2000 Edition

Background

Independent between the two World Wars, Lithuania was annexed by the USSR in 1940. In March of 1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but this proclamation was not generally recognized until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently has restructured its economy for eventual integration into Western European institutions.

Area

land

65,200 sq km

total

65,200 sq km

water

0 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

highest point

Juozapines/Kalnas 292 m

lowest point

Baltic Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geographic coordinates

56 00 N, 24 00 E

Irrigated land

430 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km

total

1,273 km

Land use

arable land

35%

forests and woodland

31%

other

15% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

12%

permanent pastures

7%

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 19% (male 357,712; female 342,796) 15-64 years: 67% (male 1,177,732; female 1,259,682) 65 years and over: 14% (male 163,470; female 319,364) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

9.77 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

12.87 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

14.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Lithuanian (official), Polish, Russian

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.41 years (2000 est.)

male

63.07 years

total population

69.09 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

98% (1989 est.)

male

99%

total population

98%

Nationality

adjective

Lithuanian

noun

Lithuanian(s)

Net migration rate

0.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

3,620,756 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.29% (2000 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female

total population

0.88 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.34 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Administrative divisions

44 regions (rajonai, singular - rajonas) and 11 municipalities*: Akmenes Rajonas, Alytaus Rajonas, Alytus*, Anyksciu Rajonas, Birstonas*, Birzu Rajonas, Druskininkai*, Ignalinos Rajonas, Jonavos Rajonas, Joniskio Rajonas, Jurbarko Rajonas, Kaisiadoriu Rajonas, Kaunas*, Kauno Rajonas, Kedainiu Rajonas, Kelmes Rajonas, Klaipeda*, Klaipedos Rajonas, Kretingos Rajonas, Kupiskio Rajonas, Lazdiju Rajonas, Marijampole*, Marijampoles Rajonas, Mazeikiu Rajonas, Moletu Rajonas, Neringa* Pakruojo Rajonas, Palanga*, Panevezio Rajonas, Panevezys*, Pasvalio Rajonas, Plunges Rajonas, Prienu Rajonas, Radviliskio Rajonas, Raseiniu Rajonas, Rokiskio Rajonas, Sakiu Rajonas, Salcininku Rajonas, Siauliai*, Siauliu Rajonas, Silales Rajonas, Silutes Rajonas, Sirvintu Rajonas, Skuodo Rajonas, Svencioniu Rajonas, Taurages Rajonas, Telsiu Rajonas, Traku Rajonas, Ukmerges Rajonas, Utenos Rajonas, Varenos Rajonas, Vilkaviskio Rajonas, Vilniaus Rajonas, Vilnius*, Zarasu Rajonas

Capital

Vilnius

Constitution

adopted 25 October 1992

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Lithuania

conventional short form

Lithuania

former

Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic

local long form

Lietuvos Respublika

local short form

Lietuva

Data code

LH

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Keith C. SMITH

embassy

Akmenu 6, 2600 Vilnius

mailing address

American Embassy, Vilnius, PSC 78, Box V, APO AE 09723

telephone

(2) 223-031

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Stasys SAKALAUSKAS

telephone

(202) 234-5860

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the premier

chief of state

President Valdas ADAMKUS (since 26 February 1998)

election results

Valdas ADAMKUS elected president; percent of vote - Valdas ADAMKUS 50.4%, Arturas PAULAUSKAS 49.6%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 21 December 1997 and 5 January 1998 (next to be held NA 2003); premier appointed by the president on the approval of the Parliament

head of government

Premier Andrius KUBILIUS (since 12 November 1999)

FAX

(202) 328-0466

(6) 706-084

consulate(s) general

Chicago and New York

Flag description

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

International organization participation

BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, judges appointed by the Parliament; Court of Appeal, judges appointed by the Parliament

Legal system

based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

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)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - TS 69, LKDP 15, LCS 15, LDDP 12, LSDP 10, DP 2, independents 12, others 6

elections

last held 20 October and 10 November 1996 (next to be held NA October 2000)

National holiday

Statehood Day, 16 February (1918)

Political parties and leaders

Christian Democratic Party or LKDP ; Democratic Labor Party of Lithuania or LDDP ; Democratic Party or DP [Lydie WURTH-POLFER, president]; Homeland Union/Conservative Party or TS ; Lithuanian Center Union or LCS ; Lithuanian Farmer's Party or LUP (previously Farmers' Union) ; Lithuanian Nationalist Union or LTS ; Lithuanian Polish Union or LLS ; Lithuanian Social Democratic Party or LSDP

Political pressure groups and leaders

Lithuanian Future Forum

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

$1.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

revenues

$1.5 billion

Currency

1 Lithuanian litas = 100 centas

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

$228.5 million (1995)

Economy - overview

Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with Russia, faced its own economic and financial crisis in 1999 as a result of the government's wrongfooted economic policies and its inadequate response to the August 1998 Russian financial crisis. Preliminary figures indicate 3% negative GDP growth, 10% unemployment - the highest level since independence in 1991 - and a budget deficit estimated at between 8 and 9% of GDP. The policies that Prime Minister KUBILIUS implemented upon taking the helm in November 1999 underscore a commitment to fiscal restraint, economic stabilization, and accelerated reforms. The austere 2000 budget in based on a 2% GDP growth forecast, 3% inflation, and a 2.8% budget deficit. Lithuania was invited at the Helsinki EU summit in December 1999 to begin EU accession talks in early 2000. Privatization of the large state-owned utilities, particularly in the energy sector, and reducing the high current account deficit remain challenges for the coming year.

Electricity - consumption

7.829 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

7 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

340 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

15.58 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

13.09%

hydro

4.3%

nuclear

82.61%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

litai per US$1 - 4.000 (fixed rate since 1 May 1994)

Exports

$3.3 billion (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities

machinery and equipment 19%, mineral products 19%, textiles and clothing 19%, chemicals 10%, foodstuffs (1998)

Exports - partners

Russia 17.4%, Germany 15.8%, Latvia 12.7%, Denmark 5.9%, Belarus 5.2% (1999)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $17.3 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

10%

industry

32%

services

58% (1998 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $4,800 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-3% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 28% (1993)

Imports

$4.5 billion (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment 30%, mineral products 16%, chemicals 9%, textiles and clothing 9%, foodstuffs (1998)

Imports - partners

Russia 20.4%, Germany 16.5%, Denmark 3.8%, Belarus 2.2%, Latvia 2% (1999)

Industrial production growth rate

-14% (1999 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)

0.3% (1999 est.)

Labor force

1.8 million

Labor force - by occupation

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

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

10% (1999)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

10 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 112, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

1.9 million (1997)

Telephone system

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

landline connections to Latvia and Poland; major international connections are to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite

Telephones - main lines in use

1.048 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

297,500 (1998)

Television broadcast stations

82 (mainly repeater stations) (1998)

Televisions

1.7 million (1997)

Airports

96 (1994 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

25 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 14 (1994 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

71 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 63 (1994 est.)

Highways

paved

64,951 km (including 417 km of expressways)

total

71,375 km

unpaved

6,424 km (1998 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

cargo 23, combination bulk 11, petroleum tanker 2, rail car carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 11, roll-on/roll-off 1, short-sea passenger 3 (1999 est.)

total

52 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 316,319 GRT/351,700 DWT

Pipelines

crude oil, 105 km; natural gas 760 km (1992)

Ports and harbors

Kaunas, Klaipeda

Railways

broad gauge

2,002 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified) (1994)

total

2,002 km

Waterways

600 km perennially navigable

Military branches

Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force, Security Forces (internal and border troops), National Guard (Skat)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$181 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.5% (FY99)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 925,551 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 727,609 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

27,259 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

ongoing talks over maritime boundary dispute with Latvia (primary concern is oil exploration rights); 1997 border agreement with Russia not yet ratified

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Southwest Asia, Latin America, and Western Europe to Western Europe and Scandinavia

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