Background: Lithuanian lands were united under MINDAUGAS in 1236; over the next century through alliances and conquest Lithuania extended its territory to include most of present-day Belarus and Ukraine. By the end of the 14th century Lithuania was the largest state in Europe. An alliance with Poland in 1386 led the two countries into a union through the person of a common ruler. In 1569 Lithuania and Poland formally united into a single dual state the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This entity survived until 1795 when its remnants were partitioned by surrounding countries. Lithuania regained its independence following World War I but was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. On 11 March 1990 Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence but Moscow did not recognize this proclamation until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently restructured its economy for integration into Western European institutions; it joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Geographic coordinates: 56 00 N 24 00 E

Area
Rank: 123
Comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia

Coastline: 90 km

Climate: transitional between maritime and continental; wet moderate winters and summers

Terrain: lowland many scattered small lakes fertile soil

Natural resources: peat arable land: amber

Irrigated land: 13.4 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 24.5 km³ (2005)

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits

Population: 3,525,761 (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 131
Growth rate: -0.278% (2012 est.)
Growth rate rank: 210
Below poverty line: 4% (2008)

Ethnic groups: Lithuanian 84% Polish 6.1% Russian 4.9% Belarusian 1.1% other or unspecified 3.9% (2009)

Languages: Lithuanian (official) 82% Russian 8% Polish 5.6% other and unspecified 4.4% (2001 census)

Religions: Roman Catholic 79% Russian Orthodox 4.1% Protestant (including Lutheran and Evangelical Christian Baptist) 1.9% other or unspecified 5.5% none 9.5% (2001 census)

Population growth rate: -0.278% (2012 est.)
Rank: 210

Birth rate: 9.34 births/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 203

Death rate: 11.4 deaths/1000 population (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 35

Net migration rate: -0.73 migrant(s)/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 146

Environment
Current issues: contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 170

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 87

Total fertility rate: 1.27 children born/woman (2012 est.)
Rank: 216

Physicians density: 3.664 physicians/1000 population (2008)

Hospital bed density: 6.84 beds/1000 population (2008)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 137
People living with hivaids: 1200 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 137
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 118

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 19.7% (2006)
Rank: 22

Education expenditures: 4.7% of GDP (2007)
Rank: 74

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Administrative divisions: 10 counties (apskritys singular - apskritis); Alytaus Kauno Klaipedos Marijampoles Panevezio Siauliu Taurages Telsiu Utenos Vilniaus

Independence: 11 March 1990 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union); notable earlier dates: 6 July 1253 (coronation of MINDAUGAS traditional founding date) 1 July 1569 (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth created)

National holiday: Independence Day 16 February (1918); note - 16 February 1918 was the date Lithuania declared its independence from Soviet Russia and established its statehood; 11 March 1990 was the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution: adopted 25 October 1992; last amended 25 April 2006

Legal system: civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the constitutional court

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats; 71 members elected in single-member districts 70 elected by proportional representation; members to serve four-year terms)

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judges for all courts appointed by the president with Seimas approval required for judges on the Constitutional Court and Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Christian Party or KP [Gediminas VAGNORIUS]; Civil Democracy Party or PDP [Algimantas MATULEVICIUS]; Democratic Labor and Unity Party or DDVP [Kristina BRAZAUSKIENE]; Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles or LLRA [Valdemar TOMASEVSKI]; Emigrants Party or EP [Juozas MURAUSKAS]; Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats or TS-LKD [Andrius KUBILIUS]; Labor Party or DP [Viktor USPASKICH]; Liberal and Center Union or LCS [Algis CAPLIKAS]; Liberal Movement or LS or LRLS [Eligijus MASIULIS]; Lithuanian People's Party or LLP [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE]; Lithuanian People's Party or LZP [Joana SIMANAUSKIENE]; Lithuanian Russian Union or LRS [Sergejus DMITRIJEVAS]; Lithuanian Social Democratic Party or LSDP [Algirdas BUTKEVICIUS]; Nationalist Union or TS [Gintaras SONGAILA]; Order and Justice Party or TT [Rolandas PAKSAS]; Peasant and Greens Union or LVZS [Ramunas KARBAUSKIS]; Republican Party or RP [Valdemaras VALKIUNAS]; Russian Alliance or RA [Tamara LOCHANKINA]; Socialist People's Front or SLF [Algirdas PALECKIS]; Way of Courage or DK [Jonas VARKALA]; YES-Homeland Revival and Perspective or YES Union or TAIP Union or TAIP [Arturas ZUOKAS]; Young Lithuania Party or PJL [Stanislovas BUSKEVICIUS]

International organization participation: Australia Group BA BIS CBSS CD CE EAPC EBRD EIB EU FAO IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (national committees) ICRM IDA IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA NATO NIB NSG OAS (observer) OIF (observer) OPCW OSCE PCA Schengen Convention UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) green and red; yellow symbolizes golden fields as well as the sun light and goodness; green represents the forests of the countryside in addition to nature freedom and hope; red stands for courage and the blood spilled in defense of the homeland

National symbols: mounted knight known as Vytis (the Chaser)

Economy overview: Lithuania gained membership in the World Trade Organization and joined the EU in May 2004. Despite Lithuania's EU accession Lithuania's trade with its Central and Eastern European neighbors and Russia in particular accounts for a significant share of total trade. Foreign investment and business support have helped in the transition from the old command economy to a market economy. Lithuania's economy grew on average 8% per year for the four years prior to 2008 driven by exports and domestic demand. However GDP plunged nearly 15% in 2009 - the three former Soviet Baltic republics were among the hardest hit by the 2008-09 financial crisis. The government's efforts to attract foreign investment develop export markets and to pursue broad economic reforms has been key to Lithuania's quick recovery from a deep recession making Lithuania one of the fastest growing economies in the EU. However unemployment - at 15.8% in 2012 - remains stubbornly high.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 87

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 121

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 64

Agriculture products: grain potatoes sugar beets flax vegetables; beef milk eggs; fish

Industrial production growth rate: 7.5% (2011 est.)
Rank: 33

Labor force: 1.587 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 127

Unemployment rate: 15.4% (2011 est.)
Rank: 150

Population below poverty line: 4% (2008)

Distribution of family income gini index: 34 (1999)
Rank: 84

Budget
Surplus or deficit: -4.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 139

Taxes and other revenues: 31.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 91

Public debt: 36.8% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 99

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4.1% (2011 est.)
Rank: 96

Central bank discount rate: 2.06% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 111

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 5.78% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 145

Stock of narrow money: $11.72 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 74

Stock of broad money: $18.74 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 87

Stock of domestic credit: $22.84 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 79

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 80

Current account balance: -$670 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 114

Exports: $28.06 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 65
Commodities: mineral products 22% machinery and equipment 10% chemicals 9% textiles 7% foodstuffs 7% plastics 7%
Partners: Russia 15.6% Latvia 9.7% Germany 8.9% Poland 6.7% Estonia 6.3% Netherlands 5.8% Belarus 4.8% (2011)

Imports: $30.17 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 64
Commodities: mineral products machinery and equipment transport equipment chemicals textiles and clothing metals
Partners: Russia 32.1% Germany 9.6% Poland 9% Latvia 6.5% Netherlands 4.8% (2011)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $8.21 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 76

Debt external: $31.03 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 70

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $14.85 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 77

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $2.312 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 68

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 4.8 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 120
Consumption: 9.2 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Consumption rank: 92
Exports: 2.184 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 43
Imports: 8.17 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 28
Installed generating capacity: 3.82 million kW (2011 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 81
Generation sources fossil fuels: 53.8% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 148
Generation sources nuclear: 25.2% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 5
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 2.4% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 134
Generation sources other renewable sources: 2.4% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 53

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 2000 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 91
Crude oil exports: 2,260 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 62
Crude oil imports: 168,300 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 39
Crude oil proven reserves: 12 million bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 91

Refined petroleum
Products production: 202,600 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products production rank: 55
Products consumption: 70,390 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 92
Products exports: 149,900 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products exports rank: 37
Products imports: 15,670 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products imports rank: 117

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Production rank: 154
Consumption: 3.1 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 72
Exports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 104
Imports: 3.1 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 42
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2012 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 159

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 15.98 million Mt (2010 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 88

Telephones
Main lines in use: 723,000 (2011)
Main lines in use rank: 88
Mobile cellular: 5.004 million (2011)
Mobile cellular rank: 103

Broadcast media: public broadcaster operates 3 channels with the third channel - a satellite channel - introduced in 2007; various privately-owned commercial TV broadcasters operate national and multiple regional channels; many privately-owned local TV stations; multi-channel cable and satellite TV services available; publicly-owned broadcaster operates 3 radio networks; many privately-owned commercial broadcasters many with repeater stations in various regions throughout the country (2007)

Internet
Country code: .lt
Hosts: 1.205 million (2012)
Hosts rank: 43
Users: 1.964 million (2009)
Users rank: 75

Military expenditures: 0.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Rank: 140

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for volunteers; 12-month conscript service obligation suspended in 2008 all enlisted conscripts ending service by July 2009 (2009)

Airports: 81 (2012)
Rank: 70

Pipelines: gas 1695 km; refined products 114 km (2010)

Railways
Rank: 76

Roadways
Rank: 56

Waterways: 441 km (navigable year round) (2007)
Rank: 87

Merchant marine
Rank: 77

Ports and terminals: Klaipeda

Disputes international: Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in 2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty ratified by Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals traveling from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia while still conforming as a EU member state having an external border with a non-EU member to strict Schengen border rules; boundary demarcated with Latvia and Lithuania; as of January 2007 ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was complete and mapped with final ratification documents in preparation

Illicit drugs: transshipment and destination point for cannabis cocaine ecstasy and opiates from Southwest Asia Latin America Western Europe and neighboring Baltic countries; growing production of high-quality amphetamines but limited production of cannabis methamphetamines; susceptible to money laundering despite changes to banking legislation