This article is about the ethnic group called Lithuanians. For the inhabitants of Lithuania, see Demographics of Lithuania. Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the The earliest evidence of inhabitants in present-day Lithuania dates back to 10000 BC

Lithuanians
Total population
4 - 5 million (est. )
Regions with significant populations
Lithuania Elsewhere in Europe:  United Kingdom:    100 000  Ireland:    50 000 [1]  Germany:    40,000  Latvia:    33,000  Poland:    25,000  Spain:    15,144 [2]  Russia:    76,000  Ukraine:    11,000  Belarus:    9,900  France:    4,000  Iceland:    1,300 Rest of the World:  Brazil:    800,000 [3]  United States:    659,992 [4]  Canada:    36,485 [5]  Australia:    12,317 [6]
Languages
Lithuanian
Religions
Mainly Roman Catholicism; significant minority of Romuvans. Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Latvia ( Latvija officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Lithuanian ( lietuvių kalba) is the official state language of Lithuania and is recognised as one of the official languages of the European Union. Romuva is a Baltic Pagan organization reviving the religious practices of the Lithuanian people before their Christianization.
Related ethnic groups
Latvians, Prussian Lithuanians

Lithuanians are the Baltic ethnic group native to Lithuania, where they number a little over 3 million. Latvians or Letts (latvieši the indigenous Baltic people of Latvia, occasionally refer to themselves by the ancient name of Latvji, which The term Prussian Lithuanians, Lietuwininkai (singular Lietuwininkas) Lietuvininkai refers to a Western Lithuanian ethnic group which did not form The Balts or Baltic peoples (People who live by the Baltic Sea) defined as speakers of one of the Baltic languages, a branch of the Indo-European Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the ^[1] Another million or more make up the Lithuanian diaspora, largely found in countries such as the United States, Brazil, Canada, Russia, United Kingdom and Ireland. The term Diaspora (in Greek, διασπορά &ndash " a scattering or sowing of seeds " refers any population sharing common ethnic The United States of America —commonly referred to as the |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Their native language is Lithuanian, one of only two surviving members of the Baltic language family. 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 According to the census conducted in 2001, 83. 45% of the population of Lithuania proper identified themselves as Lithuanians, 6. 74% as Poles, 6. The Polish people, or Poles, (Polacy) are a Western Slavic Ethnic group of Central Europe, living predominantly in Poland. 31% as Russians, 1. The Russian people (Русские— Russkie) are an East Slavic Ethnic group, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries 23% as Belarusians, and 2. Belarusians or Belorussians (Беларусы Biełarusy previously also spelled Belarussians, Byelorussians and Belorusians, also 27% as members of other ethnic groups. Most Lithuanians belong to the Roman Catholic Church, while Lietuvininkai who lived in the northern part of East Prussia before World War II, were mostly Lutherans. The term Prussian Lithuanians, Lietuwininkai (singular Lietuwininkas) Lietuvininkai refers to a Western Lithuanian ethnic group which did not form East Prussia (Ostpreußen; Rytų Prūsija or Rytprūsiai; Prusy Wschodnie Восточная Пруссия or Vostochnaya Prussiya) refers to the main part 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 Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther

History

The territory of the Balts, including modern Lithuania, was once inhabited by several Baltic tribal entities (Sudovians, Curonians, Selonians, Samogitians, Nadruvians and others), as attested by ancient sources and dating from prehistoric times. Yotvingians or Sudovians (also called Suduvians, Jatvians, or Jatvingians in English (Jotvingiai Sūduviai Jatvingi Jaćwingowie Яцьвягі The Kursenieki are also known as Curonians The Curonians ( Curonian: Kursi; Kuren Kurši Kuršiai Kuralased were Selonians were a tribe of Baltic peoples who are now extinct The Selonians lived until the 15th century in Selonia, located in southeastern Latvia Samogitians (Žemaičiai Samogitian: Žemaitē) are a Baltic ethnic group inhabiting the region of Samogitia in Lithuania. The Nadruvians were one of the now-extinct Prussian clans. They lived in Nadruvia (alternative spellings include Nadruva, Nadrowite, Over the centuries, and especially under the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, some of these tribes consolidated into the Lithuanian nation, mainly as a defense against the marauding Teutonic Order and Eastern Slavs. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Lietuvos Didžioji Kunigaikštystė old literary Lithuanian Didi Kunigiste Letuvos, Ruthenian: Wialikaje Kniastwa Litowskaje The Teutonic Order is a German Roman Catholic religious order. The East Slavs are a Slavic ethnic group, the speakers of East Slavic languages. One of the last Pagan peoples in Europe, they were eventually converted to Christianity in 1387. 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

The territory inhabited by ethnic Lithuanians has shrunk over centuries; once Lithuanians made up a majority of population not only in what is now Lithuania, but also in northwestern Belarus, in large areas of the territory of modern Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia, and in some parts of modern Latvia and Poland. Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east Kaliningrad Oblast (Калинингра́дская о́бласть Kaliningradskaya oblast; informally called Yantarny kray (ru Янта́рный край meaning Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Latvia ( Latvija officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland

LAUREN ROCKS

However, there is a current argument that the Lithuanian language was considered non-prestigious by some elements in Lithuanian society, and a preference for the Polish language in certain territories of the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth, as well as a preference for the German language in territories of the former East Prussia (now Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia ) caused the number of Lithuanian speakers to decrease. Polonization (polonizacja is the acquisition or imposition 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 German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. East Prussia (Ostpreußen; Rytų Prūsija or Rytprūsiai; Prusy Wschodnie Восточная Пруссия or Vostochnaya Prussiya) refers to the main part Kaliningrad Oblast (Калинингра́дская о́бласть Kaliningradskaya oblast; informally called Yantarny kray (ru Янта́рный край meaning Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The subsequent imperial Russian occupation accelerated this process; it pursued a policy of "Russification", which included a ban on public speaking and writing in Lithuanian (see, e. The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya g. , "Knygnešiai", the actions against the Catholic church). Knygnešiai (singular knygnešys) a Lithuanian term that has no equivalent in other languages - approximately translation would be book Smugglers It was believed by some at the time that the nation as such, along with its language, would become extinct within a few generation.

At the end of the 19th century a Lithuanian cultural and linguistic revival occurred. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Some of the Polish- and Belarusian-speaking Lithuanians still affiliated themselves with the Lithuanian nation. Lithuania declared independence after the World War I, which helped its national consolidation. 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 World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All A standard Lithuanian language was approved. However, the eastern parts of Lithuania, including the Vilnius region, were annexed by Poland, while the Klaipėda Region was taken over by Nazi Germany in 1939. Vilnius Region ( Lithuanian: Vilniaus kraštas, Wileńszczyzna generally refers to the territory in the present day Lithuania and Belarus The Second Polish Republic or interwar Poland is the Republic of Poland between World War I and World War II. The Klaipėda Region (Klaipėdos kraštas or Memel Territory (Memelland or Memelgebiet Territoire de Memel was defined by the Treaty of Versailles 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 In 1940, Lithuania was invaded and occupied by the Soviet Union, and forced to join it as the Lithuanian SSR. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (Lietuvos Tarybų Socialistinė Respublika Литовская Советская Социалистическая Республика The Germans and their allies attacked the U. S. S. R. in June 1941, and from 1941-1944, Lithuania was occupied by Germany. The Germans retreated in 1944, and Lithuania fell under the Soviet rule once again. The long-standing communities of Lithuanians in the Kaliningrad Oblast ("Lithuania Minor") were almost destroyed as a result. Kaliningrad Oblast (Калинингра́дская о́бласть Kaliningradskaya oblast; informally called Yantarny kray (ru Янта́рный край meaning Lithuania Minor (Mažoji Lietuva Kleinlitauen Litwa Mniejsza Máлая Литвá or Prussian Lithuania (Prūsų Lietuva Preußisch-Litauen Litwa Pruska is a historical

The Lithuanian nation as such remained primarily in Lithuania, in a few villages in northeastern Poland, southern Latvia and also in the diaspora of emigrants. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Latvia ( Latvija officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. Some indigenous Lithuanians still remain in Belarus and the Kaliningrad Oblast, but their number is small compared to what they used to be. Lithuania regained its independence in 1990, and was recognized by most countries in 1991. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. It became a member of the European Union on May 1, 2004. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in 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 " A low birth rate and increased emigration after joining EU is threatening the nation's future.

Ethnic composition of Lithuania

Main article: Demographics of Lithuania

Among the Baltic states, Lithuania has the most homogeneous population. The earliest evidence of inhabitants in present-day Lithuania dates back to 10000 BC The Baltic states (Balti riigid Baltijas valstis Baltijos valstybės or Baltic countries are three countries in Northern Europe, all members of the According to the census conducted in 2001, 83. 45% of the population identified themselves as ethnic Lithuanians, 6. 74% as Poles, 6. The Polish people, or Poles, (Polacy) are a Western Slavic Ethnic group of Central Europe, living predominantly in Poland. 31% as Russians, 1. The Russian people (Русские— Russkie) are an East Slavic Ethnic group, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries 23% as Belarusians, and 2. Belarusians or Belorussians (Беларусы Biełarusy previously also spelled Belarussians, Byelorussians and Belorusians, also 27% as members of other ethnic groups.

Poles are concentrated in the Vilnius region, the area controlled by Poland in the interwar period. Vilnius Region ( Lithuanian: Vilniaus kraštas, Wileńszczyzna generally refers to the territory in the present day Lithuania and Belarus Especially large Polish communities are located in the Vilnius district municipality (61. Vilnius district municipality is one of 60 municipalities in Lithuania. 3% of the population) and the Šalčininkai district municipality (79. Šalčininkai district municipality (Šalčininkų rajonas is one of 60 municipalities in Lithuania. 5%). This concentration allows Election Action of Lithuania's Poles, an ethnic minority-based political party, to exert political influence. Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania (Lietuvos lenkų rinkimų akcija Akcja Wyborcza Polaków na Litwie is a Political party in Lithuania and represents the This party has held 1 or 2 seats in the parliament of Lithuania for the past decade. The party is more active in local politics and controls several municipality councils.

Russians, even though they are almost as numerous as Poles, are much more evenly scattered and do not have a strong political party. The most prominent community lives in the Visaginas city municipality (52%). Most of them are workers who moved from Russia to work at the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant. Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant is a two-unit RBMK -1500 Nuclear power station in Visaginas, Lithuania. Lithuania is noted for its success in limiting Russian worker migration during the Soviet occupation (1945-1990). A number of ethnic Russians left Lithuania after the declaration of independence in 1990.

In the past, the ethnic composition of Lithuania has varied dramatically. The most prominent change was the extermination of the Jewish population during the Holocaust. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ The Holocaust (from the Greek el ''ὁλόκαυστον'' (el-Latn holókauston holos, "completely" and kaustos, "burnt" also known as Before World War II, about 7. 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 5% of the population was Jewish; they were concentrated in cities and towns and had a significant influence on crafts and business. They were called Litvaks and had a strong culture. The population of Vilnius, which was sometimes nicknamed "the Northern Jerusalem", was about 30% Jewish. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Almost all its Jews were killed during the Nazi Germany occupation or later emigrated to the United States and Israel. 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 The United States of America —commonly referred to as the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Now there are only about 4,000 Jews living in Lithuania.

Historical ethnographic regions

Cultural Subgroups

Main article: Regions of Lithuania

Apart from the various religious and ethnic groups currently residing in Lithuania, Lithuanians themselves are usually divided into 5 groups: Samogitians, Sudovians, Aukštaitians, Dzūkians and Lietuvininks,^[2] the last of which is virtually extinct. Lithuania can be divided into historical and cultural regions (called Ethnographic regions Samogitians (Žemaičiai Samogitian: Žemaitē) are a Baltic ethnic group inhabiting the region of Samogitia in Lithuania. Yotvingians or Sudovians (also called Suduvians, Jatvians, or Jatvingians in English (Jotvingiai Sūduviai Jatvingi Jaćwingowie Яцьвягі Aukštaitija (literary Highlands; oʊkʃteɪtɪˈjʌ is the name of one of five ethnographic Regions of Lithuania. Dzūkija (dzuːkɪˈjʌ or Dainava is one of five Ethnographic Regions of Lithuania. The term Prussian Lithuanians, Lietuwininkai (singular Lietuwininkas) Lietuvininkai refers to a Western Lithuanian ethnic group which did not form City dwellers are usually considered just Lithuanians, especially ones from large cities such as Vilnius or Kaunas. Kaunas ( ˈkoʊnəs is the second largest City in Lithuania and a former temporary capital. The four groups are delineated according to certain region-specific traditions, dialects, and historical divisions. There are some stereotypes used in jokes about these subgroups, for example, Sudovians are supposedly frugal while Samogitians are stubborn.

Genetics

Since the Neolithic period the native inhabitants of the Lithuanian territory have not been replaced by any other ethnic group, so there is a high probability that the inhabitants of present day Lithuania have preserved the genetic composition of their forebears relatively undisturbed by the major demographic movements^[3], although without being actually isolated from them. ^[4] Lithuanian population appears to be relatively homogeneous, without apparent genetic differences among ethnic subgroups. ^[5]

A 2004 analysis of MtDNA in a Lithuanian population revealed that Lithuanians are close to both Slavic (Indo-European) and Finno-Ugric-speaking populations of Northern and Eastern Europe. Mitochondrial DNA ( mtDNA) is the DNA located in Organelles called mitochondria. Y-chromosome SNP haplogroup analysis showed Lithuanians to be closest to Latvians and Estonians. The Y chromosome is the sex-determining Chromosome in most Mammals including Humans In mammals it contains the gene SRY, which triggers In the study of Molecular evolution, a haplogroup, from "ἁπλο-" (Greek haplo-: simple or single + "group" is a group of similar Haplotypes Latvians or Letts (latvieši the indigenous Baltic people of Latvia, occasionally refer to themselves by the ancient name of Latvji, which Estonians ( Estonian: eestlased, previously maarahvas) are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns and inhabiting primarily the country ^[6]

A high frequency of the CCR5-D32 allele in Lithuanian populations, at levels of about 16% has been discovered. CCR5, short for chemokine (C-C motif receptor 5, is a Chemokine receptor. ^[7] This allele confers resistance to HIV infection. Human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV) is a Lentivirus (a member of the Retrovirus family that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome Several theories have been advanced with regard to this genetic development; it may have arisen as a response to epidemics of smallpox or plague in the area, both of which occurred in Lithuania before the mid-19th century. Smallpox is an Infectious disease unique to humans caused by either of two virus variants named Variola major and Variola minor. Bubonic plague is the best-known manifestation of the bacterial disease plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis (formerly known as

Lithuanian Ashkenazi Jews have also interested geneticists, since they display a number of unique genetic characteristics; the utility of these variations has been the subject of debate. Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim ( Hebrew: אַשְׁכֲּנָזִים, ˌaʃkəˈnazim sing ^[8] One variation, which is implicated in familial hypercholesterolemia, has been dated to the 14th century, corresponding to the establishment of Ashkenazi settlements in response to the invitation extended by Vytautas the Great in 1388. Hypercholesterolemia (literally high blood cholesterol is the presence of high levels of Cholesterol in the blood. Vytautas the Great ( Lithuanian:; Vitaŭt; Latin: Alexander Vitoldus; Witold Ruthenian: Vitovt; c ^[9]

At the end of the 19th century, the average height of males was 163. 5 cm and the average height of females was 153. 3 cm. ^[10] About half of the Lithuanians are blond, and most have blue eyes (see maps here). Hair color is the pigmentation of hair follicles due to the two types of melanin Eumelanin and Phaeomelanin.

Lithuanian Diaspora

Apart from the traditional communities in Lithuania and its neighboring countries, Lithuanians have emigrated to other continents during the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.

• Communities in the United States make up the largest part of this diaspora; as many as one million Americans can claim Lithuanian descent. The term Diaspora (in Greek, διασπορά &ndash " a scattering or sowing of seeds " refers any population sharing common ethnic Emigration to America began in the 19th century, with an interruption during the Soviet occupation, when travel and emigration were severely restricted. The largest concentrations of Lithuanian Americans are in the Great Lakes area and the Northeast. Lithuanian Americans are Citizens of the United States who are of Lithuanian ancestry Nearly 20,000 Lithuanians have immigrated to the United States since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. [7]
• Lithuanian communities in Mexico and South America (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Uruguay) developed before World War II, beginning in the late 19th and early 20th century. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Currently, there is no longer a flow of emigrants to these destinations, since economic conditions in those countries are not better than those in Lithuania (see Lithuanians in Brazil). Lithuanian-Brazilian, ( Portuguese: Lituano-brasileiro) is a Brazilian person of full partial or predominantly Lithuanian ancestry or a Lithuanian-born
• Lithuanian communities in other regions of the former Soviet Union were formed during the Soviet occupation; the numbers of Lithuanians in Siberia and Central Asia increased dramatically when a large portion of Lithuanians were involuntarily deported into these areas. Siberia (Сиби́рь Sibir) is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south After de-Stalinization, however, most of them returned. The Cold War ensued as the USSR and the United States struggled indirectly for influence around the world Later, some Lithuanians were relocated to work in other areas of the Soviet Union; some of them did not return to Lithuania, after it became independent. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991
• The Lithuanian communities in Western Europe (UK, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, and Norway) are very new and began to appear after the restoration of independence to Lithuania in 1990; this emigration intensified after Lithuania became part of the European Union. Most Lithuanian immigrants arrived in Ireland in the 2000s when the Irish economy started booming The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in It should be noted that London and Glasgow have long had large Catholic and Jewish Lithuanian populations. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Glasgow (ˈglæzgoʊ is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom The Republic of Ireland probably has the highest concentration of Lithuanians relative to its total population size in Western Europe; its estimated 45,000 Lithuanians (about half of whom are registered) form over 1% of Ireland's total population. Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe.
• Lithuanian communities in Australia exist as well; due to its great distance from Europe, however, emigration there was minuscule. There are Lithuanian communities in Melbourne, Geelong, Brisbane, Hobart and Sydney. Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 MCite/Citephp.--> Geelong (dʒəˈlɔŋ is the second largest city in the state Brisbane ( is the state capital of Queensland. Brisbane is the third most populous city in Australia and the most populous city of Queensland Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4

Culture and Traditions

The Lithuanian national sport is usually considered to be basketball (krepšinis), which is popular among Lithuanians in Lithuania as well as in the diasporic communities. Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m Basketball came to Lithuania through the Lithuanian-American community in the thirties. The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression. Lithuanian basketball teams were bronze medal winners in the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Summer Olympics. The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event held in Barcelona, The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event held in Barcelona, "I am proud and happy to proclaim that you have presented to the world the best Olympic Games ever But there are a huge number of football fans in Lithuania and their number is increasing constantly.

Joninės (also known as Rasos) is a traditional national holiday, celebrated on the summer solstice. Saint Jonas' Festival (aka Rasos (Dew Holiday Joninės Kupolė Midsummer Day or St It has pagan origins. Užgavėnės (Shrove Tuesday) takes place on the day before Ash Wednesday, and is meant to urge the retreat of winter. Užgavėnės is a Lithuanian festival that takes place during the seventh week before Easter ( Ash Wednesday Shrove Tuesday is the term used in Ireland the United Kingdom Australia and Canada to refer to the day after Shrove Monday (or the more old fashioned Collop Monday In the Western Christian Calendar, Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and occurs forty days before Easter (excluding Sundays Winter is one of the four Seasons of Temperate zones Calculated astronomically, it begins on the Solstice and ends on the Equinox There are also national traditions for Christian holidays such as Easter and Christmas. Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year.

Lithuanian Cuisine

Main article: Lithuanian cuisine

Lithuanian cuisine features the products suited to its cool and moist northern climate: barley, potatoes, rye, beets, greens, and mushrooms are locally grown, and dairy products are one of its specialties. Lithuanian cuisine features the products suited to its cool and moist northern climate Barley, Potatoes, Rye, Beets greens, Since it shares its climate and agricultural practices with Eastern Europe, Lithuanian cuisine has much in common with other Eastern European and Ashkenazi Jewish cuisines. Climate encompasses the temperatures humidity rainfall atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorogical factors in a given region over long periods of Eastern Europe is a general term that refers to the Geopolitical region encompassing the easternmost part of the European continent. Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim ( Hebrew: אַשְׁכֲּנָזִים, ˌaʃkəˈnazim sing Nevertheless, it has its own distinguishing features, which were formed by a variety of influences during the country's long and difficult history.

Because of their long common history, Lithuanians and Poles share many dishes and beverages. Thus there are similar Lithuanian and Polish versions of dumplings (pierogi or koldūnai), doughnuts (pączki or spurgos), and crepes (blini or blynai). Pierogi (also perogi, perogy, pirohi, piroghi, pirogi, pirogen, pierogy, pidahih,--> or Pączki ( Polish: pączki, pronounced MP3 Pronunciation File are traditional Polish Doughnuts Pączki is the Plural form of the A blintz, blintze or blin (plural blintzes or blini cf Lithuanian: Blynai blynai; Russian: блин blin, блины German traditions also influenced Lithuanian cuisine, introducing pork and potato dishes, such as potato pudding (kugelis) and potato sausages (vėdarai), as well as the baroque tree cake known as šakotis. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Kugelis (also bulvių plokštainis (the lexically correct non-foreign name literally "flat potato dish" or banda - a dialecticism frequent especially Baroque art redirects here Please disambiguate such links to Baroque painting, Baroque sculpture, etc Šakotis is a popular Lithuanian traditional cake a version of the German Baumkuchen, and known as "sękacz" in Poland The most exotic of all the influences is Eastern (Karaite) cuisine, and the dishes kibinai and čeburekai are popular in Lithuania. Karaite Judaism or Karaism (ˈkærəˌaɪt ˈkærəˌɪzəm) is a Jewish movement NOTE The word sect should not be used without defining it first and The popular "Torte Napoleon" was introduced during Napoleon's passage through Lithuania in the 19th century. Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. The French invasion of Russia in 1812 was a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars. ^[11]

For Lithuanian Americans both dishes of Huluski (cabbage and noodles) and Halupki (rolled cabbage) are growing increasingly more popular.

Lithuanian šakotis

Cepelinai, a stuffed potato creation, is the most famous national dish. Cepelinai ( singular - cepelinas) or Didžkukuliai are a Lithuanian national dish It is popular among Lithuanians all over the world. Other national foods include dark rye bread, cold beet soup (šaltibarščiai), and kugelis (a baked potato pudding). Rye bread is Bread made with Flour from Rye grain of variable levels Cold borscht (borshch or Cold beet soup (Lithuanian Šaltibarščiai, Polish Chłodnik or Chłodnik litewski, Russian Kholodnik Kugelis (also bulvių plokštainis (the lexically correct non-foreign name literally "flat potato dish" or banda - a dialecticism frequent especially Some of these foods are also common in neighboring countries. Lithuanian cuisine is generally unknown outside Lithuanian communities. Lithuanian cuisine features the products suited to its cool and moist northern climate Barley, Potatoes, Rye, Beets greens, Most Lithuanian restaurants outside Lithuania are located in areas with a heavy Lithuanian presence.

Lithuanians in the early 20th century were among the thinnest people in the developed countries of the world. ^[12] In Lithuanian cuisine there is some emphasis on attractive presentation of freshly prepared foods.

Locally brewed beer (alus), vodka (degtinė), and kvass (gira) are popular drinks in Lithuania. Beer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed Alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea Vodka is one of the world's most popular Distilled beverages It is a clear liquid which consists of mostly Water and Ethanol purified by Distillation Kvass or kvas (literally "leaven" borrowed in the 16th century from Russian квас ( kvas) sometimes translated into English Starka is a part of the Lithuanian heritage, but it is no longer produced in Lithuania. Starka is a traditional dry Vodka distilled from Rye grain produced mostly in Poland and Lithuania.

Lithuanian literature

Main article: Lithuanian literature

When the ban against printing the Lithuanian language was lifted in 1904, various European literary movements such as symbolism, impressionism, and expressionism each in turn influenced the work of Lithuanian writers. Lithuanian literature is Literature written by Lithuanians, or by Lithuanians in exile The Lithuanian press ban (spaudos draudimas was a ban on all Lithuanian language publications printed in the Latin alphabet within the Russian Empire, Year 1904 ( MCMIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting on "Symbolic" redirects here For other uses see Symbolism (disambiguation and Symbolic (disambiguation. Impressionism was a 19th-century Art movement that began as a loose association of Paris -based Artists exhibiting their art publicly in the 1860s Expressionism is the tendency of an artist to distort reality for an Emotional effect it is a subjective art form The first period of Lithuanian independence (1918-40) gave them the opportunity to examine themselves and their characters more deeply, as their primary concerns were no longer political. An outstanding figure of the early 20th century was Vincas Krėvė-Mickevičius, a novelist and dramatist. Vincas Mickevičius ( October 19, 1882 – July 17, 1954) better known by his Pen name Vincas Krėvė-Mickevičius, was His many works include Dainavos šalies senų žmonių padavimai (Old Folks Tales of Dainava, 1912) and the historical dramas Šarūnas (1911), Skirgaila (1925), and Mindaugo mirtis (The Death of Mindaugas, 1935). Dzūkija (dzuːkɪˈjʌ or Dainava is one of five Ethnographic Regions of Lithuania. Skirgaila, also known as Ivan; ca 1353 or 1354 – 11 January 1397 in Kiev; baptized 1383/1384 as Casimir) was a regent of the Mindaugas (ˈmındoʊgʌs ca 1203 – 12 September 1263) was the first known Grand Duke of Lithuania, a title he gained ca Petras Vaičiūnas was another popular playwright, producing one play each year during the 1920s and '30s. Vincas Mykolaitis-Putinas wrote lyric poetry, plays, and novels, including the novel Altorių šešėly (In the Shadows of the Altars, 3 vol. Vincas Mykolaitis-Putinas ( January 6 1893 - June 7 1967) was Lithuanian poet and prosaist , 1933), a remarkably powerful autobiographical novel.

Keturi vėjai movement started with publication of The Prophet of the Four Winds by talented poet Kazys Binkis (1893–1942). Keturi vėjai (The Four Winds - Lithuanian literary movement and literary journal (1924 - 1928 Kazys Binkis (1893 - 1942 - Lithuanian poet journalist and playwright It was rebellion against traditional poetry. The theoretical basis of Keturi vėjai initially was futurism which arrived through Russia from the West and later cubism, dadaism, surrealism, unanimism, and German expressionism. Futurism was an Art movement that originated in Italy in the early 20th century Cubism was a 20th century Avant-garde Art movement, pioneered by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, that revolutionized European For other meanings see Dada (disambiguation DaDa is a Concept album by Alice Cooper, released Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early-1920s and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members Unanimism (French Unanimisme) is a movement in French literature begun by Jules Romains in the early 1900s Expressionism is the tendency of an artist to distort reality for an Emotional effect it is a subjective art form The most influensive futurist for Lithuanian writers was Russian poet Vladimir Mayakovsky. Vladimir Vladimirovich Mayakovsky (Влади́мир Влади́мирович Маяко́вский ( &ndash April 14, 1930) was a Russian poet and ^[13]

Oskaras Milašius (Oscar Vladislas de Lubicz Milosz) (1877-1939) is a paradoxical and interesting phenomenon in Lithuanian culture. Oscar Vladislas de Lubicz Milosz ( Oskaras Milašius) ( May 28 1877 — March 2 1939) was a French-Lithuanian writer and Lithuanian diplomat He never lived in Lithuania but was born and spent his childhood in Cereja (near Mogilev, Belarus) and graduated from Lycée Janson de Sailly in Paris. Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east Lycée Janson de Sailly is a Lycée located in the XVIe arrondissement of Paris, France. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city His longing for his fatherland was more metaphysical. Having to choose between two conflicting countries — Lithuania and Poland — he preferred Lithuania which for him was an idea even more than a fatherland. Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland In 1920 when France recognized the independence of Lithuania, he was appointed officially as Charge d’Affairs for Lithuania. He published: 1928, a collection of 26 Lithuanian songs; 1930, Lithuanian Tales and Stories; 1933, Lithuanian Tales; 1937, The origin of the Lithuanian Nation, in which he tried to persuade the reader that Lithuanians have the same origin as Jews from the Pyrenees peninsula. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ The Pyrenees (Pirineos French: Pyrénées; Catalan: Pirineus; Occitan: Pirenèus; Aragonese: Perinés

Folk music

Main article: Music of Lithuania

A Lithuanian folklore band performing in Vilnius

Lithuanian folk music is based around songs (dainos), which include romantic and wedding songs, as well as work songs and archaic war songs. Lithuania has a long history of folk popular and classical musical development Folk music can have a number of different meanings including Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous These songs used to be performed either in groups or alone, and in parallel chords or unison. In Music, a unison () is an interval, the ratio of 11 or 0 half steps and zero cents. Duophonic songs are common in the renowned sutartinės tradition of Aukštaitija. In Synthesizers capable of sounding two voices or Notes at a time Aukštaitija (literary Highlands; oʊkʃteɪtɪˈjʌ is the name of one of five ethnographic Regions of Lithuania. Another style of Lithuanian folk music is called rateliai, a kind of round dance. There are two distinct Dance categories called Round Dance. The specific dances belonging to the first of these categories are often considered to be ethnic, Instrumentation includes kanklės, a kind of zither that accompanies sutartinės, rateliai, waltzes, quadrilles and polkas, and fiddles, (including a bass fiddle called the basetle) and a kind of whistle called the lumzdelis; recent importations, beginning in the late 19th century, including the concertina, accordion and bandoneon. The Kanklės (ˈkʌŋkles is a Lithuanian plucked string Musical instrument ( Chordophone) related to the Zither. The zither is a musical String instrument, most commonly found in Slovenia, Austria, Hungary, the southern regions of Germany, alpine The waltz is a ballroom and folk Dance in time, performed primarily in Closed position. for the equestrian form of quadrille see Quadrille (dressage The term may also refer to Quad paper and a Square tiling The polka is a fast lively Central European Dance and also a genre of dance music familiar throughout Europe and the Americas A simple whistle is a Woodwind instrument which produces Sound from a stream of forced air A concertina is a free-reed Musical instrument, like the various Accordions and the Harmonica. The accordion is a portable box-shaped Musical instrument of the hand-held Bellows -driven free-reed aerophone family sometimes referred to as a Squeezebox The bandoneón is a Free-reed instrument particularly popular in Argentina. Sutartinė can be accompanied by skudučiai, a form of panpipes played by a group of people, as well as wooden trumpets (ragai and dandytės). The pan flute or pan pipe (also known as panflute or panpipes) is an ancient Musical instrument based on the principle of the Closed Kanklės is an extremely important folk instrument, which differs in the number of strings and performance techniques across the country. A string is the vibrating element that is the source of vibration in String instruments such as the Guitar, Harp, Piano, and members Other traditional instruments include švilpas whistle, drums and tabalas (a percussion instrument like a gong), sekminių ragelis (bagpipe) and the pūslinė, a musical bow made from a pig's bladder filled with dried peas. This article is about the Internet Protocol Television channel Bagpipes are a class of Musical instrument, Aerophones using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag The musical bow is a simple string Musical instrument consisting of a string supported by a flexible string bearer usually made out of Wood. ^[14]

See also

• Lithuania
• Baltic states
• List of Lithuanians
• Lithuanian-Americans

References