Profile
Background and figures as recorded in the CIA World Factbook.
Lithuanian lands were united under MINDAUGAS in 1236; over the next century, Lithuania extended its territory through alliances and conquest to include most of present-day Belarus and Ukraine. By the end of the 14th century, Lithuania was the largest state in Europe. An alliance with Poland in 1386 led the two countries into a union through a common ruler. In 1569, Lithuania and Poland formally united into a single dual state, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This entity survived until 1795 when surrounding countries partitioned its remnants.
- Capital
- Vilnius
- Government
- semi-presidential republic
- Population
- 2,815,687
- Area
- 65,300 sq km
- Location
- Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia, west of Belarus
- Climate
- transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers
- Natural resources
- peat; arable land; amber
- Languages
- Lithuanian (official) 85.3%; Russian 6.8%; Polish 5.1%; other 1.1%…
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 74.2%; Russian Orthodox 3.7%; Old Believer 0.6%; Evangelical Lutheran 0.6%…
- Independence
- 16 February 1918 (from Soviet Russia and Germany); 11 March 1990 (declared from the Soviet…
- Administrative divisions
- 60 municipalities (savivaldybe, singular - savivaldybe); Akmene, Alytaus Miestas, Alytus, Anksciai, Birstonas, Birzai, D…
- Currency
- euros (EUR)
- Export partners
- Latvia 11%; Poland 8%; Germany 7%; Netherlands 6%…
- Import partners
- Germany 13%; Poland 13%; Latvia 8%; USA 7%…
Source: CIA World Factbook — a work of the US government, in the public domain