This volume is one in a continuing series of books prepared by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress. This volume is about Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Since the end of the Cold War there has been an increased interest in the Baltics. The Baltic States brings together three titles, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, to provide a comprehensive and analytical guide integrating history, political science, economic development and contemporary events into one account. Since gaining their independence, each country has developed at its own pace with its own agenda and facing its own obstacles. The authors examine the tensions accompanying a post-communist return to Europe after the long years of separation and how each country has responded to the demands of becoming a modern European state. Estonia was the first of the former Soviet republics to enter membership negotiations with the European Union in 1988 and is a potential candidate for the next round of EU expansion in 2004. Lithuania and Latvia have also expressed their desire for future membership of NATO and the EU.

Provides an overview of the history, Soviet legacy, & post-Soviet development of the Baltic states, whose first modern period of independence (1918-40) was a casualty of the 1939 Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact. Describes the quest of Estonia, Latvia, & Lithuania for self-determination, their struggle to reestablish independent statehood, & their attempts to cope with the political, economic, & social problems confronting them in the 1990s. Contents: physical environment; society; economy; government & politics; foreign relations; national security, & outlook.

Research completed January 1995.