FAX: (2) 227-236

FAX: (202) 328-0466

consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
John F. TEFFT

embassy: Akmenu 6, 2600 Vilnius

mailing address: American Embassy, Vilnius, PSC 78, Box V, APO AE 09723

telephone: (2) 223-031

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

Lithuania Economy

Economy - overview: Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with Russia, has been slowly rebounding from the 1998 Russian financial crisis. High unemployment and weak consumption have held back recovery. GDP growth for 2000 - estimated at 2.9% - fell behind that of Estonia and Latvia, and unemployment is estimated at 10.8%, the country's highest since regaining independence in 1990. For 2001, Lithuanians forecast 3.2% growth, 1.8% inflation, and a fiscal deficit of 3.3%. In early 2001, the Lithuanian Government announced that it will repeg its currency, the litas, to the euro (the litas is currently pegged to the dollar) some time in 2002. Lithuania must ratify 25 agreements along with other legal documents and obligations by 1 May 2001 before gaining World Trade Organization membership. Lithuania was invited to the Helsinki summit in December 1999 and began EU accession talks in early 2000. Privatization of the large, state-owned utilities, particularly in the energy sector, remains a key challenge for 2001.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $26.4 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.9% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,300 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10%

industry: 33%

services: 57% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1%

highest 10%: 25.6% (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 2 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: industry 30%, agriculture 20%, services 50% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10.8% (2000)

Budget: revenues: $1.5 billion

expenditures: $1.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 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

Industrial production growth rate: 2.3% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 13.567 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 23.89%

hydro: 3.43%

nuclear: 72.68%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 9.817 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 3.2 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 400 million kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs; fish

Exports: $3.7 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment 22%, mineral products 15%, chemicals 12%, textiles and clothing, foodstuffs (1999)

Exports - partners: Germany 15.8%, Latvia 12.6%, Russia 6.9%,
Belarus 5.8%, Denmark (1999)

Imports: $4.9 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment 18%, mineral products 16%, chemicals 10%, textiles and clothing 10%, transport equipment 7% (1999)

Imports - partners: Russia 20.4%, Germany 16.5%, Denmark 3.8%,
Belarus 2.2%, Latvia 2% (1999)

Debt - external: $2.5 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $228.5 million (1995)

Currency: litas (LTL)

Currency code: LTL

Exchange rates: litai per US dollar - 4.000 (fixed rate since 1 May 1994); note - litai is the plural of litas

Fiscal year: calendar year

Lithuania Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 1.048 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 297,500 (November 1998)

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

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 112, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 1.9 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 20 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 1.7 million (1997)

Internet country code: .lt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 14 (2000)

Internet users: 225,000 (2000)

Lithuania Transportation

Railways: total: 2,002 km

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

Highways: total: 44,000 km

paved: 35,500 km

unpaved: 8,500 km (2000)

Waterways: 600 km (perennially navigable)

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

Ports and harbors: Butinge, Kaunas, Klaipeda

Merchant marine: total: 50 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 293,168 GRT/327,827 DWT

ships by type: cargo 26, combination bulk 10, petroleum tanker 2, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 3 (2000 est.)

Airports: 72 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 9

over 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 63

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 55 (2000 est.)

Lithuania Military

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

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 929,389 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 730,363 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 28,506 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $181 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.66% (FY00)

Lithuania Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: Latvia has not ratified a 1998 maritime boundary agreement with Lithuania (primary concern is oil exploration rights); 1997 border agreement with Russia not yet ratified by Russia

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

@Luxembourg

Luxembourg Introduction

Background: Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the European Union) and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area.

Luxembourg Geography

Location: Western Europe, between France and Germany

Geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 6 10 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 2,586 sq km

land: 2,586 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: total: 356 km

border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 135 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: modified continental with mild winters, cool summers

Terrain: mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Moselle River 133 m

highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m

Natural resources: iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land

Land use: arable land: 24%

permanent crops: 1%

permanent pastures: 20%

forests and woodland: 35%

other: 20%

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (including Belgium) (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland

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,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Environmental Modification

Geography - note: landlocked

Luxembourg People

Population: 442,972 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.91% (male 43,051; female 40,711)

15-64 years: 67.03% (male 149,781; female 147,165)

65 years and over: 14.06% (male 24,921; female 37,343) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.26% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 12.25 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 8.88 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 9.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.3 years

male: 74.02 years

female: 80.8 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.16% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Luxembourger(s)

adjective: Luxembourg

Ethnic groups: Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kososvo) and European (guest and resident workers)

Religions: the greatest preponderance of the population is Roman
Catholic with a very few Protestants, Jews, and Muslims

note: 1979 legislation forbids the collection of religious statistics

Languages: Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative language), French (administrative language)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100% (2000 est.)

Luxembourg Government

Country name: conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

conventional short form: Luxembourg

local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg

local short form: Luxembourg

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Luxembourg

Administrative divisions: 3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher,
Luxembourg

Independence: 1839 (from the Netherlands)

National holiday: National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June

Constitution: 17 October 1868, occasional revisions

Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November 1981);

head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1 January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Lydie POLFER (since 7 August 1999)

cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and vice prime minister appointed by the monarch, following popular election to the Chamber of Deputies; they are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies

note: government coalition - CSV and DP

Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 13 June 1999 (next to be held by NA June 2004)

election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 29.79%, DP 21.58%, LSAP 23.75%, ADR 10.36%, Green Party 9.09%, the Left 3.77%; seats by party - CSV 19, DP 15, LSAP 13, ADR 6, Green Party 5, the Left 2

note: the Council of State or Conseil d'Etat, which has 21 members who are appointed and dismissed by the Grand Duke based on proposals from the government, the Chamber of Deputies, or the Council of State, is an advisory body whose views are considered by the Chamber of Deputies

Judicial branch: judicial courts and tribunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2 district courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative courts and tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative courts and tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are appointed for life by the monarch

Political parties and leaders: Action Committee for Democracy and
Justice or ADR [Robert MEHLEN]; Christian Social People's Party or
CSV (known also as Christian Social Party or PCS) [Erna
HENNICOT-SCHOEPGES]; Democratic Party or DP [Lydie POLFER]; Green
Party [Abbes JACOBY and Felix BRAS]; Luxembourg Socialist Workers'
Party or LSAP [Jean ASSELBORN]; Marxist and Reformed Communist Party
DEI LENK (the Left) [no formal leadership]; other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industrialists); LCGP (center-right trade union); OGBL (center-left trade union)

International organization participation: ACCT, Australia Group,
Benelux, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Arlette CONZEMIUS

chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: (202) 265-4171