The Baltic states, Baltic Nations or Baltic countries are three countries in Northern Europe, all members of the European Union: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Between 1918 and 1920 in the aftermath of World War I, following centuries of foreign domination, the Baltic countries were reestablished as independent nations. Initially after 1918, Finland was considered to be one of the Baltic States since it too emerged with the other three countries under similar circumstances. Today however, Finland is more often grouped within Scandinavia.