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 Introduction
 Geography
 People
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 Economy
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 Transnational Issues

This page was last updated on 28 July, 2005


Map of Lithuania



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Lithuania
Background:
Definition Field Listing
Independent between the two World Wars, Lithuania was annexed by the USSR in 1940. 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.
   Geography    Lithuania
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
56 00 N, 24 00 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Europe
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 65,200 sq km
land: NA sq km
water: NA sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
total: 1,273 km
border countries: Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
99 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Juozapines/Kalnas 292 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
peat, arable land
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 45.22%
permanent crops: 0.91%
other: 53.87% (2001)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
90 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing
party to: Air Pollution, 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: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits
   People    Lithuania
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3,596,617 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 16.1% (male 297,271/female 282,269)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 1,206,731/female 1,264,359)
65 years and over: 15.2% (male 186,979/female 359,008) (2005 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 37.83 years
male: 35.25 years
female: 40.46 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
-0.3% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
8.62 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
10.92 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
-0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female
total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 6.89 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.25 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 73.97 years
male: 68.94 years
female: 79.28 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1,300 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Lithuanian(s)
adjective: Lithuanian
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Lithuanian 83.4%, Polish 6.7%, Russian 6.3%, other or unspecified 3.6% (2001 census)
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
Lithuanian (official) 82%, Russian 8%, Polish 5.6%, other and unspecified 4.4% (2001 census)
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.6% (2003 est.)
   Government    Lithuania
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
Vilnius
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis); Alytaus, Kauno, Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages, Telsiu, Utenos, Vilniaus
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note - 16 February 1918 is the date Lithuania declared its independence from Soviet Russia and established its statehood; 11 March 1990 is the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
adopted 25 October 1992
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
based on civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the constitutional court
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: President Valdas ADAMKUS (since 12 July 2004)
head of government: Premier Algirdas Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS (since 3 July 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the premier
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 13 June 2004 and 27 June 2004 (next to be held June 2009); premier 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%
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats, 71 members are directly elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional representation; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 and 24 October 2004 (next to be held October 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - Labor 28.6%, Working for Lithuania (Social Democrats and Social Liberals) 20.7%, Homeland Union (Conservatives) 14.6%, For Order and Justice (Liberal Democrats and Lithuanian People's Union) 11.4%, Liberal and Center Union 9.1%, Union of Farmers and New Democracy 6.6%; seats by faction - Labor 39, Homeland Union 25, Social Democrats 20, Liberal and Center Union 18, Social Liberals 11, Union of Farmers and New Democracy Parties 10, Liberal Democrats 10, Electoral Action 2, independents 6
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judges for all courts appointed by the President
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI, chairman]; Homeland Union/Conservative Party or TS [Andrius KUBILIUS, chairman]; Labor Party [Viktor USPASKICH, chairman]; Liberal and Center Union [Arturas ZUOKAS, chairman]; Liberal Democratic Party [Valentinas MAZURONIS, chairman]; Lithuanian Christian Democrats or LKD [Valentinas STUNDYS, chairman]; Lithuanian People's Union for a Fair Lithuania; Lithuanian Social Democratic Coalition [Algirdas BRAZAUSKAS, chairman] consists of the Lithuanian Democratic Labor Party or LDDP and the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party or LSDP; New Democracy and Farmer's Union or VNDPS [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE, chairman]; Social Liberals (New Union) [Arturas PAULAUSKAS, chairman]; Social Union of Christian Conservatives [Gediminas VAGNORIUS, chairman]; Young Lithuania and New Nationalists
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
NA
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Vygaudas USACKAS
chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860
FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466
consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen D. MULL
embassy: 2600 Akmenu 6, Vilnius
mailing address: American Embassy, Vilnius, PSC 78, Box V, APO AE 09723
telephone: [370] (5) 266 5500
FAX: [370] (5) 266 5510
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red
   Economy    Lithuania
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with Russia, has slowly rebounded from the 1998 Russian financial crisis. Unemployment dropped from 11% in 2003 to 8% in 2004. Growing domestic consumption and increased investment have furthered recovery. 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, particularly in the energy sector, is nearing completion. Overall, more than 80% of enterprises have been privatized. Foreign government and business support have helped in the transition from the old command economy to a market economy.
GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $45.23 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6.6% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 6.1%
industry: 33.4%
services: 60.5% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
21.9% of GDP (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: 3.1%
highest 10%: 25.6% (1996)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
Definition Field Listing
34 (1999)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.1% (2004 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.63 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture 20%, industry 30%, services 50% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
8% (2004 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $6.542 billion
expenditures: $7.121 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Public debt:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
25.2% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs; fish
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
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
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
12% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
17.93 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
10.17 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
6.8 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
300 million kWh (2002)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4,594 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
72,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$-1.6 billion (2004 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$8.88 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
mineral products 23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery and equipment 11%, chemicals 6%, wood and wood products 5%, foodstuffs 5% (2001)
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Switzerland 10.7%, Latvia 10%, Germany 9.5%, Russia 7.9%, France 7.5%, US 5.2%, UK 5.1%, Estonia 4.5%, Denmark 4.3% (2004)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$11.02 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
mineral products 21%, machinery and equipment 17%, transport equipment 11%, chemicals 9%, textiles and clothing 9%, metals 5% (2001)
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Russia 23.1%, Germany 18.1%, Poland 4.7%, Italy 4.6% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$4.61 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$10.01 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$228.5 million (1995)
Currency:
Definition Field Listing
litas (LTL)
Currency code:
Definition Field Listing
LTL
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
litai per US dollar - 2.7806 (2004), 3.0609 (2003), 3.677 (2002), 4 (2001), 4 (2000)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
calendar year
   Communications    Lithuania
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
824,200 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2,169,900 (2003)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
AM 29, FM 142, shortwave 1 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
27
note: Lithuania has approximately 27 broadcasting stations, but may have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations (2001)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.lt
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
67,769 (2004)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
695,700 (2003)
   Transportation    Lithuania
Railways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 1,998 km
broad gauge: 1,807 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified)
standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 169 km 0.750-m gauge (2004)
Highways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 77,148 km
paved: 69,202 km (including 417 km of expressways)
unpaved: 7,946 km (2002)
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
600 km (2004)
Pipelines:
Definition Field Listing
gas 1,696 km; oil 331 km; refined products 109 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:
Definition Field Listing
Butinge, Kaunas, Klaipeda
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 54 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 296,856 GRT/317,731 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 24, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 12 (Denmark 12)
registered in other countries: 16 (2005)
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
102 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 28
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: 14 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 74
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 68 (2004 est.)
   Military    Lithuania
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, National Defense Volunteer Forces (SKAT)
Military manpower - military age and obligation:
Definition Field Listing
19-45 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers (2004)
Military manpower - availability:
Definition Field Listing
males age 19-49: 830,368 (2005 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 19-49: 590,606 (2005 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
Definition Field Listing
males: 29,689 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$230.8 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.9% (FY01)
   Transnational Issues    Lithuania
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
in 2003, the Lithuania-Russia land and maritime boundary treaty was ratified and a transit regime established through Lithuania linking Russia and its Kaliningrad coastal exclave, leaving only improvements to the border demarcation in 2005; by 2004, a third of the Belarus-Lithuania boundary had been demarcated; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Lithuania must implement the strict Schengen border rules
Illicit drugs:
Definition Field Listing
transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Southwest Asia, Latin America, and Western Europe to Western Europe and Scandinavia; limited production of methamphetamine and ecstasy; susceptible to money laundering despite changes to banking legislation

This page was last updated on 28 July, 2005


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