Official Name: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
- Geography: situated in Eastern
Europe, on the Baltic Sea. Consists of
three countries: Estonia in the
Northeast, Latvia in the centre and
Lithuania in the Southwest. The latter
borders German East Prussia
in the West. Both Lithuania and Latvia border
Poland
in the South. Latvia and Estonia border
the Soviet
Union in the East.
- History: The three Baltic states
are a product of the disintegration of
the Russian Empire during the Russian
civil war. Combining forces and with
Polish and German help these small states
managed to drive off the Red Army. In the
past decade each Baltic state has lost
its democracy and turned into a dictatorship.
- Political system: dictatorial
- Heads of Government: Paets in
Estonia, president Ulmanis in Latvia and
President Smetona in Lithuania
- Heads of State: see above
- Treaties: Estonia and Latvia each
have a non-aggression pact with the USSR, Lithuania has a
neutrality pact with the USSR
- Economic system: capitalist
- Economy: tiny. Agricultural countries.
- Demography: medium birth rate.
Population in millions: Lituania: 2.5,
Latvia: 1.8, Estonia: 1.
- Morale: below average.
- Armed forces: Estonia: 11,122 men, with almost 100,000
in reserves. Latvia: 21,320 men, with almost 200,000
in reserves. Lithuania: 20,235 men, with almost 200,000
in reserves.
- Status: The Baltic states are all
minor powers.
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