Lithuania


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Lithuania

Geography
  

 
 Location:  Eastern Europe, bordering
the Baltic Sea, between Sweden and Russia  
  

Area:   

total area: 65,200 sq km   
land area: 65,200 sq km   

comparative area: slightly larger than West Virginia  
  Land boundaries: 
 total 1,273 km, Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad)
227 km   
  Coastline:  108 km   
  Maritime claims: 
  
territorial sea: 12 nm  
  International disputes: 
 dispute with Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) over the position of the Nemunas
(Nemen) River border presently located on the Lithuanian bank and not in midriver
as by international standards  
  Climate:  maritime; wet, moderate
winters and summers  
  Terrain:  lowland, many scattered small
lakes, fertile soil  
  Natural resources:  peat   
  
Land use:   
arable land: 49.1%   
permanent crops:
0%   
meadows and pastures: 22.2%   
forest and woodland:
16.3%   
other: 12.4%   
  Irrigated land:  430 sq
km (1990)  
  Environment:   
current issues: contamination
of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military
bases  
natural hazards: NA   
international agreements:
party to - Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate
Change  
 
  


People
  


  

 
  Population:  3,848,389
(July 1994 est.)   
  Population growth rate:  0.74% (1994 est.)
  
  Birth rate:  14.71 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
  
  Death rate:  10.95 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
  
  Net migration rate:  3.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994
est.)   
  Infant mortality rate:  16.7 deaths/1,000 live births
(1994 est.)   
  Life expectancy at birth:   
total population
: 71.24 years   
male: 66.53 years   
female: 76.19 years
(1994 est.)  
  Total fertility rate:  2.01 children born/woman
(1994 est.)   
  Nationality:   
noun: Lithuanian(s)
  
adjective: Lithuanian   
  Ethnic divisions:  Lithuanian
80.1%, Russian 8.6%, Polish 7.7%, Byelorussian 1.5%, other 2.1%   
  
Religions:  Roman Catholic, Lutheran, other   
  Languages: 
 Lithuanian (official), Polish, Russian   
  Literacy: 
age 9-49 can read and write (1989)  
total population: 98%   

male: 99%   
female: 98%   
  Labor force:  1.836
million   
by occupation: industry and construction 42%, agriculture
and forestry 18%, other 40% (1990)  
 
  
Government
   
  
Names:   
conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania   

conventional short form: Lithuania   
local long form: Lietuvos
Respublika   
local short form: Lietuva   
former: Lithuanian
Soviet Socialist Republic   
  Digraph:  LH  
  Type: 
 republic   
  Capital:  Vilnius   
  Administrative divisions: 
 44 regions (rajonai, singular - rajonas) and 11 municipalities*: Akmenes
Rajonas, Alytaus Rajonas, Alytus*, Anyksciu Rajonas, Birsionas*, Birzu Rajonas,
Druskininkai*, Ignalinos Rajonas, Jonavos Rajonas, Joniskio Rajonas, Jurbarko
Rajonas, Kaisiadoriu Rajonas, Marijampoles Rajonas, Kaunas*, Kauno Rajonas,
Kedainiu Rajonas, Kelmes Rajonas, Klaipeda*, Klaipedos Rajonas, Kretingos
Ragonas, Kupiskio Rajonas, Lazdiju Rajonas, Marijampole*, Mazeikiu Ragonas,
Moletu Rajonas, Neringa* Pakruojo Rajonas, Palanga*, Panevezio Rajonas, Panevezys*,
Pasvalio Rajonas, Plunges Rajonas, Prienu Rajonas, Radviliskio Rajonas, Raseiniu
Rajonas, Rokiskio Rajonas, Sakiu Rajonas, Salcininky Rajonas, Siauliai*, Siauliu
Rajonas, Silales Rajonas, Siltues Rajonas, Sirvinty Rajonas, Skuodo Rajonas,
Svencioniu Rajonas, Taurages Rajonas, Telsiu Rajonas, Traky Rajonas, Ukmerges
Rajonas, Utenos Rajonas, Varenos Rajonas, Vilkaviskio Rajonas, Vilniaus Rajonas,
Vilnius*, Zarasu Rajonas  
  Independence:  6 September 1991
(from Soviet Union)  
  National holiday:  Independence Day,
16 February (1918)   
  Constitution:  adopted 25 October 1992
 
  Legal system:  based on civil law system; no judicial review
of legislative acts  
  Suffrage:  18 years of age; universal
 
  Executive branch:   
chief of state: President
Algirdas Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS (since 25 November 1992; elected acting president
by Parliament 25 November 1992 and elected by direct vote 15 February 1993);
election last held 14 February 1993 (next to be held NA 1997); results - Algirdas
BRAZAUSKAS was elected; note - on 25 November 1992 BRAZAUSKAS was elected
chairman of Parliament and, as such, acting president of the Republic; he
was confirmed in office by direct balloting 15 February 1993  
head of government
: Premier Adolfas SLEZEVICIUS (since 10 March 1993)   
cabinet:
Council of Ministers; appointed by the president on the nomination of the
prime minister  
  Legislative branch:  unicameral  
Seimas (parliament)
: elections last held 26 October and 25 November 1992
(next to be held NA); results - LDDP 51%; seats - (141 total) LDDP 73, Conservative
Party 30, LKDP 17, LTS 8, Farmers' Union 4, LLS 4, Center Union 2, others
3  
  Judicial branch:  Supreme Court, Court of Appeals   
  
Political parties and leaders:  Christian Democratic Party (LKDP), Povilas
KATILIUS, chairman; Democratic Labor Party of Lithuania (LDDP), Adolfas SLEZEVICIUS,
chairman; Lithuanian Nationalist Union (LTS), Rimantas SMETONA, chairman;
Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP), Aloyzas SAKALAS, chairman; Farmers'
Union, Jonas CIULEVICIUS, chairman; Center Union, Romualdas OZOLAS, chairman;
Conservative Party, Vytautas LANDSBERGIS, chairman; Lithuanian Polish Union
(LLS), Rytardas MACIKIANEC, chairman  
  Other political or pressure groups: 
 Homeland Union; Lithuanian Future Forum; Farmers Union  
  
Member of:  BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ILO,
IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
LORCS, NACC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO   
  
Diplomatic representation in US:   
chief of mission: Ambassador
Alfonsas EIDINTAS   
chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC
20009   
telephone: (202) 234-5860, 2639   
FAX: (202) 328-0466
  
consulate(s) general: New York   
  US diplomatic representation: 
  
chief of mission: Ambassador Darryl N. JOHNSON   
embassy
: Akmenu 6, Vilnius 232600   
mailing address: APO AE 09723   

telephone: 370-2-223-031   
FAX: 370-2-222-779   


 


Economy
   





  CIA Overview:  Since independence in September
1991, Lithuania has made steady progress in developing a market economy. Over
40% of state property has been privatized and trade is diversifying with a
gradual shift away from the former Soviet Union to Western markets. Nevertheless,
the process has been painful with industrial output in 1993 less than half
the 1991 level. Inflation, while lower than in most ex-Soviet states, has
exceeded rates in the other Baltic states. Full monetary stability and economic
recovery are likely to be impeded by periodic government backtracking on key
elements of its reform and stabilization program as it seeks to ease the economic
pain of restructuring. Recovery will build on Lithuanian's strategic location
with its ice-free port at Klaipeda and its rail and highway hub in Vilnius
connecting it with Eastern Europe, Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine, and on its
agriculture potential, highly skilled labor force, and diversified industrial
sector. Lacking important natural resources, it will remain dependent on imports
of fuels and raw materials.  
  National product:  GDP - purchasing
power equivalent - $12.4 billion (1993 estimate from the UN International
Comparison Program, as extended to 1991 and published in the World Bank's
World Development Report 1993; and as extrapolated to 1993 using official
Lithuanian statistics, which are very uncertain because of major economic
changes since 1990)  
  National product real growth rate: 
-10% (1993 est.)  
  National product per capita:  $3,240 (1993
est.)  
  Inflation rate (consumer prices):  188% (1993)  
  
Unemployment rate:  1.8% (July 1993)  
  Budget:   

revenues: $258.5 million   
expenditures: $270.2 million, including
capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)  
  Exports:  $NA  

commodities: electronics 18%, petroleum products 5%, food 10%, chemicals
6% (1989)  
partners: Russia 40%, Ukraine 16%, other FSU countries
32%, West 12%  
  Imports:  $NA  
commodities: oil
24%, machinery 14%, chemicals 8%, grain NA% (1989)  
partners: Russia
62%, Belarus 18%, other FSU countries 10%, West 10%  
  External debt: 
 $NA  
  Industrial production:  growth rate -52% (1992)
 
  Electricity:   
capacity: 5,925,000 kW  

production: 25 billion kWh   
consumption per capita: 6,600 kWh
(1992)  
  Industries:  employs 42% of the labor force; accounts
for 23% of GOP shares in the total production of the former USSR are: metal-cutting
machine tools 6.6%; electric motors 4.6%; television sets 6.2%; refrigerators
and freezers 5.4%; other branches: petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small
ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing, fertilizers, agricultural
machinery, optical equipment, electronic components, computers, and amber
 
  Agriculture:  employs around 18% of labor force; accounts
for 25% of GDP; sugar, grain, potatoes, sugar beets, vegetables, meat, milk,
dairy products, eggs, fish; most developed are the livestock and dairy branches,
which depend on imported grain; net exporter of meat, milk, and eggs  
  
Illicit drugs:  transshipment point for illicit drugs from Central and
Southwest Asia and Latin America to Western Europe; limited producer of illicit
opium; mostly for domestic consumption  
  Economic aid:   

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (1992), $10 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-86), $NA million;
Communist countries (1971-86), $NA million  
  Currency:  introduced
the convertible litas in June 1993  
  Exchange rates:  litai
per US$1 - 4 (fixed rate 1 May 1994); 3.9 (late January 1994)  
  
Fiscal year:  calendar year  
 
  
Communications
   
  
Railroads:  2,000 km (1,524-mm gauge); 120 km electrified  
  
Highways:   
total: 44,200 km   
paved: 35,500 km   

unpaved: earth 8,700 km (1990)  
  Inland waterways:  600
km perennially navigable  
  Pipelines:  crude oil, 105 km;
natural gas 760 km (1992)  
  Ports:  coastal - Klaipeda; inland
- Kaunas  
  Merchant marine:  44 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 276,265 GRT/323,505 DWT, cargo 29, combination bulk 11, railcar carrier
3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1   
  Airports:   
total:
96   
usable: 18   
with permanent-surface runways: 12   

with runways over 3,659 m: 0   
with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 5
  
with runways 1,060-2,439 m: 11   
note: a C-130 can land
on a 1,060-m airstrip  
  Telecommunications:  Lithuania ranks
among the most modern of the former Soviet republics in respect to its telecommunications
system; telephone subscriber circuits 900,000; subscriber density 240 per
1,000 persons; land lines or microwave to former USSR republics; international
connections no longer depend on the Moscow gateway switch, but are established
by satellite through Oslo from Vilnius and through Copenhagen from Kaunas;
2 satellite earth stations - 1 EUTELSAT and 1 INTELSAT; an NMT-450 analog
cellular network operates in Vilnius and other cities and is linked internationally
through Copenhagen by EUTELSAT; international electronic mail is available;
broadcast stations - 13 AM, 26 FM, 1 SW, 1 LW, 3 TV  
 
  
Defense
Forces
  
  Branches:  Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Security
Forces (internal and border troops), National Guard (Skat)   

  
Manpower availability:  males age 15-49: 941,273; fit: for military service 744,867; reach military age (18) annually: 27,375 (1994 est.)  

  
Defense expenditures:  exchange rate conversion - $NA, 5.5% of GDP (1993
est.) 

CIA World Facts (1994)




 

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