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Tartu County has diverse economy with about 6000 companies and 2000 self-employed persons registered. The City of Tartu is the servicesand logistics centre for the whole of South Estonia. Typical products are furniture, foodstuffs, clothes, building materials, glass and plastics. Export target countries include Finland, Germany, Latvia and Russia. 40% of the exports are wood and furniture; other export production includes machinery and appliances, building materials, glass and clothing. The farmers are updating their technologies and some of the most successful farms of Estonia are situated in the western part of Tartu County. Fishery is an important activity in some rural areas. A significant part of the jobs are in the service sector – especially education and medicine. Knowledge intensive production has especially great development potential in the region due to its universities. There are already some good examples – many of them spin-offs of Tartu University. Most of Estonian biotechnology and biomedicine companies are located in Tartu region. Currently, the ICT companies, orientated on the international markets, are growing fast. Situated on a crossroads of international trade routes, Tartu is an ideal location for regional centres of the knowledge intensive multinational corporations acting in the Baltic States. In order to facilitate innovation and technology transfer, Tartu Science Park is offering incubation and consultation services to research-based and high-tech oriented companies, and promoting cooperation between research institutions. Tartu University Institute of Technology is another research and development institution, which aims to facilitate the generation of new technological solutions. The R&D centres have been established in the areas of material and chemical technology, biomedical technology, environmental technology and information technology. Business today relies much on human resources. In this regard, Tartu offers well-educated and enterprising people to all of Estonia. Future economic and political leaders and decision-makers get their education in Tartu. In addition to favourable business climate, Tartu County also offers quality living environment in terms of natural and social conditions. |