Lithuania

Lithuania

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Lietuvos Respublika/Republic of Lithuania Area 65,200 sq km/25,173 sq mi Capital Vilnius Language Lithuanian (official) Religion predominantly Roman Catholic; Evangelical Lutheran, also Russian Orthodox, Evangelical Reformist, and Baptist Time difference GMT +2 Major holidays 1 January, 16 February, 5 May, 6 July, 1 November, 25–26 December; variable: Easter Monday


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Kaunas, Klaipeda, Siauliai, Panevezys Physical features central lowlands with gentle hills in west and higher terrain in southeast; 25% forested; some 3,000 small lakes, marshes, and complex sandy coastline; River Nemunas Airports three international airports; six other airports with paved runways; total passengers carried: 329,000 (2003 est) Railways total length: 1,774 km/1,102 mi; total passenger journeys: 7 million (2003) Roads total road network: 76,573 km/47,580 mi, of which 27.4% paved (2003 est); passenger cars: 396.6 per 1,000 people (2003 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state Vladimir Adamkus from 2004 Head of government Gediminas Kirkilas from 2006 Political system emergent democracy Political executive dual executive Administrative divisions 10 districts subdivided into 60 municipalities Political parties Lithuanian Democratic Labour Party (LDLP), reform-socialist (ex-communist); Homeland Union–Lithuanian Conservatives (Tevynes Santara), right of centre, nationalist; Christian Democratic Party of Lithuania, right of centre; Lithuanian Social Democratic Party, left of centre Death penalty abolished in 1998 Armed forces 14,600; plus 6,700 reservists and paramilitary forces of 14,600 (2006 est) Conscription military service is compulsory for 12 months Defence spend (% GDP) 1.8 (2005 est) Education spend (% GDP) 5.9 (2003 est) Health spend (% GDP) 5 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency litas GDP (US$) 25.5 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 6.8 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 24.1 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 14,220 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 3.6% (2006 est) Unemployment 8% (2005 est) Labour force 14% agriculture, 29.1% industry, 56.9% services (2005) Foreign debt (US$) 12 billion (2005 est) Major trading partners Russia, Germany, Latvia, Poland, France, Estonia, the Netherlands, EU25 Resources small deposits of petroleum, natural gas, peat, limestone, gravel, clay, sand Industries petroleum refining and petroleum products, cast iron and steel, textiles, mineral fertilizers, fur coats, refrigerators, TV sets, bicycles, paper Exports mineral products, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fertilizers, textiles and clothing, consumer goods. Principal source: Russia 27.8% (2005) Imports mineral products, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fertilizers, textiles and clothing, consumer goods. Principal source: Russia 22.3% (2004) Arable land 44.8% (2006 est) Agricultural products cereals, sugar beet, potatoes, vegetables; livestock rearing and dairy farming


POPULATION

Population 3,417,400 (2006 est) Population growth rate -0.4% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 52 (2005 est) Urban population (% of total) 67 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 17%, 15–59 62%, 60+ 21% (2005 est) Ethnic groups 80% Lithuanian ethnic descent, 9% ethnic Russian, 8% Polish, 2% Belarussian, 1% Ukrainian Life expectancy 68 (men); 79 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 8 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 9 Literacy rate 99% (men); 99% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 40.3 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 8.7 (2003 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 0.2 (2005 est) AIDS deaths <100 (2005 est)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 23.4 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 127.1 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 524 (2000 est) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 518 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 15.5 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 35.7 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

late 12th century Became a separate nation. 1230 Mindaugas united Lithuanian tribes to resist attempted invasions by German and Livonian Teutonic Knights, and adopted Christianity. 14th century Strong Grand Duchy formed by Gediminas, founder of Vilnius and Jogaila dynasty, and his son, Algirdas; absorbing Ruthenian territories to east and south, it stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea and east, nearly reaching Moscow. 1410 Led by Duke Vytautas, and in alliance with Poland, the Teutonic Knights were defeated decisively at the Battle of Tannenberg. 1569 Joined Poland in a confederation, under the Union of Lublin, in which Poland had the upper hand and Lithuanian upper classes were Polonized. 1795 Came under control of Tsarist Russia, following partition of Poland; ‘Lithuania Minor’ (Kaliningrad) fell to Germany. 1831 and 1863 Failed revolts for independence. 1880s Development of organized nationalist movement. 1914–18 Occupied by German troops during World War I. 1918–19 Independence declared and, after uprising against attempted imposition of Soviet Union (USSR) control, was achieved as a democracy. 1920–39 Province and city of Vilnius occupied by Poles. 1926 Democracy overthrown in authoritarian coup by Antanas Smetona, who became president. 1934 Baltic Entente mutual-defence pact signed with Estonia and Latvia. 1939–40 Secret German–Soviet agreement brought most of Lithuania under Soviet influence as a constituent republic. 1941 Lithuania revolted and established own government, but during World War II Germany again occupied the country and 210,000, mainly Jews, were killed. 1944 USSR resumed rule. 1944–52 Lithuanian guerrillas fought USSR, which persecuted the Catholic Church, collectivized agriculture, and deported 500,000 Balts to Siberia. 1972 Demonstrations against Soviet government. 1980s Growth in nationalist dissent, influenced by Polish Solidarity movement and glasnost (‘openness’) initiative of reformist Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. 1988 Nationalist Sajudis independence movement formed to campaign for increased autonomy; Lithuanian declared state language and interwar republic flag restored. 1989 Communist Party lost local monopoly of power; over 1 million took part in nationalist demonstrations. 1990 Sajudis won elections; unilateral declaration of independence initially rejected by USSR. 1991 Communist Party outlawed; Lithuanian independence recognized by USSR and Western nations; country admitted to United Nations. 1992 Economic restructuring caused contraction in GDP. 1993 Free-trade agreement reached with other Baltic states. Last Russian troops departed. 1994 Friendship and cooperation treaty with Poland and trade and cooperation agreement with European Union (EU) signed. 1997 Border treaty signed with Russia. 1998 Independence candidate Valdas Adamkus became president. 2001 Algirdas Brazauskas became prime minister of centre-left government. 2003 Former prime minister Rolandas Paksas beat Adamkus in presidential elections. Proposed EU accession endorsed in referendum. 2004 Lithuanian accession to NATO and EU. Parliamentary dismissal of President Paksas for alleged links with Russian criminals and replacement by Adamkus. 2006 Resignation of Prime Minister Brazauskas and replacement by fellow social democrat Gediminas Kirkilas (at head of country's 14th government since 1991.


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