PROFILE

OFFICIAL NAME:
Republic of Lithuania

Geography
Area: 65,200 sq. km. (26,080 sq. mi.); slightly larger than West Virginia.
Cities (2006): Capital--Vilnius (pop. 553,553); other cities--Kaunas (360,637); Klaipeda (187,316); Siauliai (129,037).
Terrain: Lithuania's fertile, central lowland plains are separated by hilly uplands. A total of 758 rivers, many navigable, and 2,833 lakes cover the landscape. The coastline is 90 km. (56 mi.) long. Land use--44.2% arable land, 0.91% cultivated, 53.87% other.
Climate: With four distinct seasons, the climate is humid continental, with a moderating maritime influence from the Baltic Sea. January temperatures average -5ºC (23ºF); July, 17ºC (63ºF). The level of precipitation varies considerably from region to region: in the far west, average annual precipitation is 28-33 in., while in the central plain it is about 24 in.

People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Lithuanian(s).
Population (2006): 3,403,284.
Annual growth rate (2006): -0.3%. Birth rate--8.75/1,000. Death rate--10.98/1,000.
Population density (mid-2005): 52.1 per sq. km.
Ethnic groups (2001): Lithuanians 83.4%, Poles 6.7%, Russians 6.3%.
Religions (2001): Roman Catholic (79%), Russian Orthodox (4.1%), Protestant (including Lutheran and Evangelical Christian Baptist) (1.9%).
Languages (2001): Lithuanian (official language) (82%), Russian (8%), and Polish (5.6%).
Education: Years compulsory--10 (until the age of 16). Literacy--99.6%.
Health (2006): Infant mortality rate--6.78/1,000. Life expectancy--69.2 yrs. male, 79.49 yrs. female.
Work force (2005 est.): 1.61 million: services 56%; industry 28.2%; agriculture 15.8%.

Government
Type: Parliamentary democracy.
Constitution: On October 25, 1992, Lithuanians ratified a new constitution, which was officially signed on November 6 that year.
Branches: Executive--President (chief of state), popularly elected every 5 years; Prime Minister (head of government); Legislative--Seimas (141-member Parliament). Judicial--Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, and Highest Administrative Court.
Administrative regions: 10 counties and 60 municipalities.
Principal political parties/coalitions (June 2006): Labor Party--31 seats, Conservative Party--26 seats, Social Democratic Party--23 seats, Civil Democracy Group--11 seats, Liberal Movement Group--11 seats, Peasant and People's Political Group--10 seats, Liberal Democratic Party--9 seats, New Union--10 seats, Liberal and Center Union--8 seats, Independent--2 seats.
Suffrage: universal adult (18 years of age).
General government budget (2006): $6.19 billion.

Economy
GDP (2006): $30.2 billion.
Annual growth rate (2006): 7.4%.
Annual inflation rate (2006): 3.8%.
Unemployment rate (2006 est.): 5.7%.
Per capita income (2006): $8,899.
Natural resources: Limestone, clay, sand, gravel, iron ore, and granite.
Major sectors of the economy (Q1-Q3, 2006): Manufacturing 22.8%, wholesale and retail trade 16.9%, transport and communications 12.8%, real estate, renting and business activities 10%.
Trade: Exports--$11.82 billion (2005): mineral products 27.5%, machinery and mechanical appliances 12.4%, textiles and textile articles 9.2%, wood and paper products 4.6%. Major export partners--Russia 10.4%, Latvia 10.1%, Germany 9.4%, France 7%. Imports--$15.48 billion (2005): mineral products 25.6%, machinery and equipment 17.9%, transportation equipment 11.7%, chemicals 7.8%, base metals 7%, textiles and clothing 5.6%. Major import partners--Russia 27.8%, Germany 15.2%, Poland 8.3%, the Netherlands 3.9%.

GEOGRAPHY
The largest and most populous of the Baltic states, Lithuania is situated on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, in northeastern Europe. It is bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland to the southwest, and Kaliningrad, a territory of Russia, to the west. It has 60 miles of sandy coastline, of which only 24 miles face the open Baltic Sea. Lithuania's major warm-water port of Klaipeda lies at the narrow mouth of Kursiu Gulf, a shallow lagoon extending south to Kaliningrad. The Nemunas River and some of its tributaries are used for internal shipping. Situated between the 54th and 56th latitudes and the 20th and 27th longitudes, Lithuania is glacially flat, except for the hills (of no more than 300 meters) in the western and eastern highlands. The terrain is marked by numerous small lakes and swamps, and a mixed forest zone covers 30% of the country. According to some geographers, Lithuania's capital, Vilnius, lies at the geographical center of Europe.

PEOPLE
Lithuanians are neither Slavic nor Germanic, although the union with Poland and the colonization by Germans and Russians have influenced the culture and religious beliefs of Lithuania. This highly literate society places strong emphasis upon education, which is free and compulsory until age 16. Most Lithuanians and ethnic Poles belong to the Roman Catholic Church; the Russian Orthodox Church is the largest non-Catholic denomination.