ESTONIA

The first attempt to unite the tribes in Estonia took place in the 13th century, but sparsely populated areas were always easy prey for organized and powerful neighbours. In the early stages the German orders and Danish monarchy were deciding about Estonian territory. A reminder of Danish hegemony is the contemporary coat of arms of the republic. Denmark's influence diminished when Sweden and Russia became major players in the region. Several smaller uprisings for Estonian independence were suppressed and only the chaos after the October Revolution of 1917 opened the possibility for the declaration of independence of Estonia in 1918. Independent state lasted for only 22 years until the illegal occupation by the Soviet Union. After the collapse of Soviet Union in 1991, Estonia declared its independence yet again. Russian soldiers left the republic only after three years. Today Estonia is a member of the European Union and another country that has chosen the euro as their national currency (1 I 2011).