Lithuania

Broadcast media

public broadcaster operates 3 channels with the third channel - a satellite channel - introduced in 2007; various privately-owned commercial TV broadcasters operate national and multiple regional channels; many privately-owned local TV stations; multi-channel cable and satellite TV services available; publicly-owned broadcaster operates 3 radio networks; many privately-owned commercial broadcasters, many with repeater stations in various regions throughout the country (2007)

Internet country code

.lt

Internet hosts

1.205 million (2012) country comparison to the world: 43

Internet users

1.964 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 75

Telephone system

general assessment: adequate; being modernized to provide improved international capability and better residential access domestic: rapid expansion of mobile-cellular services has resulted in a steady decline in the number of fixed-line connections; mobile-cellular teledensity stands at about 140 per 100 persons international: country code - 370; major international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite; landline connections to Latvia and Poland

Telephones - main lines in use

723,000 (2011) country comparison to the world: 88

Telephones - mobile cellular

5.004 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 103

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $13.08 billion expenditures: $14.84 billion (2012 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-4.3% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Central bank discount rate

3% (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 2.06% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

5.8% (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 145 5.78% (31 December 2011 est.)

Current account balance

-$1.053 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 114 -$670 million (2011 est.)

Debt - external

$31.37 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 $31.03 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

35.5 (2009) country comparison to the world: 84 34 (1999)

Economy - overview

Lithuania gained membership in the World Trade Organization and joined the EU in May 2004. Despite Lithuania's EU accession, Lithuania's trade with its Central and Eastern European neighbors, and Russia in particular, accounts for a significant share of total trade. Foreign investment and business support have helped in the transition from the old command economy to a market economy. Lithuania's economy grew on average 8% per year for the four years prior to 2008 driven by exports and domestic demand. However, GDP plunged nearly 15% in 2009 - the three former Soviet Baltic republics were among the hardest hit by the 2008-09 financial crisis. The government's efforts to attract foreign investment, develop export markets, and to pursue broad economic reforms has been key to Lithuania's quick recovery from a deep recession making Lithuania one of the fastest growing economies in the EU. However, unemployment - at 15.8% in 2012 - remains stubbornly high.

Exchange rates

litai (LTL) per US dollar - 2.711 (2012 est.) 2.481 (2011 est.) 2.6063 (2010 est.) 2.4787 (2009) 2.3251 (2008)

Exports

$29.01 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 $28.06 billion (2011 est.)

Exports - commodities

mineral products 22%, machinery and equipment 10%, chemicals 9%, textiles 7%, foodstuffs 7%, plastics 7%

Exports - partners

Russia 15.6%, Latvia 9.7%, Germany 8.9%, Poland 6.7%, Estonia 6.3%, Netherlands 5.8%, Belarus 4.8% (2011)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$41.22 billion (2012 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$64.32 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 87 $62.61 billion (2011 est.) $59.13 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 3.3% industry: 28.4% services: 68.4% (2012 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$20,100 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 $19,400 (2011 est.) $18,000 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

2.7% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 121 5.9% (2011 est.) 1.4% (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 29.1% (2008)

Imports

$31.41 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 $30.17 billion (2011 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Russia 32.1%, Germany 9.6%, Poland 9%, Latvia 6.5%, Netherlands 4.8% (2011)

Industrial production growth rate

7.5% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.4% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 96 4.1% (2011 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

17.7% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Labor force

1.587 million (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 14% industry: 29.1% services: 56.9% (2005)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$4.075 billion (31 December 2011) country comparison to the world: 80 $5.661 billion (31 December 2010) $4.477 billion (31 December 2009)

Population below poverty line

4% (2008)

Public debt

36.5% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 99 36.8% of GDP (2011 est.) note: official data; data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities, debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are sold at public auctions

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$8.821 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 $8.21 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of broad money

$19.32 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 87 $18.74 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$2.612 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 $2.312 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$15.75 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 $14.85 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$22.49 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 $22.84 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$12.24 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 74 $11.72 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

31.7% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Unemployment rate

15.7% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 150 15.4% (2011 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

15.98 million Mt (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Crude oil - exports

2,260 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Crude oil - imports

168,300 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Crude oil - production

2,000 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Crude oil - proved reserves

12 million bbl (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Electricity - consumption

9.2 billion kWh (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Electricity - exports

2.184 billion kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Electricity - from fossil fuels

53.8% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

2.4% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

25.2% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Electricity - from other renewable sources

2.4% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Electricity - imports

8.17 billion kWh (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Electricity - installed generating capacity

3.82 million kW (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Electricity - production

4.8 billion kWh (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Natural gas - consumption

3.1 billion cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Natural gas - imports

3.1 billion cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Refined petroleum products - consumption

70,390 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Refined petroleum products - exports

149,900 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Refined petroleum products - imports

15,670 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Refined petroleum products - production

202,600 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Area

total: 65,300 sq km country comparison to the world: 123 land: 62,680 sq km water: 2,620 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: Aukstojas 294 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, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 3.33 cu km/yr (78%/15%/7%) per capita: 971 cu m/yr (2003)

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

13.4 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 1,574 km border countries: Belarus 680 km, Latvia 576 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 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

Total renewable water resources

24.5 cu km (2005)

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; last amended 25 April 2006

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 (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Anne HALL 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 Zygimantas PAVILIONIS chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860 FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE (since 12 July 2009) head of government: Prime Minister Algirdas BUTKEVICIUS (since 22 November 2012) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister and approval of the Parliament (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 May 2009 (next to be held in May 2014); prime minister appointed by the president on the approval of the Parliament election results: Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE elected president; percent of vote - Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE 69.1%, Algirdas BUTKEVICIUS 11.8%, Valentinas MAZURONIS 6.2%, others 12.9%; Algirdas BUTKEVICIUS approved by Parliament 90-40

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red; yellow symbolizes golden fields, as well as the sun, light, and goodness; green represents the forests of the countryside, in addition to nature, freedom, and hope; red stands for courage and the blood spilled in defense of the homeland

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

11 March 1990 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union); notable earlier dates: 6 July 1253 (coronation of MINDAUGAS, traditional founding date), 1 July 1569 (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth created)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judges for all courts appointed by the president, with Seimas approval required for judges on the Constitutional Court and Supreme Court

Legal system

civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the constitutional court

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats; 71 members elected in single-member districts, 70 elected by proportional representation; members to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 14 and 28 October 2012 (next to be held in October 2016) election results: percent of vote by party (proportional vote) - DP 19.8%, LSDP 18.4%, TS-LKD 15.1%, LS 8.6%, DK 8%, TT 7.3%, LLRA 5.8%, LVZS 3.9%, other parties 13.1%; seats by party - LSDP 38, TS-LKD 33, DP 29, TT 11, LS 10, LLRA 8, DK 7, LVZS 1, independent 3, vacant 1

National anthem

name: "Tautiska giesme" (The National Song) lyrics/music: Vincas KUDIRKA note: adopted 1918, restored 1990; the anthem was written in 1898 while Lithuania was a part of Russia; it was banned during the Soviet occupation from 1940 to 1990

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

National symbol(s)

mounted knight known as Vytis (the Chaser)

Political parties and leaders

Christian Party or KP [Gediminas VAGNORIUS]; Civil Democracy Party or PDP [Algimantas MATULEVICIUS]; Democratic Labor and Unity Party or DDVP [Kristina BRAZAUSKIENE]; Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles or LLRA [Valdemar TOMASEVSKI]; Emigrants Party or EP [Juozas MURAUSKAS]; Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats or TS-LKD [Andrius KUBILIUS]; Labor Party or DP [Viktor USPASKICH]; Liberal and Center Union or LCS [Algis CAPLIKAS]; Liberal Movement or LS or LRLS [Eligijus MASIULIS]; Lithuanian People's Party or LLP [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE]; Lithuanian People's Party or LZP [Joana SIMANAUSKIENE]; Lithuanian Russian Union or LRS [Sergejus DMITRIJEVAS]; Lithuanian Social Democratic Party or LSDP [Algirdas BUTKEVICIUS]; Nationalist Union or TS [Gintaras SONGAILA]; Order and Justice Party or TT [Rolandas PAKSAS]; Peasant and Greens Union or LVZS [Ramunas KARBAUSKIS]; Republican Party or RP [Valdemaras VALKIUNAS]; Russian Alliance or RA [Tamara LOCHANKINA]; Socialist People's Front or SLF [Algirdas PALECKIS]; Way of Courage or DK [Jonas VARKALA]; YES-Homeland Revival and Perspective or YES Union or TAIP Union or TAIP [Arturas ZUOKAS]; Young Lithuania Party or PJL [Stanislovas BUSKEVICIUS]

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 16-49: 890,074 females age 16-49: 875,780 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 669,111 females age 16-49: 724,803 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 20,425 female: 19,527 (2010 est.)

Military branches

Lithuanian Armed Forces (Lietuvos Ginkluotosios Pajegos): Ground Forces (Sausumos Pajegos), Naval Forces (Karines Juru Pajegos), Air Forces (Karines Oro Pajegos), National Defense Volunteer Forces (Krasto Apsaugos Savanoriu Pajegos) (2011)

Military expenditures

0.9% of GDP (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for volunteers; 12-month conscript service obligation suspended in 2008, all enlisted conscripts ending service by July 2009 (2009)

Age structure

0-14 years: 13.7% (male 247,372/ female 234,337) 15-64 years: 69.7% (male 1,209,122/ female 1,249,720) 65 years and over: 16.6% (male 202,479/ female 382,731) (2012 est.)

Birth rate

9.34 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Death rate

11.4 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Education expenditures

4.7% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 74

Ethnic groups

Lithuanian 84%, Polish 6.1%, Russian 4.9%, Belarusian 1.1%, other or unspecified 3.9% (2009)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 100 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

1,200 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Health expenditures

7.8% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 59

Hospital bed density

6.84 beds/1,000 population (2008)

Infant mortality rate

total: 6.18 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 170 male: 7.37 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.55 years country comparison to the world: 87 male: 70.72 years female: 80.66 years (2012 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.7% male: 99.7% female: 99.7% (2010 est.)

Major cities - population

VILNIUS (capital) 546,000 (2009)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2009)

Maternal mortality rate

8 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 161

Median age

total: 40.5 years male: 37.8 years female: 43 years (2012 est.)

Nationality

noun: Lithuanian(s) adjective: Lithuanian

Net migration rate

-0.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

19.7% (2006) country comparison to the world: 22

Physicians density

3.664 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Population

3,525,761 (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Population growth rate

-0.278% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 210

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)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 16 years male: 15 years female: 17 years (2008)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.53 male(s)/female total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.27 children born/woman (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 216

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 29.4% country comparison to the world: 16 male: 35.2% female: 21.7% (2009)

Urbanization

urban population: 67% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: -0.5% annual rate of change (2010-15 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; boundary demarcated with Latvia and Lithuania; 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

81 (2012) country comparison to the world: 70

Airports - with paved runways

total: 26 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: 13 (2012)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 55 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 52 (2012)

Merchant marine

total: 38 country comparison to the world: 77 by type: cargo 20, container 1, passenger/cargo 6, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 8 (Denmark 8) registered in other countries: 22 (Antigua and Barbuda 3, Belize 1, Comoros 1, Cook Islands 1, Norway 1, Panama 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 9, unknown 3) (2010)

Pipelines

gas 1,695 km; refined products 114 km (2010)

Ports and terminals

Klaipeda oil terminals: Butinge oil terminal

Railways

total: 1,767 km country comparison to the world: 76 broad gauge: 1,745 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified) standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge (2011)

Roadways

total: 82,131 km country comparison to the world: 56 paved: 72,048 km (includes 309 km of expressways) unpaved: 10,083 km (2010)

Waterways

441 km (navigable year round) (2007) country comparison to the world: 87