The late 19th century Estonia nevertheless remained an essentially agrarian country: about 65% of the population was involved in agriculture; 14% worked in industry and construction business, and 14% in transport, communication and the service sector. Germans and Russians still dominated in the intellectual, political and economic elite of society; the lower ranks, peasants and workers, were predominantly Estonian.
Ühiskonna intellektuaalses, poliitilises ja majanduslikus eliidis domineerisid endiselt sakslased ja venelased; alamrahvas, talupojad ja töölised, olid valdavalt eestlased.