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. In January 2014 Lithuania assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2014-15 term; in January 2015 Lithuania joined the euro zone.

Geographic coordinates: 56 00 N 24 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 65,300 km²
Land: 62,680 km²
Water: 2,620 km²
Rank: 123
Comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries
Total: 1549 km
Border countries: (3) Belarus 640 km; Latvia 544 km; Poland 104 km; Russia (Kaliningrad) 261 km

Coastline: 90 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm

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

Terrain: lowland many scattered small lakes fertile soil

Elevation
Mean elevation: 110 m
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m: highest point: Aukstojas 294 m

Natural resources: peat arable land: amber

Land use
Agricultural land: 44.8%
Forest: 34.6%
Other: 20.6%

Irrigated land: 44 km² (2012)

Natural hazards: NA

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

Population
Distribution: fairly even population distribution throughout the country but somewhat greater concentrations in the southern cities of Vilnius and Kaunas and the western port of Klaipeda: 2,854,235 (July 2016 est.)
Rank: 140
Growth rate: -1.06% (2016 est.)
Growth rate rank: 232
Below poverty line: 4% (2008 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Lithuanian
Adjective: Lithuanian

Ethnic groups: Lithuanian 84.1% Polish 6.6% Russian 5.8% Belarusian 1.2% other 1.1% unspecified 1.2% (2011 est.)

Languages: Lithuanian (official) 82% Russian 8% Polish 5.6% other 0.9% unspecified 3.5% (2011 est.)

Religions: Roman Catholic 77.2% Russian Orthodox 4.1% Old Believer 0.8% Evangelical Lutheran 0.6% Evangelical Reformist 0.2% other (including Sunni Muslim Jewish Greek Catholic and Karaite) 0.8% none 6.1% unspecified 10.1% (2011 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 14.93%
15-24 years: 11.55%
25-54 years: 40.36%
55-64 years: 13.73%
65 years and over: 19.42% (2016 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 50.1%
Youth dependency ratio: 21.8%
Elderly dependency ratio: 28.3%
Potential support ratio: 3.5%

Median age
Total: 43.4 years
Male: 39.5 years
Female: 46.7 years
Rank: 16

Population growth rate: -1.06% (2016 est.)
Rank: 232

Birth rate: 10 births/1000 population (2016 est.)
Rank: 196

Death rate: 14.5 deaths/1000 population (2016 est.)
Rank: 3

Net migration rate: -6.2 migrant(s)/1000 population (2016 est.)
Rank: 201

Population distribution: fairly even population distribution throughout the country but somewhat greater concentrations in the southern cities of Vilnius and Kaunas and the western port of Klaipeda

Urbanization
Urban population: 66.5% of total population
Rate of urbanization: -0.53% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: VILNIUS (capital) 517,000 (2015)

Environment
Current issues: contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases
International agreements party to: Air Pollution Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants Air Pollution-Sulphur 85 Air Pollution-Sulphur 94 Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Environmental Modification Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male/female
15-24 years: 1.07 male/female
25-54 years: 0.97 male/female
55-64 years: 0.79 male/female
65 years and over: 0.51 male/female
Total population: 0.86 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth: 26.8 (2013 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 3.8 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 4.3 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 3.4 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 195

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 74.9 years
Male: 69.5 years
Female: 80.6 years
Rank: 113

Total fertility rate: 1.59 children born/woman (2016 est.)
Rank: 185

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 62.9%
Note: percent of women aged 18-49

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 4.12 physicians/1000 population (2012)

Hospital bed density: 7 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: intermediate
Vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 27.5% (2014)
Rank: 38

Education expenditures: 4.8% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 61

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99.8%
Male: 99.8%
Female: 99.8%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 17 years
Male: 16 years
Female: 17 years

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
Etymology: meaning of the name 'Lietuva' remains unclear; it may derive from the Lietava a stream in east central Lithuania

Government type: semi-presidential republic

Capital
Name: Vilnius
Geographic coordinates: 54 41 N 25 19 E
Time difference: UTC+2
Daylight saving time: +1hr begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions: 60 municipalities (savivaldybe singular - savivaldybe); Akmene Alytaus Miestas Alytus Anksciai Birstono Birzai Druskininkai Elektrenai Ignalina Jonava Joniskis Jurbarkas Kaisiadorys Kalvarijos Kauno Miestas Kaunas Kazlu Rudos Kedainiai Kelme Klaipedos Miestas Klaipeda Kretinga Kupiskis Lazdijai Marijampole Mazeikiai Moletai Neringa Pagegiai Pakruojis Palangos Miestas Panevezio Miestas Panevezys Pasvalys Plunge Prienai Radviliskis Raseiniai Rietavo Rokiskis Sakiai Salcininkai Siauliu Miestas Siauliai Silale Silute Sirvintos Skuodas Svencionys Taurage Telsiai Trakai Ukmerge Utena Varena Vilkaviskis Vilniaus Miestas Vilnius Visaginas Zarasai

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) 16 February 1918 (independence from Soviet Russia)

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

Constitution: several previous; latest adopted by referendum 25 October 1992 entered into force 2 November 1992; amended 1996 2003 2006 (2016)

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

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Lithuania
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE
Head of government: Prime Minister Algirdas BUTKEVICIUS
Cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister appointed by the president and approved by Parliament
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term ; election last held on 11 and 25 May 2014 (next to be held in May 2019); prime minister appointed by the president approved by Parliament
Election results: Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE reelected president; percent of vote - Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE 59% Zigmantas BALCYTIS (LSDP) 41%; Algirdas BUTKEVICIUS (LSDP) approved as prime minister by Parliament vote - 90 of 130

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Parliament or Seimas
Elections: last held on 9 and 23 October 2016
Election results: percent of vote by party - LVLS 22.5% TS-LKD 22.6% LSDP 15% LS 9.5% LCP-LPP 6.3% LLRA 5.7% TT 5.6% DP 4.9% LZP 2% Lithuanian List 1.8% other 4.1%; seats by party - LVLS 54 TS-LKD 31 LSDP 17 LS 14 LLRA 8 TT 8 DP 2 LCP-LPP 1 LZP 1 Lithuanian List 1 independent 4

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court ; Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the Seimas; judges serve 5-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court judges selected by the Seimas from among nominations by the president by the Seimas chairperson and Supreme Court chairperson; judges serve 9-year nonrenewable terms; one-third of membership reconstituted every 3 years
Subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; district and local courts

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: Australia Group BA BIS CBSS CD CE EAPC EBRD ECB EIB EU FAO IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (national committees) ICCt 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 UN Security Council (non-permanent) UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Rolandas KRISCIUNAS
In the us chancery: 2,622 16th Street NW Washington DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] 234-5,860
In the us FAX: [1] 328-0466
In the us consulate general: Chicago Los Angeles New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Deborah A. MCCARTHY
From the us embassy: Akmenu gatve 6 Vilnius LT-3,106
From the us mailing address: American Embassy Akmenu Gatve 6 Vilnius LT-3,106
From the us telephone: [370] 266-5,500
From the us FAX: [370] 266-5,510

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) white stork; national colors: yellow green red

National anthem
Name: 'Tautiska giesme'
Lyrics and music: Vincas KUDIRKA
Note: adopted 1918 restored 1990; written in 1898 while Lithuania was a part of Russia; banned during the Soviet occupation from 1940 to 1990

Economy overview: Lithuania gained membership in the WTO in May 2001 and joined the EU in May 2004. Lithuania's trade with the EU and CIS countries accounts for approximately 87.3% of total trade. Foreign investment and EU funding have aided in the transition from the former planned economy to a market economy. The three former Soviet Baltic republics were severely hit by the 2008-09 financial crisis but Lithuania has rebounded and become one of the fastest growing economies in the EU. Lithuania’s ongoing recovery hinges on export growth which is being hampered by economic slowdowns in the EU and Russia. Lithuania joined the euro zone on 1 January 2015 and is under review for membership in the OECD.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2015 US dollars
Rank: 90

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 145

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2015 US dollars
Rank: 65

Gross national saving:
Rank: 108

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 64.1%
Government consumption: 17.5%
Investment in fixed capital: 20.8%
Investment in inventories: -2.3%
Exports of goods and services: 77.4%
Imports of goods and services: -77.5%

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3.2%
Industry: 30.2%
Services: 66.6%

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

Industries: metal-cutting machine tools electric motors television sets refrigerators and freezers petroleum refining shipbuilding (small ships) furniture textiles food processing fertilizers agricultural machinery optical equipment lasers electronic components computers amber jewelry information technology video game development biotechnology

Industrial production growth rate: 1.2% (2015 est.)
Rank: 133

Labor force: 1.469 million (2015 est.)
Rank: 133
By occupation agriculture: 7.9%
By occupation industry: 19.6%
By occupation services: 72.5%

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 105

Population below poverty line: 4% (2008 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.6%
Highest 10: 29.1%

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 90

Budget
Revenues: $14.4 billion
Expenditures: $14.48 billion
Surplus or deficit: -0.2% of GDP (2015 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 42

Taxes and other revenues: 34.9% of GDP (2015 est.)
Rank: 61

Public debt:
Note: official data; data cover general government debt and includes debt instruments issued by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities debt issued by subnational entities as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds such as for retirement medical care and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are sold at public auctions
Rank: 97

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 26

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 140

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 167

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 67

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 86

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 82

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 91

Current account balance:
Rank: 114

Exports:
Rank: 66
Commodities: refined fuel machinery and equipment chemicals textiles foodstuffs plastics
Partners: Russia 13.7% Latvia 9.8% Poland 9.7% Germany 7.8% Estonia 5.3% Belarus 4.6% UK 4.5% US 4.4% Netherlands 4% (2015)

Imports:
Rank: 67
Commodities: oil natural gas machinery and equipment transport equipment chemicals textiles and clothing metals
Partners: Russia 16.9% Germany 11.5% Poland 10.3% Latvia 7.6% Netherlands 5.1% Italy 4.5% (2015)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 124

Debt external:
Rank: 77

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 84

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 74

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100%
Production: 3.1 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Production rank: 126
Consumption: 9.9 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Consumption rank: 91
Exports: 900 million kWh (2014 est.)
Exports rank: 53
Imports: 8.5 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Imports rank: 29
Installed generating capacity: 3.9 million kW (2014 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 86
Generation sources fossil fuels: 68.8% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 112
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 128
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 3.1% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 131
Generation sources other renewable sources: 7.6% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 50

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 2000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 88
Crude oil exports: 1316 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 80
Crude oil imports: 191,100 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 35
Crude oil proven reserves: 12 million bbl (1 January 2016 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 90

Refined petroleum
Products production: 202,300 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products production rank: 56
Products consumption: 54,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products consumption rank: 94
Products exports: 173,600 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products exports rank: 39
Products imports: 23,960 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products imports rank: 105

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Production rank: 212
Consumption: 2.78 billion m³ (2014 est.)
Consumption rank: 69
Exports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 134
Imports: 2.78 billion m³ (2014 est.)
Imports rank: 40
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 es)
Proven reserves rank: 160

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 17 million Mt (2013 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 87

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 561,919
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19
Fixed lines rank: 93
Mobile cellular total: 4.184 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 145
Mobile cellular rank: 124

Telephone system
General assessment: adequate; being modernized to provide improved international capability and better residential access
Domestic: rapid expansion of mobile-cellular services has resulted in a steady decline in the number of fixed-line connections; mobile-cellular teledensity stands at about 145 per 100 persons
International: country code - 370; major international connections to Denmark Sweden and Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite; landline connections to Latvia and Poland

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 with repeater stations in various regions throughout the country (2007)

Internet
Country code: .lt
Users total: 2.059 million
Users percent of population: 71.4%
Users rank: 97

Military expenditures:
Rank: 103

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for military service; 9-month service obligation; Lithuania converted to a professional military in the fall of 2008 although the decision continues under judicial review; a new law passed in March 2015 restored conscription on a limited 5-year basis; in March 2016 Lithuania's National Security and Defense Council recommended permanently restoring conscription service (2016)

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 2
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 52
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,363,950
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 565,642 mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: LY (2016)

Airports: 61 (2013)
Rank: 79
With paved runways total: 22
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 7
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 9
With unpaved runways total: 39
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 36

Pipelines: gas 1921 km; refined products 121 km (2013)

Railways
Total: 1768 km
Broad gauge: 1746 km 1.520-m gauge
Standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge
Rank: 76

Roadways
Total: 84,166 km
Paved: 72,297 km
Unpaved: 11,869 km
Rank: 56

Waterways: 441 km (navigable year round) (2007)
Rank: 86

Merchant marine
Total: 38
By type: cargo 20 container 1 passenger/cargo 6 refrigerated cargo 9 roll on/roll off 2
Foreign owned: 8
Registered in other countries: 22 (2010)
Rank: 77

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Klaipeda
Oil terminals: Butinge oil terminal
LNG terminal: 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

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Stateless persons: 3,466

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