Lithuania

LITHUANIA

Information about travelling to Lithuania

Lithuania is located in Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia

Facts about Lithuania
Population3,565,205 (July 2008 est.
CapitalVilnius
Time zoneUTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begin
Location Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia

General info about Lithuania
Lithuanian lands were united under MINDAUGAS in 1236; over the next century, through alliances and conquest, Lithuania extended its territory to include most of present-day Belarus and Ukraine. By the end of the 14th century Lithuania was the largest state in Europe. An alliance with Poland in 1386 led the two countries into a union through the person of a common ruler. In 1569, Lithuania and Poland formally united into a single dual state, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This entity survived until 1795, when its remnants were partitioned by surrounding countries. Lithuania regained its independence following World War I but was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but Moscow did not recognize this proclamation until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently restructured its economy for integration into Western European institutions; it joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Disease threats
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A
Languages spoken
Lithuanian (official) 82%, Russian 8%, Polish 5.6%, other and unspecified 4.4% (2001 census)
What about drugs?
transshipment and destination point for cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, and opiates from Southwest Asia, Latin America, Western Europe, and neighboring Baltic countries; growing production of high-quality amphetamines, but limited production of cannabis, methamphetamines; susceptible to money laundering despite changes to banking legislation
Ethnic division
Lithuanian 83.4%, Polish 6.7%, Russian 6.3%, other or unspecified 3.6% (2001 census)
HIV/AIDS prevalence rate
0.1% (2001 est.)
Climate
transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers
Resources
peat, arable land, amber
Economy
Lithuania has grown on average 8% per year over the last four years, driven by exports and domestic consumer demand. Unemployment stood at 4.8% in 2008, while wages continued to grow at double digit rates. The current account deficit rose to roughly 15% of GDP in 2007-08. Lithuania has gained membership in the World Trade Organization and joined the EU in May 2004. Despite Lithuania's EU accession, Lithuania's trade with its Central and Eastern European neighbors, and Russia in particular, accounts for a growing percentage of total trade. 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.
Environment
contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases

Cities in Lithuania

akmene     alytus     anyksciai     ariogala     baltoji voke     birstonas     birzai     daugai     dotnuva     druskininkai     dukstas     dusetos     eisiskes     elektrenai     ezerelis     gargzdai     garliava     gelgaudiskis     grigiskes     ignalina     jieznas     jonava     joniskelis     joniskis     juodupe     jurbarkas     kacergine     kaisiadorys     kalvarija     kaunas     kavarskas     kazlu ruda     kedainiai     kelme     klaipeda     kretinga     kudirkos naumiestis     kulautuva     kupiskis     kursenai     kybartai     lazdijai     lentvaris     linkuva     marijampole     mazeikiai     moletai     naujamiestis     naujoji akmene     nemencine     neringa     obeliai     pabirze     pabrade     pagegiai     pakruojis     palanga     pandelys     panemune     panevezys     pasvalys     plunge     priekule     prienai     radviliskis     ramygala     raseiniai     rietavas     rokiskis     rudiskes     rusne     sakiai     salantai     salcininkai     seda     seduva     siauliai     silale     silute     simnas     sirvintos     skaudvile     skuodas     smalininkai     subacius     svencioneliai     svencionys     taurage     telsiai     trakai     troskunai     turmantas     tyruliai     tytuvenai     ukmerge     utena     uzventis     vabalninkas     varena     varniai     veisiejai     venta     vieksniai     vievis     vilkaviskis     vilkija     vilnius     virbalis     visaginas     zagare     zarasai     zemaiciu naumiestis     ziezmariai    

National airlines
Air Lithuaniaairline website
Lithuanian Airlinesairline website


Airports in Lithuania
KlaipedaKLJ
KaunasKUN
PalangaPLQ
PanevezysPNV
SiauliaiSQQ
VilniusVNO


Beer in Lithuania (0.33l)
Alytus~ 0.7 EUR
Druskininkai~ 0.9 EUR
Kaunas~ 0.8 EUR
Kaunas~ 0.8 EUR
Trakai~ 1 EUR
Vilnius~ 0.9 EUR
Vilnius~ 0.9 EUR

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