Baltic States and Border Nations

Assess: Slightly smaller than the state of Texas, Ukraine is the __________.

"Breadbasket" of Eastern Europe.

Ukraine

According to an old proverb, "Moscow is the heart of Russia; St. Petersburg, its head; but Kiev, its mother." Kiev, the current capital of Ukraine (yoo KRAYN), was where the first Russian state began more than 1,000 years ago. Kievan traders carried fur, honey, and farm products to the busy markets of Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire. Foreign Domination By the 1200s, Russian power moved northeast to Moscow and foreign powers fought for control of the region. For nearly five centuries, the region was controlled by foreign powers—the Mongols, then Lithuania, then Poland. The Poles tried to establish Roman Catholicism, but Ukrainians remained Orthodox. By the 1700s, Russian rulers established authority over the region. The Russians called the region Ukraine, meaning "the border." Attempts to impose the Russian language on Ukrainians were unsuccessful, but nearly four centuries of Russian rule developed strong links between the nations. Historically, Ukrainians sometimes called their country Malaya Russiya, or "Little Russia." Under Soviet Rule After Russia became the Communist Soviet Union, Ukrainians often suffered from harsh government policies. Beginning in the 1920s, Soviet rulers forced farmers to give up their land and work on large state-run collective farms. Many people resisted by burning crops. In response, the government seized all grain, leaving the people to starve. Between five and eight million Ukrainians died in the resulting famine. During World War II, many Ukrainians welcomed the invading Germans as liberators and collaborated with them against the Soviet Union. Parts of Ukraine suffered serious environmental damage in 1986 when an accidental explosion destroyed a nuclear reactor at Chernobyl (CHAYR noh bul), sending a cloud of radiation into the air. At least 26 people were killed, hundreds more injured, and millions exposed to radiation. Some 12.3 million acres (5 million hectares) of land were polluted by radiation from the damaged plant. Ukrainians still must deal with the long-term effects of Chernobyl, including water pollution, birth defects, and various kinds of cancer. The land surrounding Chernobyl is not likely to be fit for human occupation for a long time. Since Independence Since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine has reaffirmed itself as an independent nation. With more than 50 million people, vast fertile plains, and huge coal resources, Ukraine has great potential for development. Slightly smaller than the state of Texas, Ukraine is the "breadbasket" of Eastern Europe. On the warm, fertile steppe, farmers produce wheat, rye, barley, and potatoes that are exported to Russia and other nearby nations. Farmers also benefit from rich, black-earth soil called chernozem that forms beneath lush grasses. Ukraine's economy has had difficulty since the nation regained independence. For a decade, industrial production declined, but inflation flourished. Reforms in the early 2000s helped start a recovery, but the economy still is subject to external forces. Ukraine must import large quantities of oil and natural gas. A dispute with Russia in 2005 and 2006 led to a temporary cutoff of natural gas imports. Political reforms were implemented following a controversial presidential election late in 2004. Peaceful protests by supporters of opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko challenged results that declared pro-Russian candidate Viktor Yanukovych the winner. Yushchenko won in a new election. The political future of Ukraine was clouded when Yanukovych's party gained the upper hand in parliamentary elections, and he was named prime minister.

Review: Matching Terms to Definitions:

Annex: to formally incorporate into a country or state the territory of another. Diversify: to increase the variety of. Belarus: a border nation with close ties to Russia. Moldovia: a border nation with close ties to Romania. Latvia: a Baltic state.

Review: Although Moldova has a hilly landscape, it has __________ throughout its history.

Been conquered.

Despite their small size, the Baltic states have taken successful steps to __________.

Develop different kinds of industries.

The main factor that hurts Ukraine's development is the lack of __________.

Energy resources.

Assess: The Soviet Union took advantage of the location of the Baltic nations by __________.

Establishing naval bases.

Assess: One of the key challenges of the Baltic Nations is __________.

Ethnic diversity.

What measures did Belarus and Russia take to strengthen their ties?

In 1996, Belarus and Russia signed a pact to form a "union state." Later, treaties called for the development of a single currency and a joint defense policy.

Assess: Which actions has NOT helped the Baltic states transform their economies?

Increasing trade with Russia.

Review: Which was NOT a result of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster?

Millions of deaths from the blast.

Assess: Why have Ukrainians sometimes called their country "Little Russia"?

Russia ruled Ukraine for four centuries.

Assess: Latvia's industrial economy does NOT include __________.

Shipbuilding.

Summary

The Baltic states and border nations along Russia's western edge were once republics within the Soviet Union. After 1991, these republics became independent nations. Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are mainly flat with fertile plains. The Baltic Sea has brought both trade and invasion. Soviet forces invaded in 1939 and annexed, or formally added, the Baltic states to the Soviet Union. Since independence, the Baltic states have privatized industries and encouraged foreign investment and trade. They have also begun to diversify, or increase the variety of, their industries. Ukraine was where the first Russian state began over 1,000 years ago. Under Communist Soviet rule, Ukrainians were forced to work on collective farms. Ukrainians protested by burning crops. In response, Soviet forces seized all grain. As a result, 5 to 8 million Ukrainians starved to death. In 1986, an explosion destroyed a nuclear reactor in Chernobyl, causing severe damage to human life and the environment. Ukraine has large fertile plains and huge coal resources. The export of its many farm products has helped the economy. But outdated machinery, lack of foreign investment, and the need to import oil hold Ukraine back from economic prosperity. Unlike other former republics, Belarus favors its close ties with Russia. It has strong industrial and service industries, as well as oil, but it must import most of the resources needed for its industries. Moldova is the most densely populated of the former republics. It was once ruled by Romania, and Romanian is now the language used in schools.

Review: Which statement about the Baltic states is NOT true?

The Baltic states were fee of foreign rule in World War II.

Why did the Soviet Union establish naval bases in the Baltic states?

The Soviet Union wanted to take advantage of the states' strategic location on the Baltic Sea.

How do natural resources benefit Ukrainian agriculture?

The rich, black-earth soils help increase farm productivity.

The Baltic States

The small nations of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are tucked along the eastern edge of the Baltic Sea. The three Baltic states share a similar flat terrain, covered with marshy lowlands and fertile low plains. In Estonia, the average elevation is only 164 feet (50 m). The region's humid continental climate is influenced by the air that comes off the Baltic Sea. Generally, the region experiences wet, moderate winters and summers. The combined populations of the three Baltic states total only about 8 million. Lithuanians and Latvians speak similar languages. Estonians, however, speak a distinctive non-Indo-European tongue closely related to Finnish. Most Estonians and Latvians are Lutheran, whereas the majority of Lithuanians are Roman Catholic. Russians make up a significant percentage of the populations of both Latvia and Estonia. Effects of Location Historically, location has had an important effect on all three Baltic nations. They have benefited from their access to the sea and their location along major trade routes. However, at various times, they have suffered from their location between powerful states such as Sweden, Austria, Germany, and Russia. For centuries, invading armies battled for control of the region. As a result, the Baltic states have been subject to frequent conquests by other powers. The former Soviet Union was the most recent foreign power to rule the Baltic states. Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia had gained their independence after World War I. However, Soviet forces invaded the three states in 1939; and those states were soon annexed, or formally added, to the Soviet Union. Soviet Republics Under Soviet rule, life in the Baltic republics was harsh. The Soviet Union took advantage of their strategic location on the Baltic Sea by establishing naval bases in all three Baltic nations. Tens of thousands of people were expelled from their homelands. Nationalist symbols were removed from public view. Resistance, whether violent or not, was forcefully put down. The breakup of the Soviet Union brought independence to the Baltic nations in 1991. A number of challenges and opportunities came with that independence. Challenges and Opportunities Ethnic diversity is one of the key challenges for the Baltic states. In Estonia and Latvia there are large Russian minorities. In fact, Latvians constitute little more than half the population of Latvia. As a result, many Latvians favor measures that would limit the extent of Russian influence in the country. Such measures include policies that would restrict the use of the Russian language and make it difficult for Russians to become citizens of Latvia. All three Baltic states have transformed their economies since achieving independence from the Soviet Union. They privatized industries that formerly were operated by the government. They encouraged foreign investment and sought increased trade with nations other than Russia. All three were admitted to the European Union in 2004. Estonia has been especially active in developing its telecommunication industry. Despite their small size and limited natural resources, the Baltic states have taken successful steps to expand and diversify, or increase the variety of, their industries. In Estonia, the majority of the people are involved in services and industries such as mining, shipbuilding, and manufacturing. Primarily agricultural before 1940, Lithuania has developed considerable industry, including food processing, shipbuilding, and the manufacture of machinery. Latvia's industries are extremely diversified. They include the production of motor vehicles, pharmaceuticals, and electrical equipment. Location The Baltic states and border nations stretch from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea.

Assess: Which statement about the location of the Baltic states is NOT true?

Their remote location has kept out invaders.

Which statement about the location of the Baltic states is NOT true?

Their remote location has kept out invaders.

Belarus and Moldova

Together with Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova form the border region between Russia and the rest of Europe. Belarus and Moldova share another characteristic. The two countries are similar in that they both have very close ties with larger nations. Belarus Belarus (byel ah ROOS), which lies to the north of Ukraine, is a nation of more than 10 million people in an area about the size of Kansas. Like Russians and Ukrainians, the people of Belarus are mainly Slavic and have practiced Orthodox Christianity. Unlike people in most of the other new nations that formed when the Soviet Union dissolved, many Belarussians favored reestablishing close political and economic ties with Russia. In 1996, Belarus and Russia signed a pact to form a "union state" that would strengthen political, cultural, and economic ties. In subsequent years, additional treaties called for the development of a single currency, a joint defense policy, and other measures to integrate the two nations. However, real integration progressed slowly. Today, Belarus's economy depends mainly on industry and services. The nation, however, must import most of the raw materials needed to produce the finished goods. Belarus has oil reserves as well as large deposits of potash, which is used to make fertilizer. Belarus suffered severely from the Chernobyl disaster. Winds blew the radioactive cloud northward from Ukraine. More than one fifth of the country's farmland was contaminated. As a result, people had to stop using this land to produce food. Moldova Landlocked between the states of Ukraine and Romania, Moldova is the second smallest of the former Soviet republics. It also is the most densely populated, with more than 4 million people living in an area about the same size as the states of Maryland and Delaware, combined. Moldova was once a Romanian principality, and most of its residents are of Romanian descent. With the end of the Soviet Union, Romanian again became the language used in schools. Despite these strong ties, however, Moldova's residents rejected a proposal to unify this new nation with Romania in 1994. Moldova's hilly terrain slopes gradually in a southerly direction toward the Black Sea. Its location and inviting terrain have made it a historic route between Asia and Southern Europe. It has also been subject to frequent invasions. Although Soviet planners built up Moldova's factories, the economy still depends on exports of wine, sugar beets, and seed oils.

A devastating famine occurred in the Ukraine in the 1930s when the Soviet Union __________.

Took the nation's grain supply.

Why did many Ukrainians welcome the invading Germans as liberators during World War II?

Under Soviet rule, Ukrainians suffered from harsh government policies. Farmers were forced to give up their lands and made to work on large state-run collective farms.

Assess: In 1994, Moldova's residents rejected a proposal to __________.

Unify with Romania.

In 1994, Moldova's residents rejected a proposal to __________.

Unify with Romania.

Assess: Moldova is a small, landlocked nation that __________.

Uses Romanian in its schools.

Assess: Unlike people in many former Soviet states, many Belarussians __________ when the Soviet Union dissolved.

Wanted to maintain close ties with Russia.

Unlike people in many former Soviet states, many Belarussians __________ when the Soviet Union dissolved.

Wanted to maintain close ties with Russia.

Introduction

You have learned about countries of Central and Eastern Europe that were dominated by the Soviet Union from the late 1940s through the 1980s. Technically, however, these countries were independent. In contrast, to their east lay European states that officially were republics within the Soviet Union until that nation broke apart in 1991. Three of these states are the Baltic Sea nations of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. To the south of these three countries are Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova, which together form a border region between European Russia and the rest of Europe.