2010 Edition

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.

Area

land

62,680 sq km

total

65,300 sq km

water

2,620 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than West Virginia

Climate

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

Coastline

90 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Aukstojas 294 m

lowest point

Baltic Sea 0 m

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, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

971 cu m/yr (2003)

total

3.33 cu km/yr (78%/15%/7%)

Geographic coordinates

56 00 N, 24 00 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

70 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

border countries

Belarus 680 km, Latvia 576 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km

total

1,574 km

Land use

arable land

44.81%

other

54.29% (2005)

permanent crops

0.9%

Location

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

peat, arable land, amber

Terrain

lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil

Total renewable water resources

24.5 cu km (2005)

Age structure

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) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

9.21 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

11.25 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

4.7% of GDP (2007)

Ethnic groups

Lithuanian 84%, Polish 6.1%, Russian 4.9%, Belarusian 1.1%, other or unspecified 3.9% (2009)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 200 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

2,200 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

5.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

7.61 deaths/1,000 live births

total

6.37 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.29 years (2010 est.)

male

70.23 years

total population

75.12 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

99.6% (2001 census)

male

99.6%

total population

99.6%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

intermediate

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases

tickborne encephalitis (2009)

Median age

female

42.3 years (2010 est.)

male

37.1 years

total

39.7 years

Nationality

adjective

Lithuanian

noun

Lithuanian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

3,545,319 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.276% (2010 est.)

Religions

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)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

17 years (2008)

male

15 years

total

16 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.057 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.53 male(s)/female

total population

0.89 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.24 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

-0.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

67% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

54 41 N, 25 19 E

name

Vilnius

time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

adopted 25 October 1992; last amended 13 July 2004

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Lithuania

conventional short form

Lithuania

former

Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic

local long form

Lietuvos Respublika

local short form

Lietuva

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Anne E. DERSE

embassy

Akmenu gatve 6, Vilnius, LT-03106

FAX

[370] (5) 266 5510

mailing address

American Embassy, Akmenu Gatve 6, Vilnius LT-03106

telephone

[370] (5) 266 5500

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Zygimantas PAVILIONIS

consulate(s) general

Chicago, New York

FAX

[1] (202) 328-0466

telephone

[1] (202) 234-5860

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

President Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE (since 12 July 2009)

election results

Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE elected president; percent of vote - Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE 69.1%, Algirdas BUTKEVICIUS 11.8%, Valentinas MAZURONIS 6.2%, others 12.9%; Andrius KUBILIUS' government approved by Parliament 83-40 with 5 abstentions

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 May 2009 (next to be held in May 2014); prime minister appointed by the president on the approval of the Parliament

head of government

Prime Minister Andrius KUBILIUS (since 27 November 2008)

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red; yellow symbolizes golden fields, as well as the sun, light, and goodness; green represents the forests of the countryside, in addition to nature, freedom, and hope; red stands for courage and the blood spilled in defense of the homeland

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

11 March 1990 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

based on civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the constitutional court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats; 71 members elected by popular vote, 70 elected by proportional representation; members to serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - TS-LKD 19.7%, TPP 15.1%, TT 12.7%, LSDP 11.7%, KDP+J 9%, LRLS 5.7%, LCS 5.3%, LLRA 4.8%, LVLS 3.7%, NS 3.6%, other 8.7%; seats by faction - TS-LKD 44, LSDP 26, TPP 16, TT 15, LRLS 11, KDP+J 10, LCS 8, LLRA 3, LVLS 3, NS 1, independent 4; note - seats by faction as of 15 March 2010 - TS-LKD 46, LSDP 25, TT 18, Christian Party 12, LS 11, DP 10, LCS 7, TPP 7, unaffiliated 5; note - TS-LKD, LS, LCS, and TPP form the ruling coalition

elections

last held on 12 and 26 October 2008 (next to be held in October 2012)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Vincas KUDIRKA note: adopted 1918, restored 1990; the anthem was written in 1898 while Lithuania was a part of Russia; it was banned during the Soviet occupation from 1940 to 1990

name

"Tautiska giesme" (The National Song)

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

Political parties and leaders

Christian party [Gediminas VAGNORIUS]; Civil Democracy Party or PDP [Algimantas MATULEVICIUS]; Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles or LLRA [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI]; Homeland Union - Lithuanian Christian Democrats or TS-LKD [Andrius KUBILIUS]; Labor Party or DP [Viktor USPASKICH]; Liberal and Center Union or LCS [Gintautas BABRAVICIUS]; Liberal Movement or LS or LRLS [Eligijus MASIULIS]; Lithuanian Farmers' Union or LVLS or VLS [ Ramunas KARBAUSKIS]; Lithuanian People's Party (not yet officially established) [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE]; National Revival or TPP [Arunas VALINSKAS]; New Union (Social Liberal) or NS [Arturas PAULAUSKAS]; Order and Justice Party or TT [Rolandas PAKSAS]; Social Democratic Party or LSDP [Algirdas BUTKEVICIUS]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Central bank discount rate

1.75% (February 2010) 4.73% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

8.39% (31 December 2009 est.) 8.41% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

$1.231 billion (2010 est.) $1.492 billion (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$27.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $28.69 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

36 (2005) 34 (1999)

Economy - overview

Lithuania gained membership in the World Trade Organization and joined the EU in May 2004. Despite Lithuania's EU accession, Lithuania's trade with its Central and Eastern European neighbors, and Russia in particular, accounts for a growing percentage of total trade. 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. Lithuania's economy grew on average 8% per year for the four years prior to 2008 driven by exports and domestic demand. However, GDP plunged nearly 15% in 2009 - during the 2008-09 crisis the three former Soviet Baltic republics had the world's worst economic declines. In 2009, the government launched a high-profile campaign, led by Prime Minister KUBILIUS, to attract foreign investment and to develop export markets. The current account deficit, which had risen to roughly 15% of GDP in 2007-08, recovered to a surplus of 4% 2009 and 3.5% in 2010 in the wake of a cutback in imports to almost half the 2008 level. Nevertheless, economic growth was flat and unemployment continued upward to 16% in 2010.

Electricity - consumption

9.612 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

6.606 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

5.649 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

12.09 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

litai (LTL) per US dollar - 2.6637 (2010), 2.4787 (2009), 2.3251 (2008), 2.5362 (2007), 2.7498 (2006)

Exports

$19.29 billion (2010 est.) $16.48 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

mineral products 22%, machinery and equipment 10%, chemicals 9%, textiles 7%, foodstuffs 7%, plastics 7%

Exports - partners

Russia 13.2%, Latvia 10%, Germany 9.6%, Poland 7.1%, Estonia 7.1%, Belarus 4.7%, UK 4.3% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

4.3%

industry

27.6%

services

68.2% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$15,900 (2010 est.) $15,700 (2009 est.) $18,400 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

0.4% (2010 est.) -14.8% (2009 est.) 2.8% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$35.73 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$56.22 billion (2010 est.) $55.99 billion (2009 est.) $65.72 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 27.4% (2004)

Imports

$20.34 billion (2010 est.) $17.56 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Russia 30.1%, Germany 11.1%, Poland 9.9%, Latvia 6.3% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

2.5% (2010 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.9% (2010 est.) 4.5% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

15.2% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

1.633 million (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

14%

industry

29.1%

services

56.9% (2005)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$4.477 billion (31 December 2009) $3.625 billion (31 December 2008) $10.13 billion (31 December 2007)

Natural gas - consumption

3.53 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

3.53 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

74,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

137,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

204,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

6,333 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

12 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

4% (2003)

Public debt

36.7% of GDP (2010 est.) 29.5% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$6.418 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $6.66 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$17.26 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $17.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$2.507 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $2.307 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$14.11 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $13.81 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$25.35 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $25.85 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$8.917 billion (31 December 2010 est) $8.896 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Unemployment rate

16% (2010 est.) 13.7% (2009 est.)

Broadcast media

public broadcaster operates 3 channels with the third channel - a satellite channel - introduced in 2007; various privately-owned commercial TV broadcasters operate national and multiple regional channels; large number of privately-owned local TV stations; multi-channel cable and satellite TV services are available; publicly-owned broadcaster operates 3 radio networks; large number of privately-owned commercial broadcasters, many with repeater stations in various regions throughout the country (2007)

Internet country code

.lt

Internet hosts

1.17 million (2010)

Internet users

1.964 million (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

rapid expansion of mobile-cellular services has resulted in a steady decline in the number of fixed-line connections; mobile-cellular teledensity stands at about 140 per 100 persons

general assessment

adequate; being modernized to provide improved international capability and better residential access

international

country code - 370; major international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite; landline connections to Latvia and Poland (2008)

Telephones - main lines in use

747,400 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

4.962 million (2009)

Airports

81 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

26 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 13 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

55 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 51 (2010)

Merchant marine

by type

cargo 22, container 1, passenger/cargo 6, refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned

8 (Denmark 8)

registered in other countries

29 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Belize 2, Comoros 3, Cook Islands 2, Norway 1, Panama 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 10, unknown 3) (2010)

total

42

Pipelines

gas 1,695 km; refined products 114 km (2009)

Ports and terminals

Butinge, Klaipeda

Railways

broad gauge

1,746 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified)

standard gauge

22 km 1.435-m gauge (2009)

total

1,768 km

Roadways

paved

71,563 km (includes 309 km of expressways)

total

81,030 km

unpaved

9,467 km (2008)

Waterways

441 km (navigable year round) (2007)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 900,746 females age 16-49: 887,843 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 674,265 females age 16-49: 734,806 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

20,536 (2010 est.)

male

21,606

Military branches

Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Forces (Karines Oro Pajegos, KOP), National Defense Volunteer Forces (2010)

Military expenditures

1.2% of GDP (2007 est.)

Military service age and obligation

19-26 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for volunteers; 12-month conscript service obligation; male registration required at age 16 (2009)

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 page last updated on January 19, 2011 ======================================================================