발틱 삼국의 민족 구성 고찰

The demographic and ethnic transformations taking place in the Baltic States in the 20th century

This paper presents the demographic and ethnic transformations taking place in the Baltic area in the 20th century. The paper shows not only the general dynamics of the demographic transformations, but also, and first of all, the general outline of problems of the nationalities living in this part of Europe. The scientific goal of the paper is to determine the numbers and spatial distribution of 3 Baltic national groups living in this area. The present ethnic situation in Baltic area developed as the result of complex and complicated political, demographical and socioeconomic transformations. The events of the 20th century and first of all the results of the First and the Second World Wars have exerted the greatest on the actual situation in this field. Additionally, two time profiles, namely the period between the two World Wars and turn of the "90s of the 20th century have been taken for analysis in a more detailed way. The main purpose of research is, however, presentation of the present system of nationalities established on the basis of the most up to date population censuses. As a result of World War I the political map of the Baltic area has changed. Independent Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania emerged. After the Second World War the ethnic status of the this area differed very seriously from the one which existed between the two World Wars. It was not only so that demographic and ethnic changes had quantitative and structural character but also the spatial distribution settings of particular nationalities. Simultaneously, important ethnic transformations took place. Two big ethnic groups, which have left their stamp on the history of this region, namely Germans and Jews, have undergone radical quantitative reductions. The territorial distribution of particular nationalities according to the most recent data will be shown : Lithuanians - 2,986,000 with breakdown into : Lithuania - 2,924,300, Latvia - 34,600, Kaliningrad district - 18,100, and Poland - 4,100 Latvians - 1,396,200 with breakdown into : Latvia - 1,387,800, Lithunia - 5,100, and Estonia - 3,300 Estonians - 966,600, of who in Estonia - 963,300, and in Latvia - 3,300 There was been a rapid increase of the numbers of Russians. The long time status of the Baltic States with a break during the period between the two World Wars as the parts of the Russian and later Soviet empire mode possible the penetration of this area by the immigrant Russian population, who have become at present the biggest ethnic minority in this area. Knowledge of the demographic and ethnic realities becomes important from the political point of view. It is difficult to foresee how the future of the Baltic States will evolve in the 21st century. The future of this states depends on the solution of this dilemma, in which the necessity of overcoming the burden of the past is hidden.