Lithuania

republicIndependence 6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Lithuania as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 121 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalVilnius
LocationEastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Sweden and Russia
1994

Every edition of Lithuania

Populationas each edition published it
3.85 million July 1994 est. · 3.79m in 1992
Population growth% a year
0.74% 1994 est. · 0.76% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 36.6 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 71.12 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.01 children per woman 1994 est. · 2.1 in 1992
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
16.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 18 in 1992
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$3,240 1993 est. · $47,200 in 2025
GDP real growth% a year
-10% 1993 est. · -30% in 1993

Geography

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

42 fields
Land boundaries
1,273km
total · Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km
Irrigated land
430sq km
(1990)
Population
3,848,389
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 0.74% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
14.71Death
10.95Net migration
3.62

Ethnic divisions

Lithuanian 80.1%Russian 8.6%Polish 7.7%Byelorussian 1.5%other 2.1%
Labor force
1.836million
Literacy
9
age · -49 can read and write (1989)

Location

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

Map references

Asia, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

65,200 sq km

land area

65,200 sq km

comparative area

slightly larger than West Virginia

territorial sea

12 nm

International disputes

dispute with Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) over the position of the Nemunas (Nemen) River border presently located on the Lithuanian bank and not in midriver as by international standards

Climate

maritime; wet, moderate winters and summers

Terrain

lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil

arable land

49.1%

permanent crops

0%

meadows and pastures

22.2%

forest and woodland

16.3%

other

12.4%

current issues

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

natural hazards

NA

international agreements

party to - Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

Infant mortality rate

16.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

71.24 years

male

66.53 years

female

76.19 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.01 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

Lithuanian(s)

adjective

Lithuanian

Religions

Roman Catholic, Lutheran, other

Languages

Lithuanian (official), Polish, Russian

total population

98%

male

99%

female

98%

by occupation

industry and construction 42%, agriculture and forestry 18%, other 40% (1990)

Government

Republic

34 fields

Legislature, 141 seatsone dot, one seat

LDDP 73Conservative Party 30LKDP 17LTS 8Farmers' Union 4LLS 4Center Union 2others 3

conventional long form

Republic of Lithuania

conventional short form

Lithuania

local long form

Lietuvos Respublika

local short form

Lietuva

former

Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic

Type

republic

Capital

Vilnius

Administrative divisions

44 regions (rajonai, singular - rajonas) and 11 municipalities*: Akmenes Rajonas, Alytaus Rajonas, Alytus*, Anyksciu Rajonas, Birsionas*, Birzu Rajonas, Druskininkai*, Ignalinos Rajonas, Jonavos Rajonas, Joniskio Rajonas, Jurbarko Rajonas, Kaisiadoriu Rajonas, Marijampoles Rajonas, Kaunas*, Kauno Rajonas, Kedainiu Rajonas, Kelmes Rajonas, Klaipeda*, Klaipedos Rajonas, Kretingos Ragonas, Kupiskio Rajonas, Lazdiju Rajonas, Marijampole*, Mazeikiu Ragonas, Moletu Rajonas, Neringa* Pakruojo Rajonas, Palanga*, Panevezio Rajonas, Panevezys*, Pasvalio Rajonas, Plunges Rajonas, Prienu Rajonas, Radviliskio Rajonas, Raseiniu Rajonas, Rokiskio Rajonas, Sakiu Rajonas, Salcininky Rajonas, Siauliai*, Siauliu Rajonas, Silales Rajonas, Siltues Rajonas, Sirvinty Rajonas, Skuodo Rajonas, Svencioniu Rajonas, Taurages Rajonas, Telsiu Rajonas, Traky Rajonas, Ukmerges Rajonas, Utenos Rajonas, Varenos Rajonas, Vilkaviskio Rajonas, Vilniaus Rajonas, Vilnius*, Zarasu Rajonas

Independence

6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday

Independence Day, 16 February (1918)

Constitution

adopted 25 October 1992

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

chief of state

  • President Algirdas Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS (since 25 November 1992; elected acting president by Parliament 25 November 1992 and elected by direct vote 15 February 1993);
  • election last held 14 February 1993 (next to be held NA 1997);
  • results - Algirdas BRAZAUSKAS was elected;
  • note - on 25 November 1992 BRAZAUSKAS was elected chairman of Parliament and, as such, acting president of the Republic;
  • he was confirmed in office by direct balloting 15 February 1993

head of government

Premier Adolfas SLEZEVICIUS (since 10 March 1993)

cabinet

Council of Ministers; appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister

Seimas (parliament)

  • elections last held 26 October and 25 November 1992 (next to be held NA);
  • results - LDDP 51%;
  • seats - (141 total) LDDP 73, Conservative Party 30, LKDP 17, LTS 8, Farmers' Union 4, LLS 4, Center Union 2, others 3

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, Court of Appeals

Political parties and leaders

  • Christian Democratic Party (LKDP), Povilas KATILIUS, chairman;
  • Democratic Labor Party of Lithuania (LDDP), Adolfas SLEZEVICIUS, chairman;
  • Lithuanian Nationalist Union (LTS), Rimantas SMETONA, chairman;
  • Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP), Aloyzas SAKALAS, chairman;
  • Farmers' Union, Jonas CIULEVICIUS, chairman;
  • Center Union, Romualdas OZOLAS, chairman;
  • Conservative Party, Vytautas LANDSBERGIS, chairman;
  • Lithuanian Polish Union (LLS), Rytardas MACIKIANEC, chairman

Other political or pressure groups

  • Homeland Union;
  • Lithuanian Future Forum;
  • Farmers Union

Member of

BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NACC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

chief of mission

Ambassador Alfonsas EIDINTAS

chancery

2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone

(202) 234-5860, 2639

FAX

(202) 328-0466

consulate(s) general

New York

chief of mission

Ambassador Darryl N. JOHNSON

embassy

Akmenu 6, Vilnius 232600

mailing address

APO AE 09723

telephone

370-2-223-031

FAX

370-2-222-779

Flag

three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red

Economy

Since independence in September 1991, Lithuania has made steady | progress in developing a market economy.

26 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$3,240
(1993 est.)
Real growth rate
-10%
(1993 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -52% (1992)
Unemployment rate
1.8%
(July 1993)

Overview

Since independence in September 1991, Lithuania has made steady progress in developing a market economy. Over 40% of state property has been privatized and trade is diversifying with a gradual shift away from the former Soviet Union to Western markets. Nevertheless, the process has been painful with industrial output in 1993 less than half the 1991 level.

Inflation, while lower than in most ex-Soviet states, has exceeded rates in the other Baltic states. Full monetary stability and economic recovery are likely to be impeded by periodic government backtracking on key elements of its reform and stabilization program as it seeks to ease the economic pain of restructuring.

Recovery will build on Lithuanian's strategic location with its ice-free port at Klaipeda and its rail and highway hub in Vilnius connecting it with Eastern Europe, Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine, and on its agriculture potential, highly skilled labor force, and diversified industrial sector. Lacking important natural resources, it will remain dependent on imports of fuels and raw materials.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $12.4 billion (1993 estimate from the UN International Comparison Program, as extended to 1991 and published in the World Bank's World Development Report 1993; and as extrapolated to 1993 using official Lithuanian statistics, which are very uncertain because of major economic changes since 1990)

revenues

$258.5 million

expenditures

$270.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)

commodities

electronics 18%, petroleum products 5%, food 10%, chemicals 6% (1989)

partners

Russia 40%, Ukraine 16%, other FSU countries 32%, West 12%

commodities

oil 24%, machinery 14%, chemicals 8%, grain NA% (1989)

partners

Russia 62%, Belarus 18%, other FSU countries 10%, West 10%

capacity

5,925,000 kW

production

25 billion kWh

consumption per capita

6,600 kWh (1992)

Industries

employs 42% of the labor force; accounts for 23% of GOP shares in the

total production of the former USSR are:
  • metal-cutting machine tools 6.6%;
  • electric motors 4.6%;
  • television sets 6.2%;
  • refrigerators and freezers 5.4%;
  • other branches: petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing, fertilizers, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic components, computers, and amber

Agriculture

  • employs around 18% of labor force;
  • accounts for 25% of GDP;
  • sugar, grain, potatoes, sugar beets, vegetables, meat, milk, dairy products, eggs, fish;
  • most developed are the livestock and dairy branches, which depend on imported grain;
  • net exporter of meat, milk, and eggs

Illicit drugs

  • transshipment point for illicit drugs from Central and Southwest Asia and Latin America to Western Europe;
  • limited producer of illicit opium;
  • mostly for domestic consumption

recipient

  • US commitments, including Ex-Im (1992), $10 million;
  • Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-86), $NA million;
  • Communist countries (1971-86), $NA million

Currency

introduced the convertible litas in June 1993

Exchange rates

litai per US$1 - 4 (fixed rate 1 May 1994); 3.9 (late January 1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

16 fields

Networkskm

Railroads
2,000Inland waterways
600
Railroads: (1,524-mm gauge); 120 km electrified

Railroads

2,000 km (1,524-mm gauge); 120 km electrified

total

44,200 km

paved

35,500 km

unpaved

earth 8,700 km (1990)

Pipelines

crude oil, 105 km; natural gas 760 km (1992)

Ports

coastal - Klaipeda; inland - Kaunas

Merchant marine

44 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 276,265 GRT/323,505 DWT, cargo 29, combination bulk 11, railcar carrier 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1

total

96

usable

18

with permanent-surface runways

12

with runways over 3,659 m

0

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

5

with runways 1,060-2,439 m

11

note

a C-130 can land on a 1,060-m airstrip

Telecommunications

  • Lithuania ranks among the most modern of the former Soviet republics in respect to its telecommunications system;
  • telephone subscriber circuits 900,000;
  • subscriber density 240 per 1,000 persons;
  • land lines or microwave to former USSR republics;
  • international connections no longer depend on the Moscow gateway switch, but are established by satellite through Oslo from Vilnius and through Copenhagen from Kaunas;
  • 2 satellite earth stations - 1 EUTELSAT and 1 INTELSAT;
  • an NMT-450 analog cellular network operates in Vilnius and other cities and is linked internationally through Copenhagen by EUTELSAT;
  • international electronic mail is available;
  • broadcast stations - 13 AM, 26 FM, 1 SW, 1 LW, 3 TV

Defense Forces

Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Security Forces (internal and border | troops), National Guard (Skat)

3 fields

Branches

Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Security Forces (internal and border troops), National Guard (Skat)

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 941,273;
  • fit for military service 744,867;
  • reach military age (18) annually 27,375 (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $NA, 5.5% of GDP (1993 est.)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Lithuania.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/lithuania/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →