
, the biggest of the three Baltic states
. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea
, whereby to the west lie Sweden
and Denmark
. It shares borders with Latvia
to the north, Belarus
to the east and south, Poland
to the south, and a Russia
n exclave (Kaliningrad Oblast
) to the southwest. Lithuania has an estimated population of 3.2 million as of 2011, and its capital and largest city is Vilnius
.
1009 First known mention of Lithuania, in the annals of the monastery of Quedlinburg.
1253 Mindaugas is crowned King of Lithuania.
1674 The nobility elect John Sobieski King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania.
1863 The January Uprising breaks out in Poland, Lithuania and Belarus. The aim of the national movement is to regain Polish-Lithuanian-Ruthenian Commonwealth from occupation by Russia.
1917 Lithuania declares its independence from Russia.
1918 The Council of Lithuania unanimously adopts the Act of Independence, declaring Lithuania an independent state.
1918 Germany, Austria and Russia sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk ending Russia's involvement in World War I, and leading to the independence of Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.
1920 The Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty is signed. Soviet Russia recognises independent Lithuania.
1920 The Suwalki Agreement between Poland and Lithuania is signed.
1923 Lithuania seizes and annexes Memel.
, the biggest of the three Baltic states
. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea
, whereby to the west lie Sweden
and Denmark
. It shares borders with Latvia
to the north, Belarus
to the east and south, Poland
to the south, and a Russia
n exclave (Kaliningrad Oblast
) to the southwest. Lithuania has an estimated population of 3.2 million as of 2011, and its capital and largest city is Vilnius
. The Lithuanians
are a Baltic people, and the official language, Lithuanian
, is one of only two living languages (together with Latvian
) in the Baltic branch
of the Indo-European
language family.
During the 14th century, Lithuania was the largest country in Europe: present-day Belarus
, Ukraine
, and parts of Poland
and Russia
were territories of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
. With the Lublin Union of 1569, Poland
and Lithuania formed a new state, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Commonwealth lasted more than two centuries, until neighboring countries systematically dismantled it from 1772 to 1795, with the Russian Empire
annexing most of Lithuania's territory.
In the aftermath of World War I
, Lithuania's Act of Independence
was signed on 16 February 1918, declaring the re-establishment of a sovereign state. Starting in 1940, Lithuania was occupied first by the Soviet Union
and then by Nazi Germany
. As World War II neared its end in 1944 and the Germans retreated, the Soviet Union reoccupied Lithuania
.
On 11 March 1990, the year before the break-up of the Soviet Union, Lithuania became the first Soviet republic
to declare independence
. Prior to the global financial crisis of 2007–2010, Lithuania had one of the fastest growing economies in the European Union. Lithuania is a member of NATO, the Council of Europe
, and the European Union
. Lithuania is also a full member of the Schengen Agreement
. The United Nations Human Development Index
lists Lithuania as a "Very High Human Development" country.
Prehistoric
The first people settled in the territory of Lithuania after the last glacial period in the 10th millennium BC. Over a millennium, the Proto-Indo-Europeans, who arrived in the 3rd – 2nd millennium BC, mixed with the local population and formed various Baltic tribes. The first written mention
of Lithuania is found in a medieval German manuscript, the Annals of Quedlinburg
, in an entry dated 9 March 1009.
Medieval

, who was crowned as King of Lithuania on 6 July 1253. After his assassination in 1263, pagan Lithuania
was a target of the Christian crusades
of the Teutonic Knights
and the Livonian Order
. Despite the devastating century-long struggle with the Orders, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
expanded rapidly, overtaking former Slavic principalities of Kievan Rus'
.
By the end of the 14th century, Lithuania was one of the largest countries in Europe and included present-day Belarus
, Ukraine
, and parts of Poland
and Russia
. The geopolitical situation between the west and the east determined the multicultural and multi-confessional character of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The ruling elite practiced religious tolerance and borrowed Chancery Slavonic language as an auxiliary language to the Latin
for official documents.

accepted Poland's offer to become its king. He converted Lithuania to Christianity
and established a personal union
between Poland and Lithuania. After two civil wars, Vytautas the Great
became the Grand Duke of Lithuania in 1392. During his reign, Lithuania reached the peak of its territorial expansion, centralization of the state was begun, and the Lithuanian nobility became increasingly prominent in state politics. Thanks to close cooperation, the armies of Lithuania and Poland achieved a great victory over the Teutonic Knights
in 1410 at the Battle of Grunwald
, one of the largest battles of medieval Europe.
After the deaths of Jogaila and Vytautas, the Lithuanian nobility attempted to break the union between Poland and Lithuania, independently selecting Grand Dukes from the Jagiellon dynasty
. But, at the end of the 15th century, Lithuania was forced to seek a closer alliance with Poland when the growing power of the Grand Duchy of Moscow
threatened Lithuania's Russian principalities and sparked the Muscovite–Lithuanian Wars
and the Livonian War
.
Modern
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was created in 1569. As a member of the Commonwealth, Lithuania retained its institutions, including a separate army, currency, and statutory laws. Eventually Polonizationaffected all aspects of Lithuanian life: politics, language, culture, and national identity. From the mid-16th to the mid-17th centuries, culture, arts, and education flourished, fueled by the Renaissance
and the Protestant Reformation
. From 1573, the Kings of Poland and Grand Dukes of Lithuania were elected by the nobility, who were granted ever increasing Golden Liberties
. These liberties, especially the liberum veto
, led to anarchy
and the eventual dissolution of the state.
During the Northern Wars
(1655–1661), the Lithuanian territory and economy were devastated by the Swedish
army. Before it could fully recover, Lithuania was ravaged during the Great Northern War
(1700–1721). The war, plague, and famine
caused the deaths of approximately 40% of the country's population. Foreign powers, especially Russia, became dominant in the domestic politics of the Commonwealth. Numerous factions among the nobility used the Golden Liberties to prevent any reforms. Eventually, the Commonwealth was partitioned
in 1772, 1792, and 1795 by the Russian Empire
, Prussia
, and Habsburg Austria.
The largest area of Lithuanian territory became part of Russian Empire
. After unsuccessful uprisings in 1831
and 1863
, the Tsarist authorities implemented a number of Russification
policies. They banned the Lithuanian press
, closed cultural and educational institutions, and made Lithuania part of a new administrative region called Northwestern Krai
. These ruthless Russification
policies failed owing to extensive network of book smugglers and secret Lithuanian home schooling.
After the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878), when German diplomats assigned what were seen as Russian spoils of war to Turkey, the relationship between Russia and the German Empire
became complicated. The Russian Empire
resumed the construction of fortresses at its western borders for defence against a potential invasion from Germany in the West. On 7 July 1879 the Russian Emperor Alexander II
approved of a proposal from the Russian military leadership to build the largest "first-class" defensive structure in the entire state – the 65 square kilometre Kaunas Fortress
. Between 1868 and 1914, approximately 635,000 people, almost 20% of the population, emigrated from Lithuania. Large numbers of Lithuanians went to the United States in 1867–1868 after a famine
. A Lithuanian National Revival
laid the foundations of the modern Lithuanian nation and independent Lithuania.
20th century


, the Council of Lithuania
(Lietuvos Taryba) declared the independence of Lithuania
on 16 February 1918, and the re-establishment of the Lithuanian State. Lithuania's foreign policy was dominated by territorial disputes with Poland and Germany. The Vilnius Region
, and Vilnius
, the historical capital of Lithuania, (and so designated in the Constitution of Lithuania) were seized by the Polish army during Żeligowski's Mutiny
in October 1920 and annexed two years later by Poland. For 19 years Kaunas
became the Temporary capital of Lithuania
. The Polish occupation of Vilnius was greatly resented by Lithuania; there were no diplomatic relations between the two states for most of the period between the two world wars.
Acquired during the Klaipėda Revolt
of 1923, the Klaipėda Region
was ceded to Germany
after a German ultimatum
in March 1939. During the interwar period, the domestic affairs of Lithuania were controlled by the authoritarian President, Antanas Smetona
and his party, the Lithuanian National Union, who came to power after the coup d'état of 1926
.
The Soviet Union returned Vilnius to Lithuania after the Soviet invasion of Eastern Poland in September 1939. In June 1940, the Soviet Union occupied and annexed Lithuania
in accordance to the secret protocols of Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. A year later Russia was attacked
by Nazi Germany
, leading to the Nazi occupation of Lithuania
. The Nazis and their collaborators murdered around 190,000 Lithuanian Jews
(91% of the pre-war Jewish community) during the Holocaust.
After the retreat of the German armed forces
, the Soviets re-established the annexation of Lithuania in 1944
. It followed with massive deportations of trouble-making citizens to Siberia, complete nationalisation and collectivisation and general sovietization of everyday life. From 1944 to 1952 approximately 100,000 Lithuanian partisans
fought a guerrilla war against the Soviet system. An estimated 30,000 partisans and their supporters were killed, and many more were arrested and deported to Siberia
n gulag
s. It is estimated that Lithuania lost 780,000 people during World War II.
The advent of perestroika
and glasnost
in the late 1980s allowed the establishment of Sąjūdis
, an anti-communist independence movement. After a landslide victory in elections to the Supreme Soviet
, members of Sąjūdis proclaimed Lithuania's independence
on 11 March 1990, becoming the first Soviet republic to do so. The Soviet Union attempted to suppress the secession by imposing an economic blockade. Soviet troops attacked the Vilnius TV Tower
and killed 14 Lithuanian civilians on the night of 13 January 1991 (January Events
). On 31 July 1991 Soviet
paramilitaries
killed seven Lithuanian border guards on the Belarusian border in what became known as the Medininkai Massacre.
On 4 February 1991, Iceland
became the first country to recognise Lithuanian independence. After the Soviet August Coup, independent Lithuania received wide official recognition and joined the United Nations
on 17 September 1991. The last Soviet troops left Lithuania on 31 August 1993 – even earlier than they departed from East Germany. Lithuania, seeking closer ties with the West, applied for NATO membership in 1994. After a difficult transition from a planned economy
to a free market
one, Lithuania became a full member of NATO and the European Union
in the spring of 2004 and a member of the Schengen Agreement
on 21 December 2007.
Geography
Lithuania is located in Northern Europe. It covers an area of 65,200 km2, which is comparable to the size of West Virginia
state. However it is slightly larger geographically. By total area, Lithuania is larger than the Netherlands
, Belgium
, Denmark
, Latvia
, Estonia
, Slovokia, Macedonia
, Luxembourg
, Slovenia
, Croatia
and Switzerland
.

and 57° N
, and mostly between longitudes 21°
and 27° E
(part of the Curonian Spit
lies west of 21°). It has around 99 kilometres (61.5 mi) of sandy coastline, of which only about 38 kilometres (24 mi) face the open Baltic Sea
and which is the shortest among the Baltic Sea countries; the rest of the coast is sheltered by the Curonian sand peninsula
. Lithuania's major warm-water port, Klaipėda
, lies at the narrow mouth of the Curonian Lagoon
(Lithuanian: Kuršių marios), a shallow lagoon extending south to Kaliningrad
. The main and largest river, the Nemunas River, and some of its tributaries carry international shipping.
Lithuania lies at the edge of North European Plain. Its landscape has been smoothed by glaciers of the last Ice Age. Lithuania's terrain is an alternation of moderate lowlands and highlands, with the maximum elevation being Aukštojas Hill
at 294 metres (965 ft) in the eastern part of the country. The terrain features numerous lakes, Lake Vištytis for example, and wetlands; a mixed forest zone covers nearly 33% of the country. The climate
ranges between maritime and continental, with wet, moderate winters and mildly hot summers.
After a re-estimation of the boundaries of the continent
of Europe
in 1989, Jean-George Affholder, a scientist at the Institut Géographique National
(French National Geographic Institute) determined that the Geographic Centre of Europe is located at 54°54′N 25°19′E. The method used for calculating this point was that of the centre of gravity of the geometrical figure
of Europe. This point is located in Lithuania, specifically 26 kilometres (16.2 mi) north of its capital city, Vilnius
.
Climate

in January and 16 °C (61 °F) in July. In Vilnius the average temperatures are -6 °C in January and 16 °C (61 °F) in July. During the summer, 20 °C (68 °F) is common during the day while 14 °C (57 °F) is common at night; in the past, temperatures have reached as high as 30 °C (86 °F) or 35 °C (95 °F). Some winters can be very cold. -20 °C occurs almost every winter. Winter extremes are -34 °C in coastal areas and -43 °C in the east of Lithuania.
The average annual precipitation is 800 millimeters on the coast, 900 mm in the Samogitia highlands and 600 millimeters in the eastern part of the country. Snow occurs every year, it can snow from October to April. In some years sleet can fall in September or May. The growing season lasts 202 days in the western part of the country and 169 days in the eastern part. Severe storms are rare in the eastern part of Lithuania but common in the coastal areas.
The longest measured temperature records from the Baltic area cover about 250 years. The data show that there were warm periods during the latter half of the 18th century, and that the 19th century was a relatively cool period. An early 20th century warming culminated in the 1930s, followed by a smaller cooling that lasted until the 1960s. A warming trend has persisted since then.
Lithuania experienced a drought
in 2002, causing forest and peat
bog fires. The country suffered along with the rest of Northwestern Europe during a heat wave in the summer of 2006.
Reported extreme temperatures in Lithuania by month are following:
Politics
Since Lithuania declared the restoration of its independence on 11 March 1990, it has maintained strong democratic traditions. In the first general elections after the independence on 25 October 1992, 56.75% of the total number of voters supported the new constitution. There were intense debates concerning the constitution, especially the role of the president. A separate referendum was held on 23 May 1992 to gauge public opinion on the matter and 41% of all the eligible voters supported the restoration of the President of Lithuania. According to the explanation of Constitutional Court of Lithuania on January 10, 1998, Republic of Lithuania is a parliamentary Republic with some semi-presidential features inside of parliamentary republic type.
The Lithuanian head of state
is the President, elected directly for a five-year term, serving a maximum of two consecutive terms. The post of president is largely ceremonial; main policy functions however include foreign affairs and national security policy. The president is also the military commander-in-chief
. The President, with the approval of the parliamentary body, the Seimas
, also appoints the Prime Minister
and, on the latter's nomination, the rest of the cabinet, as well as a number of other top civil servants and the judges for all courts.
The current Lithuanian head of state
, Dalia Grybauskaitė
was elected on
May 17, 2009 becoming the first female President in the country's history. This marked a dramatic shift in Eastern European politics after its European neighbour, Latvia
elected their first female political leader late on in the previous decade.
The judges of the Constitutional Court (Konstitucinis Teismas), who serve nine-year terms, are appointed by the President (three judges), the Chairman of the Seimas (three judges) and the Chairman of the Supreme Court (three judges). The unicameral Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas
, has 141 members who are elected to four-year terms. 71 of the members of this legislative body are elected in single member constituencies, and the other 70 are elected in a nationwide vote by proportional representation
. A party must receive at least 5% of the national vote to be eligible for the 70 national seats in the Seimas.
Administrative divisions
The current administrative division was established in 1994 and modified in 2000 to meet the requirements of the European Union. Lithuania has a three-tier administrative division: the country is divided into 10 counties(Lithuanian: singular – apskritis, plural – apskritys) that are further subdivided into 60 municipalities
(Lithuanian: singular – savivaldybė, plural – savivaldybės) which consist of over 500 elderships (Lithuanian: singular – seniūnija, plural – seniūnijos).
The counties are ruled by county governors (Lithuanian: apskrities viršininkas) appointed by the central government. They ensure that the municipalities adhere to the laws of Lithuania and the constitution. County government oversees local governments and their implementation of the national laws, programs and policies. As the counties have limited functions, there are numerous proposals to reduce their number and organize the new counties around the ethnographic regions of Lithuania
or five major cities with population over 100,000.
Municipalities are the most important administrative unit. Some municipalities are historically called "district municipalities", and thus are often shortened to "district"; others are called "city municipalities", sometimes shortened to "city". Each municipality has its own elected government. In the past, the election of municipality councils occurred once every three years, but it now takes place every four years. The council elects the mayor and appoints elders
to govern the elderships. There is currently a proposal for direct election
of mayors and elders, however that would require an amendment to the constitution.
Elderships, numbering over 500, are the smallest units and do not play a role in national politics. They provide necessary public services close to their homes; for example, in rural areas the elderships register births and deaths. They are most active in the social sector: they identify needy individuals or families and distribute welfare or organise other forms of relief. While the elderships have a potential of becoming a source of local initiative to tackle rural problems, complaints are made that elderships have no real power and receive too little attention.
Foreign relations
Lithuania became a member of the United Nations on 18 September 1991, and is a signatory to a number of its organizations and other international agreements. It is also a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, NATO and its adjunct North Atlantic Coordinating Council, the Council of Europe, and the European Union. Lithuania gained membership in the World Trade Organization
on 31 May 2001. It also seeks membership in the OECD and other Western organizations.
Lithuania maintains foreign diplomatic missions in 94 countries on six continents and consular posts in two countries that are not represented by an embassy. Lithuania's liberal "zero-option" citizenship law has substantially erased tensions with its neighbors. Lithuania's suspension of two strongly ethnic Polish district councils on charges of blocking reform or disloyalty during the August 1991 coup had cooled relations with Poland
, but bilateral cooperation markedly increased with the holding of elections in those districts and the signing of a bilateral Friendship Treaty in 1994. Although a similar bilateral friendship agreement was signed with Belarus
in 1995, Lithuania has joined the United States and other European nations in urging the Government of Belarus to adopt democratic and economic reforms.
Lithuania has established diplomatic relations with 149 countries.
Military

) and are supported by 100,000 reserve forces. Conscription
was ended in September 2008.
Lithuania's defence system is based on the concept of "total and unconditional defence" mandated by Lithuania's national Security Strategy. The goal of Lithuania's defence policy is to prepare their society for general defence and to integrate Lithuania into Western security and defence structures. The defence ministry is responsible for combat forces, search and rescue
, and intelligence operations.
The 5,400 border guards
fall under the Interior Ministry's supervision and are responsible for border protection, passport
and customs
duties, and share responsibility with the navy
for smuggling
/ drug trafficking interdiction. A special security department handles VIP protection and communications security
.
Economy
- In 2003, before joining the European Union, Lithuania had the highest economic growth rate amongst all candidate and member countries, reaching 8.8% in the third quarter.
- In 2004 – 7.4%; 2005 – 7.8%; 2006 – 7.8%; 2007 – 8.9%, 2008 Q1 – 7.0% growth in GDP reflects the impressive economic development and as a result is often termed as a Baltic TigerBaltic TigerBaltic Tiger is a term used to refer to any of the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania during their periods of economic boom, which started after the year 2000 and continued until 2006–2007...
. - As of September 2011, the unemployment rate is 10.3%. Less than 2% of the population live beneath the poverty line.
- Lithuania has a flat taxFlat taxA flat tax is a tax system with a constant marginal tax rate. Typically the term flat tax is applied in the context of an individual or corporate income that will be taxed at one marginal rate...
rate rather than a progressive scheme. In 2007, personal income tax was reduced to 24% and a reduction to 21% was made in January 2009. Lithuanian income levels are lower than in the older EU Member States. According to EurostatEurostatEurostat is a Directorate-General of the European Commission located in Luxembourg. Its main responsibilities are to provide the European Union with statistical information at European level and to promote the integration of statistical methods across the Member States of the European Union,...
data, Lithuanian PPS GDP per capita stood at 61 per cent of the EU average in 2008. - The country boasts a well-developed modern infrastructure of railways, airports and four-lane highways.
- Structurally, there is a gradual but consistent shift towards a knowledge-based economy with special emphasis on biotechnologyBiotechnologyBiotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
(industrial and diagnostic). The major biotechnology companies and laser manufacturers (EksplaEksplaEKSPLA is a laser manufacturing company based in Lithuania. EKSPLA is known for their lasers and laser systems as well as other photonics components. The company is supplying their products and solutions for scientific & industrial applications.-History:...
, Altechna, Šviesos Konversija) of the Baltics are concentrated in Lithuania. Also mechatronicsMechatronicsMechatronics is the combination of mechanical engineering, electronic engineering, computer engineering, software engineering, control engineering, and systems design engineering in order to design, and manufacture useful products. Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary field of engineering, that is...
and information technologyInformation technologyInformation technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
(IT) are seen as prospective knowledge-based economy directions. - In 2009, Barclays established Technology Centre Lithuania – one of four strategic engineering centres supporting the Barclays Retail BankingRetail bankingRetail banking is banking in which banking institutions execute transactions directly with consumers, rather than corporations or other banks. Services offered include: savings and transactional accounts, mortgages, personal loans, debit cards, credit cards, and so forth.-Types of...
businesses across the globe. In 2010, IBMIBMInternational Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
set up a research center in Lithuania. In 2011, Western UnionWestern UnionThe Western Union Company is a financial services and communications company based in the United States. Its North American headquarters is in Englewood, Colorado. Up until 2006, Western Union was the best-known U.S...
officially opened their new European Regional Operating Centre in Vilnius. The stated position of the Lithuanian government is that the focus of Lithuanian economy is high added-value products and services. - Among other international companies operating in Lithuania are: PricewaterhouseCoopersPricewaterhouseCoopersPricewaterhouseCoopers is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest professional services firm measured by revenues and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms....
, Ernst & YoungErnst & YoungErnst & Young is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms, along with Deloitte, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers ....
, Societe GeneraleSociété GénéraleSociété Générale S.A. is a large European Bank and a major Financial Services company that has a substantial global presence. Its registered office is on Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, while its head office is in the Tours Société Générale in the business district of La...
, UniCreditUniCreditUniCredit SpA is an Italy-based, pan-European banking organization, with aprox 40 million customers and operations in 22 countries.- Geography :...
, Thermo Fisher ScientificThermo Fisher ScientificThermo Fisher Scientific is a large life sciences supply company that was created in 2006 by the merger of Thermo Electron and Fisher Scientific.-Predecessors and merger:...
, Phillip MorrisPhilip Morris InternationalPhilip Morris International is an international tobacco company, with products sold in over 160 countries. In 2007, it held a 15.6% share of the international cigarette market outside of the USA and reported revenues net of excise taxes of $22.8 billion and operating income of $8.9 billion.Until...
, Kraft FoodsKraft FoodsKraft Foods Inc. is an American confectionery, food and beverage conglomerate. It markets many brands in more than 170 countries. 12 of its brands annually earn more than $1 billion worldwide: Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Trident, Tang...
, MarsMars, IncorporatedMars, Incorporated is a worldwide manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and other food products with US$30 billion in annual sales in 2010, and is ranked as the 5th largest privately held company in the United States by Forbes. Headquartered in McLean, unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia,...
, Marks & SpencerMarks & SpencerMarks and Spencer plc is a British retailer headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, with over 700 stores in the United Kingdom and over 300 stores spread across more than 40 countries. It specialises in the selling of clothing and luxury food products...
, United Colors of Benetton, DeichmannHeinrich Deichmann-Schuhe GmbH-About The Company:Deichmann Shoes is a shoe store which is the largest monger of shoes and sportswear in Europe. Established in 1913 by Heinrich Deichmann. The company is headquartered in Essen, Germany...
, StatoilStatoilStatoil ASA is a Norwegian petroleum company established in 1972. It merged with Norsk Hydro in 2007 and was known as StatoilHydro until 2009, when the name was changed back to Statoil ASA. The brand Statoil was retained as a chain of fuel stations owned by StatoilHydro...
, Neste OilNeste OilNeste Oil is a Finnish oil refining and marketing company producing mainly transportation fuels and other refined petroleum products. Neste Oil shares are quoted on the Helsinki Stock Exchange.- History :...
, LukoilLUKoilLukoil/LUKoil ; ) is Russia's second largest oil company and its second largest producer of oil. In 2009, the company produced 97.615 million tons of oil; ....
, Tele2Tele2Tele2 AB is a major European telecommunications operator, with about 34 million customers in 11 countries. It serves as a fixed-line telephone operator, cable television provider, mobile phone operator and Internet service provider.- Overview :...
, HesburgerHesburgerHesburger is a fast-food chain based in Turku, Finland. Today, it is the largest Finnish hamburger restaurant chain, with a larger presence in the Finnish market than U.S.-based McDonald's...
and Modern Times GroupModern Times GroupModern Times Group is a Swedish media company. MTG was formed out of the media holdings of investment company Kinnevik, which in 1997 was distributed to the company stockholders. Among the assets were Viasat and Metro International...
. TeliaSoneraTeliaSoneraTeliaSonera AB is the dominant telephone company and mobile network operator in Sweden and Finland. The company has operations in other countries in Northern, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Spain, with a total of 150 million mobile customers...
, ICAICA- Business :* Empresas ICA , large construction company in Mexico* ICA AB, a Swedish corporate group in the food retail business, formerly named ICA Ahold AB....
and Carslberg respectively own local telecommunications company OmnitelOmnitelOmnitel is one of the largest telecommunication companies in the Baltics, member of TeliaSonera group. It provides services of carrying and packaging of voice, images, data, information, transactions and entertainment....
, retailer RimiRimi BalticRimi Baltic is a major retail operator in the Baltic states based in Riga, Latvia. It is a subsidiary of Swedish group ICA. Rimi Baltic operates 246 retail stores in Estonia , Latvia and Lithuania and has distribution centres in each country...
and beer breweries (Švyturys, KalnapilisKalnapilisKalnapilis is a Lithuanian brewery, established by Albert Foight in Panevėžys in 1902. A landowner of German origin, Foight named the brewery "Bergschlösschen", meaning a small castle on the hill...
and Utenos Alus). - Lithuanian banking sector is dominated by the Scandinavian banks: SwedbankSwedbankSwedbank AB is a leading Nordic-Baltic banking group with 9.5 million retail customers and 534,000 corporate customers in Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. In Sweden, the group has 377 branches. In the Baltic countries, it has another 224 branches...
, SEBSebSeb is a diminutive of the given name Sebastian. "Seb" may also refer to:*A god in Egyptian mythology also known as Geb*Sebastian 'Seb' Coe , British athlete and politician*Seb Fontaine, DJ with English dance/electronica outfit Reflekt...
, NordeaNordeaNordea Bank AB is a Stockholm-based financial services group operating in Northern Europe. The bank is the result of the successive mergers and acquisitions of the Swedish, Finnish, Danish and Norwegian banks of Nordbanken, Merita Bank, Unibank and Kreditkassen that took place between 1997 and 2000...
, Danske BankDanske BankDanske Bank is a Danish bank. The name literally means "Danish Bank" It was founded 5 October 1871 as Den Danske Landmandsbank, Hypothek- og Vexelbank i Kjøbenhavn ....
, DnB NORDDnB NORDDnB NORD is a European bank group in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. The bank is own by the Norwegian bank DnB NOR. DnB NORD has more than 3,000 employees, 160 branches, 675,000+ customers and assets totalling €5.1 billion...
. They face a competition from several local banks: SnorasSnorasBankas Snoras AB or simply SNORAS was a commercial bank, founded in Lithuania operating in all three Baltic states. It is a member of the financial group Konversbank and is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Vilnius stock exchange. On November 16, 2011, 100% of the bank shares were nationalized by the...
and Ūkio BankasUkio BankasŪkio Bankas is a Lithuanian commercial bank based in Kaunas. More than 50% of shares are owned by Lithuanian businessman Vladimir Romanov who therefore is in the control of the bank. It is the fifth largest and oldest private bank in Lithuania...
. - Among the biggest Lithuanian companies are: VP Group, ORLEN Lietuva, AchemaAchemaAchema is the largest fertilizer producer in the Baltic states. It is located in the city of Jonava in central Lithuania. Achema employs about 1700 workers...
, LifosaLifosaLifosa is a phosphate industry company based in Kedainiai, Lithuania. Starting business in 1952 as a state-owned enterprise of the Lithuanian SSR, it was privatized in 1996 and is now listed on the NASDAQ OMX Vilnius exchange. From 2002, the controlling interest in Lifosa is owned by Russian...
, AprangaAprangaApranga is a clothing retail chain in Lithuania and the Baltic states.It runs stores under various brands, often under franchise agreements, including:*Zara, Pull and Bear, Inditex, and Bershka*Mango, Stradivarius....
. - Corporate tax rate in Lithuania is 15% and 5% for small businesses. The government offers special incentives for investments into the high-technology sectors and high value-added products.
- Most of the trade Lithuania conducts is within the European Union.
- The litasLithuanian litasThe Lithuanian litas is the currency of Lithuania. It is divided into 100 centų...
, the national currency, has been pegged to the euro since 2 February 2002 at the rate of EUR 1.00 = LTL 3.4528, and Lithuania is expecting to switch to the euro on 1 January 2014.
Infrastructure
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- According to the Speedtest.netSpeedtest.netSpeedtest.net is a free broadband connection analysis website founded by Ookla Net Metrics in 2006. The company is based in Kalispell, Montana. Users can test their internet speed against hundreds of geographically dispersed servers around the world...
website, as of 30 October 2011 Lithuania ranks first in the world by the internet upload speed and download speed, schools and corporations ignored. - The Port of KlaipėdaPort of KlaipedaThe Port of Klaipėda is a seaport located in Klaipėda, Lithuania. It is one of the few ice-free ports in northernmost Europe, and the largest in Lithuania...
is the only portPortA port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
in Lithuania. - Vilnius International AirportVilnius International AirportVilnius International Airport is the largest civil airport in Lithuania. It is located south of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. It began operations in 1944. The old terminal was built in 1954.- History:...
is the largest airport. It served 2 million passengers in 2008. Other airports include: Kaunas International AirportKaunas AirportKaunas International Airport , which serves Kaunas, Lithuania is the second busiest civil airport in Lithuania after Vilnius airport and the fourth busiest in the Baltic states. Kaunas Airport is the fastest growing airport in the Baltic states in 2009 and 2010...
and Palanga International AirportPalanga International AirportPalanga International Airport is an international airport located in the western part of Lithuania near the Baltic Sea. The airport focuses on servicing short and mid-range routes. The facility expansion completed in 2007 has made long-range route servicing a possibility. Since 1993, the number of...
. - Lithuania has an extensive network of motorways. The best known motorways are A1A1 highway (Lithuania)The A1 Highway is a highway in Lithuania . It connects the capital city of Vilnius with the port city of Klaipėda, via the second largest city, Kaunas. Its length is over , making it the longest highway in Lithuania....
, connecting Vilnius with Klaipėda via Kaunas, as well as A2A2 highway (Lithuania)The A2 motorway is a highway in Lithuania . It connects the capital city of Vilnius with the Panevėžys, via Ukmergė.Its length is over , making it the third longest highway in Lithuania . The Vilnius - Ukmergė highway was the first section opened...
, connecting Vilnius and PanevėžysPanevežysPanevėžys see also other names, is the fifth largest city in Lithuania. As of 2008, it occupied 50 square kilometers with 113,653 inhabitants. The largest multifunctional arena in Panevėžys is the Cido Arena...
. One of the most used is the European route E67European route E67European route E 67 is a E-road running from Prague in the Czech Republic to Helsinki in Finland by way of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia....
highway running from WarsawWarsawWarsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
to TallinnTallinnTallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
, via KaunasKaunasKaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
and RigaRigaRiga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
. - Lithuania received its first railway connection in the middle of the nineteenth century, when the Warsaw – Saint Petersburg RailwayWarsaw – Saint Petersburg RailwayThe Saint Petersburg – Warsaw Railway, Russian "Санкт-Петербурго-Варшавская железная дорога" is a long railway, built in the 19th century by the Russian Empire to connect Russia with Central Europe. At the time the entire railway was within Russia, as Warsaw was under a Russian partition of Poland...
was constructed. It included a stretch from DaugavpilsDaugavpilsDaugavpils is a city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city gets its name. Daugavpils literally means "Daugava Castle". With a population of over 100,000, it is the second largest city in the country after the capital Riga, which is located some...
via Vilnius and Kaunas to Virbalis. The first and only still operating in the Baltic statesBaltic statesThe term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
Kaunas Railway TunnelKaunas Railway TunnelKaunas railway tunnel is one of the two tunnels existing in Lithuania and the only railway tunnel operating in the Baltic states. It connects Vilnius and Kaunas. The length of the tunnel is 1,285 metres , height – 6,6 metres, width – 8,8 metres...
was completed in 1860. Lithuanian RailwaysLithuanian RailwaysLithuanian Railways is the national, state-owned railway company of Lithuania. It operates all the railway lines in the country.Lithuanian Railways' main network consists of 1749 km of broad gauge railway of which 122 km are electrified. They also operate 22 km of standard gauge...
' main network consists of 1749 km of 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 5⁄6 in) broad gaugeBroad gaugeBroad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
railway of which 122 km are electrified. They also operate 22 km of standard gaugeStandard gaugeThe standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
lines. The Trans-European standard gaugeStandard gaugeThe standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
Rail BalticaRail Balticathumb|300px|Map of Rail Baltica...
railway, linking HelsinkiHelsinkiHelsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
– TallinnTallinnTallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
– RigaRigaRiga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
– KaunasKaunasKaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
– WarsawWarsawWarsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
and continuing on to Berlin is under construction now and by the end of 2013 will reach Kaunas. - Ignalina Nuclear Power PlantIgnalina Nuclear Power PlantThe Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant is a closed two-unit RBMK-1500 nuclear power station in Visaginas, Lithuania. It was named after the nearby city of Ignalina...
was a Soviet-era nuclear station.- Unit #1 was closed in December 2004, as a condition of Lithuania's entry into the European Union; the plant is similar to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power PlantChernobyl Nuclear Power PlantThe Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant or Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant is a decommissioned nuclear power station near the city of Pripyat, Ukraine, northwest of the city of Chernobyl, from the Ukraine–Belarus border, and about north of Kiev. Reactor 4 was the site of the Chernobyl disaster in...
in its lack of a robust containment structure. The remaining unit, as of 2006, supplied about 70% of Lithuania's electrical demand. - Unit #2 was closed down on 31 December 2009. Proposals have been made to construct another nuclear power plant in Lithuania.
- Unit #1 was closed in December 2004, as a condition of Lithuania's entry into the European Union; the plant is similar to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant
- Kruonis Pumped Storage PlantKruonis Pumped Storage PlantKruonis Pumped Storage Plant is located near Kruonis, Lithuania, east of Kaunas. Its main purpose is to provide a spinning reserve of the power system, to regulate the load curve of the power system 24 hours a day. It operates in conjunction with the Kaunas Hydroelectric Power Plant...
is the only in the Baltic statesBaltic statesThe term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
power plant to be used for regulation of the power system’s operation with generating capacity of 900 MW. Other primary sources of Lithuania's electrical power are Elektrėnai Power PlantElektrenai Power PlantThe Elektrėnai Power Plant or Lithuania Power Plant is an 1,800-MW electrical generating station near Elektrėnai, Lithuania, about west of Lithuania's capital, Vilnius. It is operated by Lietuvos Elektrinė, a subsidiary of Lietuvos Energija....
and Kaunas Hydroelectric Power PlantKaunas Hydroelectric Power PlantThe Kaunas Hydroelectric Power Plant, located on the Nemunas River about southeast of downtown Kaunas, Lithuania, was completed in 1960. Its dam created the Kaunas Reservoir. Owned by Lietuvos Energija, it operates in conjunction with the Kruonis Pumped Storage Plant.The plant, which has a...
.
Demographics
Since the Neolithic period the native inhabitants of the Lithuanian territory have not been replaced by any other ethnic group, so there is a high probability that the inhabitants of present day Lithuania have preserved the genetic composition of their forebears relatively undisturbed by the major demographic movements, although without being actually isolated from them. The Lithuanian population appears to be relatively homogeneous, without apparent genetic differences among ethnic subgroups.A 2004 analysis of MtDNA in the Lithuanian population revealed that Lithuanians are close to the Indo-European
and Uralic
-speaking populations of Northern Europe. Y-chromosome
SNP haplogroup
analysis showed Lithuanians to be closest to Latvians
, Estonians
, and Finns.
According to 2009 estimates, the age structure of the population was as follows: 0–14 years, 14.2% (male 258,423/female 245,115); 15–64 years: 69.6% (male 1,214,743/female 1,261,413); 65 years and over: 16.2% (male 198,714/female 376,771). The median age was 39.3 years (male: 36.8, female: 41.9).
Ethnic groups
Lithuania has the most homogenous population in the Baltic States. The population of Lithuania stands at 3,244,600, 83.9% of whom are ethnic Lithuanians
who speak Lithuanian
, which is the official language of the country. Several sizable minorities exist, such as Poles
(6.6%), Russians
(5.4%), and Belarusians
(1.3%).
Poles are the largest minority, concentrated in southeast Lithuania (the Vilnius region
). Russians are the second largest minority, concentrated mostly in two cities. They constitute sizeable minorities in Vilnius
(14%) and Klaipėda
(28%), and a majority in the town of Visaginas
(52%). About 3,000 Roma live in Lithuania, mostly in Vilnius, Kaunas
, and Panevėžys; their organizations are supported by the National Minority and Emigration Department.
According to the Lithuanian population census of 2001, about 84% of the country's population speak Lithuanian as their native language, 8.2% are native speakers of Russian, 5.8% – of Polish. More than 60% are fluent in Russian, while only about 16% say they can speak English. According to the Eurobarometer
survey conducted in 2005, 80% of Lithuanians can speak Russian and 32% can speak English. Most Lithuanian schools teach English as the first foreign language, but students may also study German, or, in some schools, French or Russian. Schools where Russian or Polish are the primary languages of education exist in the areas populated by these minorities.
Health

at birth was 68 years for males and 78.8 for females, the infant mortality rate was 4.3 per 1,000 births. The annual population growth rate increased by 0.3% in 2007. At 30.4 people per 100,000, Lithuania has seen a dramatic rise in suicide
s in the post-Soviet years, and now records the highest suicide rate in the world. In 1995, it had the highest suicide rate of 45.6 per 100,000 of population in recorded world history. Lithuania also has the highest homicide
rate in the EU.
Religion
In 2005, 79% of Lithuanians belonged to the Roman Catholic Church. The Church has been the majority denomination since the Christianisation of Lithuania at the end of the 14th century. Some priests actively led the resistance against the Communist regime (symbolised by the Hill of Crosses).



Protestant church had around 200,000 members, 9% of the total population, but it has declined since 1945. Small Protestant communities are dispersed throughout the northern and western parts of the country. Believers and clergy suffered greatly during the Soviet occupation, with many killed, tortured or deported to Siberia. Various Protestant churches have established missions in Lithuania since 1990. 4.9% are Orthodox
(mainly among the Russian minority), 1.9% are Protestant and 9.5% have no religion
.
- Roman Catholic – 79.0% (2.752 million)
- OrthodoxEastern Orthodox ChurchThe Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
– 4.1% (142,000) - OrthodoxEastern Orthodox ChurchThe Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
(Old BelieversOld BelieversIn the context of Russian Orthodox church history, the Old Believers separated after 1666 from the official Russian Orthodox Church as a protest against church reforms introduced by Patriarch Nikon between 1652–66...
) – 0.8% (27,100) - Evangelical Lutherans – 0.6% (19,600)
- Reformed Church – 0.2% (7,100)
- Jehovah's WitnessesJehovah's WitnessesJehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
– 0.1% (3,500) - Sunni MuslimSunni IslamSunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam. Sunni Muslims are referred to in Arabic as ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah wa āl-Ǧamāʿah or ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah for short; in English, they are known as Sunni Muslims, Sunnis or Sunnites....
– 0.1% (2,900) - Charismatics – 0.06% (2,200)
- PentecostalismPentecostalismPentecostalism is a diverse and complex movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, has an eschatological focus, and is an experiential religion. The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, the Greek...
– 0.04% (1,300) - JudaismJudaismJudaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
– 0.04% (1,300) - Old Baltic religionBaltic neopaganismThe Baltic countries were the last part of Europe to be Christianized, and vestiges of paganism blend into a Neopaganism movement that is largely independent of Western Asatru.*Romuva in Lithuania*Dievturība in Latvia...
– 0.04% (1,300) - Other religions – 0.3% (11 thousand.)
According to the most recent Eurobarometer Poll
2005, 49% of Lithuanian citizens responded that "they believe there is a God", 36% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit
or life force", and 12% said that "they do not believe there is any sort of spirit
, god, or life force".
Education
The first documented school in Lithuania was established in 1387 at Vilnius Cathedral. The school network was influenced by the Christianization of Lithuania
. Several types of schools were present in medieval Lithuania – cathedral schools, where pupils were prepared for priesthood; parish schools, offering elementary education; and home schools dedicated to educating the children of the Lithuanian nobility. Before Vilnius University
was established in 1579, Lithuanians seeking higher education attended universities in foreign cities, including Kraków
, Prague
, and Leipzig
, among others. During the Interbellum
a national university
– Vytautas Magnus University
was founded in Kaunas.
The Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania proposes national educational policies and goals. These are sent to the Seimas for ratification. Laws govern long-term educational strategy along with general laws on standards for higher education, vocational training, law and science, adult education, and special education. County administrators, municipal administrators, and school founders (including non-governmental organizations, religious organizations, and individuals) are responsible for implementing these policies. By constitutional mandate, ten years of formal enrollment in an educational institution is mandatory, ending at age 16.
26 percent of the 1999 state budget was allocated to education expenses. Primary and secondary schools receive funding from the state via their municipal or county administrations. The Constitution of Lithuania
guarantees tuition-free attendance at public institutions of higher education for students deemed 'good'; the number of such students has varied over the past decade, with 68 percent exempted from tuition fees in 2002.
The World Bank
designates the literacy rate of Lithuanian persons aged 15 years and older as 100%. As of 2008, 30.4% of the population aged 25 to 64 had completed tertiary education; 60.1% had completed upper secondary and post-secondary (non-tertiary) education. According to Invest in Lithuania, Lithuania has twice as many people with higher education than the EU-15 average and the proportion is the highest in the Baltic. Also, 90% of Lithuanians speak at least one foreign language and half of the population speaks two foreign languages, mostly Russian
and English.
As with other Baltic
nations, in particular Latvia
, the large volume of higher education
graduates within the country, coupled with the high rate of spoken second languages is contributing to an education brain drain
. Many Lithuanians are choosing to emigrate seeking higher earning employment and studies throughout Europe. Since their inclusion into the European Union in 2004, Lithuania's population has fallen by approximately 180,000 people.
As of 2008, there were 15 public universities in Lithuania, 6 private institutions, 16 public colleges, and 11 private colleges. Vilnius University is one of the oldest universities in Northern Europe and the largest university in Lithuania. Kaunas University of Technology
is the largest technical university in the Baltic States
and the second largest university in Lithuania. Other universities include Kaunas University of Medicine
, Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre
, Vilnius Pedagogical University
, Vytautas Magnus University
, Mykolas Romeris University
, Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education
, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University
, The General Jonas Zemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania
, Klaipėda University
, Lithuanian Veterinary Academy
, Lithuanian University of Agriculture
, Šiauliai University
and Vilnius Academy of Art
.
Culture

:
- AukštaitijaAukštaitijaAukštaitija is the name of one of five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. The name comes from the relatively high elevation of the region, particularly the eastern parts.-Geography:...
– literally, the "Highlands" - SamogitiaSamogitiaSamogitia is one of the five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. It is located in northwestern Lithuania. Its largest city is Šiauliai/Šiaulē. The region has a long and distinct cultural history, reflected in the existence of the Samogitian dialect...
(Lithuanian: Žemaitija, SamogitianSamogitian languageSamogitian is a dialect of the Lithuanian language spoken mostly in Samogitia . Attempts have been made to standardize it...
: Žemaitėjė) – literally, the "Lowlands" - DzūkijaDzukijaDzūkija or Dainava is one of five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. Dzūkija is a cultural region defined by traditional lifestyles and dialects of the local Lithuanian population and has never been defined as a political or administrative unit...
(Lithuanian: Dzūkija or Dainava) - SuvalkijaSuvalkijaSuvalkija or Sudovia is the smallest of the five cultural regions of Lithuania. Its unofficial capital is Marijampolė. People from Suvalkija are called suvalkiečiai or suvalkietis . It is located south of the Neman River, in the former territory of Vilkaviškis bishopric...
(Lithuanian: Suvalkija or Sūduva) - Lithuania MinorLithuania MinorLithuania Minor or Prussian Lithuania is a historical ethnographic region of Prussia, later East Prussia in Germany, where Prussian Lithuanians or Lietuvininkai lived. Lithuania Minor enclosed the northern part of this province and got its name due to the territory's substantial...
also known as "Prussian Lithuania" – (Lithuanian: Mažoji Lietuva or Prūsų Lietuva). The region was part of Prussia from the Middle AgesMiddle AgesThe Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
until 1945. Most of it today is part of RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
(Kaliningrad OblastKaliningrad OblastKaliningrad Oblast is a federal subject of Russia situated on the Baltic coast. It has a population of The oblast forms the westernmost part of the Russian Federation, but it has no land connection to the rest of Russia. Since its creation it has been an exclave of the Russian SFSR and then the...
).
Art and museums
The Lithuanian Art Museumwas founded in 1933 and is the largest museum of art conservation and display in Lithuania. Among other important museums is the Palanga Amber Museum
, where amber
pieces comprise a major part of the collection.
Perhaps the most renowned figure in Lithuania's art community was the composer Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis
(1875–1911), an internationally renowned musician. The 2420 Čiurlionis
asteroid
, identified in 1975, honors his achievements. The M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum
, as well as the only in Lithuania military Vytautas the Great War Museum
are located in Kaunas.
Literature

, the main scholarly language of the Middle Ages. The edicts of the Lithuanian King Mindaugas
is the prime example of the literature of this kind. Letters of Gediminas
is another crucial heritage of the Lithuanian Latin writings.
Lithuanian literary works in the Lithuanian language
started being first published in the 16th century. In 1547 Martynas Mažvydas
compiled and published the first printed Lithuanian book The Simple Words of Catechism, which marks the beginning of printed Lithuanian literature. He was followed by Mikalojus Daukša
with Katechizmas. The 16th and 17th century Lithuanian literature was primarily religious. In the 16th and 17th centuries, as in the whole Christian Europe
, Lithuanian literature was primarily religious..
The evolution of the old (14th–18th century) Lithuanian literature ends with Kristijonas Donelaitis
, one of the most prominent authors of the Age of Enlightenment
. Donelaitis
poem The Seasons is national epic and landmark of the Lithuanian fiction literature.
With a mix of Classicism
, Sentimentalism
, and Romanticism
, the Lithuanian literature of the first half of the 19th century is represented by Maironis
, Antanas Baranauskas
, Simonas Daukantas
and Simonas Stanevičius
. During the Tsarist annexation of Lithuania in 19th century, Lithuanian press ban
was implemented, which lead to a formation of the Knygnešiai
(Book smugglers) movement. This movement is thought to be the very reason of the survival of the Lithuanian language and literature until today.
20th century Lithuanian literature is represented by Juozas Tumas-Vaižgantas
, Antanas Vienuolis
, Bernardas Brazdžionis
and Vytautas Mačernis
and Justinas Marcinkevičius
.
Music
Lithuanian folk music belongs to Balticmusic branch which is connected with neolithic
corded ware culture. Two instrument cultures meet in the areas inhabited by Lithuanians: stringed (kanklių
) and wind instrument
cultures. Lithuanian folk music is archaic, mostly used for ritual purposes, containing elements of paganism
faith. There are three ancient styles of singing in Lithuania connected with ethnographical regions: monophony
, heterophony
and polyphony
. Folk song genres: Sutartinės, Wedding Songs, War-Historical Time Songs, Calendar Cycle and Ritual Songs and Work Songs.
Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis
is the most renowned Lithuanian painter
and composer
. During his short life he created about 200 pieces of music. His works have had profound influence on modern Lithuanian culture. His symphonic poem
s In the Forest (Miške) and The Sea (music)|The Sea (Jūra) were performed only posthumously.
Vytautas Miškinis
(born 1954) is a professor, composer and choir director of the famous Lithuanian boys' choir Ąžuoliukas
. He is very popular in Lithuania and abroad. He has written over 400 secular and about 150 religious works.
In Lithuania choral music is very important. Vilnius
is the only city with three choirs laureates (Brevis, Jauna Muzika and Chamber Choir of the Conservatoire) at the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing
. There is a long-standing tradition of the Lithuanian Song and Dance Festival (Dainų Šventė). The first once took place in Kaunas
in 1924. Since 1990, the festival has been organised every four years and summons roughly 30,000 singers and folk dancers of various professional levels and age groups from across the country. In 2008, Lithuanian Song and Dance Festival together with its Latvian
and Estonian
versions was inscribed as UNESCO
Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity
.
Sports

- Basketball is by far the most popular sport in the country. The Lithuania national basketball teamLithuania national basketball teamThe Lithuanian national basketball team is the representative for Lithuania in international men's basketball. Lithuania won bronze medals in three out of five Olympic tournaments it participated in....
has had significant success in international basketball events. Having won a total of 9 medals in the EuroBasketEurobasketThe EuroBasket, also referred to as the FIBA European Basketball Championship, is the main basketball competition contested biennially by the men's national teams governed by FIBA Europe, the European zone within the International Basketball Federation. The championship was first held in 1935 and...
, the World ChampionshipsFIBA World ChampionshipThe FIBA World Championship is an international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation , the sport's global governing body...
and the Olympic GamesBasketball at the Summer OlympicsBasketball has been a Summer Olympics sport for men consistently since 1936. Prior to its inclusion as a medal sport, it was held as demonstration event in 1904 and 1932, both in the United States. Women's basketball was played in the Olympics only since 1976....
, it is ranked 5th worldwide in FIBA Rankings. - Lithuania has produced a number of NBA players: Arvydas SabonisArvydas SabonisArvydas Romas Sabonis is a retired Lithuanian professional basketball player and a businessman. He was an eight-time European Player of the Year, winning the Euroscar Award six times, and the Mr...
, Žydrūnas IlgauskasŽydrunas IlgauskasŽydrūnas Ilgauskas , or "Big Z" , is a retired Lithuanian professional basketball center who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association...
, Šarūnas MarčiulionisŠarunas MarciulionisRaimondas Šarūnas Marčiulionis is a retired Lithuanian professional basketball player. He was one of the first Europeans to become a regular in the North American National Basketball Association...
, Darius SongailaDarius SongailaDarius Songaila is a Lithuanian professional basketball player. He is also a member of the Lithuania national team. He can play power forward and center positions. He currently plays for Galatasaray Medical Park in Turkey....
, Šarūnas JasikevičiusŠarunas JasikeviciusŠarūnas Jasikevičius is a Lithuanian professional basketball player who plays for Panathinaikos BC. He is a member of the Lithuanian national team, and plays the point guard position.-Early years:...
, Linas KleizaLinas KleizaLinas Kleiza is a Lithuanian professional basketball player with the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association. He is also a member of the Lithuanian national team. He can play either forward position. Kleiza signed a four year, $18.8 million contract prior to the 2010–11 NBA...
and others. The current 19-year-old Lithuanian star Jonas ValančiūnasJonas ValančiūnasJonas Valančiūnas is a Lithuanian professional basketball player, currently playing for BC Lietuvos Rytas. He is a member of the Lithuanian national basketball team...
was picked 5th by Toronto RaptorsToronto RaptorsThe Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
in the 2011 NBA Draft2011 NBA DraftThe 2011 NBA Draft was held on June 23, 2011 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The draft started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball...
. - Arvydas SabonisArvydas SabonisArvydas Romas Sabonis is a retired Lithuanian professional basketball player and a businessman. He was an eight-time European Player of the Year, winning the Euroscar Award six times, and the Mr...
was the first Lithuanian to be inducted into the prestigious Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on August, 2011. - In 2011, the Lithuanian U19 men's basketball team won the FIBA Under-19 World ChampionshipFIBA Under-19 World ChampionshipThe FIBA Under-19 World Championship is a men's under-19 only basketball competition organized by FIBA. From its inauguration in 1979 until 2007 it was held every four years...
. - In 2011, Lithuania hosted the men's European Basketball Championship EuroBasket 2011Eurobasket 2011EuroBasket 2011 was the 37th men's European Basketball Championship, held by FIBA Europe. The competition was hosted by Lithuania. This was the second time Eurobasket had been held in Lithuania, the country having also hosted the 1939 championship. FIBA Europe asserted that Lithuania managed to...
. The final took place in the newly built Žalgiris Arena which is the largest arena in Baltics. - The historic Lithuanian basketball team Kauno Žalgiris won the European basketball league EuroleagueEuroleagueEuroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
in 1999. It competes in Euroleague 2011/12 as of today. Vilniaus Lietuvos Rytas and Rūdupis compete in the second-tier European competition Eurocup Basketball.
- Football, athletics and cyclingCyclingCycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
are also popular in Lithuania. The popularity of ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
, rugbyRugby footballRugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
and tennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
is also growing. - Lithuania national football teamLithuania national football teamThe national football team of Lithuania is under the auspices of the Lithuanian Football Federation. It played its first match in 1923. In 1940, Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union; the country regained its independence in 1990 and played their first match as a new nation against Georgia on...
stars are Deividas ŠemberasDeividas ŠemberasDeividas Šemberas is a Lithuanian professional footballer who plays as centre back for Russian Premier League club PFC CSKA Moscow...
playing for CSKA Moscow and Marius StankevičiusMarius StankeviciusMarius "StankyLeg" Stankevičius is a Lithuanian professional footballer who plays for the Serie A club S.S. Lazio, as a defender . He was the Lithuanian player of the year in 2008 and 2009.-International career:...
playing for LazioS.S. LazioSocietà Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
. - Virgilijus AleknaVirgilijus AleknaVirgilijus Alekna is a Lithuanian athlete who specialises in the discus throw. He won medals at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympics, including two golds.-Career:...
is one of world top discus throwDiscus throwThe discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...
ers. He has won two consecutive Olympic gold medals in the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Olympics. In the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics Alekna received the Bronze medal. - Austra SkujytėAustra SkujyteAustra Skujytė is a Lithuanian athlete, competing in both the heptathlon and the decathlon. On 15 April 2005 in Columbia, Missouri, she broke the women's decathlon world record, with a score of 8366....
(Silver in heptathlonHeptathlonA heptathlon is a track and field athletics combined events contest made up of seven events. The name derives from the Greek hepta and athlon . A competitor in a heptathlon is referred to as a heptathlete.-Women's Heptathlon:...
, 2004 Athens Olympics) and Edvinas KrungolcasEdvinas KrungolcasEdvinas Krungolcas is a Lithuanian modern pentathlete who won the silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.-References:* . ESPN....
(Silver in pentathlonPentathlonA pentathlon is a contest featuring five different events. The name is derived from Greek: combining the words pente and -athlon . The first pentathlon was documented in Ancient Greece and was part of the Ancient Olympic Games...
, 2008 Beijing Olympics) are also world-class athletes. - Simona KrupeckaitėSimona KrupeckaiteSimona Krupeckaitė is a Lithuanian professional track cyclist. She is the 2009 500 m Time Trial World Champion and World Record holder at 33.296s, and the 2010 Keirin World Champion. She also won the 2009 Lithuanian Sportsman of the Year award. In 2010 Krupeckaitė reached one more world record...
is currently the country's most famous professional track cyclist. She holds two world records in 500m time trial and flying 200m time trial. Krupeckaitė has been named the Lithuanian Sportsman of the YearLithuanian Sportsman of the YearSince 1956, Lithuania honors their greatest athlete of the year. The award's trophy, a bronze archer, has been given to the following recipients:-External links:*...
twice in 2009 and 2010. - Lithuania had several stellar NHL players: Darius KasparaitisDarius KasparaitisDarius Kasparaitis is a retired professional ice hockey defenseman. Known by the nickname Kaspar, he has dual citizenship in both the United States and Russia, and he has played for the Russian national ice hockey team.- Playing career :Kasparaitis left Lithuania for Russia at age 14 after...
and Dainius ZubrusDainius ZubrusDainius Gintas Zubrus is a Lithuanian professional ice hockey right winger and center currently playing for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League...
. - Ričardas BerankisRicardas BerankisRičardas Berankis is a Lithuanian professional tennis player. He is the highest ranked Lithuanian tennis player of all time.- Early career :Berankis began playing tennis at the age of two...
is the top ranked Lithuanian tennis player. - The other famous Lithuanian sportsman abroad is one of the world's foremost strongmen Žydrūnas SavickasŽydrunas SavickasŽydrūnas Savickas is a professional strongman and is widely considered one of the all-time greatest athletes in the history of the sport...
. He is currently nominated as the Strongest Man in the WorldWorld's Strongest ManThe World's Strongest Man is a well recognised event in strength athletics and has been described by a number of highly respected authorities in the sport as the premier event in strongman. Organized by TWI, an IMG Media company, it is broadcast around the end of December each year...
. - Another notable Lithuanian athlete in mixed martial arts is Marius ŽaromskisMarius ŽaromskisMarius Žaromskis is a Lithuanian welterweight mixed martial artist. After fighting the majority of his career for British promotion Cage Rage, he signed with DREAM in 2009 and then, later that year, with Strikeforce. With DREAM, Žaromskis won their 2009 Welterweight Grand Prix and became their...
. - With the launch of the first indoor ski slope in Baltics SNORAS Snow Arena the rise of popularity in winter sports is widely expected.
See also
External links
Government- The Lithuanian President – Official site of the President of the Republic of Lithuania
- The Lithuanian Parliament – Official site of the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania
- The Lithuanian Government – Official site of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania
- Chief of State and Cabinet Members
- Statistics Lithuania – Official site of Department of Statistics to the Government of Lithuania
General information
- Lithuania from UCB Libraries GovPubs
- Lietuva.lt/en – Lithuanian internet gates
- Maps of Lithuania
- History LT- a growing site containing information about Lithuanian history and culture.
Travel
- Lithuanian State Department of Tourism
- Travel Channel movie about Lithuanian – "Essential Lithuania 2010"
- www.travel.lt – The Official Lithuanian Travel Guide