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.

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

56 00 N, 24 00 E

Europe

total: 65,300 sq km
country comparison to the world: 123
land: 62,680 sq km
water: 2,620 sq km

slightly larger than West Virginia

total: 1,574 km
border countries: Belarus 680 km, Latvia 576 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km

90 km

territorial sea: 12 nm

transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers

lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil

lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Aukstojas 294 m

peat, arable land, amber

arable land: 33.48%
permanent crops: 0.47%
other: 66.05% (2011)

13.4 sq km (2007)

24.9 cu km (2011)

total: 2.38 cu km/yr (7%/90%/3%)
per capita: 703.8 cu m/yr (2009)

NA

contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases

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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

noun: Lithuanian(s)
adjective: Lithuanian

Lithuanian 84.1%, Polish 6.6%, Russian 5.8%, Belarusian 1.2%, other or unspecified 2.3% (2011 est.)

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

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 or not indicated 16.2% (2011 est.)

3,515,858 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
note: Statistics Lithuania (the national statistical agency of Lithuania) estimates the country's total population at the start of 2013 to be 2,971,905, which takes into account the findings of Lithuania's 2011 census and the high rate of net outmigration since the country joined the EU in 2004

0-14 years: 13.6% (male 245,028/female 232,356)
15-24 years: 13% (male 233,939/female 223,495)
25-54 years: 44.8% (male 784,389/female 790,066)
55-64 years: 11.9% (male 187,057/female 229,943)
65 years and over: 16.8% (male 204,314/female 385,271) (2013 est.)

total dependency ratio: 44.6 %
youth dependency ratio: 22 %
elderly dependency ratio: 22.7 %
potential support ratio: 4.4 (2013)

total: 40.8 years
male: 38.2 years
female: 43.3 years (2013 est.)

-0.28% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 217

9.36 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205

11.48 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32

-0.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143

urban population: 67% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: -0.5% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

VILNIUS (capital) 546,000 (2009)

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.81 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.53 male(s)/female
total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

26.6 (2010 est.)

8 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 164

total: 6.09 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 171
male: 7.26 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)

total population: 75.77 years
country comparison to the world: 89
male: 70.96 years
female: 80.84 years (2013 est.)

1.28 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 217

62.9%
note: percent of women aged 18-49 (2006)

7% of GDP (2010)
country comparison to the world: 85

3.64 physicians/1,000 population (2010)

6.8 beds/1,000 population (2010)

0.1% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145

1,200 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137

fewer than 100 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136

degree of risk: intermediate
vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2013)

27.6% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 38

5.7% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 48

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.7% (2011 est.)

total: 16 years
male: 15 years
female: 16 years (2011)

total: 26.4%
country comparison to the world: 37
male: 29.9%
female: 21.8% (2012)

conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania
conventional short form: Lithuania
local long form: Lietuvos Respublika
local short form: Lietuva
former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic

parliamentary democracy

name: Vilnius
geographic coordinates: 54 41 N, 25 19 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

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

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)

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

several previous; latest adopted by referendum 25 October 1992, entered into force 2 November 1992; amended 2003 (2012)

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

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

chief of state: President Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE (since 12 July 2009)
head of government: Prime Minister Algirdas BUTKEVICIUS (since 22 November 2012)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister and approval of the Parliament

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 May 2009 (next to be held in May 2014); prime minister appointed by the president on the approval of the Parliament
election results: Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE elected president; percent of vote - Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE 69.1%, Algirdas BUTKEVICIUS 11.8%, Valentinas MAZURONIS 6.2%, others 12.9%; Algirdas BUTKEVICIUS approved by Parliament 90-40

unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats; 71 members elected in single-member districts, 70 elected by proportional representation; members to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 14 and 28 October 2012 (next to be held in October 2016)
election results: percent of vote by party (proportional vote) - DP 19.8%, LSDP 18.4%, TS-LKD 15.1%, LS 8.6%, DK 8%, TT 7.3%, LLRA 5.8%, LVZS 3.9%, other parties 13.1%; seats by party - LSDP 38, TS-LKD 33, DP 29, TT 11, LS 10, LLRA 8, DK 7, unaffiliated 4, vacant 1

highest court(s): 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 selected by Seimas from among nominations by the president, by the Seimas chairperson, and Supreme Court chairperson; judges serve 9-year, nonrenewable terms; note - one-third of court judges reconstituted every 3 years
subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; district and local courts

Christian Party or KP [Gediminas VAGNORIUS]

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Zygimantas PAVILIONIS (since 5 August 2010)
chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860
FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466
consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

chief of mission: Ambassador Deborah A. MCCARTHY (since 5 February 2013)
embassy: Akmenu gatve 6, Vilnius, LT-03106
mailing address: American Embassy, Akmenu Gatve 6, Vilnius LT-03106
telephone: [370] (5) 266-5500
FAX: [370] (5) 266-5510

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

mounted knight known as Vytis (the Chaser)

name: "Tautiska giesme" (The National Song)
lyrics/music: Vincas KUDIRKA
note: adopted 1918, restored 1990; the anthem was written in 1898 while Lithuania was a part of Russia; it was banned during the Soviet occupation from 1940 to 1990

Lithuania gained membership in the World Trade Organization and joined the EU in May 2004. Despite its 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. Lithuania''s 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, to 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. Lithuania is committed to meeting the Maastricht criteria to join the euro zone, which the government expects to achieve by 2015. Under the Conservative Party''s leadership, Lithuania raised the monthly minimum wage in 2012 nearly 25% over 2011. Despite government efforts, unemployment - at 13.2% in 2012 - remains high.

$64.31 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
note: data are in 2012 US dollars

$41.57 billion (2012 est.)

3.6% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96

$21,400 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
note: data are in 2012 US dollars

17.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92

household consumption: 64%
government consumption: 17.6%
investment in fixed capital: 16.7%
investment in inventories: 1.3%
exports of goods and services: 84.2%
imports of goods and services: -83.8%

agriculture: 3.3%
industry: 28.4%
services: 68.4% (2012 est.)

grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs; fish

metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television sets, refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing, fertilizers, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic components, computers, amber jewelry

3.7% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76

1.474 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131

agriculture: 7.9%
industry: 19.6%
services: 72.5% (2012 est.)

13.2% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135

4% (2008)

lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 29.1% (2008)

35.5 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 86

revenues: $13.87 billion
expenditures: $15.27 billion (2012 est.)

33.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76

-3.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132

41% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
note: official data; data cover general government debt, and includes 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 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

calendar year

3.1% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98

3% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111

5.28% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145

$13.77 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71

$19.32 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87

$22.69 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73

$4.075 billion (31 December 2011)
country comparison to the world: 82

$-231 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88

$28.76 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65

mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles , foodstuffs, plastics

Russia 19%, Latvia 11%, Germany 7.9%, Estonia 7.8%, UK 6.4%, Poland 6.1%, Netherlands 5.9%, Belarus 4.5% (2012)

$30.44 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66

mineral products, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, chemicals, textiles and clothing, metals

Russia 31.6%, Germany 10%, Poland 9.9%, Latvia 6.2%, Netherlands 5.6% (2012)

$8.529 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76

$32.84 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69

$15.56 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79

$2.729 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70

litai (LTL) per US dollar -

12.27 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89

10.3 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88

186 million kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70

1.17 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62

3.82 million kW (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82

70.6% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124

3.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127

5% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43

9,111 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94

2,181 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67

190,100 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33

12 million bbl (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 89

197,400 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56

70,390 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91

155,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37

16,110 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117

0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154

3.3 billion cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69

0 cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134

3.4 billion cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40

0 cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 159

16.05 million Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90

667,300 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 89

5 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 110

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 140 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 (2010)

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)

.lt

1.205 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 43

1.964 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 75

61 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 81

total: 22
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 9 (2013)

total: 39
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m:

gas 1,921 km; refined products 121 km (2013)

total: 1,767 km
country comparison to the world: 76
broad gauge: 1,745 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified)
standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge (2011)

total: 84,166 km
country comparison to the world: 57
paved: 72,297 km (includes 312 km of expressways)
unpaved: 11,869 km (2012)

441 km (navigable year round) (2007)
country comparison to the world: 87

total: 38
country comparison to the world: 76
by type: cargo 20, container 1, passenger/cargo 6, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: 8 (Denmark 8)
registered in other countries: 22 (Antigua and Barbuda 3, Belize 1, Comoros 1, Cook Islands 1, Norway 1, Panama 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 9, unknown 3) (2010)

major seaport(s): Klaipeda
oil terminals: Butinge oil terminal

Lithuanian Armed Forces (Lietuvos Ginkluotosios Pajegos): Land Forces (Sausumos Pajegos), Naval Forces (Karines Juru Pajegos), Air Forces (Karines Oro Pajegos) (2013)

18 years of age for voluntary military service; service obligation 1 year; Lithuania converted to a professional military in the fall of 2008, although the decision continues under judicial review (2012)

males age 16-49: 890,074
females age 16-49: 875,780 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49: 669,111
females age 16-49: 724,803 (2010 est.)

male: 20,425
female: 19,527 (2010 est.)

0.97% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 306

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

stateless persons: 4,130 (2012)