Lietuvos Respublika Republic of Lithuania
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Tautos jėga vienybėje" "The strength of the nation lies in unity"
Anthem: Tautiška giesmė
Location of  Lithuania  (orange) – on the European continent  (camel & white) – in the European Union  (camel)                  [Legend]
Capital (and largest city)		Vilnius 54°41′N, 25°19′E
Official languages		Lithuanian
Demonym		Lithuanian
Government		Parliamentary republic
-	President	Valdas Adamkus
-	Prime Minister	Gediminas Kirkilas
Independence		from the Russian Empire (1918)
-	Lithuania mentioned	February 14, 1009
-	Kingdom	July 6, 1253
-	Personal union with Poland	February 2, 1386
-	Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth declared	1569
-	Russian/Prussian occupation	1795
-	Independence declared	February 16, 1918
-	1st Soviet occupation	August 3, 1940
-	2nd Soviet occupation	1944
-	Independence restored	March 11, 1990
EU accession		1 May 2004
Area
-	Total	65,200 km² (123rd) 25,173 sq mi
-	Water (%)	1,35%
Population
-	2007 estimate	3,369,600 (130th)
-	Density	52/km² (120th) 134/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2008 estimate
-	Total	$66 billion[1] (75th)
-	Per capita	$19, 730 (49th)
GDP (nominal)		2008 IMF April estimate
-	Total	$48, 132 billion [3] (75th)
-	Per capita	$14, 273 (53rd)
Gini (2003)		36 (medium)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0. The Flag of Lithuania consists of a horizontal tricolor of Yellow, Green and Red. The Coat of arms of Lithuania, consisting of an armor-clad knight on horseback holding an olden Sword and Shield, is also known as A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's "Tautiška giesmė" is the National anthem of Lithuania, also known by its opening words "Lietuva Tėvyne mūsų" (Lithuania Our Homeland The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in The earliest evidence of inhabitants in present-day Lithuania dates back to 10000 BC An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory Lithuanian ( lietuvių kalba) is the official state language of Lithuania and is recognised as one of the official languages of the European Union. A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place Lithuanians are the Baltic Ethnic group native to Lithuania, where they number a little over 3 million For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A parliamentary republic or parliamentary constitutional republic is a form of a Republic which operates under a Parliamentary system of government The following is a list of rulers over Lithuania — grand dukes kings and presidents — the heads of authority over historical Lithuanian territory Valdas Adamkus, born Voldemaras Adamkavičius on November 3 1926 is the current President of the Republic of Lithuania. The Prime Minister of Lithuania is the head of the executive arm of Lithuania 's government and is chosen by the Lithuanian parliament the Seimas. Gediminas Kirkilas ( b August 30 1951, Vilnius, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union) is the current Prime Minister of Lithuania This article discusses the history of Lithuania and of the Lithuanians. The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German Events 1044 - The Battle of Ménfő takes place 1189 - Richard the Lionheart is crowned King of England Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor Events 1249 - Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with the Khan of the Mongols Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 8 - Roman Empire General Tiberius defeats Dalmatians on the river Bathinus. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in A Member State of the European Union is any one of the twenty-seven sovereign Nation states that have acceded the European Union (EU since its De facto Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions  Areas between 10000 km² and 100000 km² are listed here This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The International Monetary Fund ( IMF) is an International organization that oversees the Global financial system by following the Macroeconomic PLEASE NO RANDOM FIGURES THERE ARE NO FIGURES BASED ON NATIONAL STATISTICS IN THIS ARTICLE Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product Per capita at Nominal values, the The Gini coefficient is a measure of statistical dispersion most prominently used as a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 862 (high) (43rd)
Currency		Lithuanian litas (Lt) (LTL)
Time zone		EET (UTC+2)
-	Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Internet TLD		.lt1
Calling code		+370
1	Also .eu, shared with other European Union member states. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The litas ( ISO currency code LTL symbolized as Lt plural litai or litų) is the currency of Lithuania. ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established Eastern European Time ( EET) is one of the names of UTC+2 Time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. Daylight saving time ( DST Eastern European Summer Time ( EEST) is one of the names of UTC+3 Time zone, 3 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in

Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lithuanian: Lietuvos Respublika) is a country variously defined as being part of Eastern or Northern Europe. Lithuanian ( lietuvių kalba) is the official state language of Lithuania and is recognised as one of the official languages of the European Union. In Political geography and International politics, a country is a Political division of a geographical entity Eastern Europe is a general term that refers to the Geopolitical region encompassing the easternmost part of the European continent. ^[2] Situated along the south-eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, sharing borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland, and the Russian exclave of the Kaliningrad Oblast to the southwest. The Baltic Sea is a Brackish inland sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N Latitude and from 20°E to 26°E Longitude. Latvia ( Latvija officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Kaliningrad Oblast (Калинингра́дская о́бласть Kaliningradskaya oblast; informally called Yantarny kray (ru Янта́рный край meaning Lithuania is a member of NATO and of the European Union. The North Atlantic Treaty The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Its population is 3. 4 million. The largest city and capital is Vilnius.

During the 1300s, Lithuania was the largest country in Europe, as present-day Belarus, Ukraine, and parts of Poland and Russia were territories of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. With the Lublin Union of 1569 Poland and Lithuania formed a new state: the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, which was finally destroyed by its neighboring countries in 1795. The Union of Lublin (Liublino unija Belarusian: Лю́блінская ву́нія Polish: Unia The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, officially the Commonwealth of the Crown of the Polish Kingdom and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania also known as the Most Serene Republic The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the Year 1795 ( MDCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Most of Lithuania's territory was annexed by the Russian Empire, until the Act of Independence was signed on February 16, 1918, which declared re-establishment of a sovereign state. The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya The Act of Independence of Lithuania (Lietuvos Nepriklausomybės Aktas or Act of February 16 was signed by the Council of Lithuania on February 16 1918 proclaiming Events 1249 - Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with the Khan of the Mongols Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Between 1940 and 1945 Lithuania was occupied by both the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany at different times. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers When World War II was near its end in 1944 and the Nazis retreated, Lithuania would again be merged into the Soviet Union. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. On March 11, 1990, Lithuania became the first Soviet republic to declare its renewed independence. Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) The Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania or Act of March 11 signed by the members of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania, proclaimed

Present-day Lithuania has one of the fastest growing economies in the European Union. Lithuania became a full member of the Schengen Agreement on 21 December 2007. The term Schengen Agreement is used for two agreements concluded among European states in 1985 and 1990 which deal with the abolition of systematic Border controls Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[3] In 2009 Lithuania will celebrate the millennium of its name.

History

Main article: History of Lithuania

The first mention of Lithuania is found in a medieval German manuscript, the Quedlinburg Chronicle, on 14 February 1009. This article discusses the history of Lithuania and of the Lithuanians. The name of Lithuania (Lietuva was first recorded in written sources in 1009 in chronicles of Quedlinburg (Annales Quedlinburgenses Quedlinburg (ˈkveːdlɪnbʊʁk is a Town located north of the Harz mountains in the district of Harz in the west of Saxony-Anhalt Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German The Lithuanian lands were united by Mindaugas in 1236, and neighbouring countries referred to it as "the state of Lithuania". Mindaugas (ˈmındoʊgʌs ca 1203 – 12 September 1263) was the first known Grand Duke of Lithuania, a title he gained ca The official coronation of Mindaugas as King of Lithuania was on July 6, 1253, and the official recognition of Lithuanian statehood as the Kingdom of Lithuania. King of Lithuania, the title of rulers of Lithuanian state recognised by the Pope. Events 1044 - The Battle of Ménfő takes place 1189 - Richard the Lionheart is crowned King of England The Kingdom of Lithuania was a Lithuanian Monarchy which existed from 1251 to roughly 1263 ^[4]

During the early period of the Gediminas (1316–1430), the state occupied the territories of present-day Belarus, Ukraine, and parts of Poland and Russia. Gediminas (ca 1275 – winter 1341 was the Monarch of medieval Grand Duchy of Lithuania with the title lt didysis kunigaikštis (вялікі князь Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending ^[5] By the end of the fourteenth century, Lithuania was the largest country in Europe, and was also the only remaining pagan state. ^[6] The Grand Duchy of Lithuania stretched across a substantial part of Europe, from the Baltic to the Black Sea. The Baltic Sea is a Brackish inland sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N Latitude and from 20°E to 26°E Longitude. The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey Lithuanian nobility, city dwellers and peasants accepted Christianity in 1386, following Poland's offer of its crown to Jogaila, the Grand Duke of Lithuania. The Lithuanian nobility was historically a legally privileged class in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania consisting of Lithuanian (from historical The Christianization of Lithuania (Lietuvos krikštas was the event that took place in 1387 initiated by the Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland Jogaila, later Władysław II Jagiełło (b about 1362 d 1 June 1434 was Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland. Grand Duke Jogaila was crowned King of Poland on February 2, 1386. The Title grand duke (in Latin, magnus dux; in Spanish, gran duque; in Russian, Великий Герцог Jogaila, later Władysław II Jagiełło (b about 1362 d 1 June 1434 was Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland. Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor Lithuania and Poland were joined into a personal union, as both countries were ruled by the same Gediminas branch, the Jagiellon dynasty. A personal union is the combination by which two different States are governed by the same Monarch, while their boundaries their laws and their interests remain distinct Gediminas (ca 1275 – winter 1341 was the Monarch of medieval Grand Duchy of Lithuania with the title lt didysis kunigaikštis (вялікі князь The Jagiellons (Jogailaičiai Jagiellonowie were a royal Dynasty originating from Lithuanian House of Gediminas dynasty that reigned in Central European

In 1401, the formal union was dissolved as a result of disputes over legal terminology, and Vytautas, the cousin of Jogaila, became the Grand Duke of Lithuania. Vytautas the Great ( Lithuanian:; Vitaŭt; Latin: Alexander Vitoldus; Witold Ruthenian: Vitovt; c Jogaila, later Władysław II Jagiełło (b about 1362 d 1 June 1434 was Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland. Thanks to close cooperation, the armies of Poland and Lithuania achieved a great victory over the Teutonic Knights in 1410 at the Battle of Grunwald, the largest battle in medieval Europe. The Teutonic Order is a German Roman Catholic religious order. The Battle of Grunwald (or 1st Battle of Tannenberg) took place on 15 July 1410 with the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, led by

A royal crown had been bestowed upon Vytautas in 1429 by Sigismund, the Holy Roman Emperor, but Polish magnates prevented his coronation by seizing the crown as it was being brought to him. Vytautas the Great ( Lithuanian:; Vitaŭt; Latin: Alexander Vitoldus; Witold Ruthenian: Vitovt; c For other nobles of the same name please see Sigismund. Sigismund ( February 14, 1368 – December 9, A new crown was ordered from Germany and another date set for the coronation, but a month later Vytautas died as the result of an accident.

As a result of the growing centralised power of the Grand Principality of Moscow, in 1569, Lithuania and Poland formally united into a single state called the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, officially the Commonwealth of the Crown of the Polish Kingdom and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania also known as the Most Serene Republic As a member of the Commonwealth, Lithuania retained its institutions, including a separate army, currency and statutory law which was digested in three Statutes of Lithuania. The Statutes of Lithuania originally known as the Statutes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ( Lithuanian: Lietuvos statutai, Belarusian: Статуты ^[7] In 1795, the joint state was dissolved by the third Partition of the Commonwealth, which forfeited its lands to Russia, Prussia and Austria, under duress. The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya Prussia ( Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Prūsija Prūsija Prusy Old Prussian: Prūsa) was most recently a historic state Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Over ninety percent of Lithuania was incorporated into the Russian Empire and the remainder into Prussia.

Many Jews fled Lithuania following persecution and followed opportunities that lay overseas.

After a century of occupation, Lithuania re-established its independence on February 16, 1918. The Act of Independence of Lithuania (Lietuvos Nepriklausomybės Aktas or Act of February 16 was signed by the Council of Lithuania on February 16 1918 proclaiming Events 1249 - Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with the Khan of the Mongols Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The official government from July through November 1918, was quickly replaced by a republican government. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its From the outset, the newly-independent Lithuania's foreign policy was dominated by territorial disputes with Poland (over the Vilnius region and the Suvalkai region) and with Germany (over the Klaipėda region or Memelland). Vilnius Region ( Lithuanian: Vilniaus kraštas, Wileńszczyzna generally refers to the territory in the present day Lithuania and Belarus This article discusses the Polish part of the region For the Lithuania one see Suvalkija. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Klaipėda Region (Klaipėdos kraštas or Memel Territory (Memelland or Memelgebiet Territoire de Memel was defined by the Treaty of Versailles Most obviously, the Lithuanian constitution designated Vilnius as the nation's capital, even though the city itself lay within Polish territory as a result of a Polish invasion. At the time, Poles and Jews made up a majority of the population of Vilnius, with a small Lithuanian minority of only 1%. In 1920 the capital was relocated to Kaunas, which was officially designated the provisional capital of Lithuania. Kaunas ( ˈkoʊnəs is the second largest City in Lithuania and a former temporary capital. Temporary capital or Provisional/Interim capital ( Lithuanian "Laikinoji sostinė") was the official designation of the city of Kaunas (see History of Vilnius for more details). This article is about the history of Vilnius, the capital and largest city of Lithuania. ^[8]

In June 1940, around the beginning of World War II, the Soviet Union occupied and annexed Lithuania in accordance with the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Belligerent military occupation occurs when the control and authority over a territory passes to a hostile army. Annexation ( Latin ad, to and nexus, joining is the legal incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity (either adjacent or non-contiguous ^[9][10] A year later it came under German occupation. After the retreat of the German armed forces (Wehrmacht), Lithuania was re-occupied by the Soviet Union in 1944. Wehrmacht (literally "defense force" was the name of the unified Armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945 The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991

From 1944–1952 approximately 100,000 Lithuanians participated in partisan fights against the Soviet system and the Red Army. The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya More than twenty thousand partisans ("forest brothers") were killed in those battles and many more were arrested and deported to Siberian GULAGs. This article is about Baltic WWII anti-Soviet resistance movement Siberia (Сиби́рь Sibir) is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving The Gulag was the government agency that administered the penal labor camps of the Soviet Union. Lithuanian historians view this period as a war of independence against the Soviet Union.

Map showing changes in the territory of Lithuania from the 13th century to the present day.

During the Soviet and Nazi occupations between 1940 and 1944, Lithuania lost over 780,000 residents. Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German Among them were around 190,000 (91% of pre-WWII community) of Lithuanian Jews, one of the highest total mortality rates of the Holocaust. Lithuanian Jews (known in Yiddish and Yeshivish as Litvish (adjective or Litvaks (noun are Ashkenazi Jews with roots in the The Holocaust (from the Greek el ''ὁλόκαυστον'' (el-Latn holókauston holos, "completely" and kaustos, "burnt" also known as An estimated 120,000 to 300,000^[11] were killed by Soviets or exiled to Siberia, while others had been sent to German forced labour camps and/or chose to emigrate to western countries. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Exile means to be away from one's home (ie city state or country while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened by prison or death upon return Siberia (Сиби́рь Sibir) is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving

Forty-six years of Soviet occupation ended with the advent of perestroika and glasnost in the late 1980s. (Перестройка) is the Russian term (now used in English for the economic reforms introduced in June 1987 by the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev (Гла́сность)is literally defined as publicity and sometimes figuratively interpreted as "tipping a vase to let someone see into the vase but not the bottom of the vase" Lithuania, led by Sąjūdis, an anti-communist and anti-Soviet independence movement, proclaimed its renewed independence on March 11, 1990. Sąjūdis (Reform Movement of Lithuania (Lietuvos Persitvarkymo Sąjūdis is the political organization which led the struggle for Lithuanian independence in the late 1980s The Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania or Act of March 11 signed by the members of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania, proclaimed Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Lithuania was the first Soviet republic to do so, though Soviet forces unsuccessfully tried to suppress this secession. The Red Army attacked the Vilnius TV Tower on the night of January 13, 1991, an act that resulted in the death of 13 Lithuanian civilians. The Vilnius TV Tower (Vilniaus televizijos bokštas is a 3265 metre-high (1071 ft building in the Karoliniškės Microdistrict of Vilnius, Lithuania Events 532 - Nika riots in Constantinople. 888 - Odo Count of Paris becomes King of the Franks Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. January 1991 events in LatviaThe January Events (Sausio įvykiai were a series of events that occurred from January 11–13 1991 in Vilnius, Lithuania. ^[12] The last Red Army troops left Lithuania on August 31, 1993 — even earlier than they departed from East Germany. The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya Events 1056 - Byzantine Empress Theodora becomes ill dying suddenly a few days later without children to succeed the Throne Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) The German Democratic Republic ( GDR; Deutsche Demokratische Republik DDR; commonly known in English as East Germany) was a Socialist state

On February 4, 1991, Iceland became the first country to recognize Lithuanian independence. Events 211 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus dies leaving the Roman Empire in the hands of his two quarrelsome sons Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( Sweden was the first to open an embassy in the country. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. The United States of America never recognized the Soviet claim to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Russia currently refuses to recognize the occupation of Lithuania, claiming that Lithuanians decided to join the Soviet Union voluntarily, although Russia signed a treaty with Lithuania prior to the disintegration of the USSR which acknowledged Lithuania's forced loss of sovereignty at the hands of the Soviets, thereby recognizing the occupation. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991

Lithuania joined the United Nations on September 17, 1991 and on May 31, 2001 it became the 141st member of the World Trade Organization. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Events 1176 - The Battle of Myriokephalon is fought 1462 - The Battle of Świecino (or Battle of Żarnowiec Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Since 1988, Lithuania has sought closer ties with the West, and so on January 4, 1994, it became the first of the Baltic states to apply for NATO membership. Events 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) The Baltic states (Balti riigid Baltijas valstis Baltijos valstybės or Baltic countries are three countries in Northern Europe, all members of the The North Atlantic Treaty On March 29, 2004, it became a NATO member, and on May 1, 2004, Lithuania joined the European Union. Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "

Politics

Current President of Lithuania, Valdas Adamkus

Main article: Politics of Lithuania

Since Lithuania declared independence on March 11, 1990, it has maintained strong democratic traditions. The following is a list of rulers over Lithuania — grand dukes kings and presidents — the heads of authority over historical Lithuanian territory Valdas Adamkus, born Voldemaras Adamkavičius on November 3 1926 is the current President of the Republic of Lithuania. Politics of Lithuania takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic Republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Lithuania Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) In the first general elections after the independence on October 25, 1992, 56. Events 1147 - The Portuguese, under Afonso I, and Crusaders from England and Flanders conquer Lisbon after a Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) 75% of the total number of voters supported the new constitution. The Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublikos Konstitucija defines the legal foundation for all Laws passed in the Republic of Lithuania. ^[13] There were heavy debates concerning the constitution, especially the role of the president. Drawing from the interwar experiences, many different proposals were made ranging from a strong parliamentary government to a presidential system similar to the one in the United States. A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which A presidential system is a System of government where an executive branch exists and presides (hence the term separately from the Legislature The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A separate referendum was held on May 23, 1992 to gauge public opinion on the matter and 41% of all the eligible voters supported the restoration of the President of Lithuania. There have been nine referendums in Lithuania since it declared independence from the Soviet Union on March 11 1990 Events 1430 - Siege of Compiègne: Joan of Arc is captured by the Burgundians while leading an army to relieve Compiègne Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) The following is a list of rulers over Lithuania — grand dukes kings and presidents — the heads of authority over historical Lithuanian territory ^[13] Eventually a semi-presidential system was agreed upon. The semi-presidential system is a System of government in which a prime minister and a President are both active participants in the day-to-day administration ^[14]

The Lithuanian head of state is the President, elected directly for a five-year term, serving a maximum of two consecutive terms. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state 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. A commander-in-chief is the Commander of a nation's Military forces or significant element of those forces The President, with the approval of the parliamentary body, the Seimas, also appoints the prime minister and on the latter's nomination, appoints the rest of the cabinet, as well as a number of other top civil servants and the judges for all courts. The Seimas is the Lithuanian Parliament. It has 141 members that are elected for a four-year term This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation. A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of Government, typically representing the executive branch. See also Bureaucrat The term civil service has two distinct meanings Branch of governmental service in which individuals are hired on the basis 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 Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania (in Lietuvos Respublikos Konstitucinis Teismas is a special court established by the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania The unicameral Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has 141 members who are elected to four-year terms. Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or Parliamentary chamber TalkParliament#Screen-size. -->A  parliament is a Legislature, especially in those The Seimas is the Lithuanian Parliament. It has 141 members that are elected for a four-year term 71 of the members of this legislative body are elected in single constituencies, and the other 70 are elected in a nationwide vote by proportional representation. A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation Proportional representation (sometimes referred to as full representation or PR is a category of electoral formula aiming at a close match between the percentage of votes A party must receive at least 5% of the national vote to be represented in the Seimas.

Counties, municipalities, and elderates

Lithuania is subdivided into ten counties and sixty municipalities.

Main articles: Counties of Lithuania, Municipalities of Lithuania, and Elderships of Lithuania

The current administrative division was established in 1994 and modified in 2000 to meet the requirements of the European Union. Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->The territory of Lithuania Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below --> Municipalities of Lithuania ||} Seniūnija ( elderate or eldership in English is the smallest administrative division of Lithuania. 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 elderates (Lithuanian: singular — seniūnija, plural — seniūnijos). Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->The territory of Lithuania Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below --> Municipalities of Lithuania ||} Seniūnija ( elderate or eldership in English is the smallest administrative division of Lithuania.

The counties are ruled by county governors (Lithuanian: apskrities viršininkas) appointed by the central government. County Governor (Fylkesmannen is a Norwegian government agency represented in 18 of the Norwgian counties responsible for a number of supervision 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. ^[15]

Municipalities are the most important 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 of the municipality and other required personnel. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government The municipality councils also appoint elders to govern the elderates. The term Elder (or its equivalent in another language is used in several different countries and organizations to indicate a position of authority There is currently a proposal for direct election of mayors and elders, however that would require an amendment to the constitution. Direct election is a term describing a system of choosing political officeholders in which the voters directly cast ballots for the person persons or political party that they desire to ^[16]

Elderates are the smallest units and they do not play a role in national politics. They were created so that people could receive necessary services close to their homes; for example, in rural areas the elderates 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. ^[17]

The current system of administrative division receives frequent criticism for being too bureaucratic and ineffective. Significant complaints have been made about the number of counties, since they do not have much power. One proposal is to create four lands, a new administrative unit, the boundaries of which would be determined by the ethnographic regions of Lithuania. Lithuania can be divided into historical and cultural regions (called Ethnographic regions The benefit would be that the lands would follow natural boundaries, rather than being defined by bureaucrats or politicians. ^[18] Another of the proposed solutions involves reducing the number of counties so that there would be five in total, each based in one of the five largest cities with populations of over 100,000. ^[19] Others complain that elderates have no real power and receive too little attention; they could potentially become local initiative communities which could tackle many rural problems. ^[20]

Geography

Physical map of Lithuania

A cottage hotel in a rural area is a sign of increasingly popular agrotourism. Agritourism is a style of vacation that normally takes place on a Farm.

Main article: Geography of Lithuania

Lithuania is situated in northern Europe. The largest and most populous of the Baltic states, Lithuania has 60 miles (99 km of sandy coastline which faces the open Baltic Sea, between Latvia and 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. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The Baltic Sea is a Brackish inland sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N Latitude and from 20°E to 26°E Longitude. Baltic Seven Islandsgif|right|thumb|330px|A contemporary transnational Euroregion encompasses the islands of the Baltic countries The Curonian Spit (Kuršių Nerija Куршская коса Mierzeja Kurońska Kurische Nehrung Kuršu kāpas is a 98 km long thin curved sand- Dune spit 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. ||-||-|-||-||-||-||-||-||-|} A port is a facility for receiving Ships and transferring cargo Klaipėda ( ˈklaɪpɛdə Memel is a City in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Curonian Lagoon where it flows into the Baltic Sea The Curonian Lagoon (or Bay, Gulf; Kuršių MariosKuršu Joma Zalew Kuroński Kurisches Haff Kуршский залив is separated from the Baltic Kaliningrad (Калининград is a Seaport and the administrative center of Kaliningrad Oblast, the Russian Exclave between Poland The main river, the Neman River, and some of its tributaries carry international shipping vessels. "Nieman" and "Niemen" redirects here For other uses see Neman and Nieman (disambiguation.

The Lithuanian landscape has been smoothed by glaciers. The highest areas are the moraines in the western uplands and eastern highlands, none of which are taller than 300 metres (1,000 ft) above sea level, with the maximum elevation being Aukštojas Hill at 294 metres (964 ft). Moraine refers to any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris (soil and rock which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions such as those Aukštojas Hill is the highest point in Lithuania; it is located in the Medininkai Highlands Migūnai forestry approximately 24 kilometers (15 miles southeast The terrain features numerous lakes, Lake Vištytis for example, and wetlands; a mixed forest zone covers 30% of the country. Lake Vištytis (Viśtyčio ežeras Wystiter See Виштынецкое озеро informally sometimes called the European Baikal) is a Lake on the The climate lies between maritime and continental, with wet, moderate winters and summers. Climate encompasses the temperatures humidity rainfall atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorogical factors in a given region over long periods of According to one geographical computation method, Lithuania's capital, Vilnius, lies only a few kilometres south of the geographical centre of Europe. The location of the geographical centre of Europe depends on the definition of the borders of Europe, mainly whether remote islands are included to define the Extreme

Phytogeographically, Lithuania is shared between the Central European and Eastern European provinces of the Circumboreal Region within the Boreal Kingdom. Phytogeography, also called geobotany is the branch of Biogeography that is concerned with the geographic distribution of Plant Species, or more generally Vaccinium vitis-idaea 20060824 003jpg|thumb|right| Vaccinium vitis-idaea ]]Alnus-viridis Rhododendron-palustreJPG|thumb|right| Rhododendron tomentosum ]]The Boreal Kingdom or Holarctic Kingdom ( Holarctis) is a Floristic kingdom According to the WWF, the territory of Lithuania can be subdivided into two ecoregions: the Central European mixed forests and Sarmatic mixed forests. An ecoregion ( ecological region) sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area smaller than a "realm" or " Sarmatic mixed forests constitute an Ecoregion within the Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests zone according to the WWF classification (ecoregion PA0436

Lithuania consists of the following historical and cultural regions:

• Aukštaitija — literally, the "Highlands"
• Samogitia (Lithuanian: Žemaitija) — literally, the "Lowlands"
• Dzūkija (Lithuanian: Dzūkija or Dainava)
• Suvalkija (Lithuanian: Suvalkija or Sūduva)
• Lithuania Minor also known as "Prussian Lithuania" — (Lithuanian: Mažoji Lietuva or Prūsų Lietuva). Lithuania can be divided into historical and cultural regions (called Ethnographic regions Aukštaitija (literary Highlands; oʊkʃteɪtɪˈjʌ is the name of one of five ethnographic Regions of Lithuania. Samogitia ( Samogitian: Žemaitėjė, Žemaitija literally lowlands) is one of the five Ethnographic Regions of Lithuania. Dzūkija (dzuːkɪˈjʌ or Dainava is one of five Ethnographic Regions of Lithuania. This article discusses the Lithuanian part of the region For the Polish one see Suwałki Region. Lithuania Minor (Mažoji Lietuva Kleinlitauen Litwa Mniejsza Máлая Литвá or Prussian Lithuania (Prūsų Lietuva Preußisch-Litauen Litwa Pruska is a historical Region was part of the Prussia since Middle Ages until 1945. Most of it today is part of Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast). Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Kaliningrad Oblast (Калинингра́дская о́бласть Kaliningradskaya oblast; informally called Yantarny kray (ru Янта́рный край meaning

Economy

Main article: Economy of Lithuania

Vilnius Financial Centre

In 2003, prior to joining the European Union, Lithuania had the highest economic growth rate amongst all candidate and member countries, reaching 8. The Lithuanian economy today is based on capitalist Free market principles and has enjoyed high growth rates in the last decade as it entered the European Union 8% in the third quarter. In 2004 — 7. 3%; 2005 — 7. 6%; 2006 — 7. 4%; 2007 Q3 — 10. 8% growth in GDP reflects the impressive economic development. ^[21] Most of the trade Lithuania conducts is within the European Union. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in

It is a member of the World Trade Organization, and the European Union. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in By UN classification, Lithuania is a country with a high average income. The country boasts a well developed modern infrastructure of railways, airports and four lane highways. It has almost full employment, with an unemployment rate of only 2. 9%. According to officially published figures, EU membership fuelled a booming economy, increased outsourcing into the country, and boosted the tourism sector. The litas, the national currency, has been pegged to the Euro since February 2, 2002 at the rate of EUR 1. The litas ( ISO currency code LTL symbolized as Lt plural litai or litų) is the currency of Lithuania. Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e 00 = LTL 3. 4528,^[22] and Lithuania is expected to switch to the Euro on 1 January 2010. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC For the film see 2010 The Year We Make Contact. For the book see 2010 Odyssey Two. There is gradual but consistent shift towards knowledge based economy with special emphasis on biotechnology (industrial and diagnostic), because in Lithuania there are concentrated major biotech producers in the Baltic countries, as well as laser equipment. Biotechnology is Technology based on Biology, especially when used in Agriculture, Food science, and Medicine. A laser is a device that emits Light ( Electromagnetic radiation) through a process called Stimulated emission.

Klaipėda port is the only port in Lithuania and is vital to its economy. Klaipėda ( ˈklaɪpɛdə Memel is a City in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Curonian Lagoon where it flows into the Baltic Sea

Like other countries in the region (Estonia, Latvia) Lithuania also has a flat tax rate rather than a progressive scheme. Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia ( Eesti or Eesti Vabariik) is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region Latvia ( Latvija officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. A flat tax (short for flat rate tax is a Tax system with a constant tax rate A progressive tax is a Tax imposed so that the Tax rate increases as the amount subject to taxation increases Lithuanian income levels still lag behind the rest of the older EU members, with per capita GDP in 2007 at 60% of the EU average. Lower wages may have been a factor that in 2004 influenced the trend of emigration to wealthier EU countries, something that has been made legally possible as a result of accession to the European Union. Enlargement of the European Union is the process of expanding the European Union (EU through the accession of new member states. In 2006 income tax was reduced to 27% and a reduction to 24% was made in October of 2007. Income tax reduction and 19. 1 % annual wage growth^[23] is starting to make an impact with some emigrants gradually beginning to come back. ^[24] The latest official data show emigration in early 2006 to be 30% lower than the previous year, with 3,483 people leaving in four months.

Demographics

The great yard of Vilnius University, one of the oldest universities in Northern Europe. Vilnius University (Vilniaus Universitetas formerly known as Vilnius State University, earlier - Stefan Batory University and before that Almae About 70% of Lithuanian high school graduates continue their studies in universities and colleges.

Main article: Demographics of Lithuania

Ethnic composition

The population of Lithuania stands at 3. The earliest evidence of inhabitants in present-day Lithuania dates back to 10000 BC 3662 million, 84. 6% of whom are ethnic Lithuanians who speak the Lithuanian language (one of the two surviving members of the Baltic language group), which is the official language of the country. Lithuanians are the Baltic Ethnic group native to Lithuania, where they number a little over 3 million Lithuanian ( lietuvių kalba) is the official state language of Lithuania and is recognised as one of the official languages of the European Union. The Baltic languages are a group of related languages belonging to the Indo-European language family and spoken mainly in areas extending east and southeast of the Baltic Several sizable minorities exist, such as Poles (6. The Polish people, or Poles, (Polacy) are a Western Slavic Ethnic group of Central Europe, living predominantly in Poland. 3%), Russians (5. The Russian people (Русские— Russkie) are an East Slavic Ethnic group, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries 1%), and Belarusians (1. Belarusians or Belorussians (Беларусы Biełarusy previously also spelled Belarussians, Byelorussians and Belorusians, also 1%). ^[25]

Poles are the largest minority, concentrated in southeast Lithuania (the Vilnius region). Vilnius Region ( Lithuanian: Vilniaus kraštas, Wileńszczyzna generally refers to the territory in the present day Lithuania and Belarus 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%). Klaipėda ( ˈklaɪpɛdə Memel is a City in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Curonian Lagoon where it flows into the Baltic Sea Visaginas is a city with municipal rights in eastern Lithuania, situated near the country's biggest lake Drūkšiai. ^[26] About 3,000 Roma live in Lithuania, mostly in Vilnius, Kaunas, and Panevėžys; their organizations are supported by the National Minority and Emigration Department. The Romani people (singular Rom, plural Roma as a Noun; also known as Romanies or Roma people) are an ethnic group with origins ^[27]

Most Lithuanian schools teach English as a first foreign language, but students may also study German, or, in some schools, French. Schools where Russian and Polish are the primary languages of education exist in the areas populated by these minorities.

Religion

Main article: Religion in Lithuania

Wooden church in Palūšė. The Religion in Lithuania is predominantly Catholic reflecting Lithuania's history with a strong presence from other minorities Palūšė (Połusze is a touristic Village in Aukštaitija National Park in eastern Lithuania, south-west of Ignalina. Lithuania has strong Catholic traditions.

In 2005 79% of Lithunians belonged to the Roman Catholic Church. ^[28] The Church has been the majority denomination since the Christianisation of Lithuania in the end of fourteenth century and beginning of fifteenth century. The historical phenomenon of Christianization (or Christianisation &mdash see spelling differences) the conversion of individuals to Christianity Some priests actively led the resistance against the Communist regime (symbolised by the Hill of Crosses) and, after independence was regained, against socialism and liberalism, especially in ethical questions. The Hill of Crosses ( Lithuanian:) is a site of Pilgrimage about 12 km north of the city of Šiauliai, in northern Lithuania. Liberalism is a broad array of related ideas and theories of Government that consider individual Liberty to be the most important political goal Church attendance has increased since the end of the Soviet occupation and the country has so far maintained a fairly high level of religious practice. Soviet occupations is a term used for Military occupations by the Soviet Union since the prelude to World War II.

In the 16th century, Lutheranism started to spread from neighbouring Livonia and East Prussia. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Livonia (Līvõmō Latvian and Livonija Estonian: Liivimaa; Finnish: Liivinmaa; German and Swedish: Livland East Prussia (Ostpreußen; Rytų Prūsija or Rytprūsiai; Prusy Wschodnie Восточная Пруссия or Vostochnaya Prussiya) refers to the main part In the first half of 20th century Lutheran Protestant church had around 200,000 members, 9% of total population, although Lutheranism has declined since 1945. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Small Protestant communities are dispersed throughout the northern and western parts of the country. Various Protestant churches have established missions in Lithuania since 1990. ^[29]

4. 9% are Eastern Orthodox (mainly among the Russian minority), 1. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world 9% are Protestant and 9. 5% have no religion. Irreligion is a lack of religion indifference to religion or hostility to religion The country also has minority communities of Judaism, Islam, and Karaism which make up another 1. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Karaite Judaism or Karaism (ˈkærəˌaɪt ˈkærəˌɪzəm) is a Jewish movement NOTE The word sect should not be used without defining it first and 6% of the population. According to the most recent Eurobarometer Poll 2005,^[30] 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% that "they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, god, or life force". Eurobarometer is a series of surveys regularly performed on behalf of the European Commission since 1973

Health and welfare

Kaunas University Hospital - the largest medical institution in Lithuania

As of 2004 Lithuanian life expectancy at birth was 66 years for males and 78 for females. The infant mortality rate was 8. 0 per 1,000 births. The annual population growth rate in 2004 declined by 0. 5% in 2004. Less than 2% of the population live beneath the poverty line, and the adult literacy rate is 99. 6%. ^[31]

Lithuanians have a high suicide rate: 91. 7 per 100,000 persons, the highest in the world in 2000, followed by the Russian Federation (82. 5), Belarus (73. 1), Latvia (68. 5), and Ukraine (62. 1). ^[32] This problem has been studied by a number of health organisations. ^[33]

Largest cities

* Population density. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume

Culture

The well-known angel statue which stands in the Užupis district of Vilnius

Main article: Culture of Lithuania

• List of famous Lithuanians
• Lithuanian literature
• Lithuanian mythology
• Music of Lithuania
• Symbols of Lithuania

See also

• Foreign relations of Lithuania
• Lithuanians
• Military of Lithuania
• Grand Duchy of Lithuania
• Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic
• Lithuania national football team
• Lithuania national basketball team
• Lithuania national rugby union team

Notes and references

External links

• Prezidentas (in Lithuanian) — Official presidential site
• Seimas (in Lithuanian) — Official parliamentary site
• Vyriausybė (in Lithuanian and English) — Official governmental site
• Statistics - Official site of Department of Statistics
• Lithuania travel guide from Wikitravel
• Lithuania Pages — Sights, history, a picture gallery and a lot of links. Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide.
• Lithuania Online — Wide collection of Lithuanian links
• www.travel.lt - The Official Lithuanian Travel Guide
• Lithuanian State Department of Tourism
• Information about Lithuania
• Aerial photos of Lithuania by Marius Jovaiša

Maps and GIS

• Maps of Lithuania on Maps.lt
• Maps of Lithuania on Mapquest