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Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, Poland to the south, and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad Oblast to the southwest, with a maritime border with Sweden to the west. Lithuania covers an area of , with a population of 2.9 million. Its capital and largest city is Vilnius; other major cities include Kaunas, Klaipėda, Šiauliai and Panevėžys. Lithuanians are the titular nation, belong to the ethnolinguistic group of Balts, and speak Lithuanian.
For millennia, the southeastern shores of the Baltic Sea were inhabited by various Balts. In the 1230s, Lithuanian lands were united for the first time by Mindaugas, who formed the Kingdom of Lithuania on 6 July 1253. Subsequent expansion and consolidation resulted in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which by the 14th century was the largest country in Europe. In 1386, the grand duchy entered into a de facto personal union with the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland. The two realms were united into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1569, forming one of the largest and most prosperous states in Europe. The commonwealth lasted more than two centuries, until neighbouring countries gradually dismantled it between 1772 and 1795, with the Russian Empire annexing most of Lithuania's territory.
Towards the end of World War I, Lithuania declared independence in 1918, founding the modern Republic of Lithuania. In World War II, Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union, then by Nazi Germany, before being reoccupied by the Soviets in 1944. Lithuanian armed resistance to the Soviet occupation lasted until the early 1950s. On 11 March 1990, a year before the formal dissolution of the Soviet Union, Lithuania became the first Soviet republic to break away when it proclaimed the restoration of its independence.
Lithuania is a developed country with a high-income and an advanced economy ranking very high in Human Development Index. Lithuania ranks highly in digital infrastructure, press freedom and happiness. It is a member of the United Nations, the European Union, the Council of Europe, the Council of the Baltic Sea States, the Eurozone, the Nordic Investment Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Schengen Agreement, NATO, OECD and the World Trade Organization. It also participates in the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) regional co-operation format.
Lietava, a small stream near Kernavė—the core area of the early Lithuanian state and a possible first capital of the eventual Grand Duchy of Lithuania—is usually credited as the source of the name.Zigmas Zinkevičius. Kelios mintys, kurios kyla skaitant Alfredo Bumblausko Senosios Lietuvos istoriją 1009-1795m. Voruta, 2005. However, the stream is very small, and some find it improbable that such a small and localized body of water could have lent its name to an entire nation. On the other hand, such naming is not unprecedented in world history.
Artūras Dubonis proposed another hypothesis, that Lietuva relates to the word leičiai (plural of leitis). From the middle of the 13th century, leičiai were a distinct warrior social group of the Lithuanians society subordinate to the Lithuanian ruler or the state itself. The word leičiai is used in 14–16th century historical sources as an ethnonym for Lithuanians (but not Samogitians) and is still used, usually poetically or in historical contexts, in the Latvian language, which is closely related to Lithuanian.9786094121432, Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania. . ISBN 9786094121432
From the 9th to the 11th centuries, coastal Balts were subjected to raids by the Vikings.Andres Kasekamp (2025). 9781137573667, Macmillan International Higher Education. . ISBN 9781137573667 Lithuania comprised mainly the culturally different regions of Samogitia (known for its early medieval skeletal burials), and further east Aukštaitija, or Lithuania proper (known for its early medieval cremation burials). The area was remote and unattractive to outsiders, including traders, which accounts for its separate linguistic, cultural and religious identity and delayed integration into general European patterns and trends.Ochmański (1982), p. 37 Traditional Lithuanian pagan customs and mythology, with many archaic elements, were long preserved. Rulers' bodies were cremated up until the conversion to Christianity.Eidintas et al. (2013), pp. 24–25
From the late 13th century members of the Gediminids dynasty began ruling Lithuania. Grand Duke Gediminas consolidated a hereditary monarchy and established Vilnius as the capital city in his letters. Lithuania was christianized and incorporated East Slavs' territories (e.g. principalities of Minsk, Kyiv, Polotsk, Vitebsk, Smolensk, etc.) significantly expanding the Grand Duchy of Lithuania's territory, expanding to ~650,000 km2 in the first half of the 14th century. At the end of the 14th century Lithuania was the largest country in Europe. In 1385, Lithuania formed a dynastic union with Poland through the Union of Krewo. By the 15th century Patrilineality members of the Lithuanian ruling Gediminids dynasty ruled Lithuania and Poland, as well as Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, and Moldavia. Wars with the Teutonic State in 1409-1411 and Golub War concluded with the Treaty of Melno.
In the 15th century the strengthened Grand Duchy of Moscow renewed the Muscovite–Lithuanian Wars for the Lithuanian-controlled Eastern Orthodox territories. Due to the unsuccessful beginning of the Livonian War, loss of land to the Tsardom of Russia, and pressure by monarch Sigismund II Augustus (a supporter of a close Polish–Lithuanian union), the Lithuanian nobility agreed to conclude the Union of Lublin in 1569 with the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, which created the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth with a joint monarch, but Lithuania remained a separate state. After concluding the real union, Lithuania and Poland jointly managed to reach military successes during the Livonian War, occupation of Moscow (1610), war with Sweden (1600–1611), Smolensk War, etc. In 1588, Sigismund III Vasa personally confirmed the Third Statute of Lithuania where it was stated that Lithuania and Poland have equal rights within the Commonwealth and ensured the separation of powers. The real union strongly intensified the Polonization of Lithuania and Lithuanian nobility.
The mid-17th century was marked with disastrous military losses for Lithuania as during the Deluge most of the territory of Lithuania was annexed by the Tsardom of Russia, and Vilnius was captured for the first time by a foreign army and ravaged. In 1655, Lithuania unilaterally seceded from Poland, declared Swedish King Charles X Gustav as the Grand Duke of Lithuania and fell under the protection of the Swedish Empire. However, by 1657 Lithuania was once again a part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth following the Lithuanian revolt against the Swedes. Vilnius was recaptured from the Russians in 1661.
In the second half of the 18th century the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was three times partitioned by three neighboring countries which completely dissoluted both independent Lithuania and Poland from the political map in 1795 after a failed Kościuszko Uprising and short-lived recapture of Vilnius in 1794. Most of Lithuania's territory was annexed by the Russian Empire, while was annexed by Prussia.
During the November Uprising (1830–1831) the Lithuanians and Poles jointly attempted to restore their statehoods, however the Russian victory resulted in stricter Russification measures: the Russian language was introduced in all government institutions, Vilnius University was closed in 1832, and theories that Lithuania had been a "Western Russian" state since its establishment were propagated. Subsequently, the Lithuanians once again tried to restore statehood by participating in the January Uprising (1863–1864), but yet another Russian victory resulted in even stronger Russification policies with the introduction of the Lithuanian press ban, pressure on the Catholic Church in Lithuania and Mikhail Muravyov-Vilensky's repressions. Lithuanians resisted Russification through an extensive network of Lithuanian book smugglers, secret Lithuanian publishing and homeschooling. Moreover, the Lithuanian National Revival, inspired by Lithuanian history, language and culture, laid the foundations for the reestablishment of an independent Lithuania. The Great Seimas of Vilnius was held in 1905 and its participants adopted resolutions which demanded a wide autonomy for Lithuania.
In 1918–1920 Lithuanians defended the statehood of Lithuania against Bolsheviks, Bermontians and Poles during the Lithuanian Wars of Independence. The aims of the newly restored Lithuania clashed with Józef Piłsudski's plans to create a federation (Intermarium) in territories previously ruled by the Jagiellonians. The Lithuanian authorities prevented the 1919 Polish coup attempt in Lithuania, and in 1920 during the Żeligowski's Mutiny the Polish forces captured Vilnius Region and established a puppet state of the Republic of Central Lithuania, which in 1922 was incorporated into Poland. Consequently, Kaunas became the temporary capital of Lithuania where the Constituent Assembly of Lithuania was held and other primary Lithuanian institutions operated until 1940. In 1923, the Klaipėda Revolt was organized which unified the Klaipėda Region with Lithuania. The 1926 Lithuanian coup d'état replaced the democratically elected government and president with an authoritarian regime led by Antanas Smetona.
In the late 1930s Lithuania accepted the 1938 Polish ultimatum, 1939 German ultimatum and transferred the Klaipėda Region to Nazi Germany. The 1939 Soviet–Lithuanian Mutual Assistance Treaty allowed the presence of Soviet troops in Lithuania. In 1940 Lithuania accepted the Soviet ultimatum and recovered the control of its historical capital Vilnius, however, the acceptance resulted in the Soviet occupation of Lithuania and its transformation into the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1941 during the June Uprising in Lithuania it was attempted to restore independent Lithuania and the Red Army was expelled from its territory, however in a few days Lithuania was occupied by Nazi Germany. In 1944 Lithuania was re-occupied by the Soviet Union, and Soviet political repressions along with Soviet deportations from Lithuania resumed. Thousands of Lithuanian partisans and their supporters attempted to militarily restore independent Lithuania, but their resistance was eventually suppressed in 1953 by the Soviet authorities and their collaborators. Jonas Žemaitis, the chairman of the Union of Lithuanian Freedom Fighters, was captured and executed in 1954, his successor as chairman Adolfas Ramanauskas was brutally tortured and executed in 1957. Since the late 1980s Sąjūdis movement sought for the restoration of independent Lithuania, and in 1989 the Baltic Way was held.
Gradually, economic relations were restored. However, tensions peaked again in January 1991. Attempts were made to carry out a coup using the Soviet Armed Forces, the Internal Army of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the USSR Committee for State Security (KGB). Because of the poor economic situation in Lithuania, the forces in Moscow thought the coup d'état would receive strong public support. People flooded to Vilnius to defend the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania and independence. The coup ended with a few casualties and material loss. The Soviet Army killed 14 people and injured hundreds. A large part of the Lithuanian population participated in the January Events. On 31 July 1991, Soviet paramilitaries killed 7 Lithuanian border guards on the Belarusian border in what became known as the Medininkai Massacre. On 17 September, Lithuania was admitted to the United Nations.
On 25 October 1992, citizens voted in a referendum to adopt the current constitution. On 14 February 1993, during the direct general elections, Algirdas Brazauskas became the first president after the restoration of independence. On 31 August 1993 the last units of the former Soviet Army left Lithuania.
On 31 May 2001, Lithuania joined the World Trade Organization. Since March 2004, Lithuania has been part of NATO. On 1 May 2004, it became a full member of the European Union, and a member of the Schengen Agreement in December 2007. On 1 January 2015, Lithuania joined the eurozone and adopted the European Union's single currency. On 4 July 2018, Lithuania officially joined the OECD. On 24 February 2022, Lithuania declared a state of emergency in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Together with seven other NATO member states, it invoked NATO Article 4 to hold consultations on security.
Lithuania lies at the edge of the North European Plain. Its landscape was smoothed by the glaciers of the last ice age, and is a combination of moderate lowlands and highlands. Its highest point is Aukštojas Hill at in the eastern part of the country. The terrain features numerous lakes and wetlands, and a mixed forest zone covers over 33% of the country. Drūkšiai is the largest lake, Tauragnas is the deepest lake, and Asveja is the longest lake in Lithuania.
After a re-estimation of the boundaries of the European continent in 1989, Jean-George Affholder, a scientist at the Institut Géographique National (French National Geographic Institute), determined that the geographic centre of Europe was in Lithuania, at , north of Vilnius. Affholder accomplished this by calculating the centre of gravity of the geometrical figure of Europe.
Average temperatures on the coast are in January and in July. In Vilnius, the average temperatures are in January and in July. During the summer, is common during the day, while is common at night; in the past, temperatures have reached as high as . Some winters can be very cold. occurs almost every winter. Winter extremes are in coastal areas and in the east.
The average annual precipitation is on the coast, in the Samogitia highlands, and in the east. Snow occurs every year, and it can snow from October to April. In some years, sleet can fall in September or May. The growing season lasts 202 days in the western part of the country and 169 days in the eastern part. Severe storms are rare in the east but common in the coastal areas. Lithuania experienced a drought in 2002, causing forest and peat bog fires.
Lithuania does not have high mountains, and its landscape is dominated by blooming meadows, dense forests and fertile fields of cereals. However, it stands out by the abundance of , which previously had castles where the ancient Lithuanians burned altars for pagan gods. Lithuania is a particularly watered region with more than 3,000 lakes, mostly in the northeast. The country is also drained by numerous rivers, most notably the longest Nemunas. Lithuania is home to two terrestrial ecoregions: Central European mixed forests and Sarmatic mixed forests.
Forest has long been one of the most important natural resources. Forests occupy one-third of the territory, and timber-related industrial production accounts for almost 11% of industrial production. There are five national parks, 30 regional parks, 402 nature reserves, 6 strict nature reserves, Lithuania Ia. Protected Planet and 668 state-protected natural heritage objects. Ecosystems include natural and semi-natural (forests, , wetlands and meadows) and anthropogenic (agrarian and urban) ecosystems. Among natural ecosystems, forests are particularly important, covering 33% of the country's territory. Wetlands (raised bogs, , transitional mires, etc.) cover 7.9% of the country, with 70% of wetlands having been lost due to drainage and peat extraction between 1960 and 1980. Changes in wetland plant communities resulted in the replacement of moss and grass communities by trees and shrubs, and fens not directly affected by land reclamation have become drier as a result of a drop in the water table. There are 29,000 rivers with a total length of 64,000 km; the Nemunas River basin occupies 74% of the territory of the country. Due to the construction of dams, approximately 70% of spawning sites of potential Fish migration fish species have disappeared. In some cases, river and lake ecosystems continue to be impacted by anthropogenic eutrophication.
Agricultural land comprises 54% of Lithuania's territory (roughly 70% of that is arable land and 30% meadows and pastures), approximately 400,000 ha of agricultural land is not farmed and acts as an ecological niche for weeds and invasive plant species. Habitat deterioration is occurring in regions with very productive and expensive lands as crop areas are expanded. Currently, 18.9% of all plant species, including 1.87% of all known fungi species and 31% of all known species of lichens, are listed in the Lithuanian Red Data Book. The list also contains 8% of all fish species.
The wildlife populations have rebounded as hunting became more restricted and urbanization allowed replanting forests (forests already tripled in size since their lows). Currently, Lithuania has approximately 250,000 larger wild animals or 5 per square kilometre. The most prolific large wild animal is the roe deer, with 120,000 of them. They are followed by (55,000). Other ungulates are the deer (~22,000), fallow-deer (~21,000) and the largest one: moose (~7,000). Among the predators, are the most common (~27,000). are, however, more ingrained into the mythology as there are just 800 in Lithuania. Even rarer are the (~200). There are about 200,000 rabbits in the forests.
The Lithuanian head of state is the president, directly elected for a five-year term and serving a maximum of two terms. The president oversees foreign affairs and national security and is the commander-in-chief of the military. The president appoints the prime minister and the cabinet, as well as other top civil servants and the judges for all courts except the Constitutional Court. President Gitanas Nausėda was elected on 26 May 2019 by winning in all the municipalities of Lithuania in the second election round. He was re-elected in 2024, winning more than 74% of the run-off votes.
The judges of the Constitutional Court ( Konstitucinis Teismas) serve nine-year terms. One-third of the court members is renewed every three years. The judges are appointed by the Seimas on the nomination by the president, chairman of the Seimas, and the chairman of the Supreme Court. The unicameral Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has 141 members elected to four-year terms: 71 in single-member constituencies, and the others in a nationwide vote by proportional representation. A party must receive at least 5% of the national vote to be eligible for any of the 70 national seats in the Seimas.
According to International IDEA’s Global State of Democracy (GSoD) Indices and Democracy Tracker, Lithuania performs in the mid to high range on overall democratic measures, with particular weaknesses in civic engagement and electoral participation.
Each municipality is governed by a municipal council and a mayor, who is a member of the municipal council. The number of members, elected on a four-year term, in each municipal council depends on the size of the municipality and varies from 15 (in municipalities with fewer than 5,000 residents) to 51 (in municipalities with more than 500,000 residents). Members of the council, with the exception of the mayor, are elected using proportional representation. Starting with 2015, the mayor is elected directly by the majority of residents of the municipality. The Social Democratic Party of Lithuania won the most positions in the 2023 elections (358 municipal council seats and 17 mayors).
As of 2024, the number of seats in the European Parliament allocated to Lithuania was 11. Ordinary elections take place on a Sunday on the same day as in other EU countries. Eight political parties gained seats in the 2024 elections.
In 1934–1935, Lithuania held the first mass trial of the Nazis in Europe; the convicted were sentenced to imprisonment in a heavy labor prison and capital punishments.
After regaining of independence in 1990, the largely modified Soviet legal codes were in force for about a decade. The current Constitution of Lithuania was adopted on 25 October 1992. In 2001, the Civil Code of Lithuania was passed in Seimas. It was succeeded by the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code in 2003. The approach to the criminal law is inquisitorial, as opposed to adversarial; it is generally characterised by an insistence on formality and rationalisation, as opposed to practicality and informality. Normative legal act enters into force on the next day after its publication in the Teisės aktų registras, unless it has a later entry into force date. The European Union law is an integral part of the Lithuanian legal system since 1 May 2004.
After breaking away from the Soviet Union, Lithuiana had a difficult crime situation, however, the law enforcement agencies fought crime over the years, making Lithuania a reasonably safe country. Crime in Lithuania has been declining rapidly. Law enforcement is primarily the responsibility of local Lietuvos policija (Lithuanian Police) commissariats. They are supplemented by the Lietuvos policijos antiteroristinių operacijų rinktinė Aras (Anti-Terrorist Operations Team of the Lithuanian Police Aras), Lietuvos kriminalinės policijos biuras (Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau), Lietuvos policijos kriminalistinių tyrimų centras (Lithuanian Police Forensic Research Center) and Lietuvos kelių policijos tarnyba (Lithuanian Road Police Service).
In 2017, there were 63,846 crimes registered in Lithuania. Of these, thefts comprised a large part with 19,630 cases (13.2% less than in 2016). While 2,835 crimes were serious and very serious (crimes that may lead to more than six years imprisonment), which is 14.5% less than in 2016. In total, 129 homicides or attempted homicide occurred (19.9% less than in 2016), while serious bodily harm was registered 178 times (17.6% less than in 2016). Another problematic crime contraband cases also decreased by 27.2% from 2016. Meanwhile, crimes in electronic data and information technology security fields increased by 26.6%. In the 2024 Special Eurobarometer, 24% of Lithuanians said that corruption affects their daily lives (EU average 27%). Moreover, 83% of Lithuanians regarded corruption as widespread in their country (EU average 68%), and 78% agreed that bribery and the use of connections is often the easiest way of obtaining certain public services (EU average 63%).
Capital punishment in Lithuania was suspended in 1996 and eliminated in 1998. Imprisonment rate in Lithuania is among the highest in the EU, although it has decreased by nearly half between 2013 and 2023. According to scientist Gintautas Sakalauskas, the high imprisonment rate is not because of a high criminality rate in the country, but due to Lithuania's high repression level and mistrust in the society.
]] The current system of administrative division was established in 1994 and modified in 2000 to meet the requirements of the European Union. The country's 10 counties (Lithuanian: singular – apskritis, plural – apskritys) are subdivided into 60 municipalities (Lithuanian: singular – savivaldybė, plural – savivaldybės), and further divided into 546 elderships (Lithuanian: singular – seniūnija, plural – seniūnijos). There are also 5 distinct cultural regions – Dzūkija, Aukštaitija, Suvalkija, Samogitia and Lithuania Minor.
Municipalities have been the most important unit of administration since the system of county governorship ( apskrities viršininkas) was dissolved in 2010. (Republic of Lithuania Annul Law on County Governing) , Seimas law database, 7 July 2009, Law no. XI-318. Some municipalities are historically called "district municipalities" (often shortened to "district"), while others are called "city municipalities" (sometimes shortened to "city"). Each has its own elected government. The election of municipality councils originally occurred every three years, but now takes place every four years. The council appoints elders to govern the elderships. Mayors have been directly elected since 2015; prior to that, they were appointed by the council. Justinas Vanagas, Seimo Seimas įteisino tiesioginius merų rinkimus The , Delfi.lt, 26 June 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
Elderships are the smallest administrative units and do not play a role in national politics. They provide necessary local public services—for example, registering births and deaths in rural areas. They are most active in the social sector, identifying needy individuals or families and organizing and distributing welfare and other forms of relief. Lietuvos Respublikos vietos savivaldos įstatymo pakeitimo įstatymas Law , Seimas law database, 12 October 2000, Law no. VIII-2018. Retrieved 3 June 2006. Some citizens feel that elderships have no real power and receive too little attention, and that they could otherwise become a source of local initiative for addressing rural problems. Indrė Makaraitytė, Europos Sąjungos pinigai kaimo neišgelbės European, Atgimimas, Delfi.lt, 16 December 2004. Retrieved 4 June 2006.
| Alytus County | 5,425 | 135,367 | 1.8 | 13,600 |
| Kaunas County | 8,089 | 580,333 | 13.7 | 23,900 |
| Klaipėda County | 5,209 | 336,104 | 7.0 | 21,300 |
| Marijampolė County | 4,463 | 135,891 | 2.0 | 14,400 |
| Panevėžys County | 7,881 | 211,652 | 3.6 | 17,100 |
| Šiauliai County | 8,540 | 261,764 | 4.6 | 17,600 |
| Tauragė County | 4,411 | 90,652 | 1.2 | 13,200 |
| Telšiai County | 4,350 | 131,431 | 2.2 | 16,900 |
| Utena County | 7,201 | 125,462 | 1.7 | 13,800 |
| Vilnius County | 9,731 | 851,346 | 29.4 | 35,300 |
Lithuania cooperates with Nordic and the two other Baltic countries through the Nordic-Baltic Eight format. A similar format, NB6, unites Nordic and Baltic members of EU. NB6's focus is to discuss and agree on positions before presenting them to the Council of the European Union and at the meetings of EU foreign affairs ministers. The Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) was established in Copenhagen in 1992 as an informal regional political forum. Its main aim is to promote integration and to close contacts between the region's countries. The members of CBSS are Iceland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Russia, and the European Commission. Its observer states are Belarus, France, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine.
The Nordic Council and Lithuania engage in political cooperation to attain mutual goals and to determine new trends and possibilities for joint cooperation. The council's information office aims to disseminate Nordic countries concepts and to demonstrate and promote Nordic cooperation. Together with the five Nordic countries and the two other Baltic countries, it is a member of the Nordic Investment Bank (NIB) and cooperates in its NORDPLUS programme, which is committed to education.
Poland was highly supportive of Lithuanian independence, despite the Lithuanization of its Polish minority. The former Solidarity leader and Polish President Lech Wałęsa criticised the government of Lithuania over discrimination against the Polish minority and rejected the Order of Vytautas the Great." Walesa declines Lithuanian honour ". Radio Poland. 7 September 2011. Lithuania maintains warm relations with Georgia and strongly supports its European Union and NATO aspirations. During the Russo-Georgian War in 2008, when the Russian troops were occupying the territory of Georgia and approaching towards the Georgian capital Tbilisi, President Valdas Adamkus, together with the Polish and Ukrainian presidents, went to Tbilisi by answering to the Georgians request of the international assistance. Shortly, Lithuanians and the Lithuanian Catholic Church also began collecting financial support for the war victims.
In 2004–2009, Dalia Grybauskaitė served as European Commissioner for Financial Programming and the Budget within the José Manuel Barroso-led Commission.
In 2013, Lithuania was elected to the United Nations Security Council for a two-year term, becoming the first Baltic country elected to this post. During its membership, Lithuania actively supported Ukraine and often condemned Russia for the war in Ukraine, immediately earning Ukrainian esteem. As the war in Donbas progressed, President Dalia Grybauskaitė compared the Russian President Vladimir Putin to Josef Stalin and to Adolf Hitler; she also called Russia a "terrorist state".
In 2018 Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia were awarded the for their exceptional model of democratic development and contribution to peace in the continent. In 2019 Lithuania condemned the Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria. In December 2021, Lithuania reported that in an escalation of the diplomatic spat with China over its relations with Taiwan, China had stopped all imports from Lithuania. According to Lithuanian intelligence agencies, in 2023 there was an increase in Chinese intelligence activity against Lithuania, including cyberespionage and increased focus on Lithuania's internal affairs and foreign policy.
The 2023 NATO summit was held in Vilnius.
The Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of some 20,000 active personnel, which may be supported by reserve forces. Compulsory conscription ended in 2008 but was reintroduced in 2015. As of 2024, the Lithuanian Armed Forces have 30 soldiers and officers participating in nine international operations and European Union training missions deployed in Kosovo, Iraq, Central African Republic, Djibouti, Mozambique, Spain, Italy, and in the United Kingdom, providing training for Ukrainian soldiers on Operation Interflex.
Lithuania became a full member of NATO in March 2004. Fighter jets of NATO members are deployed in Šiauliai Air Base and provide security for the Baltic airspace. Since 2014, Lithuania participates in the British-led Joint Expeditionary Force.
Beginning in summer of 2005, Lithuania was part of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, leading a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Chaghcharan in Ghor Province.Since joining international operations in 1994, Lithuania has lost two soldiers: Lieutenant Normundas Valteris fell in Bosnia, as his patrol vehicle drove over a mine. Sergeant Arūnas Jarmalavičius was fatally wounded during an attack on the camp of his Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan. In remembrance . Kariuomene.kam.lt. Retrieved on 24 December 2011.
The Lithuanian National Defence Policy aims to guarantee the preservation of the independence and sovereignty of the state, the integrity of its land, territorial waters and airspace, and its constitutional order. Its main strategic goals are to defend the country's interests, and to maintain and expand the capabilities of its armed forces so they may contribute to and participate in the missions of NATO and European Union member states.
The defense ministry is responsible for combat forces, search and rescue, and intelligence operations. The 5,000 border guards fall under the Interior Ministry's supervision and are responsible for border protection, passport and customs duties, and share responsibility with the navy for smuggling and drug trafficking interdiction. A special security department handles VIP protection and communications security. In 2015 National Cyber Security Centre of Lithuania was created. Paramilitary organisation Lithuanian Riflemen's Union acts as a civilian self-defence institution.
According to NATO, in 2020, Lithuania allocated 2.13% of its GDP to the national defense. For a long time, especially after the 2008 financial crisis, Lithuania lagged behind NATO allies in terms of defence spending. However, it increased funding, exceeding the NATO guideline of 2% in 2019. President Nausėda called for more NATO troops on 22 April 2022, saying NATO should increase its deployment of troops in Lithuania and elsewhere on Europe's eastern flank following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, during a meeting in Vilnius.
Mineral products comprised the largest share of exports (14%) in 2024; other major sectors include machinery and appliances, electrical equipment (14%), chemical products (11%), food, beverages and tobacco products (9%). The largest markets for exports were Latvia (12%), Poland (10%), and Germany (9%). Exports equaled 88% of GDP in 2022.
GDP experienced very high real growth rates for the decade up to 2009, peaking at 11% in 2007. As a result, the country was often termed a Baltic Tiger. However, in 2009 due to the 2008 financial crisis, GDP contracted 15% and unemployment rate reached 17.8% in 2010. Growth has since been much slower. According to the IMF, financial conditions are conducive to growth and financial soundness indicators remain strong. The public debt ratio in 2016 was 40% of GDP; it had been 15% in 2008.
On average, more than 95% of all foreign direct investment (FDI) comes from EU countries. Sweden is historically the largest investor with 20% – 30% of FDI. FDI into Lithuania spiked in 2017, reaching its highest ever recorded number of greenfield investment projects. In 2017, Lithuania was third, after Ireland and Singapore by the average job value of investment projects. The US was the leading source country in 2017, 25% of total FDI. Based on the Eurostat's data, in 2017 the value of exports recorded the most rapid growth of Baltic states and across Europe at 17%.
Between 2004 and 2016, one of five Lithuanians emigrated, seeking better opportunities and higher salaries abroad. Long term emigration and economic growth has resulted in a shortage in the labor market and growth in salaries being larger than growth in labor efficiency. Unemployment in 2017 was 8%. As of 2022, median wealth per adult was USD32,000 (mean was $70,000), while total national wealth was $147 billion. See table 3-1 for all countries, on pages 119-122, for mean and median wealth, Gini coefficient, distribution of adults (%) by wealth range, and number of adults. All of that info (except the Gini coefficient) is also in table 2-2 on pages 109-112. See the end of table 2-2 on page 112 for regional numbers. Page 4 mentions "46 countries lacking sufficient suitable data for wealth estimation". Pages 20-24 (table 2-1) then feature estimates for GDP per adult for said countries, with wealth data quality characterized as "n.a." (not available). As of 2023 Q2, the average monthly gross salary was €2,000. Implicit tax rates on labor, capital and corporate income in Lithuania have been among of the lowest in the EU. The nominal personal income tax rate is 20%, with 32% applied on high incomes. The corporate tax rate is 16% for most companies and 6% for small businesses; 7 free economic zones operate.
Information technology production is growing, reaching €2 billion in 2016. In 2017, 35 financial technology companies came to Lithuania as a result of the government and Bank of Lithuania simplifying procedures. Lithuania has granted a total of 39 e-money licenses, second in the EU to the UK. In 2018, Google set up a payment company in Lithuania. Europe's first international blockchain centre launched in Vilnius in 2018. Since 2021, Lithuania has issued hundreds of licenses for cryptocurrency exchange and storage operations, making it one of the leading countries in the EU in this sector.
In 2016, agricultural production was €2.3 billion. Cereal crops occupied the largest part (5710 tons); other significant types include: sugar beet (934 tons), rapeseed (393 tons) and (340 tons). Products totaling €4,385 million were exported to foreign markets, of which products for €3,165 million were of Lithuanian origin. Export of agricultural and food products accounted for 19% of all exports of goods.
Organic farming is becoming more popular. The status of organic growers and producers is granted by the public body Ekoagros. In 2016, there were 2539 such farms that occupied 225,542 hectares. Of these, 43% were cereals, 31% perennial grasses, 14% leguminous crops and 12% others.
Lithuania has launched three satellites to space: LitSat-1, Lituanica SAT-1 and LituanicaSAT-2. Lithuanian Museum of Ethnocosmology and Molėtai Astronomical Observatory is located in Kulionys. Fifteen R&D institutions are members of Lithuanian Space Association; Lithuania is a cooperating state with European Space Agency. Rimantas Stankevičius is the only ethnically Lithuanian astronaut.
Lithuania in 2018 became an Associated Member State of CERN. Two CERN incubators in Vilnius and Kaunas will be hosted. The most advanced scientific research is being conducted at the Life Sciences Center, Center For Physical Sciences and Technology. From 2011 to 2016, yearly growth of the biotech and life science sector reached 22%. 16 academic institutions, 15 R&D centres (science parks and innovation valleys) and more than 370 manufacturers operate in the life science and biotech industry.
In 2008 the Valley development programme was started aiming to upgrade scientific research infrastructure and encourage business and science cooperation. Five R&D Valleys were launched – Jūrinis (maritime technologies), Nemunas (agro, bioenergy, forestry), Saulėtekis (laser and light, semiconductor), Santara (biotechnology, medicine), Santaka (sustainable chemistry and pharmacy). Lithuanian Innovation Center was created to provide support for innovations and research institutions.
Key urban centres such as Vilnius, Kaunas, and Klaipėda attract numerous visitors because of their rich history and cultural offerings. Vilnius is renowned for its baroque architecture and has been recognized as the European Green Capital for 2025. Seaside resorts like Palanga and Neringa are popular for their sandy beaches and unique landscapes. Neringa, part of the Curonian Spit, is UNESCO's World Heritage Site known for its colossal sand dunes and pine forests. Spa towns such as Druskininkai offer wellness retreats, with Druskininkai featuring the largest water park in Eastern Europe and the Snow Arena, one of the largest indoor skiing slopes in Europe.
Lithuania offers diverse outdoor activities. Hot air ballooning is particularly popular in Vilnius and Trakai, providing aerial views of the historic landscapes. Cycling tourism is on the rise, with the country boasting over 3,769 km of bicycle tracks, including 1,988 km of asphalt pavement. The EuroVelo 10 (Baltic Sea Cycle Route) traverses the Curonian Spit, offering views of sand dunes and coastal towns like Palanga and Nida. The EuroVelo 11 (East Europe Route) passes through eastern Lithuania, including Vilnius and Trakai, and natural areas like Labanoras Regional Park. The Nemunas Delta Regional Park is a haven for birdwatchers, hosting over 300 bird species, including rare and endangered ones like the greater spotted eagle and aquatic warbler. The park's wetlands serve as crucial resting sites for migratory birds.
The rollout of 5G networks has progressed rapidly since 2022, with 5G services now covering more than 85% of Lithuania’s territory, including urban centers, highways, and key economic regions.243 The LTE (4G) network remains widespread, covering over 98% of the country and ensuring reliable connectivity even in rural areas.244
Internet access has become nearly ubiquitous, with 95% of Lithuanian households connected to broadband services as of 2025. This is a major improvement from 72% in 2017,251 and well above the previously projected 77% for 2021.255 Lithuania now ranks among the EU leaders in fixed broadband penetration and average speeds, with average household download speeds exceeding 150 Mbps and mobile download speeds surpassing 100 Mbps.246
Usage of fixed phone lines has continued to decline sharply due to the widespread adoption of mobile and internet-based communication, with fewer than 150,000 fixed lines still active nationwide.245 Meanwhile, the country maintains one of Europe’s highest Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) penetration rates — exceeding 55% by 2025, building on its top ranking of 36.8% back in 2016 according to the FTTH Council Europe.257
Lithuania is also a regional leader in data infrastructure. There are four TIER III datacenters in the country,249 and Lithuania ranks among the top 40 globally in data center density, according to Cloudscene’s latest data.250
The Rural Areas Broadband Network (RAIN) project, initially launched to bring fiber-optic broadband to underserved communities, has expanded significantly. By 2025, it enables over 55 communications operators to offer high-speed internet services to rural households, helping bridge the digital divide between urban and rural areas. The project continues to benefit from joint funding by the Lithuanian government and the European Union.251252
Major telecom operators include Telia Lietuva, Bitė Lietuva, and Tele2, which all provide competitive 4G and 5G services. Huawei maintains a notable presence in Lithuania’s telecom infrastructure despite tighter government oversight on foreign technology vendors in strategic sectors.248
Among the EU countries, Lithuania has the highest share of total freight transported by rail with 31.7% in 2023. This decreased over 50% since 2018, mainly caused by the sanctions imposed on Belarusian exports and Russia. In 2017, Lietuvos Geležinkeliai, a company that operates most railway lines in Lithuania, received EU penalty for breaching EU's antitrust laws and restricting competition in rail freight.
Lithuania has an extensive network of motorways. WEF grades Lithuanian roads at 4.7 / 7.0 and Lithuanian road authority (LAKD) at 6.5 / 10.0. Lithuanian trucking companies drew attention in 2016 and 2017 with huge and record-breaking orders of trucks. Almost 90% of commercial truck traffic is international transports, the highest of any EU country. Transportation is the third largest sector in Lithuanian economy. The sector, in conjunction with privately owned motor vehicles, accounts for 40% of national energy consumption and for 75% of oil usage. The car park is among the oldest within the European Union and constitutes the most significant single source of domestic greenhouse gas emissions.
The Port of Klaipėda is the only commercial cargo port in Lithuania. In 2011 45.5 million tons of cargo were handled (including Būtingė oil terminal figures) Port of Klaipėda is outside of EU's 20 largest ports, but it is the eighth largest port in the Baltic Sea region with ongoing expansion plans. As of 2022, the LIWA (Lithuanian Inland Waterways Authority, Vidaus vandens keliu direkcija in Lithuanian) is developing a strategy to resurrect cargo shipping on the Nemunas. Its fleet of electric ships will travel 260 km between the Port of Klaipda and the industrial and transportation centre of Kaunas. The project is anticipated to need a €75.7 million initial investment in total. and estimated to eliminate 48 000 truck trips annually. The inland river cargo port in Marvelė, linking Kaunas and Klaipėda, received its first cargo in 2019.
Vilnius Airport is the largest airport in Lithuania and 91st busiest airport in Europe. It served 3.8 million passengers in 2016. Other airports include Kaunas Airport, Palanga International Airport and Šiauliai Airport. Kaunas Airport is a small commercial cargo airport which started regular commercial cargo traffic in 2011.
After the decommissioning of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, Lithuania turned from electricity exporter to electricity importer. , 66% of electrical power was imported. Unit No. 1 was closed in 2004, as a condition of entry into the European Union; Unit No. 2 was closed down in 2009. Proposals have been made to construct a new Visaginas Nuclear Power Plant. However, a non-binding referendum held in 2012 clouded the prospects for the Visaginas project, as 63% of voters said no to a new nuclear power plant.
The main source of electrical power is the Elektrėnai Power Plant. Other primary sources are the Kruonis Pumped Storage Plant and Kaunas Hydroelectric Power Plant. Kruonis Pumped Storage Plant is the only power plant in the Baltic states to be used for regulation of the power system's operation with generating capacity of 900 MW for at least 12 hours. First geothermal heating plant (Klaipėda Geothermal Demonstration Plant) in the Baltic Sea region was built in 2004.
Lithuania–Sweden submarine electricity interconnection NordBalt and Lithuania–Poland electricity interconnection LitPol Link were launched at the end of 2015. In 2018, synchronising the Baltic states' electricity grid with the Synchronous grid of Continental Europe has started. In 2016, 20.8% of electricity consumed in Lithuania came from renewable sources.
In order to break down Gazprom's natural gas monopoly the first large scale LNG import terminal (Klaipėda LNG FSRU) in the Baltic region was built in the port of Klaipėda in 2014. The Klaipėda LNG terminal was called Independence, thus emphasising the aim to diversify the energy market of Lithuania. Norwegian company Equinor supplies of natural gas annually from 2015 until 2020. The terminal is able to meet 100 percent of demand, and is projected to meet 90 percent of the demand in Latvia and Estonia. Gas Interconnection Poland–Lithuania, also known as Lithuania–Poland pipeline, became operational in 2022.
The median age in 2022 was 44 years (male: 41, female: 47). In 2021, the age structure of the population was as follows:
Lithuania has a sub-replacement fertility rate: the total fertility rate was 1.34 children born per woman in 2021, and the mean age of women at childbirth was 30.3 years. The average age of first childbirth for women was 28.2 years. The human sex ratio is male leaning for the age categories 15–44, with 1.0352 males for every female. , 25.6% of births were to unmarried women. The mean age at first marriage in 2021 was 28.3 years for women and 30.5 years for men.
| Vilnius urban area | 747,864 |
| Kaunas urban area | 403,375 |
| Panevėžys urban area | 122,860 |
The official language is Lithuanian, but in some areas there is a significant presence of minority languages such as Polish language, Russian language, Belarusian and Ukrainian. The greatest presence of minorities and the use of these languages are in Šalčininkai, Visaginas, and Vilnius District. In 1941, the Jewish population reached its peak at approximately 250,000 people, making up about 10% of the population. Today, however, it has dwindled to a very small number. Yiddish is spoken by members of the tiny remaining Jewish community. The state laws guarantee education in minority languages, and there are numerous publicly funded schools in the areas populated by minorities, with Polish as the language of instruction being the most widely available.
According to the survey carried out within the framework of the Lithuanian census of 2021, 85.33% of the population speaks Lithuanian as their native language, 6.8% are native speakers of Russian and 5.1% of Polish. , 60.6% of residents speak Russian as a foreign language, 31.1% – English, 10.5% – Lithuanian, 8% – German, 7.9% – Polish, 1.9% – French, 2.6% – various others. Most schools teach English as the first foreign language, but students may also study German, French and Spanish; Russian is available as a second foreign language. Around 85% of upper secondary school students were studying English in 2022, and around 80% of people in the 15-19 age group reported knowing English in 2011.
, life expectancy at birth was 76.0 (70.6 years for males and 81.6 for females) and the infant mortality rate was 2.99 per 1,000 births. The annual population growth rate increased by 0.3% in 2007. Lithuania has seen a dramatic rise in suicides in the 1990s. The suicide rate has been constantly decreasing since, but it still remains the highest in the EU and one of the highest in the OECD. The suicide rate as of 2019 is 20.2 per 100,000 people. Suicide in Lithuania has been a subject of research, but the main reasons behind the high rate are psychological and economic, including social transformations and economic recessions, alcoholism, lack of tolerance in the society, and bullying.
By 2000, the vast majority of health care institutions were non-profit-making enterprises and a private sector developed, providing mostly outpatient services which are paid for out-of-pocket. The Ministry of Health also runs a few health care facilities and is involved in the running of the two major Lithuanian teaching hospitals. It is responsible for the State Public Health Centre which manages the public health network including ten county public health centres with their local branches. The ten counties run county hospitals and specialised health care facilities.
There is Compulsory Health Insurance for the Lithuanian residents. There are 5 territorial health insurance funds, covering Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Šiauliai and Panevėžys. Contributions for people who are economically active are 9% of income. Emergency medical services are provided free of charge to all residents. Access to the secondary and tertiary care, such as hospital treatment, is normally via referral by a general practitioner. Lithuania has one of the lowest health care prices in Europe.
3.7% of the population are Eastern Orthodox, mainly among the Russian minority. The community of Old Believers (0.6% of population) dates back to the 1660s. Protestants are 0.8%, of which 0.6% are Lutheranism and 0.2% are Reformed. Before World War II, according to Losch (1932), the Lutherans were 3.3% of the total population. They were mainly Germans and Prussian Lithuanians in the Klaipėda Region (Memel territory). This population fled or was expelled after the war, and Protestantism is now mainly represented by ethnic Lithuanians throughout the northern and western parts of the country, as well as in large urban areas. Newly arriving Evangelicalism have established missions since 1990.
Hinduism is a minority religion and a fairly recent development. Hinduism is spread by Hindu organizations: ISKCON, Sathya Sai Baba, Brahma Kumaris and Osho Rajneesh. ISKCON (Lithuanian: Krišnos sąmonės judėjimas) is the largest and the oldest movement as the first Krishna followers date to 1979. Brahma Kumaris maintains the Centre Brahma Kumaris in Antakalnis, Vilnius.
The historical communities of Lipka Tatars maintain Islam as their religion. Lithuania was historically home to a significant Jewish community and was an important centre of Jewish scholarship and culture from the 18th century until the eve of World War II. Of the approximately 220,000 Jews who lived in Lithuania in June 1941, almost all were killed during the Holocaust. The Lithuanian Jewish community numbered about 4,000 at the end of 2009.
Romuva, the neopagan revival of the ancient religious practices, has gained popularity over the years. Romuva claims to continue living pagan traditions, which survived in folklore and customs.Dundzila (2007), pp. 279, 296–298.Dundzila and Strmiska (2005), p. 247.Ignatow (2007), p. 104. Romuva is a polytheism pagan faith, which asserts the sanctity of nature and has elements of ancestor worship.Dundzila and Strmiska (2005), p. 244. According to the 2001 census, there were 1,270 people of Baltic faith in Lithuania. That number jumped to 5,118 in the 2011 census and decreased to 3,917 in 2021 census.
According to the World Bank, the literacy rate among Lithuanians aged 15 years and older is 100%. School attendance rates are above the EU average, and school leave is less common than in the EU. According to Eurostat Lithuania leads among other countries of the European Union in people with secondary education (93.3%). Based on OECD data, Lithuania is among the top 5 countries in the world in postsecondary (tertiary) education attainment. , 58.15% of the population aged 25 to 34, and 33.28% of the population aged 55 to 64 had completed tertiary education. The share of tertiary-educated 25–64-year-olds in STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields in Lithuania were above the OECD average (29% and 26% respectively), similarly to business, administration and law (25% and 23% respectively).
The modern education system has multiple structural problems. Insufficient funding, quality issues, and decreasing student population are the most prevalent. Teacher salaries are below the EU average, despite significant increases since 2011. Low teacher salaries was the primary reason behind national teacher strikes in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Salaries in the higher education sector are also low. Many professors have a second job to supplement their income. PISA report from 2022 found that results in math, science and reading were around OECD average, after trailing the OECD average in earlier reports in 2010 and 2015, although the relative improvement was primarily driven by the decrease in performance in the other OECD countries as a result of COVID 19 pandemic. The population ages 6 to 19 has decreased by 36% between 2005 and 2015. As a result, the student-teacher ratio is decreasing and expenditure per student is increasing, but schools, particularly in rural areas, are forced into reorganizations and consolidations. As with other Baltic nations, in particular Latvia, the large volume of higher education graduates within the country, coupled with the high rate of spoken second languages is contributing to an education brain drain.
, there were 15 public and 6 private universities as well as 16 public and 11 private colleges. Vilnius University is one of the oldest universities in Northern Europe and the largest university in Lithuania. Kaunas University of Technology is the largest technical university in the Baltic States and the second largest university in Lithuania. In an attempt to reduce costs and adapt to sharply decreasing number of high-school students, parliament decided to reduce the number of universities. In early 2018, Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences and Aleksandras Stulginskis University were merged into Vytautas Magnus University.
There are two main dialects: Aukštaitian dialect and Samogitian dialect. Aukštaitian dialect is mainly used in the central, southern and eastern parts of Lithuania while Samogitian dialect is used in the western part of the country. The Samogitian dialect has many completely different words and is even considered a separate language by some linguists. Nowadays, the distinguishing feature between the two dialects is the unequal pronunciation of accented and unaccented two-vowels uo and ie.
The groundwork for written Lithuanian was laid in 16th and 17th centuries by Lithuanian noblemen and scholars, who promoted Lithuanian language, created dictionaries and published books – Mikalojus Daukša, Stanislovas Rapolionis, Abraomas Kulvietis, Jonas Bretkūnas, Martynas Mažvydas, Konstantinas Sirvydas, Simonas Vaišnoras-Varniškis.
The first grammar book of the Lithuanian language Grammatica Litvanica was published in Latin in 1653 by Danielius Kleinas.
Jonas Jablonskis' works and activities are especially important for the Lithuanian literature moving from the use of dialects to a standard Lithuanian language. The linguistic material which he collected was published in the 20 volumes of Academic Dictionary of Lithuanian and is still being used in research and in editing of texts and books. He also introduced the letter ū into Lithuanian writing.
One of the first Lithuanian authors who wrote in Latin was early Renaissance poet Nicolaus Hussovianus. His poem Carmen de statura, feritate ac venatione bisontis ( A Song about the Appearance, Savagery and Hunting of the Bison), published in 1523, describes the Lithuanian landscape, way of life and customs, touches on some actual political problems, and reflects the clash of paganism and Christianity. A person under the pseudonym wrote a treatise De moribus tartarorum, lituanorum et moscorum ( On the Customs of Tatars, Lithuanians and Muscovites) in the middle of the 16th century. An extraordinary figure in the cultural life of Lithuania in the 16th century was the lawyer and poet of Spanish origin Petrus Roysius Maurus Alcagnicensis. The publicist, lawyer, and mayor of Vilnius, Augustinus Rotundus wrote a no longer existent history of Lithuania in Latin around 1560. loannes Radvanus, a humanist poet of the second half of the 16th century, wrote an epic poem imitating the Aeneid of Virgil. His Radivilias, intended to become the Lithuanian national epic, was published in Vilnius in 1588.
17th century Lithuanian scholars also wrote in Latin – , Žygimantas Liauksminas are known for their Latin writings in theology, rhetorics and music. Albertas Kojalavičius-Vijūkas wrote first printed Lithuanian history Historia Lithuania. Lithuanian literary works in the Lithuanian language started being published in the 16th century. In 1547 Martynas Mažvydas compiled and published the first printed Lithuanian book Katekizmo prasti žodžiai ( The Simple Words of Catechism). He was followed by Mikalojus Daukša with Katechizmas. In the 16th and 17th centuries, as in the whole Christian Europe, Lithuanian literature was primarily religious.
The evolution of the old (14th–18th century) Lithuanian literature ends with Kristijonas Donelaitis, one of the most prominent authors of the Age of Enlightenment. Donelaitis' poem Metai ( The Seasons) is a landmark of the Lithuanian fiction literature, written in hexameter.Institute of Lithuanian Scientific Society. With a mix of Classicism, Sentimentalism and Romanticism, the Lithuanian literature of the first half of the 19th century is represented by Maironis, Antanas Baranauskas, Simonas Daukantas, Oscar Milosz, and Simonas Stanevičius. During the tsarist annexation of Lithuania in the 19th century, the Lithuanian press ban was implemented, which led to the formation of the Knygnešiai (Lithuanian book smugglers) movement. 20th-century Lithuanian literature is represented by Juozas Tumas-Vaižgantas, Antanas Vienuolis, Bernardas Brazdžionis, Antanas Škėma, Balys Sruoga, Vytautas Mačernis and Justinas Marcinkevičius. In 21st century debuted Kristina Sabaliauskaitė, Laura Sintija Černiauskaitė, Ruta Sepetys.
Lithuania is known for numerous castles. Some castles have been rebuilt or survive partially. Many Lithuanian nobles' historic palaces and manor houses have remained till the nowadays and were reconstructed. Lithuanian village life has existed since the days of Vytautas the Great. Zervynos and Kapiniškiai are two of many ethnographic villages in Lithuania. Rumšiškės is an open space museum where old ethnographic architecture is preserved.
During the interwar period, Art Deco, Lithuanian National Romanticism architectural style buildings were constructed in the temporary capital Kaunas. Its architecture is regarded as one of the finest examples of the European Art Deco and has received the European Heritage Label.
Perhaps the most renowned figure in Lithuania's art community was 19th century composer Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis. The 2420 Čiurlionis asteroid, identified in 1975, honors his achievements. The M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum, as well as the only military museum in Lithuania, Vytautas the Great War Museum, are located in Kaunas.
Franciszek Smuglewicz, Jan Rustem, Józef Oleszkiewicz and Kanuty Rusiecki are the most prominent Lithuanian painters of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Lithuanian theatre directors include Eimuntas Nekrošius, Jonas Vaitkus, Cezaris Graužinis, Gintaras Varnas, Dalia Ibelhauptaitė and Artūras Areima. Actors include Dainius Gavenonis, Rolandas Kazlas, Saulius Balandis and Gabija Jaraminaitė. Theatre director Oskaras Koršunovas was awarded the Swedish Commander Grand Cross – the Order of the Polar Star.
Lithuanian folk music belongs to Baltic music branch which is connected with Neolithic corded ware culture. Two instrument cultures meet in the areas inhabited by Lithuanians: stringed (kanklių) and wind instrument cultures. Lithuanian folk music is archaic, mostly used for ritual purposes, containing elements of paganism faith. There are three ancient styles of singing in Lithuania connected with ethnographical regions: monophony, heterophony and polyphony. Folk song genres: Sutartinės (Multipart Songs), Wedding Songs, War-Historical Time Songs, Calendar Cycle and Ritual Songs and Work Songs.
The musical education and talent screening, especially for high-caliber individuals, is strong and holds an esteemed reputation. Vilnius is the only city with three choirs laureates (Brevis, Jauna Muzika and Chamber Choir of the Conservatoire) at the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing. The biennial childrens music festival Dainų dainelė has been organized since 1974, promoting singing traditions among the youth alongside other events such as . (Street Music Day) gathers musicians of various genres annually. Music Information Centre Lithuania collects, promotes and shares information on Lithuanian musical culture.
Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis was a Lithuanian painter and composer. During his short life he created about 200 pieces of music. His works have influenced modern Lithuanian culture. His In the Forest ( Miške) and The Sea ( Jūra) were performed only posthumously. Čiurlionis contributed to symbolism and art nouveau and was representative of the fin de siècle epoch. He has been considered one of the pioneers of abstract art in Europe. The nations arts academy is named after him.
Modern classical composers emerged in 1970s – Bronius Kutavičius, , Osvaldas Balakauskas, Onutė Narbutaitė, Vidmantas Bartulis and others. Most of those composers explored archaic Lithuanian music and its harmonic combination with modern minimalism and neoromanticism. Jazz scene was active even during the years of Soviet occupation. In 1970–71 the Ganelin/Tarasov/Chekasin trio established the Vilnius Jazz School. Most known annual events are Vilnius Jazz Festival, Kaunas Jazz, Birštonas Jazz.
In the early independence years, rock band Foje was particularly popular and gathered tens of thousands of spectators to the concerts. After disbanding in 1997, Foje vocalist Andrius Mamontovas remained one of the most prominent Lithuanian performers and an active participant in various charity events. Marijonas Mikutavičius is famous for creating unofficial Lithuania sport anthem Trys milijonai (Three millions) and official anthem of the EuroBasket 2011 Nebetyli sirgaliai (English version was named Celebrate Basketball).
Dairy products include white cottage cheese ( varškės sūris), curd ( varškė), soured milk ( rūgpienis), sour cream ( grietinė), butter ( sviestas), and sour cream butter kastinis. Traditional meat products are usually seasoned, matured and smoked – smoked sausages ( dešros), lard ( lašiniai), skilandis, smoked ham ( kumpis). Soups ( sriubos)—boletus soup ( baravykų sriuba), cabbage soup ( kopūstų sriuba), beer soup ( alaus sriuba), milk soup ( pieniška sriuba), cold-beet soup ( šaltibarščiai)—and various kinds of porridges ( košės) are part of tradition and daily diet. Freshwater fish, herring, wild berries and mushrooms, honey are highly popular diet to this day.
One of the oldest and most fundamental food products is rye bread. Rye bread is eaten every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bread played an important role in family rituals and agrarian ceremonies.
Lithuanians and other nations that once formed part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania share many dishes and beverages. German cuisine also influenced Lithuanian cuisine, introducing pork and potato dishes, such as potato pudding ( kugelis or kugel) and potato sausages ( vėdarai), as well as the baroque tree cake known as Šakotis. The most exotic of all the influences is Eastern (Karaite) cuisine – the kibinai are popular in Lithuania. Noblemen usually hired French chefs, so French cuisine influence came to Lithuania in this way.
Balts were using mead ( midus) for thousands of years.
Eight Lithuanian restaurants are listed in the White Guide Baltic Top 30. The local „ 30 geriausių restoranų” guide lists top domestic places, and Lithuanian restaurants appear in the 2024 Michelin Guide.
In 2021, the best-selling daily national newspapers were Lietuvos rytas (5.4% of all weekly readers), (3.2%), Kauno diena (2.9%). Best-selling weekly newspapers were (16.5%), (8.4%), Prie kavos (4.1%), Lietuvos rytas (3.9%) and Verslo žinios (3.2%). In 2021, the most popular national television channels were TV3 (34.6% of the daily audience), LNK (32.3%), Lithuanian National Radio and Television (31.6%), BTV (17.3%), Lietuvos rytas TV (16.2%), TV6 (15.3%). The most popular radio stations were M-1 (14.5% of daily listeners), Lietus (12.7%), Radiocentras (9.1%) and LRT Radijas (8.5%).
Kaziuko mugė is an annual fair held since the beginning of the 17th century that commemorates the anniversary of Saint Casimir's death and gathers thousands of visitors and many craftsmen. Other notable festivals are Vilnius International Film Festival, Kauno Miesto Diena, Klaipėda Sea Festival, Mados infekcija, Vilnius Book Fair, Vilnius Marathon, Devilstone Open Air, , Great Žemaičių Kalvarija Festival.
Lithuania has won a total of 26 medals at the Olympic Games, including 6 gold medals in athletics, modern pentathlon, shooting, and swimming. Other Lithuanians won Olympic medals representing Soviet Union. Discus thrower Virgilijus Alekna is the most successful Olympic athlete of independent Lithuania, having won gold medals in the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens games, as well as a bronze in 2008 in Beijing and numerous World Championship medals. A gold medal was won by 15-year-old swimmer Rūta Meilutytė at the 2012 London Olympics.
Lithuania hosted the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup, the first time Lithuania had hosted a FIFA tournament.
Few Lithuanian athletes have found success in winter sports, although facilities are provided by several ice rinks and skiing slopes, including Snow Arena, the first indoor ski slope in the Baltics. In 2018 Lithuania men's national ice hockey team won gold medals at the 2018 IIHF World Championship Division I.
Culture
Lithuanian language
The Lithuanian language ( lietuvių kalba) is recognized as one of the official languages of the European Union. There are about 2.96 million native Lithuanian speakers in Lithuania and about 200,000 abroad. Lithuanian is a Baltic languages, closely related to Latvian language, although they are not mutually intelligible. It is written in an adapted version of the Latin alphabet. Lithuanian is believed to be the linguistically most conservative living Indo-European tongue, retaining many features of Proto Indo-European. Lithuanian language studies are important for comparative linguistics and for reconstruction of Proto-Indo-European language.
Literature
There is a great deal of Lithuanian literature written in Latin, the main scholarly language of the Middle Ages. The edicts of the King Mindaugas are the prime example of the literature of this kind. The Letters of Gediminas are another crucial heritage of the Lithuanian Latin writings.
Architecture
Several famous Lithuania-related architects are notable for their achievements in the field of architecture. Johann Christoph Glaubitz, Marcin Knackfus, Laurynas Gucevičius and Karol Podczaszyński were instrumental in introducing Baroque and neoclassical architectural movements to the Lithuanian architecture during the 17th to 19th centuries. Vilnius is considered a capital of the Eastern Europe Baroque. Vilnius Old Town has many Baroque churches and other buildings and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Vilnian Baroque style is named after Lithuania's capital city.
Arts and museums
The Lithuanian Art Museum was founded in 1933 and is the largest museum of art conservation and display in Lithuania. Among other important museums are the Palanga Amber Museum, where amber pieces comprise a major part of the collection, National Gallery of Art, presenting collection of Lithuanian art of the 20th and 21st century, National Museum of Lithuania presenting Lithuanian archaeology, history and ethnic culture. In 2018 two private museums were opened – MO Museum devoted to modern and contemporary Lithuanian art and Tartle, exhibiting a collection of Lithuanian art heritage and artefacts.
Theatre
Lithuania has theatres in Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda and Panevėžys. These include Lithuanian National Drama Theatre, Keistuolių teatras (Theatre of Freaks) in Vilnius, Kaunas State Drama Theatre, Theatre of Oskaras Koršunovas, Klaipėda Drama Theatre, Theatre of Gytis Ivanauskas, Miltinis Drama Theatre in Panevėžys, The Doll's Theatre, Old Theatre of Vilnius. Theatre festivals include Sirenos (Sirens), TheATRIUM, Nerk į teatrą (Dive into the Theatre).
Cinema
On 28 July 1896, Thomas Edison performed a live photography session held in the Concerts Hall of the Botanical Garden of Vilnius University. Similar American movies were available with the addition of special phonograph records that also provided sound. In 1909, Lithuanian cinema pioneers Antanas Račiūnas and Ladislas Starevich released their first movies. Soon the Račiūnas' recordings of Lithuania's views became very popular among the Lithuanian Americans abroad. In 1925, Pranas Valuskis filmed movie Naktis Lietuvoje (Night in Lithuania) about Lithuanian book smugglers that left the first bright Lithuanian footprint in Hollywood. The most significant and mature Lithuanian American movie of the time Aukso žąsis (Golden goose) was created in 1965 by that featured motifs from the Brothers Grimm fairy tales. In 1940, Romuva Cinema was opened in Kaunas and currently is the oldest still operational cinema in Lithuania. After the occupation of the state, movies mostly were used for the Soviet propaganda purposes, nevertheless Almantas Grikevičius, Gytis Lukšas, Henrikas Šablevičius, Arūnas Žebriūnas, Raimondas Vabalas were able to overcome the obstacles and create valuable films. After the restoration of the independence, Šarūnas Bartas, Audrius Stonys, Arūnas Matelis, Audrius Juzėnas, Algimantas Puipa, , Dijana and her husband Kornelijus Matuzevičius received success in international movie festivals.
Music
Lithuanians are sometimes described as a "singing folk".
/ref> The choral music traditions are prominent in the country. The long-standing Dainų šventė (Lithuanian Song and Dance Festival) is organized starting from 1924. Since 1990, the festival has been organised every four years and summons roughly 30,000 singers and folk dancers of various professional levels and age groups from across the country. In 2008, Lithuanian Song and Dance Festival together with its Latvian and Estonian versions was inscribed as UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
/ref> After the restoration of independence, a lot of Lithuanian opera artists, such as Virgilijus Noreika, Violeta Urmana, Vytautas Juozapaitis, Asmik Grigorian, Sigutė Stonytė, etc. achieved international recognition and leading roles in the world’s top theatres, while concurrently Dalia Ibelhauptaitė earned acclaim as a director. According to Financial Times, roughly 20 Lithuanian top tier professionals are performing internationally per season.
Rock and protest music
After the Soviet reoccupation of Lithuania in 1944, the Soviet's censorship continued firmly controlling all artistic expressions in Lithuania, and any violations by criticizing the regime would immediately result in punishments. The first local rock bands started to emerge around 1965 and included Kertukai, Aitvarai and Nuogi ant slenksčio in Kaunas, and Kęstutis Antanėlis, Vienuoliai, and Gėlių Vaikai in Vilnius, among others. Unable to express their opinions directly, the Lithuanian artists began organizing patriotic Roko Maršai and were using in their songs' lyrics, which were easily identified for their true meanings by the locals. Postmodernist Rock music band Antis and its vocalist Algirdas Kaušpėdas were one of the most active performers who mocked the Soviet regime by using metaphors. For example, in the song Zombiai (Zombies), the band indirectly sang about the Red Army soldiers who occupied the state and its military base in Ukmergė. Vytautas Kernagis' song Kolorado vabalai (Colorado beetles) was also a favourite due to its lyrics in which true meaning of the Colorado beetles was intended to be the Soviets decorated with the Ribbons of Saint George.
Cuisine
Lithuanian cuisine features the products suited to the cool and moist northern climate of Lithuania: barley, potatoes, rye, beets, greens, berries, and mushrooms are locally grown, and dairy products are one of its specialties. Fish dishes are very popular in the coastal region. Since it shares its climate and agricultural practices with Northern Europe, Lithuanian cuisine has some similarities to Scandinavian cuisine. Nevertheless, it has its own distinguishing features, which were formed by a variety of influences during the country's long and difficult history.
(2025). 9789955231417, Baltos lankos. ISBN 9789955231417 Beer ( alus) is the most common alcoholic beverage. Lithuania has a long farmhouse beer tradition, first mentioned in 11th century chronicles. Beer was brewed for ancient Baltic festivities and rituals. Farmhouse brewing survived to a greater extent in Lithuania than anywhere else, and through accidents of history the Lithuanians then developed a commercial brewing culture from their unique farmhouse traditions. Lithuania is top 5 by consumption of beer per capita in Europe in 2015, counting 75 active breweries, 32 of them are microbreweries.
Media
The constitution provides for freedom of speech and press, and the government generally respects these rights in practice. An independent press, an effective judiciary, and a functioning democratic political system combine to promote these freedoms. However, the constitutional definition of freedom of expression does not protect certain acts, such as incitement to national, racial, religious, or social hatred, violence and discrimination, or slander, and disinformation. It is a crime to deny or "grossly trivialize" Soviet or Nazi German crimes against Lithuania or its citizens, or to deny genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes.
Public holidays and festivals
As a result of a thousand-years history, Lithuania has two . The first one is the Statehood Day on 6 July, marking the establishment of the medieval Kingdom of Lithuania in 1253. The creation of modern Lithuanian state is commemorated on 16 February as a Lithuanian State Reestablishment Day on which independence from Russia and Germany was declared in 1918. Joninės (previously known as Rasos) is a public holiday with pagan roots that celebrates a solstice. There are 13 public holidays (which come with a day off).
Sports
Basketball is the most popular and national sport of Lithuania. The national basketball team has won the EuroBasket on three occasions (1937, 1939 and 2003), as well as 8 other medals in the Eurobasket, the World Championships and the Olympic Games. 76% of the population watched the men's national team games live in 2014. Lithuania hosted the Eurobasket in 1939 and 2011. The historic basketball team BC Žalgiris, from Kaunas, won the European basketball league Euroleague in 1999. Lithuania has produced a number of NBA players, including Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees Arvydas Sabonis and Šarūnas Marčiulionis, and current NBA players Jonas Valančiūnas, Domantas Sabonis.
See also
Notes
External links
Categories: Countries In Europe, Member States Of Nato, Member States Of The European Union, Member States Of The Union For The Mediterranean, Member States Of The United Nations, Member States Of The Three Seas Initiative, Republics, States And Territories Established In 1918, States And Territories Established In 1990, Oecd Members
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