Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania: Country Studies (Area Handbook Estonia, Latvia, & Lithuania: A Country Study)

This volume is one in a continuing series of books prepared by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress under the Country Studies/Area Handbook Program sponsored by the Department of the Army. Describes the quest of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania for self-determination, their struggle to reestablish independent statehood, and their attempts to cope with the political, economic, and social problems confronting them in the 1990s. Estonia / Vello A. Pettai. Country Profile -- Historical Setting. Early History ; Interwar Independence, 1918-40 ; The Soviet Era, 1940-85 ; The Pursuit Of Independence, 1985-91 ; Independence Reclaimed, August 1991-october 1992-- Physical Environment. Geographic Features ; Environmental Issues -- Society. Population ; Health ; Welfare ; Education System ; Religion; Language And Culture -- Economy. Economic Reform History ; Recent Economic Developments ; Economic Sectors -- Government And Politics. Current Politics ; Constitutional Foundations ; Mass Media -- Foreign Relations. Relation With The West ; Relations With Russia -- National Security. Armed Forces ; Crime And Law Enforcement -- Outlook. Latvia / Juris Dreifelds. Country Profile -- Historical Setting. Early History ; Independence, 1918-40 ; The Soviet Period ; The Pursuit Of Independence, 1987-91 -- Physical Environment. Geographic Features ; Climate ; Natural Resources -- Society. Population ; Population Changes Since Independence ; Marriage And Divorce ; Urbanization, Employment, And Education ; Health And Welfare ; Religion ; Language And Culture -- Economy. Historical Legacy ; The Soviet Period ; Economic Sectors ; Postindependence Economic Difficulties -- Government And Politics. Transition To Independence ; Political System ; Current Politics ; Mass Media -- Foreign Relations. Establishing Foreign Relations ; Foreign Policy Directions -- National Security. Defense ; Crime And Law Enforcement -- Outlook. Lithuania / V. Stanley Vardys And William A. Slaven. Country Profile -- Historical Setting. Early History ; Independence, 1918-40 ; The Soviet Republic ; The Move Toward Independence, 1987-91 -- Physical Environment. Topography, Drainage, And Climte ; The Environment ; Natural Resources -- Society. Population ; Health And Welfare ; Religion ; Language And Culture ; Education -- Economy. Economic Reforms ; Structure Of The Economy ; Labor Force ; Transportation And Telecommunications ; Foreign Economic Relations ; Reform Yields Results -- Government And Politics. The Constitutional System ; Politics ; Mass Media -- Foreign Relations -- National Security. Armed Forces ; Crime And Law Enforcement ; Penal Code And Prisons -- Outlook. Federal Research Division, Library Of Congress ; Edited By Walter R. Iwaskiw. Research Completed January 1995. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 267-279) And Index. Master And Use Copy. Digital Master Created According To Benchmark For Faithful Digital Reproductions Of Monographs And Serials, Version 1. Digital Library Federation, December 2002. Http://purl.oclc.org/dlf/benchrepro0212 Miaahdl Mode Of Access: World Wide Web. Forcibly annexed to the Soviet Union 51 years before, the Baltic States - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - regained independence in 1991 after an abortive coup in Moscow that accelerated the collapse of the Soviet regime. These nations then embarked on a course of political and economic reintegration with the West.