top of pageBackground: 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 2015, Lithuania joined the euro zone, and it will join the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in 2018.
Climate: transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers
Terrain: lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil
GeographyNote: fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits
top of pageEthnic 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 structure0-14 years: 15.11% (male 216,519 /female 205,624)
15-24 years: 10.7% (male 154,708 /female 144,244)
25-54 years: 39.72% (male 548,586 /female 561,007)
55-64 years: 14.55% (male 180,294 /female 226,250)
65 years and over: 19.91% (male 188,269 /female 367,783) (2018 est.)
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
EnvironmentCurrent issues: water pollution; air pollution; deforestation; threatened animal and plant species; chemicals and waste materials released into the environment contaminate soil and groundwater; soil degradation and erosion
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
top of pageAdministrative 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 independence from the Soviet Union); 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 (or National 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
ConstitutionHistory: several previous; latest adopted by referendum 25 October 1992, entered into force 2 November 1992 (2016)
Amendments: proposed by at least one-fourth of all Parliament members or by petition of at least 300,000 voters; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament in each of two readings three months apart and a presidential signature; amendments to constitutional articles on national sovereignty and constitutional amendment procedure also require three-fourths voter approval in a referendum; amended 1996, 2003, 2006 (2016)
Legal system: civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the Constitutional Court
Executive branchChief of state: President Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE (since 12 July 2009)
Head of government: Prime Minister Saulius SKVERNELIS (since 13 December 2016)
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 (eligible for a second 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 in second round; percent of vote - Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE (independent) 57.9%, Zigmantas BALCYTIS (LSDP) 40.1%, invalid 2%; Saulius SKVERNELIS (LVZS) approved as prime minister by Parliament vote - 90 to 4
Legislative branchDescription: unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats; 71 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote and 70 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 9 and 23 October 2016 (next to be held in October 2020)
Election results: percent of vote by party - TS-LKD 22.6%, LVLS 22.5%, 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; composition - men 111, women 30, percent of women 21.3%
Judicial branchHighest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 37 judges); 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 appointed by the Seimas from nominations - three each by the president of the republic, by the Seimas chairperson, and by the Supreme Court president; 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: Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles or LLRA [Valdemar TOMASEVSKI]Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats or TS-LKD [Gabrielius LANDSBERGIS]Labor Party or DP [Viktor USPASKICH]Liberal Movement or LS or LRLS (Eugenijus GENTVILAS)Lithuanian Center Party or LCP [Naglis PUTEIKIS]Lithuanian Green Party or LZP [Linas BALSYS]Lithuanian People's Party or LPP [Rolandas PAULAUSKAS]Lithuanian Social Democratic Party or LSDP [Gintautas PALUCKAS]Lithuanian Social Democratic Labor Party [Gediminas KIRKILAS]Order and Justice Party or TT [Remigijus ZEMAITAITIS]Farmers and Greens Union or LVZS [Ramunas KARBAUSKIS]Way of Courage or DK [Jonas VARKALA]
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, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Rolandas KRISCIUNAS (since 17 September 2015)
In the us chancery: 2,622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 234-5,860
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466
In the us consulate: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Anne HALL (since 7 October 2016)
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] (5) 266-5,500
From the us FAX: [370] (5) 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 anthemName: Tautiska giesme (The National Song)
Lyricsmusic: 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
top of pageEconomy overview: After the country declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1990, Lithuania faced an initial dislocation that is typical during transitions from a planned economy to a free-market economy. Macroeconomic stabilization policies, including privatization of most state-owned enterprises, and a strong commitment to a currency board arrangement led to an open and rapidly growing economy and rising consumer demand. Foreign investment and EU funding aided in the transition. Lithuania joined the WTO in May 2001, the EU in May 2004, and the euro zone in January 2015, and is now working to complete the OECD accession roadmap it received in July 2015. In 2017, joined the OECD Working Group on Bribery, an important step in the OECD accession process.The Lithuanian economy was severely hit by the 2008-09 global financial crisis, but it has rebounded and become one of the fastest growing in the EU. Increases in exports, investment, and wage growth that supported consumption helped the economy grow by 3.6% in 2017. In 2015, Russia was Lithuania’s largest trading partner, followed by Poland, Germany, and Latvia; goods and services trade between the US and Lithuania totaled $2.2 billion. Lithuania opened a self-financed liquefied natural gas terminal in January 2015, providing the first non-Russian supply of natural gas to the Baltic States and reducing Lithuania’s dependence on Russian gas from 100% to approximately 30% in 2016.Lithuania’s ongoing recovery hinges on improving the business environment, especially by liberalizing labor laws, and improving competitiveness and export growth, the latter hampered by economic slowdowns in the EU and Russia. In addition, a steady outflow of young and highly educated people is causing a shortage of skilled labor, which, combined with a rapidly aging population, could stress public finances and constrain long-term growth.
Agriculture products: grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs, pork, cheese; fish
Industries: metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, televisions, refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small ships), furniture, textiles, food processing, fertilizer, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, lasers, electronic components, computers, amber jewelry, information technology, video game development, app/software development, biotechnology
Public debt:
39.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
40.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
note: official data; data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities, debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental 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: 129
Exports:
$29.12 billion (2017 est.)
$24.23 billion (2016 est.)
Rank: 66
Partners: Russia 15%, Latvia 9.9%, Poland 8.1%, Germany 7.3%, US 5.2%, Estonia 5%, Sweden 4.8% (2017)
Commodities: refined fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles, foodstuffs, plastics
Imports:
$31.56 billion (2017 est.)
$26.21 billion (2016 est.)
Rank: 66
Commodities: oil, natural gas, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, chemicals, textiles and clothing, metals
Partners: Russia 13%, Germany 12.3%, Poland 10.6%, Latvia 7.1%, Italy 5.2%, Netherlands 5.1%, Sweden 4% (2017)
Debt external:
$34.48 billion (31 March 2016 est.)
$31.6 billion (31 March 2015 est.)
Rank: 78
Exchange rates:
0.884 (2017 est.)
0.9037 (2016 est.)
0.9037 (2015 est.)
0.9012 (2014 est.)
0.7525 (2013 est.)
top of pagetop of pageTelephone systemGeneral assessment: adequate; being modernized to provide improved international capability and better residential access; SIM card penetration is high for the region; prepaid sector accounts for most subscribers; postpaid subscribers is increasing; LTE networks available to more than 99% of the population; Lithuanian FttP (fiber to the home cable connections for Internet) penetration ranked third highest in Europe (2017)
Domestic: 17 per 100 for fixed-line subscriptions; 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 154 per 100 persons (2017)
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 (2016)
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)
top of pageMilitary service age and obligation: 18 years of age for military service; 9-month service obligation; in 2015, Lithuania reinstated conscription after having converted to a professional military in the fall of 2008 (2016)
top of pagePipelines: 1921 km gas, 121 km refined products (2013)
top of pageDisputes 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 1999Lithuania 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 rulesboundary demarcated with Latvia and Lithuaniaas 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
🅶🅷🅴🅾🆂.🅲🅾🅼