Lithuania

Internet country code

.lt

Internet hosts

148,675 (2006)

Internet users

1,221,700 (2005)

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

801,100 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

4.353 million (2005)

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: $8.429 billion expenditures: $9.103 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2004 est.)

Currency (code)

litas (LTL)

Current account balance

$-1.771 billion (2005)

Debt - external

$11.7 billion (2 February 2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

32.5 (2003)

Economic aid - recipient

$1.6 billion in committed EU structural and cohesion funds (2004-06)

Economy - overview

Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with Russia, has slowly rebounded from the 1998 Russian financial crisis. Unemployment dropped from 11% in 2003 to about 8% in 2005. 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 joined the EU in May 2004. 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

12.079 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

11.7 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports

4.144 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production

19 billion kWh (2004)

Exchange rates

litai per US dollar - 2.774 (2005), 2.7806 (2004), 3.0609 (2003), 3.677 (2002), 4 (2001)

Exports

$11.8 billion f.o.b. (2005 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 10.4%, Latvia 10.2%, Germany 9.4%, France 7%, Estonia 5.9%, Poland 5.5%, Sweden 5%, US 4.7%, UK 4.7%, Denmark 4.3% (2005)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$23.5 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$49.41 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 5.5% industry: 32.5% services: 62% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$14,100 (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

7.5% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 24.9% (2000)

Imports

$15.5 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Russia 27.9%, Germany 15.2%, Poland 8.3% (2005)

Industrial production growth rate

7.3% (2005 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)

2.7% (2005)

Investment (gross fixed)

21.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Labor force

1.61 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Natural gas - consumption

3.1 billion cu m (2004)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2004)

Natural gas - imports

3.1 billion cu m (2004)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004)

Oil - consumption

52,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

93,000 bbl/day bbl/day (2004)

Oil - production

14,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves

12 million bbl (2004)

Population below poverty line

Less than $2.15 per day (PPP): 4%

Public debt

18.7% of GDP (2005 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$3.815 billion (2005)

Unemployment rate

8.2% (2005)

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, 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

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, Almeny gatve 6, Vilnius LT-03106 telephone: [370] (5) 266 5500 FAX: [370] (5) 266 5510

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Kornelija JURGAITIENE 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 5 abstentions

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, BA, 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, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), 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%, 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 Political Group 8, independents 3 (as of late-July 2006)

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

Civil Democracy Party [Viktor MUNTIANAS, chairman]; Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI, chairman]; National Farmer's Union [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE, chairman]; Homeland Union/Conservative Party or TS [Andrius KUBILIUS, chairman]; Labor Party; Liberal and Center Political Group [Arturas ZUOKAS, chairman]; Liberal Democratic Party [Valentinas MAZURONIS, chairman]; Liberal Movement; 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; Social Liberal/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.

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

1.9% (FY01)

Military service age and obligation

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 15.5% (male 284,888/female 270,458) 15-64 years: 69.1% (male 1,210,557/female 1,265,542) 65 years and over: 15.5% (male 190,496/female 363,965) (2006 est.)

Birth rate

8.75 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate

10.98 deaths/1,000 population (2006 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: 6.78 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.12 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.2 years male: 69.2 years female: 79.49 years (2006 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: 38.2 years male: 35.7 years female: 40.8 years (2006 est.)

Nationality

noun: Lithuanian(s) adjective: Lithuanian

Net migration rate

-0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Population

3,585,906 (July 2006 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.3% (2006 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: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.2 children born/woman (2006 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 member state that forms part of the EU's external border, 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

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

91 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 34 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: 20 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 57 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 53 (2006)

Merchant marine

total: 49 ships (1000 GRT or over) 353,094 GRT/352,883 DWT by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 20, chemical tanker 1, container 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 14, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 10 (Denmark 10) registered in other countries: 17 (Antigua and Barbuda 3, Belize 1, North Korea 1, Norway 1, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, unknown 3) (2006)

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 (2005)

Roadways

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

Waterways

425 km (2005)