Lithuania

Republic of LithuaniaLietuvos Respublika

parliamentary democracy

Lithuania as the 2005 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 125 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
Position56 00 N, 24 00 E
Area65,200 sq km
LocationEastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia
2005

Every edition of Lithuania

Populationas each edition published it
3.6 million July 2005 est. · 3.79m in 1992
Population growth% a year
-0.3% 2005 est. · 0.76% in 1993
Median ageyears
37.83 years 2005 est. · 36.6 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
73.97 years 2005 est. · 71.12 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.19 children per woman 2005 est. · 2.1 in 1992
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
6.89 deaths per 1,000 live births 2005 est. · 18 in 1992
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$12,500 2004 est. · $3,240 in 1994
GDP real growth% a year
6.6% 2004 est. · -30% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

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

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 65,200 sq km

arable land 45.22%permanent crops 0.91%other 53.87% (2001)irrigated 90 sq km (1998 est.)
Area
65,200sq km
land: NA sq kmwater: NA sq kmslightly larger than West Virginia
Coastline
99km
territorial sea: 12 nm
Highest point
292m
Juozapines/Kalnaslowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
Land boundaries
1,273km
border countries: Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

56 00 N, 24 00 E

Climate

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

Terrain

lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil

Natural resources

peat, arable land

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

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

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

People

19 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2005 est.)

186,979
65 and over15.2%
359,008
1,206,731
15-6468.7%
1,264,359
297,271
0-1416.1%
282,269
MaleFemale
Population
3,596,617
(July 2005 est.)growth rate: -0.3% (2005 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2005 est.)

Birth
8.62Death
10.92Net migration
-0.71

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2005 est.)73.97
68.94 · 79.28Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)6.89
8.25 · 5.45
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)99.6%
99.7% · 99.6%Median age years (2005 est.)37.83
35.25 · 40.46
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups(2001 census)

Lithuanian 83.4%Polish 6.7%Russian 6.3%other or unspecified 3.6% (2001 census)

Religions(2001 census)

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)

Sex ratio

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.)

Total fertility rate

1.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Lithuanian(s)
adjective:
Lithuanian

Languages

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

Government

Parliamentary democracy; President Valdas ADAMKUS (since 12 July 2004); Premier Algirdas Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS (since 3 July 2001)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

52.2%
Valdas ADAMKUS 52.2%Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE 47.8%election last held 13 June 2004 and 27 June 2004 (next to be held June 2009)

Parliament or Seimas, elected 10 and 24 October 2004percent of vote

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%

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

Vilnius

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence)

National holiday

  • 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

adopted 25 October 1992

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

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

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

  • Constitutional Court;
  • Supreme Court;
  • Court of Appeal;
  • judges for all courts appointed by the President

Political parties and leaders

  • 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

International organization participation

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

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

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

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

Economy

Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with Russia, has slowly rebounded from the 1998 Russian financial crisis.

43 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$45.23billion
(2004 est.)
Real growth rate
6.6%
(2004 est.)industrial production growth: 12% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate
8%
(2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2004 est.)

agriculture 6.1%industry 33.4%services 60.5% (2004 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

9.3%
Russia
23.1%
10.2%
Germany
16.7%
10.2%
Latvia
4.8%
Poland
7.7%
6.3%
France
5.3%
UK
5.1%
Sweden
5%
Estonia
4.8%
Netherlands
4%
4.8%
Denmark
4.7%
US
4.6%
Switzerland
Exports $8.88 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)Imports $11.02 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)(2004)

Budget

Revenues
$6.542 billionExpenditures
$7.121 billion (2004 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of NA

Electricity

Electricity production
17.93 billion (2002)Electricity consumption
10.17 billion (2002)Electricity exports
6.8 billion (2002)Electricity imports
300 million (2002)

Economy - overview

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 - per capita

purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2004 est.)

Labor force

1.63 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 20%, industry 30%, services 50% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
3.1%
highest 10%:
25.6% (1996)

Investment (gross fixed)

21.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Public debt

25.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

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

Oil - production

4,594 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption

72,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance

$-1.6 billion (2004 est.)

Exports

$8.88 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

mineral products 23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery and equipment 11%, chemicals 6%, wood and wood products 5%, foodstuffs 5% (2001)

Imports

$11.02 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

mineral products 21%, machinery and equipment 17%, transport equipment 11%, chemicals 9%, textiles and clothing 9%, metals 5% (2001)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$4.61 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external

$10.01 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$228.5 million (1995)

Currency (code)

litas (LTL)

Exchange rates

litai per US dollar - 2.7806 (2004), 3.0609 (2003), 3.677 (2002), 4 (2001), 4 (2000)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
2,169,900
(2003)
Internet users
67,769
(2004)
Fixed lines
824,200
(2003) · country code .lt

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)

Television broadcast stations

27 note: Lithuania has approximately 27 broadcasting stations, but may have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations (2001)

Internet users

695,700 (2003)

Transportation

9 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

4
over 3,047 m
1
2,438 to 3,047 m
7
1,524 to 2,437 m
2
2
914 to 1,523 m
4
14
under 914 m
68
Paved 28Unpaved 74

Networkskm

Highways
77,148Railways
1,998Waterways
600 (2004)
Highways: paved: 69,202 km (including 417 km of expressways) · unpaved: 7,946 km (2002) · Railways: 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)

Railways

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

total:
77,148 km
paved:
69,202 km (including 417 km of expressways)
unpaved:
7,946 km (2002)

Pipelines

gas 1,696 km; oil 331 km; refined products 109 km (2004)

Merchant marine

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

102 (2004 est.)

Military

Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, National Defense Volunteer Forces (SKAT)

7 fields

Military branches

Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, National Defense Volunteer Forces (SKAT)

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 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 19-49: 590,606 (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

  • 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

  • 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

Central Intelligence Agency. “Lithuania.” The World Factbook 2005. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/lithuania/2005.

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