Estonian national culture has been influenced by West-European and Scandinavian cultures on the one hand, and by cultures of the East-European forest zone on the other hand. Owing to their numerous common features, historically and culturally Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania constitute one integral area.
Estonian cultural peculiarities appear most vividly in the structure of the folk songs, in the numerous holiday and wedding customs, in the barn-dwellings and other cultural phenomena.
The regional peculiarities originating from ancient differences between kindred peoples are reflected by archaeological finds, language dialects, as well as by their material and spiritual cultures. In Latvian, Lithuanian, Finnish and Estonian folk cultures we see differences first and foremost between the western and eastern parts of the countries. These are partly due to different geographical preconditions and economic peculiarities, partly to long-standing connections with the western or eastern neighbours.
To get a clearer picture of the character of the phenomena of the traditional folk culture, it is expedient to divide Estonia into three parts: North Estonia, South Estonia (geographically the Estonian Upland), and West Estonia (geographically the Estonian Lowland). In addition, quite different are the areas inhabited by Estonian Swedes on the western seaboard and by Russians on the shore of Lake Peipsi (Peipus).
Characteristic of North and South Estonia are various eastern influences, first and foremost apparent in old popular agricultural implements (the forked wooden plough, the brush harrow, the sickle with a serrated blade, etc.), means of conveyance (the sledge of East-European type), etc. The survival of cultural differences between North and South Estonia was promoted by the long-standing division of Estonia into the gubernias of Estonia and Livonia. This borderline has remained the boundary of the range of several later cultural phenomena, e.g. the more recent elements in folk costumes (the North-Estonian women's blouse-like garments, the embroideries with floral designs, the women's pot-like headdress). A subdivision in North Estonia is the North-East Estonian coastal area, where Finnish in the eastern part also Votian and Izhorian, influences are particularly noticeable in folk art and in buildings.
Just as North Estonia, South Estonia is an agriculturally well-developed region. Peculiar areas here are Mulgimaa and Setumaa. Mulgimaa, which used to be a wealthy area, is conspicuous for its conservatism. The old tradition in clothing was preserved here even as late as the second half of the 19th century. Partly the peculiarities of the Mulgi area also due to the presence of Latvian settlers. The peculiarities of the Setu area are due to its long separation from the rest of Estonia, and Russian influences are noticeable in buildings, clothing, and also in customs. At the same time, a number of archaic elements of South-Estonian culture have survived here. Traditional folk culture was still extant in the Setu area in the first half of the 20th century.
The West-Estonian cultural area is made up of the western part of the mainland, the islands of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa together with smaller islands. Here we find numerous old influences of Central-European and Scandinavian origin, which were partly brought along by the Swedes who began to found their settlements in the coastal areas from the 13th century onwards. In the 19th and the early 20th centuries West Estonia was a backward region, where land cultivation was of but secondary importance after fishing, seafaring, and migrant working. Among agricultural implements several tools that elsewhere had fallen out of use long ago were still used here (the primitive wooden plough, the smooth-bladed sickle, sleds tied up with switches, etc.). On the other hand, however, thanks to close relations with other peoples, several innovations also spread faster: certain tools and techniques of work. This is especially vividly reflected by the ornamented objects made by West-Estonian handicraftsmen. Every island has its own characteristic features. Particularly remarkable is the western part of Saaremaa island, which has been influenced by its close contacts with Gotland and Courland. On islands, too, old traditional culture still survived in the first half of the 20th century.
The feudal serfdom of Estonian peasants resulted in a number of parochial peculiarities, which in places are very conspicuous particularly in folk costumes and folk art.