THE BALTIC STATES
ESTONIA
INTRODUCTION
Estonia, the smallest of the three Baltic States, is a real treasure to discover. This is a country whose exclamatory sentence has justifiably become "Estonia - positively transforming". Change means here development and process of improving. Estonia’s technological sector is thriving while the past - our history and nature - has been perfectly preserved.
Geographically, it is larger than Denmark, Holland, Israel and others. Despite its northerly location, Estonia enjoys a mild climate because of marine influences. Mainly a lowland, the republic has numerous lakes, the largest, is important for both shipping and fishing. Along Estonia's Baltic coast are more than 800 islands, of which Saaremaa is the most notable. Estonia also has more marshland per square kilometer than anywhere in Europe; bogs cover some 20 percent of the country. Forests cover nearly 40 percent.
Language and people - History - Places to see
LATVIA
INTRODUCTION
Sandwiched like a middle child between outgoing Lithuania and more reserved Estonia, Latvia has been forging its own distinctive style in recent years. Officially Republic of Latvia, it lies in fact along the shores of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga.
Latvia has become a very fascinating tourist destination which attracts people with its untouched nature, beautiful countryside and historic capital Riga. Due to its highly advantageous geographical location Latvia has been for centuries also recognised as a significant industrial and international trade centre. Nowadays Latvia offers politically and economically stable environment for foreign business being an ideal springboard to vast Russian and EU markets.
Language and people - History - Places to see
LITHUANIA
INTRODUCTION
Lithuania, the largest of the Baltic states, lies on the beautiful amber coast of the Baltic Sea in northeastern Europe.
Lithuania is situated in Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia. A wonderful country with a population of 3,5 million people. We can call it in different ways-conventional long form : Republic of Lithuania, or just Lithuania. In 1990 Lithuania became the first Baltic nation to declare its independence from the USSR and soon after regained its place among the international community.
Lithuania's majestic capital, Vilnius, serves as a center for the country's political, economic, and cultural life.
Lithuania is relatively clean country protected from industrial pollution from the East and West. The Dzukija forests, the environs of Neringa and Palanga are considered to be the cleanest places in the country.For tourists it could be the real treasure.
Languages - History - Places to see
RUSSIA
Russia is the country of vast landscapes, vibrant life, beautiful contrasts, and interesting people. Taking an immense space of 9000 kilometers from west to east and 5000 from north to south, being home to people of so many different nationalities and customs, Russia is often called a "bridge" between Europe and Asia, both geographically and sociologically.
From the ancient times up to now, Russia has been changing and re-shaping itself, its boundaries, its culture. In the ancient times, the Slavs, Finn tribes, Tatars, had made their way through Russia, and this mix of many different nations and their traditions has defined the unique Russian character and culture.
Visiting Russia, especially if you come by a plane, you'll see neverending forests and lakes, scattered among them, gleaming little churches in Moscow and impressive imperors' palaces in St. Petersburg, all the modern attributes of "capitalist" world and old relics of communist times, hip crowds of young people and old babushkas (old women) wearing big fur hats and coats in the snow. To us, it's all about this kind of differences, about constant change in Russia now, which makes it a very dynamic country with lots of energy and potential. There has never been time in the Russian history, when it was still or calm, always there would be something like a revolution, an economy crisis, a war, as if to make life less predictable, and, perhaps, more interesting too.
Our main destinations in Russia are Moscow and St. Petersburg
FINLAND
Finland is a democratic republic, independent since
1917.
Finland is the second
northernmost country in the world. A quarter of its total
area lies north of the Arctic Circle. Finland is the seventh
largest country in Europe by its 338,145 square kilometres.
Finland’s neighbouring countries are Sweden,
Norway and Russia, which have land borders with
Finland, and Estonia across the Gulf of Finland.
Much of the country is a gently undulating plateau of
worn bedrock and boreal forests, presenting a striking
mixture of wooded hills and waters. High rounded fells
form the landscape in Finnish Lapland, the most northerly
part of the country.
Finland's capital city Helsinki was founded in 1550 by King Gustav Vasa of Sweden as a trading post to compete with Tallinn, which was Danish at that time
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