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{{Country
|name =''Lietuvos Respublika''
|map =Lithuania rel 2002.jpg
|map2 =Lituania location.png
|flag =
|arms =
|capital =Vilnius
|capital-raw =
|government =Parliamentary Democracy
|government-raw =
|language =Lithuanian
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Dalia Grybauskaite
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Andrius Kubilius
|pm-raw =
|area =26,080 sq mi
|pop =3,354,700
|pop-basis =2008
|gdp =$47.3 billion
|gdp-year =2008
|gdp-pc =$10,116
|currency =Danish krone
|idd =
|tld =
}}
The '''Republic of Lithuania''' is one of the three Baltic States (the others are [[Latvia]] and [[Estonia]]) situated on the Baltic Sea to the west of Russia.
The '''Republic of Lithuania''' is one of the three Baltic States (the others are [[Latvia]] and [[Estonia]]) situated on the Baltic Sea to the west of Russia.
==Geography==
==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.
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.
*Area: 65,200 sq. km. (26,080 sq. mi.); slightly larger than West Virginia.
*Cities (2008): Capital--Vilnius (pop. 542,809); other cities--Kaunas (358,107); Klaipeda (185,899); Siauliai (128,396).
*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==
==People==
The Lithuanian language still retains the original sound system and morphological peculiarities of the prototypal Indo-European tongue and, therefore, is fascinating for linguistic study. Between 400 and 600 AD, the Lithuanian and Latvian languages split from the Eastern Baltic (Prussian) language group, which subsequently became extinct. The first known written Lithuanian text dates from a hymnal translation in 1545. Written with the Latin alphabet, Lithuanian has been the official language of Lithuania since 1989. While Lithuania was a member of the U.S.S.R., Russian was the official language, so many Lithuanians speak Russian as a second language. The resident Slavic populace generally speaks Russian or Polish as a first language.
The Lithuanian language still retains the original sound system and morphological peculiarities of the prototypal Indo-European tongue and, therefore, is fascinating for linguistic study. Between 400 and 600 AD, the Lithuanian and Latvian languages split from the Eastern Baltic (Prussian) language group, which subsequently became extinct. The first known written Lithuanian text dates from a hymnal translation in 1545. Written with the Latin alphabet, Lithuanian has been the official language of Lithuania since 1989. While Lithuania was a member of the U.S.S.R., Russian was the official language, so many Lithuanians speak Russian as a second language. The resident Slavic populace generally speaks Russian or Polish as a first language.
*Population (2007): 3,374,000.
*Population (2008): 3,354,700.
*Annual growth rate (2006): -0.8%. Birth rate--9.2/1,000. Death rate--13.2/1,000.
*Annual growth rate (2006): -0.8%. Birth rate--9.2/1,000. Death rate--13.2/1,000.
*Population density (2007): 51.6 per sq. km.
*Population density (2007): 51.6 per sq. km.
The frequent formation of new political parties and their strong performance in general elections may convey the impression of great volatility, if not instability, in Lithuanian politics. However, this impression is misleading. About 20%-25% of the electorate, mostly the elderly, who have felt marginalized by the transition process, regularly vote against the party in power for its failure to ease their burdens. In the elections of 1992 and 1996, the two major parties were voted in and out, consecutively. In 2000 and 2004, newly created populist parties won the most votes. However, these parties had no clear program, were undisciplined, and splintered into small factions or aligned themselves with the Social Democratic Party. Despite its leftist ideology, by the mid-2000s the Social Democratic Party had become a centrist party and a bulwark of continuity. The frequent changes in government, however, did not lead to major shifts in policy. Economic policy, for example, has been based on fulfilling Lithuania's agreements with the International Monetary Fund and satisfying the criteria for entry into the European Union so as to ensure that Lithuania's basic taxation structure, welfare and labor policies, and government regulation were aligned with the requirements for creating a market economy. When major change has occurred, for example in the social security system, it has had the support of all the major political parties.
The frequent formation of new political parties and their strong performance in general elections may convey the impression of great volatility, if not instability, in Lithuanian politics. However, this impression is misleading. About 20%-25% of the electorate, mostly the elderly, who have felt marginalized by the transition process, regularly vote against the party in power for its failure to ease their burdens. In the elections of 1992 and 1996, the two major parties were voted in and out, consecutively. In 2000 and 2004, newly created populist parties won the most votes. However, these parties had no clear program, were undisciplined, and splintered into small factions or aligned themselves with the Social Democratic Party. Despite its leftist ideology, by the mid-2000s the Social Democratic Party had become a centrist party and a bulwark of continuity. The frequent changes in government, however, did not lead to major shifts in policy. Economic policy, for example, has been based on fulfilling Lithuania's agreements with the International Monetary Fund and satisfying the criteria for entry into the European Union so as to ensure that Lithuania's basic taxation structure, welfare and labor policies, and government regulation were aligned with the requirements for creating a market economy. When major change has occurred, for example in the social security system, it has had the support of all the major political parties.
In the October 2008 parliamentary elections, the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrat Party, widely known as the Conservatives, won a plurality, winning almost twice as many seats (45) as the second-place Social Democrats (25). The National Revival Party, a new party with numerous show business and TV-journalism celebrities in its top ranks, finished third (16 seats). The Conservatives put together a four-party coalition with the National Revival, Liberal Movement, and Liberal and Center Union parties, and Conservative leader Andrius Kubilius became prime minister--a post he previously held in 1999-2000. National Revival founder and leader Arturas Valinskas became Seimas Speaker.
In May 2009, Dalia Grybauskaite, an Independent, overwhelmingly won Lithuania’s presidential election, receiving 68% of the vote. Grybauskaite most recently served as the EU Commissioner for Financial Programming and Budget and is a former Lithuanian Finance Minister. She has said her top priorities will be domestic issues, especially those that relate to the Lithuanian economy. Grybauskaite will be inaugurated July 12, 2009 in Vilnius.
===Principal Government Officials===
===Principal Government Officials===
*President--Valdas Adamkus
*President--Dalia Grybauskaite
*Prime Minister--Gediminas Kirkilas, Social Democratic Party
*Prime Minister--Andrius Kubilius, Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (Conservatives)
*Minister of Foreign Affairs--Petras Vaitiekunas, Independent (delegated by the Peasant Nationalists Party)
*Minister of Foreign Affairs--Petras Vaitiekunas, Independent (delegated by the Peasant Nationalists Party)
*Minister of Defense--Juozas Olekas, Social Democratic Party
*Minister of Defense--Rasa Jukneviciene, Conservative Party
*Minister of Interior--Raimondas Sukys, Liberal and Center Union
*Minister of Interior--Raimondas Sukys, Liberal and Center Union
*Minister of Justice--Petras Baguska, Civil Democracy
*Minister of Justice--Remigijus Simasius, Independent (delegated by the Liberal Movement)
===Foreign Relations===
===Foreign Relations===
The initial euro adoption target date of January 1, 2007 was postponed due to the high inflation rate of 2006. Achieving the Maastricht inflation criterion necessary to adopt the euro in 2010 will require significant fiscal tightening in Lithuania. In the short-term, increasing energy prices are likely to raise the headline inflation rate above 4% in 2007. While this influence could moderate in 2008, temporary spikes from the necessary excise tax increases and longer-term convergence forces will probably keep inflation above the Maastricht reference value. Rapid credit growth will call for continued proactive supervision and implementation of prudential measures to ensure financial stability.
The initial euro adoption target date of January 1, 2007 was postponed due to the high inflation rate of 2006. Achieving the Maastricht inflation criterion necessary to adopt the euro in 2010 will require significant fiscal tightening in Lithuania. In the short-term, increasing energy prices are likely to raise the headline inflation rate above 4% in 2007. While this influence could moderate in 2008, temporary spikes from the necessary excise tax increases and longer-term convergence forces will probably keep inflation above the Maastricht reference value. Rapid credit growth will call for continued proactive supervision and implementation of prudential measures to ensure financial stability.
*GDP (2006): $32.8 billion.
*GDP (2008): $47.3 billion.
*Annual growth rate (2006): 7.5%.
*Annual growth rate (2006): 7.5%.
*Annual inflation rate (2006): 3.7%.
*Annual inflation rate (2006): 3.7%.