Lithuania

Internet country code

.lt

Internet hosts

1.301 million (2007)

Internet users

1.083 million (2006)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 29, FM 142, shortwave 1 (2001)

Telephone system

general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an improved international capability and better residential access domestic: a national, fiber-optic cable, interurban, trunk system is nearing completion; rural exchanges are being improved and expanded; mobile cellular systems are being installed; access to the Internet is available; still many unsatisfied telephone subscriber applications international: country code - 370; landline connections to Latvia and Poland; major international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite

Telephones - main lines in use

792,400 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular

4.718 million (2006)

Television broadcast stations

27 (may have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations) (2001)

Agriculture - products

grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs; fish

Budget

revenues: $10.05 billion expenditures: $10.12 billion (2006 est.)

Currency (code)

litas (LTL)

Current account balance

$-3.244 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$16.2 billion (2006 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

36 (2003)

Economic aid - recipient

$249.7 million (2004)

Economy - overview

Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with Russia, has grown rapidly since rebounding from the 1998 Russian financial crisis. Unemployment fell to 3.7% in 2006, while wages grew 17.6%, contributing to rising inflation. Exports and imports continue to grow strongly, and the current account deficit rose to nearly 10% of GDP in 2006. Trade has been increasingly oriented toward the West. Lithuania has gained membership in the World Trade Organization and joined the EU in May 2004. Privatization of the large, state-owned utilities is nearly complete. Foreign government and business support have helped in the transition from the old command economy to a market economy, but foreign direct investment declined in 2006.

Electricity - consumption

9.296 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports

8.607 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports

5.641 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production

13.48 billion kWh (2005)

Exchange rates

litai per US dollar - 2.7498 (2006), 2.774 (2005), 2.7806 (2004), 3.0609 (2003), 3.677 (2002)

Exports

$14.12 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

mineral products 23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery and equipment 11%, chemicals 6%, wood and wood products 5%, foodstuffs 5% (2001)

Exports - partners

Russia 12.8%, Latvia 11.1%, Germany 8.6%, Estonia 6.5%, Poland 6.1%, Netherlands 4.8%, Sweden 4.5%, UK 4.4%, US 4.3%, Denmark 4.2%, France 4.2% (2006)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$30.2 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$54.9 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 5.5% industry: 35% services: 59.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$15,300 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

7.5% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 27.7% (2003)

Imports

$18.29 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

mineral products, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, chemicals, textiles and clothing, metals

Imports - partners

Russia 24.3%, Germany 14.9%, Poland 9.5%, Latvia 4.8% (2006)

Industrial production growth rate

7% (2006 est.)

Industries

metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television sets, refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing, fertilizers, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic components, computers, amber jewelry

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

23.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Labor force

1.588 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 15.8% industry: 28.2% services: 56% (2004)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$10.19 billion (2006)

Natural gas - consumption

2.916 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - imports

2.916 billion cu m (2005)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2005)

Oil - consumption

56,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

145,100 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports

187,800 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - production

14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

12 million bbl (1 January 2006)

Population below poverty line

4% (2003)

Public debt

18.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$5.773 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$1.183 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$10.94 billion (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

3.7% note: based on survey data, official registered unemployment of 5.7% (2006 est.)

Area

total: 65,200 sq km land: NA sq km water: NA sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than West Virginia

Climate

transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers

Coastline

90 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Juozapines Kalnas 293.6 m

Environment - current issues

contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases

Environment - international agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

56 00 N, 24 00 E

Geography - note

fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits

Irrigated land

70 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 1,613 km border countries: Belarus 653.5 km, Latvia 588 km, Poland 103.7 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 267.8 km

Land use

arable land: 44.81% permanent crops: 0.9% other: 54.29% (2005)

Location

Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

peat, arable land, amber

Terrain

lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil

Administrative divisions

10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis); Alytaus, Kauno, Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages, Telsiu, Utenos, Vilniaus

Capital

name: Vilnius geographic coordinates: 54 41 N, 25 19 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Constitution

adopted 25 October 1992

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania conventional short form: Lithuania local long form: Lietuvos Respublika local short form: Lietuva former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador John A. CLOUD embassy: Akmenu Gatve 6, Vilnius, LT-03106 mailing address: American Embassy, Akmenu Gatve 6, Vilnius LT-03106 telephone: [370] (5) 266 5500 FAX: [370] (5) 266 5510

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Audrius BRUZGA chancery: 4590 MacArthur Blvd. NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860 FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Valdas ADAMKUS (since 12 July 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Gediminas KIRKILAS (since 4 July 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 13 and 27 June 2004 (next to be held June 2009); prime minister appointed by the president on the approval of the Parliament election results: Valdas ADAMKUS elected president; percent of vote - Valdas ADAMKUS 52.2%, Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE 47.8%; Gediminas KIRKILAS approved by Parliament 85-13, with five abstentions

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

11 March 1990 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recognized by Soviet Union)

International organization participation

ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judges for all courts appointed by the President

Legal system

based on civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the constitutional court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats; 71 members are elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional representation; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 10 and 24 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - Labor 28.6%, Working for Lithuania (Social Democrats and Social Liberals) 20.7%, TS 14.6%, For Order and Justice (Liberal Democrats and Lithuanian People's Union) 11.4%, Liberal and Center Union 9.1%, Farmers and New Democracy Union 6.6%, other 9%; seats by faction - Labor 29, Homeland Union 26, Social Democrats 23, Civil Democracy (split from Labor) 11, Liberal Movement (formerly Liberal Political Group) 11, National Farmer's Union (formerly Farmers and New Democracy Union) 11, Social Liberal 10, Liberal Democrats 9, Liberal and Center Union 8, independents 3 (as of late-July 2006)

National holiday

Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note - 16 February 1918 was the date Lithuania declared its independence from Soviet Russia and established its statehood; 11 March 1990 was the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union

Political parties and leaders

Civil Democracy Party [Viktor MUNTIANAS]; Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI]; National Farmer's Union [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE]; Homeland Union/Conservative Party or TS [Andrius KUBILIUS]; Labor Party [Kestutis DAUKSYS]; Liberal and Center Union [Arturas ZUOKAS]; Liberal Democratic Party [Rolandas PAKSAS]; Liberal Movement [Petras AUSTREVICIUS]; Lithuanian Christian Democrats or LKD [Valentinas STUNDYS]; Lithuanian People's Union for a Fair Lithuania [Julius VESELKA]; Lithuanian Social Democratic Party [Algirdas BRAZAUSKAS]; Social Liberal/New Union [Arturas PAULAUSKAS]; Social Union of Christian Conservatives [Gediminas VAGNORIUS]; Young Lithuania and New Nationalists [Stanislovas BUSKEVICIUS]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Lithuanian lands were united under MINDAUGAS in 1236; over the next century, through alliances and conquest, Lithuania extended its territory 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 the person of 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 its remnants were partitioned by surrounding countries. Lithuania regained its independence following World War I, but was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but Moscow did not recognize this proclamation until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently restructured its economy for integration into western European institutions; it joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Manpower available for military service

males age 19-49: 830,368 females age 19-49: 830,524 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 19-49: 590,606 females age 19-49: 676,102 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49: 29,689 females age 19-49: 28,543 (2005 est.)

Military branches

Ground Forces, Naval Force, Lithuanian Military Air Forces, National Defense Volunteer Forces (2005)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.2% (2006; 1.23% 2007 est.)

Military service age and obligation

19-45 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for volunteers; 12-month conscript service obligation (2006)

Age structure

0-14 years: 14.9% (male 273,573/female 259,570) 15-64 years: 69.3% (male 1,213,011/female 1,264,996) 65 years and over: 15.8% (male 194,500/female 369,789) (2007 est.)

Birth rate

8.87 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate

11.05 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Ethnic groups

Lithuanian 83.4%, Polish 6.7%, Russian 6.3%, other or unspecified 3.6% (2001 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

1,300 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 6.68 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.99 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

Languages

Lithuanian (official) 82%, Russian 8%, Polish 5.6%, other and unspecified 4.4% (2001 census)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.44 years male: 69.46 years female: 79.69 years (2007 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.6% male: 99.6% female: 99.6% (2001 census)

Median age

total: 38.6 years male: 36.1 years female: 41.2 years (2007 est.)

Nationality

noun: Lithuanian(s) adjective: Lithuanian

Net migration rate

-0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Population

3,575,439 (July 2007 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.289% (2007 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 79%, Russian Orthodox 4.1%, Protestant (including Lutheran and Evangelical Christian Baptist) 1.9%, other or unspecified 5.5%, none 9.5% (2001 census)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.054 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.959 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.526 male(s)/female total population: 0.887 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.21 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Disputes - international

Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in 2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty ratified by Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals traveling from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still conforming, as a EU member state having an external border with a non-EU member, to strict Schengen border rules; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over potential hydrocarbons; as of January 2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was complete and mapped with final ratification documents in preparation

Illicit drugs

transshipment and destination point for cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, and opiates from Southwest Asia, Latin America, Western Europe, and neighboring Baltic countries; growing production of high-quality amphetamines, but limited production of cannabis, methamphetamines; susceptible to money laundering despite changes to banking legislation

Airports

87 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 30 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 17 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 57 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 53 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 50 ships (1000 GRT or over) 363,795 GRT/366,624 DWT by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 22, chemical tanker 1, container 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 16 foreign-owned: 9 (Denmark 9) registered in other countries: 20 (Antigua and Barbuda 6, North Korea 1, Norway 1, Panama 5, St Vincent and The Grenadines 7, unknown 3) (2007)

Pipelines

gas 1,696 km; oil 228 km; refined products 121 km (2006)

Ports and terminals

Klaipeda

Railways

total: 1,771 km broad gauge: 1,749 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified) standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)

Roadways

total: 79,497 km paved: 70,549 km (includes 417 km of expressways) unpaved: 8,948 km (2005)

Waterways

425 km (2005)