Estonia

Estonia is a lowland country with many rivers and lakes, bordered by Latvia, the Baltic sea and Russia. It is currently a Parliamentary Democracy.

Estonians resisted the assault of the Vikings, Danes, Swedes and Russians until the 13th century when they were conquered and the Danes sold the Northern part to the Teutonic Knights of Germany. The Knights reduced the Estonians to slavery. In 1526, the Swedes took over. Things improved but after 1721, when Russia gained control, Estonians were again reduced to serfs.

After a war, 1918 – 1920 Estonia achieved independence. This lasted only until World War II. It was then occupied by Russia until taken by the Nazi’s in 1941.

In 1944 the Soviets again captured it and held it until 1990 when Estonia declared independence. Because many countries supported Estonia, the Soviet Union backed off, and in 1991 Estonia became an Independent nation. In March 2007 it was the first country to allow Internet voting for Parliamentary elections. You might recall there was a violent protest when officials moved a bronze statue of a Soviet soldier from a park to a military cemetery. Estonia claims 100% literacy.

Laos

Although it was often mentioned in the 1960s, during the Vietnam War, this southeastern nation seems to have dropped off the radar.

The Lao people migrated from Southern China from the 8th until the 14th century when the first state was founded. It was split into three separate kingdoms until 1713, when it fell under Siam, (Thai) rule. Thai rule lasted until 1893 when Laos became a French protectorate. It was incorporated the union of Indochina, until World War II when a strong nationalistic movement began.

France reestablished control until 1950 when it granted Laos full independence. In 1951 Prince Souphanouvong organised the Pathet Lao, a communist independence movement in North Vietnam. A civil war ensued until the Geneva agreements of 1954 and an armistice in 1955 when the two northern provinces were given to the Pathet Lao and the rest to the royal regime.

In 1957 there was an attempt to reunify but this failed, and in 1960 there was a three way struggle for power. The three factions agreed to a government headed by Souvanna Phouma, but the CIA and China remained active in Laos until 1973 when the Pathet Lao seized complete control. Laos is one of the ten poorest countries in the world.

Kyrgyzstan

This nation was settled by pastoral nomads. There had been extensive Russian colonisation in the 1900s where Russian settlers were given the best land. This led to an unsuccessful and disastrous revolt in 1916. The Soviets forced the Kyrgyz to abandon their nomadic culture and brought modernity to their society.

Kyrgyzstan proclaimed its independence in 1991. Since 1999 several radical Islamic groups believed to be from Uzbekistan or Tajikistan have led raids and kidnappings from camps in the Kyrgyzstan’s mountains.

In 2001, Allied troops were allowed to be stationed in the country to fight against the Taliban and al-Qaeda. In 2002 a large US airbase began construction. In 2005 the elections were judged to be flawed and violent protests followed. The president, Akayev fled the country. Kyrgyzstan is currently in dispute with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Latvia

In the 13th century tribes settled along the Baltic sea and were overcome by the Livonia Brothers of the Sword, a German order of knights whose mission was to conquer and Christianise the region. It became part of the state of Livonia until Poland conquered the territory in 1562 and occupied it until Sweden took over in 1629. In 1721 Russia took over.

In 1917 the Russian Revolution gave Latvians their chance at freedom, and they proclaimed their republic in 1918. It fell under a dictator, Karlis Ulanis until occupied by Russian troops in 1939 which incorporated Latvia into the Soviet Union in 1940. The Nazi’s conquered Latvia in 1941 and massacred most of the 70,000 Jews who lived there. In 1944 Russia again took control. In 1991 Latvia again proclaimed independence.

Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein is a hereditary monarchy. It is a tiny county of a low valley and Alpine peaks. Liechtensteiners are descended from the Alemanni tribe that came to the region in 500 A.D. The state was founded in 1719 and was a member of the German Federation until 1866 when it became a principality.

In 1868 it abolished its army and has stayed neutral and undamaged in all European wars since then. Women were allowed to vote for the first time in 1984 in national elections, but not local.

In 2000 it was considered the center of Money Laundering, and black listed. It changed it’s practices and was removed from the list in 2002.

In 2003 the people voted to give the Prince More power, including the right to dismiss the government and approve judicial nominees. Prince Hans Adam II had threatened to leave the country if he had not received more authority.

Even before the vote, he had more power than any other European monarch. In 2004 he gave the day to day running to his son, Prince Alois.

Life expectancy is 79.8 years. Literacy is claimed to be 100% and there are less than 40,000 citizens.