Map of Lithuania | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Independent between the two World Wars Lithuania was annexed by the USSR in 1940. In March of 1990 Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence but this proclamation was not generally recognized until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993.


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Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total area total: 65,200 km²
Land: 65,200 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total 1,273 km, Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km

Coastline: 108 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea:12 nm

Climate: maritime; wet, moderate winters and summers

Terrain: lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil

Elevation

Natural resources: peat

Land use
Arable land: 49.1%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 22.2%
Forest and woodland: 16.3%
Other: 12.4%

Irrigated land: 430 km² (1990)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population: 3,876,396 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 0.71% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Lithuanian(s)
Adjective: Lithuanian

Ethnic groups: Lithuanian 80.1%, Russian 8.6%, Polish 7.7%, Byelorussian 1.5%, other 2.1%

Languages: Lithuanian (official), Polish, Russian

Religions: Roman Catholic, Lutheran, other

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 23% (female 426,616; male 444,556)
15-64 years: 65% (female 1,299,052; male 1,227,420)
65 years and over: 12% (female 313,217; male 165,535) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.71% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 14.46 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 10.95 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.62 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases
Current issues natural hazards: NA
Current issues international agreements: party to - Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 16.5 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 71.37 years
Male: 66.68 years
Female: 76.3 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989)
Total population: 98%
Male: 99%
Female: 98%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania
Conventional short form: Lithuania
Local long form: Lietuvos Respublika
Local short form: Lietuva
Former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type: republic

Capital: Vilnius

Administrative divisions: 44 regions (rajonai, singular - rajonas) and 11 municipalities*:Akmenes Rajonas, Alytaus Rajonas, Alytus*, Anyksciu Rajonas, Birsionas*, Birzu Rajonas, Druskininkai*, Ignalinos Rajonas, Jonavos Rajonas, Joniskio Rajonas, Jurbarko Rajonas, Kaisiadoriu Rajonas, Marijampoles Rajonas, Kaunas*, Kauno Rajonas, Kedainiu Rajonas, Kelmes Rajonas, Klaipeda*, Klaipedos Rajonas, Kretingos Rajonas, Kupiskio Rajonas, Lazdiju Rajonas, Marijampole*, Mazeikiu Rajonas, Moletu Rajonas, Neringa* Pakruojo Rajonas, Palanga*, Panevezio Rajonas, Panevezys*, Pasvalio Rajonas, Plunges Rajonas, Prienu Rajonas, Radviliskio Rajonas, Raseiniu Rajonas, Rokiskio Rajonas, Sakiu Rajonas, Salcininky Rajonas, Siauliai*, Siauliu Rajonas, Silales Rajonas, Siltues Rajonas, Sirvinty Rajonas, Skuodo Rajonas, Svencioniu Rajonas, Taurages Rajonas, Telsiu Rajonas, Traky Rajonas, Ukmerges Rajonas, Utenos Rajonas, Varenos Rajonas, Vilkaviskio Rajonas, Vilniaus Rajonas, Vilnius*, Zarasu Rajonas

Dependent areas

Independence: 6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 16 February (1918)

Constitution: adopted 25 October 1992

Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Algirdas Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS (since 25 November 1992; elected acting president by Parliament 25 November 1992 and elected by direct vote 15 February 1993); election last held 14 February 1993 (next to be held NA 1997); results - Algirdas BRAZAUSKAS was elected; note - on 25 November 1992 BRAZAUSKAS was elected chairman of Parliament and, as such, acting president of the Republic; he was confirmed in office by direct balloting 15 February 1993
Head of government: Premier Adolfas SLEZEVICIUS (since 10 March 1993)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral
Seimas parliament: elections last held 26 October and 25 November 1992 (next to be held NA 1996); results - LDDP 51%; seats - (141 total) LDDP 73, Conservative Party 30, LKDP 17, LTS 8, Farmers' Union 4, LLS 4, Center Union 2, others 3

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Court of Appeals

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NACC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Alfonsas EIDINTAS
In the us chancery: 2,622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 234-5,860, 2,639
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466
In the us consulates general: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador James W. SWIHART, Jr.
From the us embassy: Akmenu 6, Vilnius 2,600
From the us mailing address: APO AE 9,723
From the us telephone: [370] (2) 223-031
From the us FAX: [370] (2) 222-779

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Since independence in September 1991, Lithuania has made steady progress in developing a market economy. Almost 50% of state property has been privatized and trade is diversifying with a gradual shift away from the former Soviet Union to Western markets. In addition, the Lithuanian government has adhered to a disciplined budgetary and financial policy which has brought inflation down from a monthly average of around 14% in first half 1993 to an average of 3.1% in 1994. Nevertheless, the process has been painful with industrial output in 1993 less than half the 1991 level. The economy appeared to have bottomed out in 1994, and Vilnius's policies have laid the groundwork for vigorous recovery over the next few years. Recovery will build on Lithuanian's strategic location with its ice-free port at Klaipeda and its rail and highway hub in Vilnius connecting it with Eastern Europe, Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine, and on its agriculture potential, highly skilled labor force, and diversified industrial sector. Lacking important natural resources, it will remain dependent on imports of fuels and raw materials.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: -0.5% (1994 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $3,500 (1994 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: employs around 18% of labor force; accounts for 25% of GDP; sugar, grain, potatoes, sugar beets, vegetables, meat, milk, dairy products, eggs, fish; most developed are the livestock and dairy branches, which depend on imported grain; net exporter of meat, milk, and eggs

Industries: industry's share in the economy has been declining substantially over the past year, due to the economic crisis and the growth of services in the economy; among branches which are still important:metal-cutting machine tools 6.6%, electric motors 4.6%, television sets 6.2%, refrigerators and freezers 5.4%; other branches:petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing, fertilizers, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic components, computers, and amber

Industrial production growth rate: -52% (1992; accounts for 35% of GDP

Labor force: 1.836 million
By occupation industry and construction: 42%
By occupation agriculture and forestry: 18%
By occupation other: 40% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 4.5% (January 1995)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $258.5 million
Expenditures: $270.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $2.2 billion (1994)
Commodoties: electronics 18%, petroleum products 5%, food 10%, chemicals 6% (1989)
Partners: Russia, Ukraine, Germany

Imports: $2.7 billion (1994)
Commodoties: oil 24%, machinery 14%, chemicals 8%, grain NA% (1989)
Partners: Russia, Germany, Belarus

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: litai per US$1 - 4 (fixed rate 1 May 1994)


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Electricity
Capacity: 6,190,000 kW
Production: 18.9 billion kWh
Production consumption per capita: 4,608 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: 900,000 telephones; 240 telephones/1000 persons; telecommunications system ranks among the most modern of the former Soviet republics
Local: NA
Intercity: land lines and microwave radio relay
International: international connections no longer depend on the Moscow gateway switch, but are established by satellite through Oslo from Vilnius and through Copenhagen from Kaunas; 1 EUTELSAT and 1 INTELSAT earth station; an NMT-450 analog cellular network operates in Vilnius and other cities and is linked internationally through Copenhagen by EUTELSAT; international electronic mail is available; land lines or microwave to former USSR republics

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $30 million, 2% of GDP (1994; note - for 1995 defense expenditures were $54 million at exchange rate conversion

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 96
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 14
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2438 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 63

Heliports

Pipelines: crude oil, 105 km; natural gas 760 km (1992)

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: 600 km perennially navigable

Merchant marine
Total: 44 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 275,893 GRT/321,440 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 28, combination bulk 11, railcar carrier 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: dispute with Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) over the position of the Nemunas (Nemen) River border presently located on the Lithuanian bank and not in midriver as by international standards

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for illicit drugs from Central and Southwest Asia and Latin America to Western Europe; limited producer of illicit opium; mostly for domestic consumption