Beginning in 1989 and continuing through 1991, the Soviet Union broke up. The Former Soviet Republics, as they are known today, immediately initiated social change and democratic free market economies. Nearby nations that were also under Soviet influence also took advantage of the offer of freedom and opened up democratic reforms. A partial list of those countries is shown below:

· Hungary

· Czech Republic

· Slovakia

· Poland

· Romania

· Latvia

· Lithuania

· Estonia

· Ukraine

· Belarus

· Armenia

· Georgia

· Belarus

Select one of those countries listed above and provide a 2-3 page (not including title page and references), double-spaced, APA-formatted essay that addresses the following questions:

· Is this country better off today than it was while under Soviet rule?

· Consider such factors as economic prosperity, the health and welfare of the people, and the overall health of the country;

· As well, consider the toll that the physical environment might have on any wealth (or lack of wealth) the nation might have.