which are the baltic countries

How many Baltic countries are there?

Its 11 member states include Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland (1995), Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, and Sweden, plus a representative of the European Union. What are the Baltic States?

Why are they called the Baltic countries?

Summary. After the First World War the term "Baltic states" came to refer to countries by the Baltic Sea that had gained independence from the Russian Empire. The term includes Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and originally also included Finland, which later became grouped among the Nordic countries.

Which is the biggest Baltic country?

The third largest city in the region is Tallinn, Estonia, with a population of over 444,000 citizens. Although there are only three countries that are recognized as being the Baltic States, there are nine full countries that border the Baltic Sea....Baltic States 2022.Country2022 PopulationLatvia1,850,651Estonia1,326,0621 more row

Which country is not a Baltic?

Slovakia is not a Baltic state. The term is not used in the situation of cultural areas, national individuality, or language, because while the mainstream of persons in Latvia and Lithuania are Baltic people and the common in Estonia are Finnie. Baltic Nations are persons that include shorelines along the Baltic Sea.

Is Poland Baltic or Slavic?

Countries with substantial Slavic populations, but which aren't majority Slavic countries include Germany and Denmark....Slavic Countries 2022.Country2022 PopulationRussia144,713,314Poland39,857,145Ukraine39,701,739Czech Republic10,493,9868 more rows

Which Baltic country is the best?

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are the best Baltic states to visit. These countries with a centuries-old history, each of which has saved for posterity a distinctive culture, has a unique architectural heritage and the nature of the Baltic coast in its pristine beauty.

Why does Russia want Baltic states?

Rather, Russia uses the Baltic states to exert leverage against a variety of other actors, including the United States, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union (EU), the neutral Nordic states (e.g., Sweden), and even Belarus.

Why did the Baltic states break away from Russia?

In 1918, while the Baltic homelands were under German occupation, national councils declared independence and established governments. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk of March 3, 1918, ceded Russian rights to the entire Baltic area to Germany, which sought to organize puppet states in the region.

What's Baltic mean?

Definition of Baltic 1 : of or relating to the Baltic Sea or to the states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. 2 : of or relating to a branch of the Indo-European language family containing Latvian, Lithuanian, and Old Prussian — see Indo-European Languages Table.

Is Sweden a Baltic country?

Proceeding clockwise from the west, the countries bounding the Baltic are Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Germany.

Why did the Baltic states join NATO?

The declaration to join NATO symbolised efforts and wish of the Baltic states to become part of European family. NATO was perceived not just merely as military alliance with security guarantees under Article 5, but as a symbol of civilised world, where Baltic states should find their proper place.

Are Latvia and Estonia part of NATO?

Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia were invited to begin accession talks at the Alliance's Prague Summit in 2002. On 29 March 2004, they officially became members of the Alliance, making this the largest wave of enlargement in NATO history.

What's Baltic mean?

Definition of Baltic 1 : of or relating to the Baltic Sea or to the states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. 2 : of or relating to a branch of the Indo-European language family containing Latvian, Lithuanian, and Old Prussian — see Indo-European Languages Table.

Why does Russia want Baltic states?

Rather, Russia uses the Baltic states to exert leverage against a variety of other actors, including the United States, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union (EU), the neutral Nordic states (e.g., Sweden), and even Belarus.

What are the 5 Baltic states?

The group of countries that are members of the inter-governmental Baltic Assembly and Baltic Council of Ministers, and generally referred to by the shorthand, Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia, exclaved from the remainder of Russia.

What is the difference between the Balkans and the Baltics?

So, the regions are named in term of geographical entity. I.e. Nordic, Scandinavian, Baltic and Balkan....Difference between Baltic countries and Balkan countries.Baltic countriesBalkan countriesClimate of Baltic region is very cold in winter.Climate of Balkan region is hot in summer.It is found in Northern Europe.It is found in Southern Europe.6 more rows•Nov 13, 2018

What are the Baltic countries?

Baltic States. Map showing the Baltic countries of Europe. The Baltic states consist of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. All the Baltic states were once republics of the Soviet Union. All Baltic states are now part of NATO and the European Union. There are other countries that border the Baltic Sea, such as Poland, Finland, and Sweden, ...

Which countries border the Baltic Sea?

There are other countries that border the Baltic Sea, such as Poland, Finland, and Sweden, but when people refer to the Baltic States, they are usually just referring to the three countries that sit on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, which are Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. Aside from the Baltic Sea to the west, ...

What was the Baltic Way?

The Baltic Way was a mass anti-Soviet demonstration where approx. 25% of the population of the Baltic states participated. Image credit: Wikimedia Commons. The Baltic States would remain Soviet republics of the USSR for more than 40 years.

What happened to the Baltic states in 1940?

In August 1940, all three Baltic States were made Soviet republics, which meant that they became part of the USSR. The capital Tallinn, Estonia, after bombing by the Soviet Air Force during the war on the Eastern Front in March 1944. In 1941, Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union.

What were the Baltic peoples called in the Middle Ages?

During the Middle Ages, the Baltic peoples were divided into at least eight distinguishable groups. The Finno-Ugric tribes would eventually become the Estonians. Two groups called the Samogitians and the Aukstaiciai became the Lithuanians, and five other groups would form the modern-day Latvian nation.

Which Baltic country has the most people?

Lithuania is the most populous of the Baltic States, with a population of just under 2.7 million. It is also the most homogenous Baltic state, as ethnic Lithuanians make up 84% of the population. Poles are the largest minority, making up 6.6% of the country’s population.

Which country did the Vikings conquer?

Vikings from Scandinavia, Slavs from the east, and Germanics from the west conquered most of the territory that now comprises the Baltic States, except Lithuania. The Lithuanians managed to preserve their independence in part because their land, which consisted of dense forests and swamplands, was less accessible.

What are the Baltic states?

Baltic states, northeastern region of Europe containing the countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea. The Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The Baltic states are bounded on the west and north by the Baltic Sea, which gives the region its name, on the east by Russia, ...

What are the ethnicities of the Baltic countries?

The vast majority of ethnic Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians live within the borders of their respective states. In all three countries virtually everyone among the titular nationalities speaks the native tongue as their first language, which is remarkable in light of the massive Russian immigration to the Baltic states during the second half of the 20th century. Initially, attempts to Russify the Baltic peoples were overt, but later they were moderated as Russian immigration soared and the sheer weight of the immigrant numbers simply served to promote this objective in less-blatant ways. Independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 allowed the Baltic states to place controls on immigration, and, in the decade following, the Russian presence in Baltic life diminished. At the beginning of the 21st century, the titular nationalities of Lithuania and Estonia accounted for about four-fifths and two-thirds of the countries’ populations, respectively, while ethnic Latvians made up just less than three-fifths of their nation’s population. Around this time, Poles eclipsed Russians as the largest minority in Lithuania. Urban dwellers constitute more than two-thirds of the region’s population, with the largest cities being Vilnius and Kaunas in southeastern Lithuania, the Latvian capital of Riga, and Tallinn on the northwestern coast of Estonia. Life expectancy in the Baltic states is comparatively low by European standards, as are the rates of natural increase, which were negative in all three countries at the beginning of the 21st century, owing in part to an aging population. Overall population fell in each of the Baltic states in the years following independence, primarily because of the return emigration of Russians to Russia, as well as other out-migration to western Europe and North America. In some cases, Russians took on the nationalities of their adopted Baltic countries and were thus counted among the ethnic majorities.

What are the Baltic states' natural resources?

Timbering and fisheries enjoy modest success. The Baltic region is not rich in natural resources. Though Estonia is an important producer of oil shale, a large share of mineral and energy resources is imported. Low energy supplies, inflationary prices, and an economic collapse in Russia contributed to an energy crisis in the Baltics in the 1990s. Industry in the Baltic states is prominent, especially the production of food and beverages, textiles, wood products, and electronics and the traditional stalwarts of machine building and metal fabricating. The three states have the highest productivity of the former constituent republics of the Soviet Union.

What culture did Estonians follow?

Culturally, the Estonians were strongly influenced by the Germans, and traces of the original Finnish culture have been preserved only in folklore. The Latvians also were considerably Germanized, and the majority of both the Estonians and the Latvians belong to the Lutheran church.

What are the main industries in the Baltic states?

Industry in the Baltic states is prominent, especially the production of food and beverages, textiles, wood products, and electronics and the traditional stalwarts of machine building and metal fabricating. The three states have the highest productivity of the former constituent republics of the Soviet Union.

Why did the population of the Baltic states fall?

Overall population fell in each of the Baltic states in the years following independence, primarily because of the return emigration of Russians to Russia, as well as other out-migration to western Europe and North America. In some cases, Russians took on the nationalities of their adopted Baltic countries and were thus counted among ...

What is the first language spoken in all three countries?

In all three countries virtually everyone among the titular nationalities speaks the native tongue as their first language, which is remarkable in light of the massive Russian immigration to the Baltic states during the second half of the 20th century.

What countries are part of the Baltic region?

Baltic countries is Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Europe Nordic countries is Scandinavian. In some cases Baltic countries are included to the North of Europe, for example by UN:

What are the Baltic states?

The Baltic states, also known as the Baltic countries, Baltic republics, Baltic nations, or simply the Baltics, is a geopolitical term, typically used to group the three sovereign states on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The term is not used in the context of cultural areas, national identity, or language, because while the majority of people in Latvia and Lithuania are Baltic people, the majority in Estonia are Finnic. The three countries do not form an official union, but engage in intergovernmental and parliamentary cooperation.

What language group is the Baltic language?

The languages of Baltic nations belong to two distinct language families. The Latvian and Lithuanian languages belong to the Indo-European language family and are the only extant (widely-recognized) members of the Baltic language group (or more specifically, Eastern Baltic subgroup of Baltic). Latgalian and Samogitian are considered either separate languages or dialects of Latvian and Lithuanian, respectively. The Estonian language is a Finnic language, together with neighboring Finland's Finnish language.

What does Russia understand about the Baltic region?

Russia understands that entire of the Baltic region, no matter what, was under Russian sphere of influence. They must get that again. When Russia got it, they could easily do what they needed. But when they lost it, they would not feel happy at all.

Which countries have Baltic Sea shores?

All the countries that have Baltic sea shores: Germany, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Is Russia part of the Baltic region?

Russia may be included since Kaliningrad oblast (which is a Russian territory) is apart of the Baltic region.

Where Are the Baltic Countries Located?

The Baltic countries are located in Europe in the northeastern part that borders the Baltic Sea. Lithuania is the southernmost of the Baltic countries and borders Poland, Belarus, and the Kaliningrad exclave of Russia, with Latvia to the north. Latvia borders Belarus, Russia, with Estonia to the north. Estonia additionally shares a border with Russia. So, on a map, the Baltics are situated one right on top of each other from north to south—Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania. The Baltic Sea lies to the northwest, and all of these countries have Baltic sea coastlines.

What Other Countries Should I Visit When in the Baltic Region?

If you find you have more time or you’d like to visit as many countries as possible on your trip to the Baltic states, you may consider one of the following logical options:

How Much Time Should I Spend to Travel to the Baltic States?

You can, theoretically, do the three Baltic states in a little over a week, spending a couple of days in each country and focusing on the capital cities of Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn. If that’s all you’ve got, you can certainly make the most of it! But if you have more time—two weeks or a little more, you’ll be able to explore the countries more thoroughly, discover hidden gems, and have an overall better impression of these countries when it’s time to head home.

What Foods Should I Try in the Baltics?

Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia all have their traditional cuisines, which widely feature potatoes, cabbage, pork, and fish as well as bread and dairy products. While some similarities may be found between the cuisines of the three countries, each one has dishes that are integral to their national heritage and may be found on menus serving food prepared in the local style.

What Can I Buy in the Baltics?

If you love buying souvenirs of your travels, you won’t be disappointed at what the Baltic countries have to offer.

How many days to visit Lithuania?

2 Days to explore Lithuania, with stops at Kaunas, Kernave, the Hill of Crosses, and Palanga and Sventoji.

Where to stay in Baltic countries?

For the capital cities of Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius, it can pay to stay in a centrally located hotel or apartment —the cities are easily walkable, and you’ll have easy access to sights, restaurants, and shopping. While it may seem most expensive to stay in the central part of the city, good deals may still be had in the old town and other popular locations, particularly if you are seeking out Airbnbs or accommodations in the off-season.

Where is the Baltic region located?

The Baltic States DNA region is located between Poland and Russia on the Baltic Sea. While no one is sure how the Baltic Sea got its name, the root of the word “Baltic” can be traced back more than a thousand years, and the countries located along the sea have come to be known as the Baltic States. People who live in this region have very distinct ...

What language group is the Baltic language?

Their languages are part of the Baltic Language group, which is related to the Proto-Baltic-Slavic family of languages. In the map below, you can see the primarily area covered by this DNA region. It is important to note that DNA from this region might be found in nearby areas, so if your known ancestors aren’t from the region marked on the map, ...

How far back is my Baltic State ancestor?

There is no hard and fast way to figure out how far back your “100%” Baltic State ancestor might be , but the percentage of Baltic State DNA that you have in your results can help you figure out about how far back in your family tree you should look to find your Baltic roots.

Is it possible to trace my Baltic States ancestry?

It’s possible to determine which of your ancestors likely contributed your Baltic State DNA. As I always recommend, the best way to know where your Baltic State ancestry came from is to start building a family tree .

Where are the Balkan countries located?

Balkan Countries. The term “Balkan Countries”, or simply “The Balkans”, refers to the countries that are located on the Balkan Peninsula, which is situated in southeastern Europe. There is, however, a distinction between what constitutes the Balkan Countries from a geographical perspective and what constitutes them from a political perspective.

What is the Balkans?

The word, “Balkans” is a Turkish term that literally means, “Chain of wooded mountains.”. Originally, the term referred to the Balkan mountain range in Bulgaria, but was eventually used to denote the entire Balkan Peninsula.

What is the most widely spoken language in the Balkans?

The Balkan Peninsula is home to many different peoples, cultures, and languages. Most of the languages in the region belong to the Slavic family of languages, or more specifically, the Southern Slavic family. Indeed, the term, “Yugoslavia”, which included the countries of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, and North Macedonia, literally means, “Land of the Southern Slavs.” Thus, Southern Slavic languages are the most widely spoken in all the countries of the former Yugoslavia, with the exception of Kosovo. Bulgarian is also a Southern Slavic language, though Bulgaria was never part of Yugoslavia.

What are the ethnic groups in the Balkans?

In terms of ethnicity, the borders of the Balkan states are largely drawn along ethnic lines, with the exception of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which includes Serbs, Croats, and Bosniaks, a term denoting Bosnian Muslims. There are also minority communities in most of the Balkan countries. There are, for example, many ethnic Albanians in the northwest of North Macedonia. Serbia has a large Hungarian community in the northern part of the country, and the southeast of Bulgaria contains a significant number of Turks or Turkish-speaking people.

What is the northern border of the Balkan Peninsula?

The northern border of the Balkan Peninsula is generally considered to be the Sava and Danube rivers. The peninsula is bordered to the west by the Adriatic Sea, to the southwest by the Ionian Sea, to the south by the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, to the east by the Black Sea, and to the southeast by the Dardanelles and Bosporus Straits, which separate the peninsula from the Anatolian part of Turkey.

What are the three major religions in the Balkans?

The three most dominant religions in the Balkan Countries are Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Roman Catholicism, and Islam.

Which country is the most spoken in the Southern Slavic language?

Thus, Southern Slavic languages are the most widely spoken in all the countries of the former Yugoslavia, with the exception of Kosovo. Bulgarian is also a Southern Slavic language, though Bulgaria was never part of Yugoslavia. Interestingly, Southern Slavic languages do not all have the same alphabet.

How many people joined hands in the Baltic Way?

The Baltic Way or Baltic Chain (also Chain of Freedom; Estonian: Balti kett; Latvian: Baltijas ceļš; Lithuanian: Baltijos kelias; Russian: Балтийский путь Baltiysky put) was a peaceful political demonstration that occurred on 23 August 1989. Approximately two million people joined their hands to form a human chain spanning 675.5 kilometres (419.7 mi) across the three Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, which were considered at the time to be constituent republics of the Soviet Union .

What did the Soviet Union say about the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact?

The Soviet Union denied the existence of the secret protocols to the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, even though they were widely published by western scholars after surfacing during the Nuremberg Trials. Soviet propaganda also maintained that there was no occupation and that all three Baltic states voluntarily joined the Union – the People's Parliaments expressed people's will when they petitioned the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union to be admitted into the Union. The Baltic states claimed that they were forcefully and illegally incorporated into the Soviet Union. Popular opinion was that the secret protocols proved that the occupation was illegal. Such an interpretation of the Pact had major implications in the Baltic public policy. If Baltic diplomats could link the Pact and the occupation, they could claim that the Soviet rule in the republics had no legal basis and therefore all Soviet laws were null and void since 1940. Such a position would automatically terminate the debate over reforming Baltic sovereignty or establishing autonomy within the Soviet Union – the states never de jure belonged to the union in the first place. This would open the possibility of restoring legal continuity of the independent states that existed in the interwar period. Claiming all Soviet laws had no legal power in the Baltics would also cancel the need to follow the Constitution of the Soviet Union and other formal secession procedures.

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• Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania enjoy a friendly political relationship. This cooperation developed during the Soviet occupation, fostered by the Forest Affairs Ministers of each country. Between 1989 and 1992, these ministers developed a close friendship as they sought the independence of their countries. In 1991, the Baltic Assembly was created, w...

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