LITHUANIA
Location:
On the Eastern coast of the Baltic Sea.
Territory:
65,300 km2 (in size it is similar to Ireland, Belgium is 2.7 times smaller and Holland is 1.6 times smaller than Lithuania). Lithuania is the largest of the three Baltic nations. Fertile lowland, peppered with many lakes. North to south, the greatest distance is 276 km, east to west the greatest distance is 373 km.
Borders:
To the North with Latvia, to the East with Belarus, to the South with Poland and to the Southwest with the Kaliningrad Region (Russia). Including the coastline of 90 km, Lithuanian borders total 1,731 km.
Population:
3,484,000, 83.5 % of the residents are Lithuanians; 6.7 % Poles (largest minority); 6.3 % Russians; 1.2 % Belarussians; 0.7% Ukrainians; Jews, Germans, Karaites, Latvians and Roman - about 0.1% each.
Lithuania:
Was first mentioned in 1009 in the ancient Annales Quedlingburgenses. Based on this source Lithuanians are preparing for their millennium celebration in 2009.
Religious believers:
Lithuanians are mostly Roman Catholics (79%). There are also Greek Rite Catholics, Evangelical Lutherans, Evangelical Reformers, Orthodox, Old Believers, Jews, Sunni Muslims and Karaites.
Capital:
Vilnius (542,300 inhabitants). The geographical centre of Europe lies 24 km North of Vilnius. The National Geographical Institute of France determined this in 1989.
National currency:
Litas. 1Litas (Lt) - 100 centai
Largest cities:
VILNIUS, KAUNAS, KLAIPEDA, ŠIAULIAI, PANEVEŽYS
Lithuanian cross making
Vilnius old city and the Curonian Spit (Kuršiu Nerija) are recognised by Unesco.
Climate:
maritime/ continental
Longest river:
Nemunas - 937 km (475 km in Lithuania)
Largest lake:
Drukščiai - 4479 ha
Highest point:
Juozapine - 293.6 m
Local time:
Easter European (GMT +2hrs). When it is 12:00 in Vilnius, it will be 11:00 in Paris, 10:00 in London and 05:00 in New York.
The stork:
Lithuania's national bird.
