Dictionary
a republic in northeastern Europe on the Baltic Sea
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Wikipedia
The Republic of Lithuania (Lithuanian language Lithuanian: ''Lietuva''; full - ''Lietuvos Respublika'') is a republic in northeastern Europe. One of the three Baltic States along the Baltic Sea, it shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland to the south, and the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia to the southwest. - align="center" colspan=2 ''National motto: Vienybė težydi (Let the unity bloom)''- align=center colspan=2 - Official language Lithuanian languageLithuanian- Capital Vilnius- List of Presidents of LithuaniaPresident Valdas Adamkus- Prime Minister of LithuaniaPrime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas- Area
- Total
- % water List of countries by areaRanked 122nd
1 E10 m²65,303 km²
Negligible- Population
- Total (2005July 2005 est.)
- Population densityDensity List of countries by populationRanked 125th
3,596,617
55.2/km²- Gross Domestic ProductGDP (PPP)
- Total (2005July 2005 !est.)
List of countries by GDP (PPP)Ranked 74th (total)
$49.1 billion
List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capitaRanked 49th (per !capita)
$14,198 - Independence
- Declared
- Recognised
- Lost
Collapse of the Soviet UnionIndependence
- Declared
- Recognised From Imperial Russia
16 February 1918
12 July !1920
1940
Fr om? Soviet Union
11 March 1990
6 September 1991- Currency Litas (Lt) = 100 Centų (Ct) 3.45Lt = 1€ - Time zone
- in European Summer Timesummer Eastern European TimeEET (Coordinated Universal TimeUTC+2)
Eastern European Summer TimeEEST (Coordinated Universal TimeUTC+3)- National anthem Tautiška giesmė- Top-level domainInternet TLD .lt- !List_of_country_calling_codes< bara>Calling Code 370}
History - ''Main article: History of Lithuania''First mentioned in a medieval German manuscript, the ''Quedlinburg Chronicle'', on February 14 1009, Lithuania became a significant state in the Middle Ages. The official crowning of Mindaugas as King of Lithuania in Voruta on July 6 1253 marked Lithuania's birth, as warring dukes united to support his reign. Later, during GediminasGediminas' conquests, the nation grew into the independent, multi-ethnic Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which joined the lands of modern Belarus and Ukraine. By the 15th century, the Grand Duchy stretched across Eastern Europe from the Baltic SeaBaltic to the Black Sea. When Grand Duke Jogaila was crowned King of Poland on February 2, 1386, Lithuania and Poland became Polish-Lithuanian Unionunified under one monarch. In 1569, Poland and Lithuania formally merged into a single state called the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This union remained in place until the adoption of the May Constitution of PolandMay Constitution of 1791, which abolished all subdivisions of the states and merged them into the Kingdom of Poland. In 1795, this new state was soon dissolved by the third Partition of Poland, which ceded its lands to Imperial RussiaRussia, Prussia and Austria.On February 16, 1918, Lithuania re-established its independence in severely limited territories that had been designated Lithuanian, with non-Lithuanian areas of the Grand Duchy that had fallen to the Soviet Union remaining under Soviet control. From the outset, territorial disputes with Poland (over the Vilnius region and the Suvalkai region) and Germany (over the Klaipėda region, German: Memelland) plagued the new nation. During the interwar period, the constitutional capital of Lithuania was Vilnius, although the city itself was then under Polish control (see History of Vilnius for more details). The Lithuanian government at the time was seated in Kaunas, which officially held the status of temporary capital.In 1940, at the height of World War II, the Soviet Union annexed Lithuania in accordance with the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. It later came under GermanyGerman occupation, during which time 90% of Lithuanian Jews were killed, one of the worst death rates of the Holocaust. Ultimately Lithuania fell again to the Soviet Union in 1945. Fifty years of communist rule ended with the advent of glasnost, and Lithuania, led by Sąjūdis, an anti-communist and anti-Soviet independence movement, proclaimed its renewed independence on March 11, 1990. Lithuania was the first Soviet republic to do so, though Soviet forces unsuccessfully tried until August 1991 to suppress this secession, including an SC Lithuanian Radio and Television Centreincident at Vilnius' TV Tower in January 1991 that resulted in the death of several Lithuanian civilians. The last Russian troops left Lithuania on August 31, 1993 — even earlier than those in East Germany. On February 4, 1991, Iceland became the first country to recognize Lithuanian independence, and Sweden the first to open an embassy in the country. The United States of America never recognized the Soviet claim to Lithuania or the other two Baltic republics.Lithuania joined the United Nations on September 17, 1991. On May 31, 2001, Lithuania became the 141st member of the World Trade Organization. Since 1988, Lithuania has sought closer ties with the West, and so on January 4, 1994, it became the first of the Baltic States to apply for NATO membership. On November 21, 2002, NATO invited Lithuania to start membership negotiations, and on March 29, 2004, it became a full and equal NATO member. On February 1, 1998, it became an Associate Member of the EU, and on April 16, 2003, it signed the EU Accession Treaty. 91% of Lithuanians backed EU membership in a referendum held on May 11, 2003 and on May 1, 2004, Lithuania joined the European Union.
Politics - ''Main article: Politics of Lithuania''the Lithuanian head of state is the List of Presidents of Lithuaniapresident, who is elected directly for a five-year term. The president functions as the commander-in-chief and oversees foreign and security policy. On the approval of the parliament, he appoints the prime minister and on the latter's nomination, appoints the rest of the cabinet (government)cabinet, as well as a number of other top civil servants and the judges for all courts, including the Constitutional Court (''Konstitucinis Teismas'').The unicameral Lithuanian parliament, the ''Seimas'', has 141 members that are elected to four-year terms. About half of the members of this legislative body are elected in single constituencies (71), and the other half (70) are elected in a nationwide vote by proportional representation. A party must receive at least 5% of the national vote to be represented in the Seimas.
Administrative division - ''Main article: Administrative division of Lithuania'' Lithuania consists of 10 counties (Lithuanian: ''apskritys'', singular - ''apskritis''), each named after their principal city. The counties are subdivided into 60 municipalities (some municipalities are historically called "district municipalities", and thus shortened to "district"; others are called "city municipalities", sometimes shortened to "city", or leaving just the name of city; and some are just simply called "municipalities") (see: List of municipalities of Lithuania). The municipality is the most important unit.Each municipality has its own elected government. In the past, the election of municipality councils occurred once every three years, but now take place every four years. The council elects the mayor of the municipality and other required personnel (larger municipalities have larger councils and more officials). The municipality councils also appoint elder (administrative title)elders to the administrative division (small municipalities do not have elderships, though). Taken together, the municipalities consist of over 500 elderships. This administrative division was created in 1994 and modified in 2000. There is currently a proposal that would require mayors and elders to be elected in direct elections by the public. The whole of Lithuania is partitioned into counties, which are ruled by officials ("Rulers of Apskritis") who are sent by the central government. These officials ensure that the municipalities work according to the laws of Lithuania and the constitution. They do not, however, have substantial powers vested in them, and there has been a proposal to reduce the number of counties because of the small number of municipalities falling under each ruler's jurisdiction. One proposal is to create a new administrative unit comprised of four lands, the boundaries of which would be determined by the Regions of Lithuaniaethnographic regions of Lithuania. Another proposed solution is to expand the counties so that there would be five in all, each based in one of the five largest cities.Also see: Counties of Lithuania, List of municipalities of Lithuania, Elderships
Geography - ''Main article: Geography of Lithuania''The largest and most populous of the Baltic states, Lithuania has around 99 km of sandy coastline, of which only about 38 km faces the open Baltic Sea. Lithuania's major warm-water port of Klaipėda lies at the narrow mouth of ''Kuršių marios'' (Curonian Lagoon), a shallow lagoon extending south to Kaliningrad. The main river, the Nemunas, and some of its tributaries carry international shipping vessels. Lithuanian landscape is glacially flat, except for morainemorainic hills in the western uplands and eastern highlands that are no higher than 300 m, with the highest point being found at Juozapinės at 292 m. The terrain features numerous lakes, Lake Vištytis) for example, swamps, and a mixed forest zone covers 30% of the country. The climate lies between maritime and continental, with wet, moderate winters and summers. According to some geographers, Lithuania's capital, Vilnius, lies a few kilometres south of the Geographic Center of Europegeographical centre of Europe.Lithuania consists of the following Regions of Lithuaniahistorical and cultural regions:Aukštaitija - literally, the "Highlands"Samogitia - also known as ''Žemaitija,'' or literally, the "Lowlands"Dzūkija (''Dzūkija'' or Dainava).Sudovia (''Sūduva'' or Suvalkija).Also:Lithuania MinorMažoji Lietuva - Lithuania Minor, also known as "Prussian Lithuania" (''Prūsų Lietuva''). Now most of it is under control by Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast).
Economy - ''Main article: Economy of Lithuania''In 2003, prior to joining the European Union, Lithuania had the highest economic growth rate amongst all candidate and member countries, reaching 8.8% in the third quarter. In 2004, a 6.6% growth in GDP reflected impressive economic development. Prior to 1998, Lithuania was the Baltic state that conducted the most trade with Russia; however, the 1998 Russian financial crisis forced the country to orient toward the West. Lithuania has since gained membership of the World Trade Organization, and joined the European Union on May 1, 2004. According to officially published figures, accession to the EU reduced previously high unemployment to 10.6% in 2004, although some argue that this has been prompted by the high rate of emigration from Lithuania that has occurred since it joined the EU. Lithuania has nearly completed the privatization of its large, state-owned utilities. The Litas, the national currency, has been pegged to the Euro since February 2, 2002 at the rate of EUR 1.00 = LTL 3.4528, and Lithuania is expected to switch to the Euro in 2007, thus becoming one of the first of the new EU members to do so.Although Lithuania's economy is undoubtedly growing, many people still live in abject poverty and the situation does not appear to be improving. An urban elite is now highly visible, whilst little seems to have changed for the country's poor. According to a report published by the US Department of State in June 2005, the minimum wage has not changed since June 1998 and stands at $107.50 per month, well below the poverty threshold. The average wage stands at $336.8 per month state.gov - 1. Like other countries in the region (Estonia, Latvia and Russia) Lithuania has also adopted a Flat taxflat rate of tax rather than a Graduated taxprogressive scheme. However, at 33% of income, the tax rate is considerably higher than that of its neighbours and some suggest that this may be another factor influencing emigration guardian.co.uk - 2.
Demographics - ''Main article: Demographics of Lithuania''83.5% of the Lithuanian population are ethnic Lithuanians who speak the Lithuanian language (one of two surviving members of the Baltic languagesBaltic language group), which is the official language of the state. Several sizable minorities exist, such as Poles (7%), Russians (5%), and Belarusians (1.5%). Poles are the largest minority, mostly concentrated in southeast Lithuania (the Western Vilnius region). Russians are the second largest minority, concentrated mostly in the cities and comprising a majority in Visaginas; they also constitute a large minority in Vilnius and Klaipėda. Because of the Soviet occupation, most older people and some members of the younger population still understand Russian. Most schools teach English (sometimes German) as a first foreign language, but students may also study Russian, German, or, in some schools, French. Although there are still some schools that teach Russian as a primary language.The predominant religion is Roman Catholicism, but Eastern Orthodoxy, Protestantism, Judaism, Islam and Karaism (an ancient offshoot of Judaism represented by a long-standing community in Trakai) also exist as minority religions.
Culture - ''Main article: Culture of Lithuania'' List of famous Lithuanians Lithuanian mythology Music of Lithuania
Lithuanians abroad - Lithuanians in Brazil Lithuanians in Cleveland Lithuanians in France Little Lithuania, Chicago !:Category:Lithuanian-Americans
Miscellaneous topics - Communications in Lithuania Foreign relations of Lithuania Holidays in Lithuania List of cities in Lithuania List of extinct and endangered animals of Lithuania List of Lithuanian rulers Military of Lithuania Sports in Lithuania Tourism in the Baltics Transportation in Lithuania
External links - president.lt - Prezidentas - Official presidential site www3.lrs.lt - Seimas - Official parliamentary site lrv.lt - Vyriausybe - Official governmental site ? lietuva.lt - Lithuanian Central Internet Gates - Main Lithuanian portal on.lt - Lithuania Online - Wide collection of Lithuanian links
Maps & GIS - maps.lt - Maps of Lithuania on Maps.lt mapquest.com - Maps of Lithuania on MapquestEU_countries Europe Category:Lithuania !Category:RepublicsCategory:Eur opean? Union member !statesaf:Litaueals:Litauenang: Lithuaniaar:لتوانياan:L ituaniaroa-rup:Litvaast:Lituan iaay:Lituaniaaz:Litvajv:Lituan iaid:Lituaniams:Lithuaniazh-mi n-nan:Lietuvabg:Литваbe: етуваmt:Litwanjabs:Litva nijabr:Lituaniaca:Lituàniacy: Lithuaniacv:Литваcs:Litva co:Lituaniada:Litauende:Litaue net:Leeduel:Λιθουανία eu:Litauenna:Lithuaniaes:Litua niaeo:Litoviofr:Lituaniefy:Lit ouwenfur:Lituaniega:An? !Liotuáingd:Lituaniagl:Lituani a? - !Lietuvagn:Lituaniahaw:Litvanya he:ליטאht:Lityanihi:लि थुआनियाhr:Litvai e:Lituaniaid:Lituaniaio:Lituan iaia:Lituaniaos:Литваis:L itháenit:Lituaniacsb:Lëtewsk ôkw:Lithouaniko:리투아니 sw:Lituanyaky:Литваku:L îtvanyala:Lituanialn:Litauelv :Lietuvalt:Lietuvali:Litauwehu :Litvánianl:Litouwencr:Lithua nianah:Lituananja:リトアニ アmg:Lituaniams:Lithuaniami:L itoviamk:Литванијаmn: Литваmo:Литуанияn o:Litauennn:Litauenoc:Lituàni ands:Litauenpl:Litwapt:Lituân iaro:Lituaniarm:Lituaniaru:Л тваsc:Lituaniasco:Lithuani ase:Lietuvasa:लिथ्व नियाscn:Lituaniash:L itvasimple:Lithuaniask:Litvasl :Litvaso:Litvaniyasq:Lituanias r:Литванијаfi:Liettua sv:Litauentl:Lithuaniavi:Litva tt:Lituatg:Литваth:ปร ะเทศลิทัวเ นียtpi:Litvatr:Litvanyau k:Литваuz:Litvafiu-vro:Le eduwa:Litwaneyeyi:ליטעzh: 陶宛
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Websites
BMB high-quality-windows
JSC BMB is producing high quality windows and doors from wood. BMB offers a wide range of products - also individual parts according to your special wishes. JSC BMB is exporting to all european countries and Russia.
http://www.bmb.lt/
EVITA - Elektronikos komponentai, dalys, radijo detalės
Firma Evita - didmeninė ir mažmeninė prekyba aktyviaisiais ir pasyviaisiais elektronikos komponentais, radijo detalėmis, sujungimo elementais, televizorių ir telefonų priedais, matavimo prietaisais, radiomedžiagomis ir įrakiais.
http://www.evita.lt/
DVARAS - Manor house boutique hotel
boutique hotel, found in the authentic manor of the XVII cent.Stylish, cosy, located in the very heart of Vilnius, in front of the Cathedral.8 beautifully decorated rooms with all modern facilities.Free internet accsess.
http://www.dvaras.lt/
Magic Theater DiArchy
Magic Theater 'DiArchy' demonstrate various arts of illusion, magic, extremely dangerous and unbelievable tricks. Super show!!!
http://www.diarchy.lt/
www.vebnetas.lt
UAB Vebnetas sales computers, digital equipment. We also working on business management software.
http://www.vebnetas.lt/
ALETA natural lifestyle
Company “ALETA natural lifestyle“ was created in 1991 in Lithuania. From the beginning the foundation-stone of firm philosophy was the production of extraordinary beautiful natural products from linen fibers. The close co-operation with many Lithuanian partner enterprises allowed for the company to create various collections from natural products. Those are textile products for kitchen, bath, house and also clothing parts for people, who like linen quality. 28 skilled workers organize the production stategicaly, check the quality strictly and take care of prompt orders process. Our office and store in Germany improves distribution of goods and ensures better contacts with the customers in West Europe. A wide circle of our customers shows the quality and appreciation of Aleta's natural products.
http://www.aleta.lt/
www.onvideo.lt
Award winning DVD's about the Baltic States: Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia
http://www.onvideo.lt/
Russian Insulators Factory
Site biggest manufactured high voltage insulators: station post insulators, suspension insulators, glass insulators, polymer insulators.
http://www.insulators.ru/
Motocros,news, timetables
Everything about motocross in Lithuania and more. Forum, timetables, rules, news, results.
http://www.baltijosmotoklubas.lt/
Lithuanian State Department of Tourism
General information, accommodation, transportation, events, museums, nature, regional information, and tourism statistics.
http://www.tourism.lt/
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Official site links to each directorate as well as to attorney employment, listserv signup, FAQ, a virtual tour, the CIA Museum, press releases and reports, and reference pages on world geography, history, politics and chiefs of state. Alphabetical site index, site map, search, and a special section on terrorism.
http://www.cia.gov/
Lithuanian Home Page
Lithuania Academic and Research Network Litnet (MII Computers Networks Laboratory) server.
http://neris.mii.lt/
Air Lithuania
State - owned regional airline.
http://www.airlithuania.lt/
National Stock Exchange of Lithuania - Vilnius
Regulations, listing procedures, summaries and indices, trading hours, news.
http://www.nse.lt/
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