Lithuania

Internet country code

.lt

Internet hosts

67,769 (2004)

Internet users

695,700 (2003)

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

824,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2,169,900 (2003)

Television broadcast stations

27 note: Lithuania has approximately 27 broadcasting stations, but 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: $5.427 billion expenditures: $5.742 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Currency

litas (LTL)

Currency code

LTL

Current account balance

$-1.218 billion (2003)

Debt - external

$7.671 billion (2003 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

34 (1999)

Economic aid - recipient

$228.5 million (1995)

Economy - overview

Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with Russia, has slowly rebounded from the 1998 Russian financial crisis. Unemployment remains high, still 10.7% in 2003, but is improving. Growing domestic consumption and increased investment have furthered recovery. Trade has been increasingly oriented toward the West. Lithuania has gained membership in the World Trade Organization and has moved ahead with plans to join the EU. Privatization of the large, state-owned utilities, particularly in the energy sector, is nearing completion. Overall, more than 80% of enterprises have been privatized. Foreign government and business support have helped in the transition from the old command economy to a market economy.

Electricity - consumption

8.683 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

6.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

1.389 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

14.62 billion kWh (2001)

Exchange rates

litai per US dollar - 3.0609 (2003), 3.677 (2002), 4 (2001), 4 (2000), 4 (1999)

Exports

$7.89 billion f.o.b. (2003 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

Switzerland 11.6%, Russia 10.1%, Germany 9.9%, Latvia 9.7%, UK 6.4%, France 5.1%, Denmark 4.7%, Estonia 4.3%, Sweden 4% (2003)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $40.88 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 6.1% industry: 31.3% services: 62.6% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

9% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 25.6% (1996)

Imports

$9.2 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

mineral products 21%, machinery and equipment 17%, transport equipment 11%, chemicals 9%, textiles and clothing 9%, metals 5% (2001)

Imports - partners

Russia 22%, Germany 16.1%, Poland 5.2%, Italy 4.3%, France 4.2% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate

16.1% (2003 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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-1.2% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

20.8% of GDP (2003)

Labor force

1.642 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 20%, industry 30%, services 50% (1997 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption

72,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

4,594 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Public debt

23.6% of GDP (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold

$3.45 billion (2003)

Unemployment rate

10.3% (2003 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

99 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Juozapines/Kalnas 292 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Air Pollution, 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: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

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

90 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 1,273 km border countries: Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km

Land use

arable land: 45.22% permanent crops: 0.91% other: 53.87% (2001)

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

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

Vilnius

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 Stephen D. MULL embassy: 2600 Akmenu 6, Vilnius mailing address: American Embassy, Vilnius, PSC 78, Box V, APO AE 09723 telephone: [370] (5) 266 5500 FAX: [370] (5) 266 5510

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Vygaudas USACKAS chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860 FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466 consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Valdas ADAMKUS (since 12 July 2004) head of government: Premier Algirdas Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS (since 3 July 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the premier elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 13 June 2004 and 27 June 2004; premier 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%

Flag description

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence)

International organization participation

ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NIB, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, 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

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats, 71 members are directly elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional representation; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 10 and 24 October 2004 (next to be held October 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - Labor 28.6%, Working for Lithuania (Social Democrats and Social Liberals) 20.7%, Homeland Union (Conservatives) 14.6%, For Order and Justice (Liberal Democrats and Lithuanian People's Union) 11.4%, Liberal and Center Union 9.1%, Union of Farmers and New Democracy 6.6%; seats by faction - Labor 39, Homeland Union 25, Social Democrats 20, Liberal and Center Union 18, Social Liberals 11, Union of Farmers and New Democracy Parties 10, Liberal Democrats 10, Electoral Action 2, independents 6

National holiday

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

Political parties and leaders

Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI, chairman]; Homeland Union/Conservative Party or TS [Andrius KUBILIUS, chairman]; Labor Party [Viktor USPASKICH, chairman]; Liberal and Center Union [Arturas ZUOKAS, chairman]; Liberal Democratic Party [Valentinas MAZURONIS, chairman]; Lithuanian Christian Democrats or LKD [Valentinas STUNDYS, chairman]; Lithuanian People's Union for a Fair Lithuania; Lithuanian Social Democratic Coalition [Algirdas BRAZAUSKAS, chairman] consists of the Lithuanian Democratic Labor Party or LDDP and the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party or LSDP; New Democracy and Farmer's Union or VNDPS [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE, chairman]; Social Liberals (New Union) [Arturas PAULAUSKAS, chairman]; Social Union of Christian Conservatives [Gediminas VAGNORIUS, chairman]; Young Lithuania and New Nationalists

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Independent between the two World Wars, Lithuania was annexed by the USSR in 1940. 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.

Military branches

National Defense Volunteer Forces (SKAT), Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$230.8 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.9% (FY01)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 943,063 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 738,602 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation

19-45 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers (2004)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 28,300 (2004 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 16.7% (male 309,736; female 294,129) 15-64 years: 68.4% (male 1,202,603; female 1,262,784) 65 years and over: 14.9% (male 184,145; female 354,502) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

8.49 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

11.03 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups

Lithuanian 80.6%, Russian 8.7%, Polish 7%, Belarusian 1.6%, other 2.1%

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: 7.13 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.61 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages

Lithuanian (official), Polish, Russian

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 73.46 years male: 68.22 years female: 79 years (2004 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.6% male: 99.7% female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 37.4 years male: 34.8 years female: 40.1 years (2004 est.)

Nationality

noun: Lithuanian(s) adjective: Lithuanian

Net migration rate

-0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

3,607,899 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.33% (2004 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic (primarily), Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical Christian Baptist, Muslim, Jewish

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.17 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international

in May 2003, the Russian Parliament ratified the 1997 land and maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, which ratified the treaty in 1999, legalizing limits of former Soviet republic borders; both states also implement a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals transiting Lithuania to and from the Russian Kaliningrad coastal enclave; the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Southwest Asia, Latin America, and Western Europe to Western Europe and Scandinavia; limited production of methamphetamine and ecstasy; susceptible to money laundering despite changes to banking legislation

Airports

102 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 28 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 14 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 74 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 67 (2003 est.)

Highways

total: 75,243 km paved: 68,697 km (including 417 km of expressways) unpaved: 6,546 km (2000)

Merchant marine

total: 49 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 296,856 GRT/317,731 DWT by type: cargo 20, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 8, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea/passenger 4 foreign-owned: Denmark 12, Netherlands 1 registered in other countries: 11 (2004 est.)

Pipelines

gas 1,696 km; oil 331 km; refined products 109 km (2004)

Ports and harbors

Butinge, Kaunas, Klaipeda

Railways

total: 1,998 km broad gauge: 1,807 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified) standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 169 km 0.750-m gauge (all service suspended) (2003)

Waterways

600 km (2004)