NA

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, 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: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits

People
Lithuania

Population:

3,565,205 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.5% (male 264,668/female 250,997) 15-64 years: 69.5% (male 1,214,236/female 1,263,198) 65 years and over: 16% (male 197,498/female 374,608) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 39 years male: 36.4 years female: 41.6 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.284% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

9 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

11.12 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

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: 0.53 male(s)/female total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.57 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.86 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.67 years male: 69.72 years female: 79.89 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.22 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1,300 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2008)

Nationality:

noun: Lithuanian(s) adjective: Lithuanian

Ethnic groups:

Lithuanian 83.4%, Polish 6.7%, Russian 6.3%, other or unspecified 3.6% (2001 census)

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)

Languages:

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

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.6% male: 99.6% female: 99.6% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 16 years male: 15 years female: 17 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5% of GDP (2005)

Government
Lithuania

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

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

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

Administrative divisions:

10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis); Alytaus, Kauno, Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages, Telsiu, Utenos, Vilniaus

Independence:

11 March 1990 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recognized by Soviet Union)

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

Constitution:

adopted 25 October 1992

Legal system:

based on civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the constitutional court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Valdas ADAMKUS (since 12 July 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Andrius KUBILIUS (since 27 November 2008) 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 in 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%; Andrius KUBILIUS approved by Parliament 89-27 with 16 abstentions

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats; 71 members are elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional representation; serve four-year terms) elections: last held 12 and 26 October 2008 (next to be held October 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - TS 19.7%, TPP 15.1%, TT 12.7%, LSDP 11.7%, KDP+J 9%, LRLS 5.7%, LCS 5.3%, LLRA 4.8%, LVLS 3.7%, NS 3.6%, other 8.7%; seats by faction - TS 44, LSDP 26, TPP 16, TT 15, LRLS 11, KDP+J 10, LCS 8, LLRA 3, LVLS 3, NS 1, independent 4

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judges for all courts appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:

Civil Democracy Party or PDP [Viktor MUNTIANAS]; Coalition of Labor
Party and Youth or KDP+J [Viktor USPASKICH]; Electoral Action of
Lithuanian Poles or LLRA [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI]; Homeland Union -
Lithuanian Christian Democrats or TS [Andrius KUBILIUS]; Lithuanian
Peasant Popular Union or LVLS [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE]; Liberal and
Center Union or LCS [Arturas ZUOKAS]; Liberal Movement or LRLS
[Eligijus MASIULIS]; National Revival or TPP [Arunas VALINSKAS]; New
Union (Social Liberal) or NS [Arturas PAULAUSKAS]; Order and Justice
Party or TT [Rolandas PAKSAS]; Social Democratic Party or LSDP
[Gediminas KIRKILAS]; Young Lithuania and New Nationalists
[Stanislovas BUSKEVICIUS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Europe House (promotes the EU); European Movement (promotes the EU);
Lithuanian Future Forum (promotes the EU)

International organization participation:

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Audrius BRUZGA chancery: temporary address: 2300 Clarendon Boulevard, Suite 302, Arlington, VA 22201 telephone: (202) 234-5860 FAX: (202) 328-0466 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador John A. CLOUD embassy: Akmenu gatve 6, Vilnius, LT-03106 mailing address: American Embassy, Akmenu Gatve 6, Vilnius LT-03106 telephone: (5) 266 5500 FAX: (5) 266 5510

Flag description:

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

Economy
Lithuania

Economy - overview:

Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with Russia, has grown rapidly since rebounding from the 1998 Russian financial crisis. Unemployment fell to 3.2% in 2007 while wages continued to grow at double digit rates, contributing to rising inflation. Exports and imports also grew strongly, and the current account deficit rose to nearly 15% of GDP in 2007. 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 is nearly complete. Foreign government and business support have helped in the transition from the old command economy to a market economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$59.98 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$38.35 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

8.8% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$16,800 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 5.3% industry: 33.3% services: 61.4% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

1.603 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

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

Unemployment rate:

3.5% note: based on survey data, official registered unemployment of 5.7% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

4% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 27.7% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

36 (2005)

Investment (gross fixed):

26.6% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $13.28 billion expenditures: $13.75 billion (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Public debt:

17.3% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

4.85% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

6.86% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$11.84 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$6.917 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$25.05 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:

7.4% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

11.91 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

10.4 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

7.217 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

5.846 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 16.5% hydro: 5.7% nuclear: 77.7% other: 0% (2001)

Oil - production:

8,250 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

57,170 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

148,400 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

206,700 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

12 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

3.44 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

3.44 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Current account balance:

-$5.26 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$17.18 billion f.o.b. (2007 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 15%, Latvia 12.9%, Germany 10.5%, Poland 6.3%, Estonia 5.8%,
UK 4.6%, Denmark 4.1%, Belarus 4% (2007)

Imports:

$22.8 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

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

Imports - partners:

Russia 18%, Germany 15%, Poland 10.6%, Latvia 5.5%, Netherlands 4.3% (2007)

Economic aid - recipient:

$249.7 million (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$7.721 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$27.19 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$14.63 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$1.642 billion (2007 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$10.19 billion (2006)

Currency (code):

litas (LTL)

Currency code: