Open data portals around Europe: Estonia supporting open data usage
for research and data-driven decisions
Estonia’s open data portal, avaandmed.eesti
[https://avaandmed.eesti.ee/datasets], is a comprehensive portal
designed to provide unrestricted access to public sector data. Their
initiative aims to enhance transparency, foster innovation, and
support both commercial and non-commercial use of data. The portal
offers a user-friendly interface where individuals and organisations
can easily search, access, and utilise a wide range of datasets. 

The portal is structured to facilitate easy navigation and data
retrieval of the 1900 datasets available. Users can browse datasets by
categories such as environment
[https://avaandmed.eesti.ee/datasets?emsId=16&emsId=17], economy
[https://avaandmed.eesti.ee/datasets?emsId=26&emsId=29&emsId=32&emsId=33&emsId=34],
and health [https://avaandmed.eesti.ee/datasets?emsId=25], or use the
search function to find specific data. Each dataset is accompanied by
metadata that provides detailed information about the data’s source,
format, and update frequency. This ensures that users have all the
necessary context to effectively use the data. 

One of the key features of the Estonian open data portal is its API
access [https://avaandmed.eesti.ee/instructions/open-data-portal-api],
which allows developers to integrate data directly into their
applications and services. Additionally, the portal offers a section
on use cases [https://avaandmed.eesti.ee/usage-stories], which shows
real-life applications from institutions and individuals. For example,
there is a visualisation of forest change
[https://avaandmed.eesti.ee/usage-stories/metsamuutused] or an
Estonian 3D twin
[https://avaandmed.eesti.ee/usage-stories/eesti-3d-kaksik] that
visualises construction works throughout the county. Another feature
is the manuals page [https://avaandmed.eesti.ee/instructions], which
offers users instructions on how to use open datasets, like the Open
Data Licensing Guide
[https://avaandmed.eesti.ee/instructions/open-data-licensing-guide].  

The portal also emphasises community engagement and feedback. Users
can rate datasets, provide feedback, and suggest new datasets,
fostering a collaborative environment where the quality and relevance
of data can continuously improve. By making public sector data readily
accessible and usable, Estonia’s open data portal is a step towards
a more transparent and data-driven society. 

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Publication Date/Time
2024-10-28T09:00:00+00:00
Understand how to apply Estonian open data with a user-friendly
interface