Visitor / Tourist Information Lithuania - Introduction

Lithuania is a small, but beautiful and historically courageous country with 3,5 million inhabitants. On a number of occasions the country has had to defend it's territory and in 1990 regained it's independence from Soviet Occupation. During all the historic calamities Lithuania has managed to keep it’s unique and most archaic Indo-European language. – Lithuanian.

Lithuania was first mentioned in written sources in 1009, thus the impressive commemoration of the thousand years “name day” took place last year in 2009. The Lithuanian capital Vilnius also had another important occasion to smarten up last year as it celebrated being the 2009 European capital of culture.

The old buildings, built in the prosperous times of the Middle Ages, are still standing in Vilnius, the churches and palaces’ ensembles proudly represent all the styles of architecture. Vilnius old town, a UNESCO World heritage site, is one of the biggest (360ha) and most beautiful old towns in Central and Eastern Europe.

Lithuania is a Christian Country and more than 80 percent of inhabitants are Roman Catholic which is an inconceivable monument for the nation’s faith. The Hill of Crosses in Šiauliai gave Lithuanians emense hope during the occupation years when the Soviets leveled the miraculous site and hill (including hundreds of crosses) to the ground with bulldozers on four separate occasions. On each occasion the people bravely rebuilt the hill and re-erected and replaced the crosses again and again.

It was in 1387 that Lithuanians were Christianize thus the country was the last to be converted from paganism in Europe. The most stubborn region of Lithuania, Žemaitija, accepted Christianity only in 1413. There are more and more enthusiasts, not only researching the old pagan religion of the country, but also organizing pagan festivals and ceremonies in the nature.

And the nature in Lithuania is superbly generous and friendly. It’s a land of plains, buttoned with lakes, ploughed with calm rivers, rustling with woods (31 percent of Lithuanian territory is covered in forests and there are about 6,000 large and small lakes). The Baltic Sea circles the western shore of the country, time from time washing amber onto its sandy beaches. And the magnificent nature of the Curonian Spit, protected by UNESCO, makes the time stop.

To be astonished, to think, to be drawed into the world scale cultural events or the night life of the Lithuanian capital vortex, to discover the European geographical centre, to paddle a canoe or navigate a hot air balloon, to tremble for a moment in the Holocaust or the KGB museum… To feel the old and the new, history and the pulsation of life. To visit Lithuania.

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Interesting Facts and Figures / Information about Lithuania

1.6 million foriegn visitors / tourists visited Lithuania in 2008 averaging 5 nights stay

Population: 3,415,000
Capital: Vilnius
Vilnius population: 553,038 (2004 estimate)
Kaunas population: 368,917 (2004 estimate)
Klaipėda population: 190,098 (2004 estimate)
Šiauliai population: 131,184 (2004 estimate)
Panevėžys population: 117,606 (2004 estimate)
Area: 65,300 square kilometers (25,212 square miles) so the largest of the Baltic states
Language: Lithuanian
Religion: Roman Catholic / Christian - Lithuania was one of the last countries in Europe to convert to Christianity. <
Previous religion: Romuva / Pagan
Currency: Litas LTL officially pegged to the Euro (1 EUR = 3.4528LTL)
Elevation: Highest point in Lithuania is Juozapine or Kruopine, both 293 to 294 m high near Vilnius. Vilnius is 233m above sea level.
Longest river: The Nemunas is 937 km long of which 475km is in Lithuania
Largest lake: Druksciai (44.5 sq km)
Longest lake: Asveja (21.9 km)
Deepest lake: Tauragnas (60.5 m).
Oldest know settlement: Kernave 30km NNW of Vilnius.
Famous for: Amber, formed by resin from ancient trees often with fosilised insects, is found near the Curonian Spit / Baltic sea.
Famous for: Pope John Paul II's mother(Emilija Kacarauskaite / Emilia Kaczorowska). She was of Lithuanian descent
Lithuania's only king: Mindaugas (1236-1263)
Second City: Kaunas (capital during the Polish occupation of Vilnius)
Other settlers: Jews from 15th Century.
First University: Vilnius founded in 1579.
Occupation: USSR 1939-1989
Occupation of Vilnius: Poland April 1919 to September 1939 (except July-Dec of 1920).
Greatest feat of nationalism: 'The baltic way' An unbroken human chain of Lithuanians, Latvians and Estonians stretching from Vilnius castle to Tallin Castle to demonstrate the three countries wishes for independance.Organised by Sajūdis (Lithuania's reform movement group) and reform groups from Latvia and Estonia
Independence: Lithuania was the first Soviet occupied republic to declare it's independance ( on 11 March 1990) leading to the ultimate break up of the USSR.
EU Entry: 1 May 2004
President of Lithuania: Dalia Grybauskaite elected as the first female president in May 2009
Council of the Baltic Sea States: Lithuania is a member of this
Borders: Baltic sea 99km, Belarus 502km, Latvia 453km, Kaliningrad region of Russia 227km, Poland 91km.
Politics: Lithuania is an independent, democratic republic. The state power in Lithuania belongs to the Seimas (Parliament), President of the Republic, Goverment and Court. Powers are limited according to the constitution, adopted in 1992 by a referendum. The territory of the state is one and not divisible.
Flag colors: 3 horizontal stripes gold, green, red.
State Emblem: White Vytis in the red field
Presiding Parliamentary officer:
First Minister: Andrius Kubilius
Ethnic groups: Lithuanian 80.6%, Russian 8.7%, Polish 7%, Belarusian 1.6%, other 2.1%
Administrative divisions: (10 districts / apskritys) Alytaus, Kauno, Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages, Telsiu, Utenos, Vilniaus.
Terrain: Lowland
Restoration of independence from the Soviet Union: 11 March (1990)
First State to recognise Lithuania's restoration of independance: Iceland on 11 February 1991 (other states only joined the list in August)
Constitution: Constitution of May 3, 1791 of Lithuanian-Polish Commonwealth was the first Europe's and second in the world modern codified national constitution; Recent constitution adopted on October 25, 1992
Industries: Chemical industry, textile, electronic and computing components, television sets, refrigerators, freezers, wood and paper processing industry, furniture making, optical equipment, fertilizers, petroleum refining, biotechnology.
Natural resources: Limestone, clay, quartz sand, gypsum sand, and dolomite; There also is an ample supply of mineral water; a little bit of oil; Lithuania has a large amount of thermal energy along the Baltic Sea coast.
Official currency: Litas (LTL)
GDP 2008: (Gross domestic product) 80.545LTL Billion
GDP 2008 per capita: 23,984.09LTL
GDP Growth: 3.017 %
GDP by economic sector:
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 5.2 percent (2007)
Industry 33.3 percent (2007)
Services 61.5 percent (2007)
Major trade partners for exports: United Kingdom, Latvia, Germany, Russia, and Poland
Major trade partners for imports: Russia, Germany, Poland, Italy, and United Kingdom
Climate: between maritime and continental. Average temperature in July is 23°C, and average temperature in January is -4.9°C.
Joined NATO: 29 March 2004
Moscow recognises Lithuanian Independance: 6 September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow).
The last Russian troops withdraw: 1993.
Inflation rate: 2.7%
Labor force: 1.61 million
Labor force - by occupation: industry 30%, agriculture 20%, services 50%
Unemployment: In the middlle of the year 2009 - about 11%
Electricity production by source: fossil fuel: 16.5%, hydro: 5.7%, nuclear: 77.7%
Country name: Republic of Lithuania / Lietuvos Respublika
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Independence restored: 11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence)
Independance: (Independence Day) 16 February (1918). Lithuania declared its independence from Soviet Russia and established its statehood
Independance recognition: 1991 February 11 November Iceland first recognized the independence of Lithuania.
Legal system: based on civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the constitutional court
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Presidential term: elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term)
Prime minister appointment: by the president on the approval of the Parliament.
Parliament (Seimas) Organisation: 141 seats, 71 members are directly elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional representation; members serve four-year terms
Judicial entities: Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judges for all courts appointed by the President

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