According to the generally accepted classification, which the UN adheres to, the region of Eastern and Central Europe includes all the East European countries that were previously part of the socialist camp. Of course, the countries of Eastern Europe are also the Baltic states, that is, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. All of them are characterized by a transitional economy from planned, socialist, to market.
If we consider the main economic indicators that the countries of Central and Eastern Europe can boast of, then it immediately becomes obvious that the Czech Republic is rightfully considered the most highly developed in this part of the world . Hungary, Slovakia and Poland are inferior to it. If we mention industry, then its main feature is the large role of heavy industry and engineering. This fact is also connected with the socialist past of all these countries. After the collapse of the Union, the countries of Eastern Europe experienced significant upheavals and trials, as old sales markets, sources of raw materials and logistics schemes disappeared.
As elsewhere in Europe, the countries of Eastern Europe try to maintain ecological balance and reduce the extraction of minerals such as coal and metal ores. The scale and role of mining is declining. However, perestroika in other areas of industry is also very vigorous, especially with regard to science and high-tech industries, which should be understood as the production of radio electronics, robotics, automation and various space technologies.
The most persistent and profitable are industries such as food, textile, printing and wood processing. Agriculture, which the countries of Eastern Europe are traditionally proud of, also goes through the stages of reforms and changes, is getting used to the market system, and is being transformed. Instead of large and significant cooperatives, private small farms appeared. They own most of the land in countries suitable for agriculture.
The countries of Eastern Europe, the list of which is not too long, are also characterized by a quite traditional and already familiar high standard of living, especially in comparison with the more eastern neighbors. The national governments that came to power after the collapse of the Union pursue a state policy that aims to achieve major social reforms and transformations.
Eastern Europe can boast a much smaller decline in living standards and quality of life. These states spend as much on social payments as the states of Western Europe allow themselves . And in Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary, contributions to various social groups are the highest in the whole world.
These states are characterized by a rather long life expectancy of their residents, which they are constantly trying to increase, as well as the level of education of the population and, very importantly, the real value of gross domestic income per capita, given, of course, the cost of living in each particular country. In general, these states, of course, are less prosperous than the countries of Western Europe, but, nevertheless, very prosperous and successful.