The Baltic region is an ambiguous term that refers to slightly different combinations of countries in the general area surrounding the Baltic Sea.

Etymology

The first to name it the Baltic Sea ("Mare Balticum") was eleventh century German chronicler Adam of Bremen.

Denotation

Depending on the context the Baltic region might stand for:

• the Baltic Sea countries - countries that have access to the Baltic Sea: Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and Sweden.

• the present Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) sometimes in addition to the Russian Kaliningrad exclave.

• East Prussia and the historical lands of Livonia, Courland and Estonia (Swedish Estonia and Russian Estonia)

• Balticum - geographic term used in several languages, including Scandinavian and German, which usually denotes the territory corresponding to modern Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. In some contexts, the term Balticum includes the historically or culturally German-dominated lands, or provinces, of Estonia, Livonia, Courland and Latgale (corresponding to modern Estonia and Latvia), as well as sometimes East Prussia, while Lithuania is sometimes excluded.

• the former Baltic province of Imperial Russia - Baltic states in addition to (parts of) Poland

• the whole eastern side of the Baltic sea, Baltic states and Kaliningrad in addition to Finland

• countries on the (British) trade route through the Baltic Sea, i.e. the lands above in addition to the Scandinavian Peninsula (Sweden and Norway)

• Council of the Baltic Sea States - Baltic Sea countries, in addition to Norway, Iceland and the rest of European Union.

See also

• Baltic

• Northern Dimension

• North Sea Region

• Baltia (Roman mythology)