Total area: 65 200 km² Population: 3.5 milion Language: Lithuanian Lithuania, officially The Republic of Lithuania, is the biggest country of the Balic region. Lithuania is a Catholic county and almost 80% of the people belong to the church. In 1569 Lithuania and Poland formed a voluntary two state union, the Polish– Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Commonwealth lasted more than two centuries, until neighboring countries systematically dismantled it from 1772–95, with the Russian Empire annexing most of Lithuania's territory. In Lithuania basketball is considered the natural passion. Finland Capital city: Helsinki Total area: 340 000 km² Population: 5 milion Language: Finnish, Swedish and Sami Finland, officially The Republic of Finland, is the eighth largest country in Europe. From the late 12th century until 1809, Finland was part of Sweden. In World War II, Finnish forces fought in three separate conflicts: the Winter War (1939–1940) and
Russia conquered Estonia in the Great Northern War (1700-1721). The Russians ruled for two centuries and after WW I, in 1918, Estonia declared its independence. The War of Independence (1918-20) was fought against the Russian Bolsheviks and local Baltic Germans. During the war, Estonia secured its borders and Soviet Russia recognised Estonia's independence. As a result of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, Estonia was occupied by the Soviet Union during WW II, annexing it to the Soviet Union. However, in 1941, the Germans defeated the Soviet Army and occupied Estonia until 1944. Although the country tried to restore its independence, it was incorporated as a Republic of the USSR. On August 23. 1989, Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians joined their hands to form a 530 km long Baltic Chain connecting the three Baltic capitals. The independence was restored on August 20, 1991. This time is called the Singing Revolution. The last Soviet troops left in 1994
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