The term "Baltic State" typically refers to the three countries that border the Baltic Sea - Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. However, there are several other terms that are used as synonyms for these nations. One common option is "Baltic republics," which acknowledges the fact that each country is a sovereign state that gained independence from the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. Another option is "Baltic countries," which is a more general term that includes neighboring nations such as Finland and Sweden. Finally, some people refer to the region as the "Baltic Rim," which encompasses not only the Baltic States but also nearby regions in Poland, Russia, and Belarus.