Baltic region
The terms Baltic region, Baltic Rim countries, and Baltic Rim refer to slightly different combinations of countries in the general area surrounding the Baltic Sea.
Etymology
The first to name it the Baltic Sea ("Mare Balticum") was eleventh century German chronicler Adam of Bremen.
Denotation
Depending on the context the Baltic region might stand for:
The countries that have shorelines along the Baltic Sea: Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and Sweden.
The group of countries presently referred to by the shorthand Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia, exclaved from the remainder of Russia.
Historic East Prussia and the historical lands of Livonia, Courland and Estonia (Swedish Estonia and Russian Estonia).
The former Baltic province of Imperial Russia: Today's Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania (without the formerly German area around Memel).
The countries on the historical British trade route through the Baltic Sea, i.e. including the Scandinavian Peninsula (Sweden and Norway).