Universal History Annotation << Back General Economic Situation of the Republic of Estonia (1918–1940) and Assessment of its Potential for the Development of the Canning Industry under the Conditions of the Second World War Kalinichev D.V. This article examines the general economic situation of the Republic of Estonia during the interwar period, specifi cally the food industry and its role in the country's economy. The study identifi es the causes of the agrarianization of the economy and the state's agricultural specialization. It attempts to assess the state of the Estonian economy, systematize disparate and fragmentary data, and supplement it with previously unpublished documentary sources. Particular attention is given to the canning industry and the relative importance of individual product types within the food industry. The study concludes that Soviet specialists highly valued the region's potential for developing large-scale canning production and its strategic importance for supplying Leningrad and the Leningrad Region with canned goods during this period. Keywords: Republic of Estonia, interwar period, food industry, canning industry, economy. DOI: 10.25791/vseist.03.2026.1254 Pp. 03-09.