Independent between the two World Wars, Lithuania was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US. 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.
Location
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia
Geographic coordinates
56 00 N, 24 00 E
Map references
Europe
Area
total
65,200 sq km
land
NA sq km
water
NA sq km
Area - comparative
slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries
total
1,613 km
border countries
Belarus 653.5 km, Latvia 588 km, Poland 103.7 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 267.8 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 extremes
lowest point
Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point
Juozapines Kalnas 293.6 m
Natural resources
peat, arable land, amber
Land use
arable land
44.81%
permanent crops
0.9%
other
54.29% (2005)
Irrigated land
70 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards
NA
Environment - current issues
contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases
Environment - international agreements
party to
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits
Population
3,575,439 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
14.9% (male 273,573/female 259,570)
15-64 years
69.3% (male 1,213,011/female 1,264,996)
65 years and over
15.8% (male 194,500/female 369,789) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
38.6 years
male
36.1 years
female
41.2 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
-0.289% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
8.87 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
11.05 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
-0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.054 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.959 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.526 male(s)/female
total population
0.887 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
6.68 deaths/1,000 live births
male
7.99 deaths/1,000 live births
female
5.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
74.44 years
male
69.46 years
female
79.69 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.21 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
1,300 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality
noun
Lithuanian(s)
adjective
Lithuanian
Ethnic groups
Lithuanian 83.4%, Polish 6.7%, Russian 6.3%, other or unspecified 3.6% (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)
Languages
Lithuanian (official) 82%, Russian 8%, Polish 5.6%, other and unspecified 4.4% (2001 census)
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
99.6%
male
99.6%
female
99.6% (2001 census)
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
parliamentary democracy
Capital
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
11 March 1990 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recognized by Soviet Union)
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
Legal system
based on civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the constitutional court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
President Valdas ADAMKUS (since 12 July 2004)
head of government
Prime Minister Gediminas KIRKILAS (since 4 July 2006)
cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister
elections
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 13 and 27 June 2004 (next to be held June 2009); prime minister appointed by the president on the approval of the Parliament
election results
Valdas ADAMKUS elected president; percent of vote - Valdas ADAMKUS 52.2%, Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE 47.8%; Gediminas KIRKILAS approved by Parliament 85-13, with five abstentions
Legislative branch
unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats; 71 members are elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional representation; to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 and 24 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - Labor 28.6%, Working for Lithuania (Social Democrats and Social Liberals) 20.7%, TS 14.6%, For Order and Justice (Liberal Democrats and Lithuanian People's Union) 11.4%, Liberal and Center Union 9.1%, Farmers and New Democracy Union 6.6%, other 9%; seats by faction - Labor 29, Homeland Union 26, Social Democrats 23, Civil Democracy (split from Labor) 11, Liberal Movement (formerly Liberal Political Group) 11, National Farmer's Union (formerly Farmers and New Democracy Union) 11, Social Liberal 10, Liberal Democrats 9, Liberal and Center Union 8, independents 3 (as of late-July 2006)
Judicial branch
Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judges for all courts appointed by the President
Political parties and leaders
Civil Democracy Party [Viktor MUNTIANAS]; Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI]; National Farmer's Union [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE]; Homeland Union/Conservative Party or TS [Andrius KUBILIUS]; Labor Party [Kestutis DAUKSYS]; Liberal and Center Union [Arturas ZUOKAS]; Liberal Democratic Party [Rolandas PAKSAS]; Liberal Movement [Petras AUSTREVICIUS]; Lithuanian Christian Democrats or LKD [Valentinas STUNDYS]; Lithuanian People's Union for a Fair Lithuania [Julius VESELKA]; Lithuanian Social Democratic Party [Algirdas BRAZAUSKAS]; Social Liberal/New Union [Arturas PAULAUSKAS]; Social Union of Christian Conservatives [Gediminas VAGNORIUS]; Young Lithuania and New Nationalists [Stanislovas BUSKEVICIUS]
4590 MacArthur Blvd. NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20007
telephone
[1] (202) 234-5860
FAX
[1] (202) 328-0466
consulate(s) general
Chicago, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
Ambassador John A. CLOUD
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
Flag description
three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red
Economy - overview
Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with Russia, has grown rapidly since rebounding from the 1998 Russian financial crisis. Unemployment fell to 3.7% in 2006, while wages grew 17.6%, contributing to rising inflation. Exports and imports continue to grow strongly, and the current account deficit rose to nearly 10% of GDP in 2006. Trade has been increasingly oriented toward the West. Lithuania has gained membership in the World Trade Organization and joined the EU in May 2004. Privatization of the large, state-owned utilities is nearly complete. Foreign government and business support have helped in the transition from the old command economy to a market economy, but foreign direct investment declined in 2006.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$54.9 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$30.2 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
7.5% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$15,300 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
5.5%
industry
33.3%
services
61.2% (2006 est.)
Labor force
1.617 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
15.8%
industry
28.2%
services
56% (2004)
Unemployment rate
3.7%
note: based on survey data, official registered unemployment of 5.7% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line
4% (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
3.2%
highest 10%
24.9% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
32.5 (2003)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.8% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
23% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$9.415 billion
expenditures
$9.761 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
Public debt
18% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products
Industries
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
Industrial production growth rate
7% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production
17.8 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel
16.5%
hydro
5.7%
nuclear
77.7%
other
0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption
9.358 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports
11.49 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports
4.293 billion kWh (2004)
Oil - production
14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption
56,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports
0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports
93,000 bbl/day (2004)
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2004)
Natural gas - consumption
2.92 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports
2.92 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Current account balance
-$2.572 billion (2006 est.)
Exports
$14.64 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities
mineral products 23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery and equipment 11%, chemicals 6%, wood and wood products 5%, foodstuffs 5% (2001)
Exports - partners
Russia 12.8%, Latvia 11.1%, Germany 8.7%, Estonia 6.5%, Poland 6%, Netherlands 4.9%, Sweden 4.6%, UK 4.3%, US 4.3%, Denmark 4.2%, France 4.1% (2006)
Imports
$18.25 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities
mineral products, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, chemicals, textiles and clothing, metals
Imports - partners
Russia 24.4%, Germany 14.9%, Poland 9.6%, Latvia 4.8% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$5.22 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external
$15.12 billion (30 June 2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$1.6 billion (1995)
Currency (code)
litas (LTL)
Currency code
LTL
Exchange rates
litai per US dollar - 2.7498 (2006), 2.774 (2005), 2.7806 (2004), 3.0609 (2003), 3.677 (2002)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
801,100 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
4.353 million (2005)
Telephone system
general assessment
inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an improved international capability and better residential access
domestic
a national, fiber-optic cable, interurban, trunk system is nearing completion; rural exchanges are being improved and expanded; mobile cellular systems are being installed; access to the Internet is available; still many unsatisfied telephone subscriber applications
international
country code - 370; landline connections to Latvia and Poland; major international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite
Radio broadcast stations
AM 29, FM 142, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios
1.9 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations
27 (may have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations) (2001)
Televisions
1.7 million (1997)
Internet country code
.lt
Internet hosts
148,675 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
32 (2001)
Internet users
1.222 million (2005)
Airports
91 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
34
over 3,047 m
4
2,438 to 3,047 m
1
1,524 to 2,437 m
7
914 to 1,523 m
2
under 914 m
20 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
57
1,524 to 2,437 m
1
914 to 1,523 m
3
under 914 m
53 (2006)
Pipelines
gas 1,696 km; oil 228 km; refined products 121 km (2006)
Railways
total
1,771 km
broad gauge
1,749 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified)
standard gauge
22 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Roadways
total
79,497 km
paved
70,549 km (includes 417 km of expressways)
unpaved
8,948 km (2005)
Waterways
425 km (2005)
Merchant marine
total
49 ships (1000 GRT or over) 353,094 GRT/352,883 DWT
by type
bulk carrier 6, cargo 20, chemical tanker 1, container 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 14, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned
10 (Denmark 10)
registered in other countries
17 (Antigua and Barbuda 3, Belize 1, North Korea 1, Norway 1, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, unknown 3) (2006)
Ports and terminals
Klaipeda
Military branches
Ground Forces, Naval Force, Lithuanian Military Air Forces, National Defense Volunteer Forces (2005)
Military service age and obligation
19-45 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers (2004)
Manpower available for military service
males age 19-49
830,368
females age 19-49
830,524 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 19-49
590,606
females age 19-49
676,102 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49
29,689
females age 19-49
28,543 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
1.9% (2005 est.)
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; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over potential hydrocarbons; 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
