 1941 |
armed forces of Germany occupy Tallinn and, subsequently, the territory of Estonia |
| 5 Dec 1941 |
incorporated into Reichskommissariat Ostland as Generalbezirk Estland |
| 22 Sep 1944 |
armed forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics occupy Tallinn (de facto restoration of Eesti Nõukogude Sotsialistlik Vabariik) |
| 16 Nov 1988 |
Estonia is proclaimed a sovereign state in accordance with a declaration passed by the Supreme Council (Ülemnõukogu) of the Estonian SSR on 16 Nov 1988 (Estonian SSR Supreme Council Records, No. 48, 25 Nov 1988, pp. 1142-1143) |
| 18 Jan 1989 |
Estonian is declared state language in accordance with a law passed by the Supreme Council (Ülemnõukogu) of the Estonian SSR on 18 Jan 1989 (Estonian SSR Supreme Council Records, No. 4, 27 Jan 1989, pp. 81-86) |
| 30 Mar 1990 |
the restoration of the Republic of Estonia is declared in accordance with a resolution of the Supreme Council (Ülemnõukogu) of the Estonian SSR passed on 30 Mar 1990 (Estonian SSR Supreme Council Records, No. 12, 16 Apr 1990, p. 269) |
| 8 May 1990 |
the name Eesti Nõukogude Sotsialistlik Vabariik (Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic) is declared invalid, and Eesti Vabariik (Republic of Estonia) is adopted as the official name of the state, in accordance with a law passed by the Supreme Council (Ülemnõukogu) of the Estonian SSR on 8 May 1990, taking immediate effect (Supreme Council Records, No. 14, 18 May 1990, pp. 321-322) |
