Baltic States

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Coordinates::52.163465, 21.006725 The Baltic states (lang-et|Balti riigid; lang-lv|Baltijas valstis; lang-lt|Baltijos valstybės) or the Baltic countries, also known as the Baltic nations, and less often as the "Baltic republics", the "Baltic lands", or simply the Baltics, is a modern geopolitical imagination|unofficial geopolitical term, typically used to group four sovereign states on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. The term is not used in the context of cultural areas, national identity, or Languages of Europe|language, because while the majority of people in Latvia and Lithuania are Baltic people, the majority in Estonia are Baltic Finns|Finnic, and the majority in Poland are Sl*vic|Slavs.[1] The four governments engage in intergovernmental and parliamentary cooperation. There is frequent cooperation in foreign and security policy, defence, energy, and transportation.[1]

All three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the eurozone, and the OECD. Estonia is currently a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. All three are classified as World Bank high-income economy|high-income economies by the World Bank and maintain a very high Human Development Index.[2]

Etymology

File:Mediæval and modern history (1920) (14793687963).jpg|thumb|right|The historical "Baltic lands" around the Baltic Sea ca 1701 The term Baltic stems from the name of the Baltic Sea – a hydronym dating back to the 3rd century B.C. (Eratosthenes|Erastothenes mentioned lang|el|Baltia in Ancient Greek) and earlier. Although there are several theories about its origin, most ultimately trace it to the Proto-Indo-European language|Indo-European root *bhel[3] meaning 'white, fair'. This meaning is retained in modern Baltic languages, where lang|lt|baltas in Lithuanian and lang|lv|balts in Latvian mean 'white'.[4] However, the modern names of the region and the sea that originate from this root, were not used in either of the two languages prior to the 19th century.[5]Outdated inline|date=August 2020|reason=See the source (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/254236745_Eratosthenes'_map_of_the_oecumene). The name is clearly not originating from ancient Greek, but maybe one used by the Baltic inhabitants for 2 millenia.

Since the Middle Ages, the Baltic Sea has appeared on maps in Germanic languages as the equivalent of 'East Sea': lang-de|link=no|Ostsee, lang-da|Østersøen, lang-nl|Oostzee, lang-sv|Östersjön, etc. Indeed, the Baltic Sea lies mostly to the east of Germany, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The term was also used historically to refer to Dominions of Sweden|Baltic Dominions of the Swedish Empire (lang-sv|Östersjöprovinserna) and, subsequently, the Baltic governorates of the Russian Empire (lang-ru|link=no|Остзейские губернии|translit=Ostzejskie gubernii).[5] Terms related to modern name Baltic appear in ancient texts, but had fallen into disuse until reappearing as the adjective lang|de|Baltisch in German, from which it was adopted in other languages.[6] During the 19th century, Baltic started to supersede lang|de|Ostsee as the name for the region. Officially, its Russian equivalent lang|ru|Прибалтийский (lang|ru-Latn|Pribaltiyskiy) was first used in 1859.[5] This change was a result of the Baltic German elite adopting terms derived from lang|de|Baltisch to refer to themselves.[6][7]

The term Baltic states was, until the early 20th century, used in the context of countries neighbouring the Baltic Sea: Sweden and Denmark, sometimes also Germany and the Russian Empire. With the advent of Foreningen Norden (the Nordic Associations), the term was no longer used for Sweden and Denmark.[8][9] After World War I, the new sovereign states that emerged on the east coast of the Baltic Sea – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Finland – became known as the Baltic states.[6]

History

Summary

see also|History of Estonia|History of Latvia|History of Lithuania File:1989 08 23 Baltijoskelias14.jpg|thumb|The Baltic Way was a mass anti-Soviet demonstration in 1989 where ca 25% of the total population of the Baltic countries participated After the World War I|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.[10]

The areas of the Baltic states have seen different regional and imperial affiliations during their existence. They were first included under the same political entity when the Russian Empire expanded in the 18th century. The territories of Estonia and Latvia were ceded by Sweden, and incorporated into the Russian Empire at the end of the Great Northern War in 1721, while most of the territory of what is now Lithuania came under the Russian rule after the Third Partition of Poland in 1795. Large parts of the Baltic countries were controlled by the Russian Empire until the final stages of World War I in 1918, when Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania gained their sovereignty. The three countries were independent until the outbreak of World War II. In 1940, all three countries were Occupation of the Baltic states|invaded, occupied and annexed by the Stalinist Soviet Union. In 1941 followed the invasion and occupation German occupation of Lithuania during World War II|Lithuania, German occupation of Latvia during World War II|Latvia and German occupation of Estonia during World War II|Estonia by Nazi Germany, before the Red Army reinvaded in 1944–1945 and the Soviet Union was able to regain control over the three countries until 1991. Dissolution of the Soviet Union|Soviet rule ended in the Baltic countries in Revolutions of 1989|1989–1991 as the newly elected parliaments of the three nations declared the Soviet occupation illegal, culminating with the full restoration of the independence of the three countries in August 1991.

The first period of independence, 1918–1940

File:Soomusrong nr 2 Valgas 1919.jpg|thumb|right|An armoured train used in the Estonian War of Independence against Soviet Russia, 1919 See also|Estonian War of Independence|Latvian War of Independence|Lithuanian Wars of Independence

As World War I came to a close, Act of Independence of Lithuania|Lithuania declared independence and Latvian Provisional Government|Latvia formed a provisional government. Estonia had already Autonomous Governorate of Estonia|obtained autonomy from tsarist Russia in 1917, but was subsequently occupied by the German Empire; they fought a successful Estonian War of Independence|war of independence against Soviet Russia History of Estonia|in 1918-20. Latvia and Lithuanians followed a similar process, until the completion of the Latvian War of Independence and Lithuanian Wars of Independence in 1920.

File:Riga. IX Latvian Song Celebration. 1938.png|thumb|right|The Latvian Song Festival of 1938 During the interwar period these countries were sometimes referred to as limitrophe states between the two World Wars, from the French, indicating their collectively forming a rim along Bolshevik Russia's, later the Soviet Union's, western border. They were also part of what Georges Clemenceau considered a strategic cordon sanitaire (international relations)|cordon sanitaire, the entire territory from Finland in the north to Romania in the south, standing between Western Europe and potential Bolshevik territorial ambitions.[11][12]

All three Baltic countries experienced a period of authoritarian rule by a head of state who had come to power after a bloodless coup: Antanas Smetona in Lithuania (1926 Lithuanian coup d'état|1926-1940), Kārlis Ulmanis in Latvia (1934 Latvian coup d'état|1934-1940), and Konstantin Päts during the "Era of Silence" in Estonia (1934-1938), respectively. Some note that the events in Lithuania differed from the other two countries, with Smetona having different motivations as well as securing power 8 years before any such events in Latvia or Estonia took place. Despite considerable political turmoil in Finland no such events took place there. Finland did however get embroiled in a Finnish Civil War|bloody civil war, something that did not happen in the Baltics.[13] Some controversy surrounds the Baltic authoritarian régimes – due to the general stability and rapid economic growth of the period (even if brief), some commenters avoid the label "authoritarian"; others, however, condemn such an "apologetic" attitude, for example in Kārlis Ulmanis#Later assessments|later assessments of Kārlis Ulmanis.

Soviet and German occupations, 1940–1991

see also|German occupation of Lithuania during World War II|German occupation of Latvia during World War II|German occupation of Estonia during World War II

In accordance with a secret protocol within the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of 1939 that divided Europe into German and Soviet spheres of influence, the Red Army|Soviet Army Soviet invasion of Poland|entered eastern Poland in September 1939, and then coerced Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania into mutual assistance treaties which granted them the right to establish military bases in these countries. In June 1940, the Red Army Occupation of the Baltic states|occupied all of the territory of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and installed new, pro-Soviet governments in all three countries. Following elections (in which only pro-communist candidates were allowed to run), the newly elected parliaments of the three countries formally applied to join the Soviet Union in August 1940 and were incorporated into it as the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic|Estonian, Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic|Latvian, and Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republics.

Repressions, executions and mass deportations followed after that in the Baltics.[14][15] The Soviet Union attempted to Sovietization|Sovietize its occupied territories, by means such as deportations and instituting the Russian language as the only working language. Between 1940 and 1953, the Soviet government deported more than 200,000 people from the Baltics to remote locations in the Soviet Union. In addition, at least 75,000 were sent to Gulags. About 10% of the adult Baltic population were deported or sent to labor camps.[16] (See June deportation, Soviet deportations from Estonia, Sovietization of the Baltic states)

The Soviet occupation of the Baltic countries was interrupted by Nazi Germany|Nazi German invasion of the region in 1941. Initially, many Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians considered the Germans as liberators. The Baltic countries' population had hoped for the restoration of independence, but instead the Germans established a civil administration, known as the Reichskommissariat Ostland.citation needed|date=September 2020 During the occupation the Germans carried out Nazi ghettos|ghettoisations and mass killings of the countries' Jewish populations.[17] Over 190,000 Lithuanian Jews, nearly 95% of Lithuania's pre-war Jewish community, and 66,000 Latvian Jews were murdered. The German occupation lasted until late 1944 (in Courland, until early 1945), when the countries were reoccupied by the Red Army and Soviet rule was re-established, with the passive agreement of the United States and United Kingdom|Britain (see Yalta Conference and Potsdam Agreement).

The forced collectivisation of agriculture began in 1947, and was completed after the mass deportation in March 1949 (see Operation Priboi). Private farms were confiscated, and farmers were made to join the collective farms. In all three countries, Baltic partisan (military)|partisans, known colloquially as the Forest Brothers, Latvian national partisans, and Lithuanian partisans, waged unsuccessful guerrilla warfare against the Soviet occupation for the next eight years in a bid to regain their nations' independence. The armed resistance of the anti-Soviet partisans lasted up to 1953. Although the armed resistance was defeated, the population remained anti-Soviet.

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were considered to be under Occupation of the Baltic states|Soviet occupation by the United States, the United Kingdom,[18] Canada, NATO, and many other countries and international organizations.[19] During the Cold War, Lithuania and Latvia maintained legations in Washington DC, while Estonia had a mission in New York. Each was staffed initially by diplomats from the last governments before USSR occupation.

Restoration of independence

In the late 1980s, a massive campaign of civil resistance against Soviet rule, known as the Singing revolution, began. On 23 August 1989, the Baltic Way, a two-million-strong human chain, stretched for 600 km from Tallinn to Vilnius. In the wake of this campaign, Mikhail Gorbachev|Gorbachev's government had privately concluded that the departure of the Baltic republics had become "inevitable".[20] This process contributed to the dissolution of the Soviet Union, setting a precedent for the other Soviet republics to secede from the USSR. Soviet Union recognized the independence of three Baltic states on 6 September 1991. Troops were withdrawn from the region (starting from Lithuania) from August 1993. The last Russian troops were withdrawn from there in August 1994.[21] Skrunda-1, the last Russian military radar in the Baltics, officially suspended operations in August 1998.[22]

21st century

File:Baltijas Asamblejas 31.sesija Viļņā (8169044850).jpg|thumb|Baltic Assembly session in Seimas Palace, in Vilnius, Lithuania All three are today Parliamentary system|parliamentary democracies, with unicameral parliaments elected by popular vote for four-year terms: Riigikogu in Estonia, Saeima in Latvia and Seimas in Lithuania. In Latvia and Estonia, the president is elected by parliament, while Lithuania has a semi-presidential system whereby the president is elected by popular vote. All are part of the European Union (EU) and members of the NATO|North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), being the only post-soviet states to be so.

Each of the three countries has declared itself to be the restoration of the sovereign nation that had existed from 1918 to 1940, emphasizing their contention that Soviet occupation of the Baltic states (1940)|Soviet domination over the Baltic states during the Cold War period had been an illegal occupation and annexation.

The same legal interpretation is shared by the United States, the United Kingdom, and most other Western democracies,citation needed|date=August 2016 who held the forcible incorporation of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania into the Soviet Union to be illegal. At least formally, most Western democracies never considered the three Baltic states to be constituent parts of the Soviet Union. Australia was a brief exception to this support of Baltic independence: in 1974, the Australian Labor Party|Labor government of Australia did recognize Soviet dominion, but this decision was reversed by the next Parliament of Australia|Australian Parliament.[23] Other exceptions included Sweden, which was the first Western country, and one of the very few to ever do so, to recognize the incorporation of the Baltic states into the Soviet Union as lawful.[24]

After the Baltic states had Dissolution of the Soviet Union|restored their independence, integration with Western Europe became a major strategic goal. In 2002, the Baltic governments applied to join the European Union and become members of NATO. All three became NATO members on 29 March 2004, and joined the EU on 1 May 2004. The Baltic states are currently the only Post-Soviet states|former Soviet states to have joined either the Union or the military alliance.

Regional cooperation

File:Baltic Defence College emblem.png|thumb|Baltic Defence College serves as a centre of strategic and operational research and provides professional military education to intermediate- and senior-level officers and government officials During the Baltic struggle for independence 1989–1992, a personal friendship developed between the (at that time unrecognized) Baltic ministers of foreign affairs and the Nordic ministers of foreign affairs. This friendship led to the creation of the Council of the Baltic Sea States in 1992, and the EuroFaculty in 1993.[25]

Between 1994 and 2004, the Free trade areas in Europe#BAFTA|BAFTA free trade agreement was established to help prepare the countries for their accession to the EU, rather than out of the Baltic states' desire to trade among themselves. The Baltic countries were more interested in gaining access to the rest of the European market.

Currently, the governments of the Baltic states cooperate in multiple ways, including cooperation among presidents, parliament speakers, heads of government, and foreign ministers. On 8 November 1991, the Baltic Assembly, which includes 15 to 20 MPs from each parliament, was established to facilitate inter-parliamentary cooperation. The Baltic Council of Ministers was established on 13 June 1994 to facilitate intergovernmental cooperation. Since 2003, there is coordination between the two organizations.[26]

Compared with other regional groupings in Europe, such as Nordic council or Visegrad Four, Baltic cooperation is rather limited. Possible explanations include the short history of restored sovereignty and fear of losing it again, along with an orientation toward Nordic countries and Baltic-Nordic cooperation in NB8|The Nordic-Baltic Eight. Estonia especially has attempted to construct a Nordic Estonia|Nordic identity for itself and denounced Baltic identity, despite still seeking to preserve close relationship with other countries in the region.[27][28] All three countries are members of the New Hanseatic League, an informal group of northern EU states formed to advocate a common fiscal position.

Economies

Main|Baltic Tiger Economically, parallel with the political changes, and the democratic transition, – as a rule of law states – the previous command economies were transformed via the legislation into market economies, and set up or renewed the major macroeconomic factors: budgetary rules, national audit, national currency and central bank. Generally, they shortly encountered the following problems: high inflation, high unemployment, low economic growth and high government debt. The inflation rate, in the examined area, relatively quickly dropped to below 5% by 2000. Meanwhile, these economies were stabilised, and in 2004 2004 enlargement of the European Union|all of them joined the European Union. New macroeconomic requirements have arisen for them; the Maastricht criteria became obligatory and later the Stability and Growth Pact set stricter rules through national legislation by implementing the regulations and directives of the Sixpack, because the financial crisis was a shocking milestone.

File:Tln1.jpg|thumb|right|Kesklinn, Tallinn|Downtown Tallinn File:Vistas desde la iglesia de San Pedro, Riga, Letonia, 2012-08-07, DD 04.JPG|thumb|right|Central District, Riga|Downtown Riga File:Europa Tower Vilnius in October 2017.png|thumb|Šnipiškės|Downtown Vilnius All three countries are member states of the European Union, and the Eurozone. They are classified as high-income economy|high-income economies by the World Bank and maintain high Human Development Index. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are also members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development|OECD.[2] Estonia adopted the Euro currency|euro currency in January 2011, Latvia in January 2014, and Lithuania in January 2015.

Energy security of Baltic states

Usually the concept of Energy security and renewable technology|energy security is related to the uninterruptible supply, sufficient energy storage, advanced technological development of energy sector and environmental regulations.[29] Other studies add other indicators to this list: diversification of energy suppliers, energy import dependence and vulnerability of political system.

Even now being a part of the European Union, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are still considered as the most vulnerable EU member states in the energy sphere.[30] Due to their Soviet past, Baltic states have several gas pipelines on their territories coming from Russia. Moreover, several routes of oil delivery also have been sustained from Soviet times: These are ports in Ventspils, Butinge and Tallinn.[31] Therefore, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania play a significant role not only in consuming, but also in distribution of Russian energy fuels extracting transaction fees.[31] So, the overall EU dependence on the Russia's energy supplies from the one hand and the need of Baltic states to import energy fuels from their closer hydrocarbon-rich neighbor creates a tension that could jeopardize the energy security of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.[31]

As a part of the EU from 2004, Baltic states must comply with the EU's regulations in energy, environmental and security spheres. One of the most important documents that the EU applied to improve the energy security stance of the Baltic states are European Union climate and energy package, including the Climate and Energy Strategy 2020, that aims to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions|greenhouse emissions to 20%, increase the energy production from renewables for 20% in overall share and 20% energy efficiency development.

The calculations take into account not only economic, but also technological and energy-related factors: Energy and carbon intensity of transport and households, trade balance of total energy, energy import dependency, diversification of energy mix, etc.[29] It was stated that from 2008, Baltic states experiences a positive change in their energy security score. They diversified their oil import suppliers due to shutdown of Druzhba gas pipeline in 2006 and increased the share of renewable sources in total energy production with the help of the EU policies.[29]

Estonia usually was the best performing country in terms of energy security, but new assessment shows that even though Estonia has the highest share of renewables in the energy production, its energy economy has been still characterized by high rates of carbon intensity. Lithuania, in contrast, achieved the best results on carbon intensity of economy but its energy dependence level is still very high. Latvia performed the best according to all indicators. Especially, the high share of renewables were introduced to the energy production of Latvia, that can be explained by the state's geographical location and favorable natural conditions.[29]

Possible threats to energy security include, firstly, a major risk of energy supply disruption. Even if there are several electricity interconnectors that connect the area with electricity-rich states (Estlink|Estonia-Finland interconnector, LitPol Link|Lithuania-Poland interconnector, NordBalt|Lithuania-Sweden interconnector), the pipeline supply of natural gas and tanker supply of oil are unreliable without modernization of energy infrastructure.[30] Secondly, the dependence on single supplier – Russia – is not healthy both for economics and politics. As it was in 2009 during the Russian-Ukrainian gas dispute, when states of Eastern Europe were deprived from access to the natural gas deliveries, the reoccurrence of the situation may again lead to economic, political and social crisis. Therefore, the diversification of suppliers is needed.[30] Finally, the low technological enhancement results in slow adaptation of new technologies, such as construction and use of renewable sources of energy. This also poses a threat to energy security of the Baltic states, because slows down the renewable energy consumption and lead to low rates of energy efficiency.[30]

Culture

File:St Olaf's church, Tallinn, July 2008.jpg|thumb|upright|St. Olaf's church, Tallinn|St. Olaf's church in Tallinn, Estonia

Ethnic groups

File:Languages in Northern Europe.png|thumb|left|upright=1.15|Language branches in Northern Europe legend|#3690FF|North Germanic languages|North Germanic (Faroe Islands, Iceland and Scandinavia) legend|#0F00CD |Finnic languages|Finnic (Finland, Estonia) legend|#0EDDA8 |Baltic languages|Baltic (Latvia, Lithuania) Estonians are Baltic Finns|Finnic people, together with the nearby Finland|Finns. The Latvians and Lithuanians, linguistically and culturally related to each other, are Balts|Baltic Proto-Indo-Europeans|Indo-European people. In Latvia exists a small community of Finnic people related to the Estonians, composed by only 250 people, known as Livonians, and they live in the so-called Livonian Coast. The peoples in the Baltic states have together inhabited the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea for millennia, although not always peacefully in ancient times, over which period their populations, Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian, have remained remarkably stable within the approximate territorial boundaries of the current Baltic states. While separate peoples with their own customs and traditions, historical factors have introduced cultural commonalities across and differences within them.

The populations of each Baltic country belong to several Christian denominations, a reflection of historical circumstances. Both Western and Eastern Christianity had been introduced by the end of the first millennium. The current divide between Lutheranism to the north and Catholicism to the south is the remnant of Swedish Empire|Swedish and Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth|Polish hegemony, respectively, with Russian Orthodox Church|Orthodox Christianity remaining the dominant faith among Russian and other East Slavic minorities.

File:St Peters Church Riga.JPG|thumb|upright|St. Peter's Church, Riga|St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Riga, Latvia The Baltic states have historically been in many different spheres of influence, from Danish over Swedish and Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth|Polish–Lithuanian, to German (Hanseatic League|Hansa and Holy Roman Empire), and before independence in the Russian sphere of influence.

The Baltic states have a considerable Slavs|Slavic minority: in Latvia: 33.0% (including 25.4% Russians in Latvia|Russian, 3.3% Belarusians|Belarusian, 2.2% Ukrainians|Ukrainian, and 2.1% Polish language|Polish),[32] in Estonia: 27.6%[33] and in Lithuania: 12.2% (including 5.6% Poles in Lithuania|Polish and 4.5% Russians in Lithuania|Russian).[34]

The Soviet Union conducted a policy of Russification by encouraging Russians and other Russian-speaking ethnic groups of the Soviet Union to settle in the Baltic Republics. Today, ethnic Baltic Russians|Russian immigrants from the former Soviet Union and their descendants make up a sizable minority in the Baltic states, particularly in Latvia (about one-quarter of the total population and close to one-half in the capital Riga) and Estonia (one-quarter of the population).

Because the three Baltic states were independent states prior to their Occupation of the Baltic states|occupation by the Soviet Union, there was a strong feeling of national identity (often labeled "bourgeois nationalism" by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union|Communist Party) and popular resentment towards the imposed Soviet rule in the three countries, in combination with Soviet cultural policy, which employed superficial multiculturalism (in order for the Soviet Union to appear as a multinational union based on the free will of its peoples) in limits allowed by the communist "internationalist" (but in effect pro-Russification) ideology and under tight control of the Communist Party (those of the Baltic nationals who crossed the line were called "bourgeois nationalists" and repressed). This let Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians preserve a high degree of Europe-oriented national identity.[35] In Soviet times this made them appear as the "West" of the Soviet Union in the cultural and political sense, thus as close to emigration a Russian could get without leaving the USSR.

Languages

The languages of the three Baltic peoples belong to two distinct language families. The Latvian language|Latvian and Lithuanian language|Lithuanian languages belong to the Indo-European languages|Indo-European language family and are the only extant (widely recognized) members of the Baltic languages|Baltic language group (or more specifically, Eastern Baltic subgroup of Baltic). Latgalian language|Latgalian and Samogitian dialect|Samogitian are considered either separate languages or dialects of Latvian and Lithuanian, respectively.

The Estonian language (including its divergent Võro language|Võro and Seto dialect|Seto dialects) is a Finnic language, together with neighboring Finland's Finnish language. It is also related to the now-extinct Livonian language spoken as a second language by a handful of people in Latvia.

File:Vilnius University Great Courtyard 1, Vilnius, Lithuania - Diliff.jpg|thumb|upright|Catholic Church of St. Johns, Vilnius|Church of St. Johns, Vilnius, Lithuania Apart from the indigenous languages, German was the dominant language in Estonia and Latvia in academics, professional life, and upper society from the 13th century until World War I. Polish language|Polish served a similar function in Lithuania. Numerous Swedish language|Swedish loanwords have made it into the Estonian language; it was under the Swedish rule that schools were established and education propagated in the 17th century. Swedish remains spoken in Estonia, particularly the Estonian Swedish dialect of the Estonian Swedes of Aiboland|northern Estonia and the islands (though many fled to Sweden as the USSR Baltic Offensive|invaded and Occupation of the Baltic states by the Soviet Union (1944)|re-occupied Estonia in 1944). There is also significant proficiency in Finnish in Estonia owing to its closeness to the native Estonian and also the widespread practice of listening to Finnish broadcasts during the Soviet era. Russian also achieved significant usage, particularly in commerce.

Russian was the most commonly studied foreign language at all levels of schooling during the Soviet era. Despite schooling available and administration conducted in local languages, Russian settlers were neither encouraged nor motivated to learn the official local languages, so knowledge of Russian became a practical necessity in daily life. Even to this day, the majority of the population of the Baltic states profess to be proficient in Russian, especially those who lived during Soviet rule. Meanwhile, the minority of Russian origin generally do not speak the national language.citation needed|date=November 2021 The question of their assimilation is a major factor in social and diplomatic affairs.[36]

Since the decline of Russian influence and integration into the European Union economy, English has become the most popular second language in the Baltic states. Although Russian is more widely spoken among older people the vast majority of young people are learning English instead with as many as 80 percent of young Lithuanians professing English proficiency, and similar trends in the other Baltic states.


Geography

Nature

Current leaders

General statistics

All three Unitary state|unitary republics, which simultaneously joined the European Union on 1 May 2004, share Eastern European Time|EET/Eastern European Summer Time|EEST time zone schedules and the euro currency. | class=wikitable style="margin:auto; border-collapse:collapse;" |- ! ! Estonia ! Latvia ! Lithuania ! Total |- ! Coat of arms | style="text-align:center" | Coat of arms|Estonia|size=50px|text=none | style="text-align:center" | Coat of arms|Latvia|size=50px|text=none | style="text-align:center" | Coat of arms|Lithuania|size=50px|text=none | NA |- ! Flag | style="text-align:center" | flagicon|Estonia|size=50px | style="text-align:center" | flagicon|Latvia|size=50px | style="text-align:center" | flagicon|Lithuania|size=50px | NA |- ! Capital | Tallinn | Riga | Vilnius | NA |- ! Independence

|

  • Ancient Estonia|Until 13th century
  • Estonian Declaration of Independence|24 February 1918
  • History of Estonia#Restoration of de facto independence|Restored 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt|20 August 1991

|

  • Until 13th century
  • Latvian War of Independence|18 November 1918
  • History of Latvia#Restoration of independence|Restored 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt|21 August 1991

|

  • Grand Duchy of Lithuania|Until 18th century
  • Act of Independence of Lithuania|16 February 1918
  • Restored History of Lithuania#Independence restored (1990–present)|11 March 1990

| NA |- ! Political system | Parliamentary republic | Parliamentary republic | Semi-presidential system|Semi-presidential republic | NA |- ! Parliament | Riigikogu | Saeima | Seimas | NA |- ! Current President | Alar Karis | Egils Levits | Gitanas Nausėda | NA |- ! Population (2021) | increase1,330,068 | decrease1,893,700 | decrease2,775,810 | decrease5,999,578 |- ! Area | 45,339 km2 = 17,505 sq mi | 64,589 km2 = 24,938 sq mi | 65,300 km2 = 25,212 sq mi | 175,228 km2 = 67,656 sq mi |- ! Density | 29/km2 = 76/sq mi | 30/km2 = 76/sq mi | 43/km2 = 111/sq mi | 34/km2 = 89/sq mi |- ! Water area % | 4.56% | 1.5% | 1.35% | 2.23% |- ! GDP (nominal) total (2020)[37] | €27.167 billion | €29.334 billion | €48.930 billion | €105.431 billion |- ! GDP (nominal) per capita (2020)[37] | €20,440 | €15,430 | €17,510 | €17,570 |- ! Military budget (2021) | €645 million[38] | €708 million[39] | €1.028 billion[40] | €2.381 billion |- ! Gini coefficient|Gini Index (2019) | 30.5 | 35.2 | 35.4 | NA |- ! Human Development Index|HDI (2019)[41] | 0.882 (Developed country|Very High) | 0.854 (Developed country|Very High) | 0.869 (Developed country|Very High) | NA |- ! Internet Country code top-level domain|TLD | .ee | .lv | .lt | NA |- ! List of country calling codes|Calling code | +372 | +371 | +370 | NA |


See also

Portal bar|Geography|Europe|European Union|Estonia|Latvia|Lithuania columns-list|colwidth=15em|

  • Baltia
  • Baltic Entente
  • Baltic Free Trade Area
  • Baltic provinces, Baltic governorates
  • Baltic region
  • Baltic Tiger
  • Baltic Way
  • Finnic languages|Balto-Finnic languages, Baltic Finnic peoples
  • Baltoscandia
  • Balts, Baltic Germans
  • June deportation
  • List of cities in the Baltic states by population
  • Nordic countries
  • Nordic identity in Estonia|Nordic Estonia
  • Nordic-Baltic Eight
  • Northern Europe
  • Occupation of the Baltic states
  • Operation Priboi
  • Russians in Estonia, Russians in Latvia, Russians in Lithuania
  • Scandinavia
  • Soviet deportations from Estonia
  • United Baltic Duchy


International peer-reviewed media

External links

Official statistics of the Baltic states

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite web |last1=Republic of Estonia |url=http://vm.ee/en/baltic-cooperation%7Ctitle = Baltic Cooperation |website=Ministry of Foreign Affairs |access-date=28 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170506193534/http://www.vm.ee/en/baltic-cooperation%7Carchive-date=6 May 2017|url-status=live
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 cite web | title = Colombia and Lithuania join the OECD | url = http://www.france24.com/en/20180530-colombia-lithuania-join-oecd | publisher = France 24 | date = 30 May 2018
  3. ↑ Cite web | url = http://starling.rinet.ru/cgi-bin/response.cgi?single=1&basename=/data/ie/piet&text_number=+129&root=config | title = Indo-European Etymology: Query result | website = starling.rinet.ru | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070225150051/http://starling.rinet.ru/cgi-bin/response.cgi?single=1&basename=%2Fdata%2Fie%2Fpiet&text_number=+129&root=config | archive-date = 25 February 2007 | url-status = dead | access-date = 28 May 2018
  4. ↑ cite book | last = Dini | first = Pierto Umberto | others = Translated from Italian by Dace Meiere | title = Baltu valodas | orig-year = 1997 | year = 2000 | publisher = Jānis Roze | location = Riga | language = lv | isbn = 978-9984-623-96-2
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 cite book | last = Krauklis | first = Konstantīns | title = Latviešu etimoloģijas vārdnīca | publisher = Avots | location = Rīga | date = 1992 | volume = I | pages = 103–104 | oclc = 28891146 | language = lv
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 cite book | last1 = Bojtar | first1 = Endre | title = Foreword to the Past: A Cultural History of the Baltic People | date = 1999 | publisher = Central European University Press | isbn = 9789639116429 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Er1_CwAAQBAJ
  7. ↑ Cite web | last1 = Skutāns | first1 = Gints | url = http://old.historia.lv/alfabets/L/la/latvija_jedziens/latvija.htm | title = Latvija – jēdziena ģenēze | website = old.historia.lv | access-date = 21 May 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180522111819/http://old.historia.lv/alfabets/L/la/latvija_jedziens/latvija.htm | archive-date = 22 May 2018 | url-status = live
  8. ↑ Cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=g_4GAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA91 | title = a compendious view of universal history | last = l.l.b | first = charles mayo | date = 1804 | language = en | access-date = 12 May 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180513081136/https://books.google.ee/books?id=g_4GAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA91&dq=%22baltic+states%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjzkdqX_7LZAhXE16QKHXjYBOEQ6AEIRzAG#v=onepage&q=%22baltic%20states%22&f=false | archive-date = 13 May 2018 | url-status = live
  9. ↑ Cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=yrMWBAumHA0C&q=coalition+baltic+states+armed+neutrality&pg=PA425 | title = The Life of Nelson | last = Mahan | first = Alfred Thayer | date = 2006 | publisher = Bexley Publications | isbn = 978-1-4116-7198-0 | language = en | access-date = 12 May 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180513011428/https://books.google.ee/books?id=yrMWBAumHA0C&pg=PA425&lpg=PA425&dq=coalition+baltic+states+armed+neutrality&source=bl&ots=cuN8bl8ImD&sig=2mNaifnpBfzsHeSsqAqimNQ905M&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiVsLuwgbPZAhVPzaQKHTuvAFMQ6AEINTAB#v=onepage&q=coalition%20baltic%20states%20armed%20neutrality&f=false | archive-date = 13 May 2018 | url-status = live
  10. ↑ Cite book | title = Aspects of the Governing of the Finns | last = Maude | first = George | date = 2010 | publisher = Peter Lang | isbn = 978-1-4331-0713-9 | language = en
  11. ↑ cite book | title = Civil war in Siberia: the anti-Bolshevik government of Admiral Kolchak, 1918–1920 | last = Smele | first = John | location = London | publisher = Cambridge University Press | page = 305 | year = 1996 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=VNFiD_v6fj4C&pg=PA305
  12. ↑ cite book | title = Dictionnaire Manuel de Diplomatie et de Droit International Public et Privé | last = Calvo | first = Carlos | year = 2009 | publisher = The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. | page = 246 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=T7DXvH0k3lcC&q=territoire+de+l'Etat+limitrophe&pg=PA102 | isbn = 9781584779490
  13. ↑ cite web | title = Why did Finland remain a democracy between the two World Wars, whereas the Baltic States developed authoritarian regimes? | url = http://www.writework.com/essay/why-did-finland-remain-democracy-between-two-world-wars-wh | date = January 2004 | quote = as Lithuania is a distinct case from the other two Baltic countries. Not only was an authoritarian regime set up in 1926, eight years before those of Estonia and Latvia, but it was also formed not to counter a threat from the right, but through a military coup d'etat against a leftist government. (...) The hostility between socialists and non-socialists in Finland had been amplified by a bloody civil war
  14. ↑ Cite web | url = http://www.latvians.com/en/Reading/TheseNamesAccuse/ | title = These Names Accuse—Nominal List of Latvians Deported to Soviet Russia | website = latvians.com | access-date = 28 May 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120208030952/http://latvians.com/en/Reading/TheseNamesAccuse/ | archive-date = 8 February 2012 | url-status = live
  15. ↑ Cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=nbwiAQAAIAAJ | title = The white book: losses inflicted on the Estonian nation by occupation regimes, 1940–1991 | last1 = Kangilaski | first1 = Jaak | last2 = Salo | first2 = Vello | last3 = Komisjon | first3 = Okupatsioonide Repressiivpoliitika Uurimise Riiklik | date = 2005 | publisher = Estonian Encyclopaedia Publishers | isbn = 9789985701959 | language = en
  16. ↑ Cite web | url = http://www.rel.ee/eng/communism_crimes.htm | title = Communism and Crimes against Humanity in the Baltic states | date = 13 April 1999 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110720125743/http://www.rel.ee/eng/communism_crimes.htm | archive-date = 20 July 2011 | url-status = dead | access-date = 27 May 2018
  17. ↑ cite web | title = Murder of the Jews of the Baltic States | url = https://www.yadvashem.org/holocaust/about/final-solution-beginning/baltic-states.html#narrative_info | website = Yad Vashem
  18. ↑ Cite web | url = http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029394365&a=KCountryProfile&aid=1019233911509 | title = Country Profiles: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania | website = Foreign & Commonwealth Office – Government of the United Kingdom | access-date = 28 May 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20030731063641/http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket%2FXcelerate%2FShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029394365&a=KCountryProfile&aid=1019233911509 | archive-date = 31 July 2003 | url-status = live
  19. ↑ Cite web | url = https://2001-2009.state.gov/p/eur/rls/rm/86539.htm | title = U.S.-Baltic Relations: Celebrating 85 Years of Friendship | date = 14 June 2007 | website = U.S. Department of State | access-date = 27 May 2018
  20. ↑ cite book | title = Civil resistance and power politics: the experience of non-violent action from Gandhi to the present | last = Beissinger | first = Mark R. | editor1 = Adam Roberts (scholar)|Adam Roberts | editor2 = Timothy Garton Ash | chapter = The intersection of Ethnic Nationalism and People Power Tactics in the Baltic States | year = 2009 | location = Oxford & New York | publisher = Oxford University Press | isbn = 978-0-19-955201-6 | pages = 231–246 | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=BxOQKrCe7UUC&q=%22People+Power+Tactics+in+the+Baltic+States%22&pg=PR10
  21. ↑ Cite news | url = http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/vo-baltic.htm | title = Baltic Military District | last = Pike | first = John | access-date = 28 May 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171108074301/https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/vo-baltic.htm | archive-date = 8 November 2017 | url-status = live
  22. ↑ Cite news | url = https://jamestown.org/program/skrunda-shuts-down/ | title = SKRUNDA SHUTS DOWN. – Jamestown | date = 1 September 1993 | work = Jamestown | access-date = 19 June 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180528134749/https://jamestown.org/program/skrunda-shuts-down/ | archive-date = 28 May 2018 | url-status = live
  23. ↑ Cite journal | date = March 2008 | title = The Latvians in Sydney | url = https://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/journals/index.php/sydney_journal/article/viewFile/628/699 | journal = Sydney Journal | volume = 1 | issn = 1835-0151 | access-date = 28 May 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171019152746/http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/journals/index.php/sydney_journal/article/viewFile/628/699 | archive-date = 19 October 2017 | url-status = live
  24. ↑ Cite journal | last = Mart | first = Kuldkepp | title = Swedish political attitudes towards Baltic independence in the short twentieth century | url = https://ojs.utlib.ee/index.php/EAA/article/viewFile/AA.2016.3-4.04/8348 | journal = Ajalooline Ajakiri. The Estonian Historical Journal | issue = 3/4 | issn = 2228-3897
  25. ↑ Cite book | title = Born into a Dream : Eurofaculty and the Council of the Baltic Sea States. | last = N. | first = Kristensen, Gustav | date = 2010 | publisher = BWV Berliner Wissenschafts-Verlag | isbn = 978-3-8305-2548-6 | location = Berlin | oclc = 721194688
  26. ↑ Cite web | url = http://www.mfa.gov.lv/en/eu/BalticSeaRegion/BalticStates/ | title = Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia: Co-operation among the Baltic States | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081204065713/http://www.mfa.gov.lv/en/eu/BalticSeaRegion/BalticStates/ | archive-date = 4 December 2008 | url-status = dead | date = 4 December 2008 | access-date = 28 May 2018
  27. ↑ cite news | url = http://www.diena.lv/arhivs/ilvess-neapsauba-baltijas-valstu-politisko-vienotibu-10353395 | title = Ilvess neapšauba Baltijas valstu politisko vienotību | last = Upleja | first = Sanita | date = 10 November 1998 | publisher = Diena | language = lv | access-date = 26 February 2015 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160623202212/http://www.diena.lv/arhivs/ilvess-neapsauba-baltijas-valstu-politisko-vienotibu-10353395 | archive-date = 23 June 2016
  28. ↑ Cite news | url = http://www.lsm.lv/en/article/politics/kersti-kaljulaid-lets-talk-about-the-nordic-benelux.a207078/ | title = Kersti Kaljulaid: Let's talk about the Nordic Benelux | access-date = 28 May 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161220162759/http://www.lsm.lv/en/article/politics/kersti-kaljulaid-lets-talk-about-the-nordic-benelux.a207078/ | archive-date = 20 December 2016 | url-status = live
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 Cite journal|last1=Zeng|first1=Shouzhen|last2=Streimikiene|first2=Dalia|last3=Baležentis|first3=Tomas|date=September 2017|title=Review of and comparative assessment of energy security in Baltic States|journal=Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews|volume=76|pages=185–192|doi=10.1016/j.rser.2017.03.037|issn=1364-0321
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 Cite journal|last=Molis|first=Arūnas|date=September 2011|title=Building methodology, assessing the risks: the case of energy security in the Baltic States|journal=Baltic Journal of Economics|volume=11|issue=2|pages=59–80|doi=10.1080/1406099x.2011.10840501|issn=1406-099X|doi-access=free
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 Cite journal|last=Mauring|first=Liina|date=2006|title=The Effects of the Russian Energy Sector on the Security of the Baltic States|journal=Baltic Security & Defence Review|volume=8|pages=66–80|issn=2382-9230
  32. ↑ cite web | url = http://www.pmlp.gov.lv/lv/assets/documents/Iedzivotaju+re%C4%A3istrs/07022017/ISVN_Latvija_pec_TTB_VPD.pdf | title = Pilsonības un migrācijas lietu pārvalde – Kļūda 404 | website = pmlp.gov.lv | access-date = 9 August 2018 | archive-date = 24 September 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200924142504/https://www.pmlp.gov.lv/lv/assets/documents/Iedzivotaju+re%C4%A3istrs/07022017/ISVN_Latvija_pec_TTB_VPD.pdf | url-status = dead
  33. ↑ cite web | url = http://pub.stat.ee/px-web.2001/Dialog/varval.asp?ma=PO0222U&ti=POPULATION+BY+SEX,+ETHNIC+NATIONALITY+AND+COUNTY,+1+JANUARY.+ADMINISTRATIVE+DIVISION+AS+AT+01.01.2018&path=../I_Databas/Population/01Population_indicators_and_composition/04Population_figure_and_composition/&lang=1 | title = POPULATION BY SEX, ETHNIC NATIONALITY AND COUNTY, 1 JANUARY. ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION AS AT 01.01.2018 | website = pub.stat.ee | access-date = 26 June 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190611131932/http://pub.stat.ee/px-web.2001/Dialog/varval.asp?ma=PO0222U&ti=POPULATION+BY+SEX%2C+ETHNIC+NATIONALITY+AND+COUNTY%2C+1+JANUARY.+ADMINISTRATIVE+DIVISION+AS+AT+01.01.2018&path=..%2FI_Databas%2FPopulation%2F01Population_indicators_and_composition%2F04Population_figure_and_composition%2F&lang=1 | archive-date = 11 June 2019 | url-status = dead
  34. ↑ cite web | url = https://osp.stat.gov.lt/en | title = Home – Oficialiosios statistikos portalas | website = osp.stat.gov.lt
  35. ↑ cite encyclopedia | title = Baltic states – Soviet Republics | encyclopedia = Encyclopædia Britannica | url = http://search.eb.com/eb/article-37264 | access-date = 5 March 2007
  36. ↑ cite book | author1 = Nikolas K. Gvosdev | author2 = Christopher Marsh | title = Russian Foreign Policy: Interests, Vectors, and Sectors | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=CduOAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA217 | year = 2013 | publisher = CQ Press | page = 217 | isbn = 9781483322087
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 Cite web | url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tec00001/default/table?lang=en |title = Eurostat - Tables, Graphs and Maps Interface (TGM) table
  38. ↑ cite web | url = https://kaitseministeerium.ee/et/eesmargid-tegevused/kaitse-eelarve | title = Defence budget – Kaitseministeerium | website = kaitseministeerium.ee
  39. ↑ cite web | url = https://www.mod.gov.lv/lv/par-mums/aizsardzibas-nozares-budzets | title = Aizsardzības nozares budžets | website = mod.gov.lv
  40. ↑ cite web | url = https://kam.lt/lt/veikla_576/biudzetas_538.html?c=1 | title = 2021 METŲ ASIGNAVIMAI KRAŠTO APSAUGAI | website = kam.lt
  41. ↑ Cite web |url = http://hdr.undp.org/en/2019-update |title = | Human Development Reports |access-date = 14 September 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180914203906/http://hdr.undp.org/en/2018-update |archive-date = 14 September 2018 |url-status = dead |df = dmy-all
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