Final answer:
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are the Baltic Republics that became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991 and joined NATO and the EU in 2004, shifting from centrally planned to market economies with democratic governance.
Step-by-step explanation:
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania make up the Baltic Republics. These three nations gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and were later acknowledged as members by both the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU) in 2004. After regaining their independence, they transitioned to market economies and established democratic governments, experiencing rapid economic expansion before facing challenges during the global downturn in 2008.
The Baltic states, while previously associated with Eastern Europe during the Soviet era, are increasingly becoming economically integrated with Western Europe. They are located in the northern part of Europe and share similarities in religion, traditions, and culture especially Estonia which is often considered a part of northern Europe.