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Background:
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 Independent
between the two World Wars, Lithuania was annexed by the USSR
in 1940. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the
Soviet republics to declare its independence, but Moscow did
not recognize this proclamation until September of 1991
(following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian
troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently has
restructured its economy for eventual integration into Western
European institutions. It will accede to the EU in May 2004
and to NATO in the summer of 2004. |
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Location:
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Eastern
Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia |
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Map references:
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Europe |
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Area:
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total:
65,200 sq km
water: NA sq km
land: NA sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
larger than West Virginia |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
1,273 km
border countries: Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland
91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km |
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Coastline:
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99 km |
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Climate:
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transitional,
between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and
summers |
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Terrain:
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lowland,
many scattered small lakes, fertile soil |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Juozapines/Kalnas 292 m |
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Natural resources:
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peat,
arable land |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 45.46%
permanent crops: 0.93%
other: 53.61% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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90 sq
km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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NA |
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Environment - current issues:
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contamination
of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals
at military bases |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party
to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent
Organic Pollutants |
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Geography - note:
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fertile
central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient
glacial deposits |
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Population:
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3,607,899 (July
2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
16.7% (male 309,736; female 294,129)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 1,202,603; female 1,262,784)
65 years and over: 14.9% (male 184,145; female 354,502)
(2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
37.4 years
male: 34.8 years
female: 40.1 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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-0.33% (2004
est.) |
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Birth rate:
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8.49 births/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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11.03
deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-0.71 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female
total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
7.13 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 8.61 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 73.46 years
male: 68.22 years
female: 79 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.1% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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less than 1,300
(2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 100
(2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Lithuanian(s)
adjective: Lithuanian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Lithuanian 80.6%,
Russian 8.7%, Polish 7%, Belarusian 1.6%, other 2.1% |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic
(primarily), Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Protestant,
Evangelical Christian Baptist, Muslim, Jewish |
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Languages:
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Lithuanian
(official), Polish, Russian |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.6% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Republic of Lithuania
conventional short form: Lithuania
local short form: Lietuva
former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic
local long form: Lietuvos Respublika |
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Government type:
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parliamentary
democracy |
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Capital:
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Vilnius |
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Administrative divisions:
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10 counties (apskritys,
singular - apskritis); Alytaus, Kauno, Klaipedos, Marijampoles,
Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages, Telsiu, Utenos, Vilniaus |
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Independence:
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11 March 1990
(independence declared from Soviet Union); 6 September 1991
(Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day,
16 February (1918); note - 16 February 1918 is the date
Lithuania declared its independence from Soviet Russia and
established its statehood; 11 March 1990 is the date it
declared its independence from the Soviet Union |
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Constitution:
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adopted 25
October 1992 |
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Legal system:
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based on civil
law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the
constitutional court |
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Executive branch:
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chief of
state: President Arturas PAULAUSKAS (acting since 6 April
2004); note - Rolandas PAKSAS, president since 26 February
2003, was ousted on 6 April 2004 on charges of abuse of office
head of government: Premier Algirdas Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS
(since 3 July 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
president on the nomination of the premier
elections: president elected by popular vote for a
five-year term; election last held 22 December 2002 and 5
January 2003 (next normally would be held in late 2007 but,
following the removal of President Rolandas PASKAS on 6 April
2004, a new election has now been scheduled for 13 June 2004
); premier appointed by the president on the approval of the
Parliament
election results: Rolandas PAKSAS elected president;
percent of vote - Rolandas PAKSAS 54.9%, Valdas ADAMKUS 45.1% |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral
Parliament or Seimas (141 seats, 71 members are directly
elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional
representation; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held NA
October 2004)
note: the voting results from the 2000 elections do not
correspond to the make up of the Seimas, which has evolved
into a number of factions, each made up of members of several
parties
election results: percent of vote by party - Social
Democratic Coalition 31.1%, New Union-Social Liberals 19.6%,
Liberal Union 17.2%, TS 8.6%, remaining parties all less than
5%; seats by faction - Social Democratic Coalition 51, New
Union-Social Liberals 25, United Political Group-Group of
Liberals 24, Liberal Democrats 13, Conservatives 9, Farmers
and New Democracy Parties 8, Mixed Group 6, independent 1
(four seats unfilled as of 1 June 2003) |
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Judicial branch:
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Constitutional
Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judges for all courts
appointed by the President |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Electoral Action
of Lithuanian Poles [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI, chairman]; Homeland
Union/Conservative Party or TS [Andrius KUBILIUS, chairman];
Lithuanian Center Union or LCS [Kestutis GLAVECKAS, chairman];
Lithuanian Christian Democrats or LKD [Kazys BOBELIS];
Lithuanian Farmer's Party or LUP [Ramunas KARBAUSKIS,
chairman]; Lithuanian Green Party [Rimantas BRAZIULIS];
Lithuanian Liberal Youth [Neringa MOROZAITE]; Lithuanian
National Democratic Party [Vygintas GONTIS]; Lithuanian Social
Democratic Coalition [Algirdas BRAZAUSKAS, chairman] consists
of the Lithuanian Democratic Labor Party or LDDP, the
Lithuanian Social Democratic Party or LSDP, and New Democracy;
Moderate Conservative Union [Gediminas VAGNORIUS]; Modern
Christian Democratic Union [Vytautas BOGUSIS, chairman]; New
Democracy and Farmer's Union [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE, chairman];
New Union-Social Liberals [Arturas PAULAUSKAS, chairman];
Young Lithuania [Arnoldas PLATELIS] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Vygaudas USACKAS
chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466
telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Stephen D. MULL
embassy: Akmenu 6, 2600 Vilnius
mailing address: American Embassy, Vilnius, PSC 78, Box
V, APO AE 09723
telephone: [370] (5) 266 5500
FAX: [370] (5) 266 5510 |
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Economy - overview:
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Lithuania, the
Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with Russia,
has slowly rebounded from the 1998 Russian financial crisis.
Unemployment remains high, still 10.7% in 2003, but is
improving. Growing domestic consumption and increased
investment have furthered recovery. Trade has been
increasingly oriented toward the West. Lithuania has gained
membership in the World Trade Organization and has moved ahead
with plans to join the EU. Privatization of the large,
state-owned utilities, particularly in the energy sector, is
nearing completion. Overall, more than 80% of enterprises have
been privatized. Foreign government and business support have
helped in the transition from the old command economy to a
market economy. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $40.17 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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7.1% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $11,200 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
7.1%
industry: 26.6%
services: 66.3% (2002 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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-1% (2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
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1.5 million (2001
est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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industry 30%,
agriculture 20%, services 50% (1997 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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10.7% (2003 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$1.59 billion
expenditures: $1.77 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
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Industries:
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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 |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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5% (2003 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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14.62 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
16.5%
hydro: 5.7%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 77.7% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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8.683 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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4,594 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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72,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - production:
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0 cu m (2001
est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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2.76 billion cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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grain, potatoes,
sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs; fish |
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Exports:
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$7.89 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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mineral products
23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery and equipment 11%,
chemicals 6%, wood and wood products 5%, foodstuffs 5% (2001) |
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Exports - partners:
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UK 13.4%, Russia
12.1%, Germany 10.4%, Latvia 9.7%, Denmark 5.1%, Sweden 4.2%,
France 4.1% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$9.2 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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mineral products
21%, machinery and equipment 17%, transport equipment 11%,
chemicals 9%, textiles and clothing 9%, metals 5% (2001) |
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Imports - partners:
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Russia 22.2%,
Germany 17.8%, Italy 5.1%, Poland 5% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$6.5 billion
(2003 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$228.5 million
(1995) |
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Currency:
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litas (LTL) |
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Currency code:
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LTL |
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Exchange rates:
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litai per US
dollar - 3.06 (2003), 3.68 (2002), 4 (2001), 4 (2000), 4
(1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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935,900 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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1,645,600 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide
an improved international capability and better residential
access
domestic: a national, fiber-optic cable, interurban,
trunk system is nearing completion; rural exchanges are being
improved and expanded; mobile cellular systems are being
installed; access to the Internet is available; still many
unsatisfied telephone subscriber applications
international: country code - 370; landline connections
to Latvia and Poland; major international connections to
Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by submarine cable for further
transmission by satellite |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 29, FM 142,
shortwave 1 (2001) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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27
note: Lithuania has approximately 27 broadcasting
stations, but may have as many as 100 transmitters, including
repeater stations (2001) |
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Internet country code:
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.lt |
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Internet hosts:
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54,605 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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500,000 (2002) |
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Railways:
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total:
1,998 km
broad gauge: 1,807 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km
electrified)
standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 169 km 0.750-m gauge (all service
suspended) (2002) |
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Highways:
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total:
75,243 km
paved: 68,697 km (including 417 km of expressways)
unpaved: 6,546 km (2000) |
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Waterways:
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600 km
(perennially navigable) |
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Pipelines:
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gas 1,698 km; oil
331 km; refined products 109 km (2003) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Butinge, Kaunas,
Klaipeda |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 49
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 296,856 GRT/317,731 DWT
foreign-owned: Denmark 12, Netherlands 1
registered in other countries: 11 (2003 est.)
by type: cargo 20, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk
8, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off
2, short-sea/passenger 4 |
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Airports:
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102 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 28
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 14 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 74
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 67 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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National Defense
Volunteer Forces (SKAT), Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force |
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Military manpower - military age:
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16 years of age
(2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age
15-49: 943,063 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age
15-49: 738,602 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males:
28,300 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$230.8 million
(FY01) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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1.9% (FY01) |
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Disputes - international:
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in May 2003, the
Russian Parliament ratified the 1997 land and maritime
boundary treaty with Lithuania, which ratified the treaty in
1999, legalizing limits of former Soviet republic borders;
both states also implement a simplified transit regime for
Russian nationals transiting Lithuania to and from the Russian
Kaliningrad coastal enclave; the Latvian Parliament has not
ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania,
primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights |
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Illicit drugs:
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transshipment
point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Southwest Asia,
Latin America, and Western Europe to Western Europe and
Scandinavia; limited production of methamphetamine and
ecstasy; susceptible to money laundering despite changes to
banking legislation |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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