Lithuania

Republic of LithuaniaLietuvos Respublika

parliamentary democracyIndependence 11 March 1990 (declared)

Lithuania as the 2007 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 129 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, UTC+2
Position56 00 N, 24 00 E
Area65,200 sq km
LocationEastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia
2007

Every edition of Lithuania

Populationas each edition published it
3.58 million July 2007 est. · 3.79m in 1992
Population growth% a year
-0.289% 2007 est. · 0.76% in 1993
Median ageyears
38.6 years 2007 est. · 36.6 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
74.44 years 2007 est. · 71.12 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.21 children per woman 2007 est. · 2.1 in 1992
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
6.68 deaths per 1,000 live births 2007 est. · 18 in 1992
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$15,300 2006 est. · $3,240 in 1994
GDP real growth% a year
7.5% 2006 est. · -30% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

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.

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 65,200 sq km

arable land 44.81%permanent crops 0.9%other 54.29% (2005)irrigated 70 sq km (2003)
Area
65,200sq km
land: NA sq kmwater: NA sq kmslightly larger than West Virginia
Coastline
90km
territorial sea: 12 nm
Highest point
293.6m
Juozapines Kalnaslowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
Land boundaries
1,613km
border countries: Belarus 653.5 km, Latvia 588 km, Poland 103.7 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 267.8 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, amber

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

People

19 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2007 est.)

194,500
65 and over15.8%
369,789
1,213,011
15-6469.3%
1,264,996
273,573
0-1414.9%
259,570
MaleFemale
Population
3,575,439
(July 2007 est.)growth rate: -0.289% (2007 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2007 est.)

Birth
8.87Death
11.05Net migration
-0.72

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2007 est.)74.44
69.46 · 79.69Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)6.68
7.99 · 5.29
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2001 census)99.6%
99.6% · 99.6%Median age years (2007 est.)38.6
36.1 · 41.2
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:
1.054 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.)

Total fertility rate

1.21 children born/woman (2007 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); Prime Minister Gediminas KIRKILAS (since 4 July 2006)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

28.6%
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%last held 10 and 24 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2008)

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

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%

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

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

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

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]

International organization participation

ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Audrius BRUZGA
chancery:
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

Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with Russia, has grown rapidly since rebounding from the 1998 Russian financial crisis.

48 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$54.9billion
(2006 est.)official exchange rate: $30.2 billion (2006 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$15,300
(2006 est.)
Real growth rate
7.5%
(2006 est.)industrial production growth: 7% (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2006 est.)

agriculture 5.5%industry 35%services 59.6% (2006 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

12.8%
Russia
24.3%
8.6%
Germany
14.9%
11.1%
Latvia
4.8%
6.1%
Poland
9.5%
6.5%
Estonia
4.8%
Netherlands
4.5%
Sweden
4.4%
UK
4.3%
US
4.2%
Denmark
4.2%
France
Exports $14.12 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)Imports $18.29 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)(2006)

Budget

Revenues
$10.05 billionExpenditures
$10.12 billion (2006 est.)

Electricity

Electricity production
13.48 billion (2005)Electricity consumption
9.296 billion (2005)Electricity exports
8.607 billion (2005)Electricity imports
5.641 billion (2005)

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.

Labor force

1.588 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.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
2.7%
highest 10%:
27.7% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed)

23.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Public debt

18.2% of GDP (2006 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 jewelry

Oil - production

14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption

56,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

145,100 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports

187,800 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves

12 million bbl (1 January 2006)

Natural gas - consumption

2.916 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - imports

2.916 billion cu m (2005)

Current account balance

$-3.244 billion (2006 est.)

Exports

$14.12 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)

Imports

$18.29 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Economic aid - recipient

$249.7 million (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$5.773 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$16.2 billion (2006 est.)

Currency (code)

litas (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

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
4.718 million
(2006)
Internet users
1.301 million
(2007)
Fixed lines
792,400
(2006) · 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 (may have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations) (2001)

Internet users

1.083 million (2006)

Transportation

9 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

3
over 3,047 m
1
1
2,438 to 3,047 m
7
1,524 to 2,437 m
2
914 to 1,523 m
3
17
under 914 m
53
Paved 30Unpaved 57

Networkskm

Roadways
79,497Railways
1,771Waterways
425 (2005)
Roadways: paved: 70,549 km (includes 417 km of expressways) · unpaved: 8,948 km (2005) · Railways: broad gauge: 1,749 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified) · standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)

Airports

87 (2007)

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 (2006)

Roadways

total:
79,497 km
paved:
70,549 km (includes 417 km of expressways)
unpaved:
8,948 km (2005)

Merchant marine

total:
50 ships (1000 GRT or over) 363,795 GRT/366,624 DWT
by type:
bulk carrier 4, cargo 22, chemical tanker 1, container 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 16
foreign-owned:
9 (Denmark 9)
registered in other countries:
20 (Antigua and Barbuda 6, North Korea 1, Norway 1, Panama 5, St Vincent and The Grenadines 7, unknown 3) (2007)

Military

Ground Forces, Naval Force, Lithuanian Military Air Forces, National Defense Volunteer Forces (2005)

6 fields
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
1.2%
(2006; 1.23% 2007 est.)

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;
  • 18 years of age for volunteers;
  • 12-month conscript service obligation (2006)

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.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

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

Central Intelligence Agency. “Lithuania.” The World Factbook 2007. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/lithuania/2007.

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