Andres Tarand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andres Tarand
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Tarand in 2012
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| 10th Prime Minister of Estonia | |
| In office 8 November 1994 – 17 April 1995 |
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| President | Lennart Meri |
| Preceded by | Mart Laar |
| Succeeded by | Tiit Vähi |
| Minister of the Environment | |
| In office 1992–1994 |
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| Prime Minister | Mart Laar |
| Preceded by | Tõnis Kaasik |
| Succeeded by | Vootele Hansen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 January 1940 Tallinn, Estonia |
| Political party | Social Democratic Party |
Andres Tarand (born 11 January 1940) is an important person from Estonia. He is a geographer, which means he studies the Earth's surface. He is also a climatologist, someone who studies weather patterns over time. Besides that, he is a politician. He was the Prime Minister of Estonia from 1994 to 1995.
Later, he became a Member of the European Parliament (MEP). He represented the Social Democratic Party from 2004 to 2009.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Andres Tarand was born in Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia. His father, Helmut Tarand, was a poet and a thinker.
Andres went to the University of Tartu. In 1963, he earned a degree in climatology. This means he learned about Earth's climate and weather. He continued his studies there and got another degree in geography in 1973.
After finishing his studies, he worked at the University of Tartu. He became the director of research from 1979 to 1981.
Standing Up for Estonia
In October 1980, Andres Tarand joined 39 other smart Estonians. They signed a special letter called the Letter of 40 Intellectuals. This letter was important because it defended the Estonian language. It also showed concern about how the government was treating young people's protests.
Other Important Roles
Besides his work at the university, Tarand held other positions. He was a member of the board for the University of Tartu starting in 1996.
He also directed the Tallinn Botanical Gardens from 1988 to 1990. This is a place where many different plants are grown and studied.
Political Career
Andres Tarand was a member of the Estonian Parliament (called the Riigikogu) from 1992 to 2004. While in parliament, he served as the Minister of the Environment twice. This role involves protecting nature and the environment.
He was the Minister of the Environment from 1992 to 1994, and again from 1994 to 1995. During this time, he also served as the Prime Minister of Estonia.
In June 2004, he was elected to the European Parliament. This is a group of lawmakers from different countries in Europe.
Protecting the Environment
Andres Tarand cares a lot about the environment. He has worked on environmental issues and sustainable development. This means finding ways to use resources without harming the future.
He has done this work not just in Estonia, but also in the Baltic and Nordic regions. He has been part of many groups that work on these issues. These include the Estonian Geographical Association and the Estonian Nature Fund. He also wrote a book called Tornadoes in Estonia.
Family Life
Andres Tarand is married to Mari Tarand, who was a journalist. They have two sons.
Their older son, Indrek Tarand, was born in 1964. He is also a politician, a historian, and a journalist. He even won a seat in the European Parliament in 2009.
Their younger son, Kaarel Tarand, born in 1966, is a well-known journalist. Andres Tarand's first cousin is Priit Aimla, who is a writer and politician.
