Trakai Castle in Lithuania — a 14th-century red-brick island castle on Lake Galvė, one of the most iconic landmarks of the three Baltic states

Free Baltic travel tracker

How many Baltic states have you visited?

Click each of the 3 Baltic countries you have travelled to — Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania. Tracks EU, Schengen, NATO, and eurozone progress. Saves locally, shareable in one click.

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Quick answer

How many Baltic countries are there?

There are 3 Baltic states:

1.Estonia— Tallinn
2.Latvia— Riga
3.Lithuania— Vilnius

Membership

Are the Baltics in the EU and Schengen?

All three Baltic states are full EU, Schengen, and NATO members, and all three use the euro. They joined the EU and NATO together on the same days in 2004 and Schengen together in December 2007 — they consistently move as a bloc.

Frequently confused

Baltic vs Nordic — what’s the difference?

Two separate regional groupings often confused because both sit around the Baltic Sea. The Baltics are three Eastern European countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) defined by the Baltic Assembly. The Nordics are five Northern European countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden) defined by the Nordic Council. Together they form the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8), a regional cooperation framework — and the cultural-geographic overlap is sometimes called Baltoscandia.

Baltics

3 countries

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania. All EU + Schengen + NATO + euro since 2004–2015. Former Soviet republics that re-declared independence in 1990–91.

Nordics

5 countries

Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden. Defined by the Nordic Council. Three are EU members; only Finland uses the euro.

Is Estonia Nordic?

Officially Baltic, but it shares language ties with Finland (both Finno-Ugric) and is sometimes informally called “Nordic-leaning”.

Is Russia a Baltic country?

No. Russia borders the Baltic Sea via Kaliningrad and St Petersburg but is not one of the three Baltic states.

Want the wider picture? Track all 5 Nordic countries, the 3 Scandinavian countries or all 47 European countries.

Reference

List of all 3 Baltic states

2026

The three Baltic states with capital, language, population, area, and the year each joined the EU, Schengen, NATO, and the eurozone.

Comparison of the three Baltic states — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — by capital, language, population, area, GDP per capita, Human Development Index, and year of accession to the EU, Schengen and the eurozone.
Flag	Country	Capital	Language	Population (M)	Area (km²)	GDP / capita (USD)	HDI	EU since	Schengen	Euro since
🇪🇪	Estonia	Tallinn	Estonian	1.37	45,227	$30,000	0.899	2004	2007	2011
🇱🇻	Latvia	Riga	Latvian	1.86	64,589	$24,000	0.879	2004	2007	2014
🇱🇹	Lithuania	Vilnius	Lithuanian	2.81	65,300	$29,000	0.879	2004	2007	2015

All three Baltic states are NATO members since 2004 and former Soviet republics. Population estimates 2025/2026; nominal GDP per capita per IMF (2024); Human Development Index per UN HDR 2023/24.

Country profiles

The 3 Baltic states

A quick traveller’s read on each Baltic state — what makes it distinct, what it’s known for, and how it fits into the cluster.

🇪🇪

Estonia

Tallinn · 1.37 M · 45,227 km²

The northernmost Baltic state, and the most "Nordic" of the three — a short ferry from Helsinki, with a Finno-Ugric language closely related to Finnish. Tallinn’s medieval old town is a UNESCO site and one of the best-preserved in Europe. Estonia is famously digital-first (e-Residency, online voting) and is the smallest Baltic country by both population and area. It is also the wealthiest Baltic state by GDP per capita and the highest-ranked on the UN Human Development Index.

Estonian · Finno-UgricEU 2004Schengen 2007Euro 2011NATO 2004$30,000 / capita

🇱🇻

Latvia

Riga · 1.86 M · 64,589 km²

The middle of the three Baltic states, and home to the region’s most populous capital — Riga, with the largest collection of Art Nouveau architecture in Europe. Latvian is one of the two surviving Baltic languages and shares deep roots with Lithuanian. Beyond Riga, the country runs from Baltic Sea beaches to forests and the Gauja National Park. Latvia tends to be the most affordable of the three Baltic capitals for travellers.

Latvian · BalticEU 2004Schengen 2007Euro 2014NATO 2004$24,000 / capita

🇱🇹

Lithuania

Vilnius · 2.81 M · 65,300 km²

The southernmost and largest Baltic state by both population and economy. Vilnius has a baroque old town that’s also UNESCO-listed; the Curonian Spit (a 98 km sand dune shared with Russian Kaliningrad) and the Hill of Crosses near Šiauliai are the standout sights outside the capital. Lithuanian is widely considered the most archaic surviving Indo-European language — closer in structure to Sanskrit than most modern European tongues.

Lithuanian · BalticEU 2004Schengen 2007Euro 2015NATO 2004$29,000 / capita

Which is the cheapest Baltic country to visit?

Latvia and Lithuania tend to be slightly cheaper than Estonia — Riga and Vilnius typically come in below Tallinn for accommodation and dining, especially outside peak summer. All three are notably more affordable than the Nordic countries directly to the north (Finland, Sweden), but prices have converged with Western Europe in the capitals and along the coast.

Often confused

Baltic states vs Baltic Sea countries

These two terms are not the same. “Baltic states” means just three countries — Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania. “Baltic Sea countries” means all nine sovereign states with a coastline on the Baltic Sea, which is a much bigger group.

Baltic states

3 countries

Estonia
Latvia
Lithuania

Defined by the Baltic Assembly. All three are EU, Schengen, NATO and eurozone members.

Baltic Sea countries

9 countries

Germany
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
Latvia
Lithuania
Poland
Russia
Sweden

Every country with a coastline on the Baltic Sea. Russia’s coast comes via Kaliningrad and the Gulf of Finland.

History

A brief history of the Baltic states

Why Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are grouped together — independence, occupation, and the path back into Europe. From the first declarations in 1918 to full eurozone membership in 2015.

1918
First independence
Estonia (24 Feb), Latvia (18 Nov), and Lithuania (16 Feb) all declare independence in the wake of World War I and the collapse of the Russian Empire.
1940
Soviet occupation
Following the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, all three Baltic states are occupied and annexed by the USSR.
1941–44
Nazi occupation
The Baltic states are occupied by Nazi Germany during World War II, then re-annexed by the Soviet Union in 1944.
1989
The Baltic Way
Around two million people form a 675 km human chain across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to demand restored independence — one of the longest peaceful protests in history.
1990–91
Restored independence
Lithuania declares restored independence on 11 March 1990; Estonia and Latvia follow in August 1991. The USSR formally recognises all three in September 1991.
2004
EU and NATO accession
All three Baltic states join NATO on 29 March and the European Union on 1 May, anchoring them firmly in Western institutions.
2007
Schengen Area
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania join the Schengen passport-free zone on 21 December.
2011–15
Eurozone
Estonia adopts the euro in 2011, Latvia in 2014, and Lithuania in 2015 — completing the Baltic states’ integration into the European single currency.

Linguistics

Languages of the Baltic states

The three Baltic states speak languages from two different families — a quirk that’s easy to miss but explains a lot about the region’s cultural ties.

Baltic family

Latvian and Lithuanian

Both are Baltic Indo-European languages and are the only two surviving in their branch. Lithuanian in particular is widely considered the most archaic surviving Indo-European language — closer to Sanskrit in structure than most modern European tongues.

Finno-Ugric family

Estonian

Closely related to Finnish (the two are partly mutually intelligible) and distantly related to Hungarian. Not Indo-European at all. This is why Estonia is often grouped culturally with the Nordics rather than with Latvia and Lithuania.

Russian is widely spoken across all three states as a legacy of the Soviet era, especially in Latvia and Estonia where ethnic Russians are a significant minority.

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Questions

01What are the Baltic countries?

The Baltic countries — also called the Baltic states — are 3 sovereign nations on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. They share the same modern political profile (EU, Schengen, NATO, eurozone) and a shared history as former Soviet republics that re-declared independence in 1990–91.

02How many Baltic countries are there?

Three: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The term "Baltic countries" sometimes loosely includes other states bordering the Baltic Sea (Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Russia’s Kaliningrad), but the standard definition refers to just these three.

03Is Russia a Baltic country?

No. Russia borders the Baltic Sea (notably through the Kaliningrad exclave and St Petersburg) but is not considered one of the Baltic states. The "Baltic states" specifically means Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

04Is Finland a Baltic country?

No, Finland is a Nordic country, not a Baltic state. Finland borders the Baltic Sea and shares language ties with Estonia (both speak Finno-Ugric languages), but it is a member of the Nordic Council, not the Baltic Assembly.

05What is the difference between the Baltics and the Nordics?

They’re separate regional groupings. The Nordics are five Northern European countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden) defined by the Nordic Council. The Baltics are three Eastern European countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) defined by the Baltic Assembly. Estonia is sometimes informally called "Nordic-leaning" because of its Finno-Ugric language and proximity to Helsinki.

06Are all Baltic states in the EU?

Yes. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania all joined the European Union on 1 May 2004 in the largest-ever EU enlargement.

07Are all Baltic states in the Schengen Area?

Yes. All three joined Schengen on 21 December 2007. There are no border checks between them or with Poland or Finland.

08Do all Baltic countries use the euro?

Yes, all three are now in the eurozone — Estonia adopted the euro in 2011, Latvia in 2014, and Lithuania in 2015. There’s no longer a Baltic currency outside the euro.

09Are the Baltic states in NATO?

Yes. All three joined NATO on 29 March 2004. The alliance maintains an enhanced forward presence in each country, especially since 2022.

10Are the Baltic states Scandinavian?

No. Scandinavia is a sub-set of the Nordics — typically Denmark, Norway, and Sweden (sometimes including Finland and Iceland). The Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) are a separate Eastern European grouping. Estonia is the only Baltic state sometimes informally bracketed with the Nordic world due to its Finno-Ugric language and Helsinki ferries.

11Is Poland a Baltic country?

No. Poland borders the Baltic Sea but is not one of the three Baltic states. It is a Central European country and a Baltic Sea country in the geographic sense, not a Baltic state in the political sense.

12What is the largest Baltic country?

By population and economy, Lithuania is the largest Baltic state (around 2.8 million people). By area, Lithuania (65,300 km²) and Latvia (64,589 km²) are virtually tied; Estonia is the smallest at 45,227 km².

13What is the richest Baltic country?

Estonia has the highest GDP per capita and the highest UN Human Development Index of the three Baltic states. Lithuania has the largest total nominal GDP because of its larger population.

14Are Latvia and Lithuania the same country?

No, they are two separate sovereign nations. They share a border, both speak Baltic Indo-European languages (Latvian and Lithuanian, which are related but not mutually intelligible), and they joined the EU, Schengen, and NATO together in 2004.

15Were the Baltic states part of the Soviet Union?

Yes — Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were occupied and annexed by the USSR in 1940, briefly occupied by Nazi Germany 1941–44, then re-annexed until they re-declared independence in 1990 (Lithuania) and 1991 (Estonia and Latvia).

16What is the difference between the Baltic states and Baltic Sea countries?

The Baltic states are three sovereign nations: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Baltic Sea countries are the nine states that have a coastline on the Baltic Sea: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and Sweden.

17What are the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8)?

NB8 is a regional cooperation framework linking the five Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden) and the three Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania). The cultural and geographic overlap is sometimes called Baltoscandia.

18What languages are spoken in the Baltic states?

Three different official languages. Estonian is a Finno-Ugric language closely related to Finnish. Latvian and Lithuanian are Baltic Indo-European languages — among the oldest surviving in their family — and are related to each other but not to Estonian. Russian is widely spoken across all three as a legacy of the Soviet era.

19What is the capital of each Baltic state?

Tallinn (Estonia), Riga (Latvia), and Vilnius (Lithuania). All three have UNESCO-listed old towns and are usually combined in a single 7–10-day Baltic loop.

20What is the cheapest Baltic country to visit?

Lithuania and Latvia tend to be slightly cheaper than Estonia, especially outside the capitals. All three are notably cheaper than the Nordic countries directly to the north.

21When is the best time to visit the Baltic states?

Late May through early September for warm weather, long daylight hours, and the busiest cultural calendar. Christmas markets in December are a strong off-season option, especially in Tallinn and Riga.

22What counts as having visited a country?

The most common definitions are (1) you set foot on the soil and (2) you spent at least one night. Pick a rule that feels honest and stick to it.

23Does my progress save?

Yes. Your visited list is stored in your browser’s local storage and is also encoded in the share link. Reset clears it instantly. Nothing is uploaded to TripMemo.

Methodology

Last updated 7 May 2026. The country list follows the Baltic Assembly’s three-state membership. EU, Schengen, NATO, and eurozone accession dates reflect official records. The map renders from the same world-map.svg used by the Visited Europe Map, cropped to a Baltic-only viewBox.

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