Republic of Lithuania

Updated: 2022-01-06

The country in Europe, on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. Bounded by the following countries: Latvia, Belarus, Poland, Russia (Kaliningrad region).
The length of the Baltic Sea coast is 90.66 km. The border of Lithuania – Belarus and Lithuania – Russian Federation is also the border of the European Union. The economic zone of Lithuania in the Baltic Sea (west) reaches the Swedish economic zone.
In 14th century Lithuania was the largest country in Europe: it was joined by the present territory of Belarus and Ukraine, part of Poland and Russia. In 1569, the Liberian Union of Lithuania united with Poland, forming a new state, the Republic of the Two Nations, which lived for more than 200 years until the neighboring countries in 1795 finally divided its territory. Lithuania restored independence in 1918 February 16, but in 1940, at the beginning of the Second World War, was occupied by the USSR and later by Hitleric Germany. After defeating Germany, Lithuania was occupied by the USSR for the second time. 1990 March 11 Lithuania has proclaimed its full sovereignty over the state.
According to 2011 For the first time in the United Nations, Lithuania was included in the category of highly developed countries.

Official language: Lithuanian
Capital: Vilnius
The biggest city: Vilnius
Area: 65 300km2
Population: 2 955 986
Currency: Euros (EUR)
Memeber of European Union, Schengen zone and NATO.

POLITICAL SYSTEM

The Republic of Lithuania is a multiparty parliamentary democracy. The governance system is a parliamentary republic.
Head of State – President, elected by direct election for a five-year term. The President appoints the Prime Minister (approved by the Seimas), appoints ministers on the proposal of the Prime Minister, is the Chief of Defense Forces, and appoints the judges of all courts, including the Constitutional Court. The President forms Lithuania’s foreign policy.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an international defense alliance established in 1949.

  • Lithuania has been cooperating with NATO since 1991;
  • 2002 Lithuania was invited to start NATO membership negotiations.
  • 2004 March 29 Lithuania became a member of NATO.

NATO Purpose and Goals:

    • Members are committed to protecting freedom, protecting common heritage and civilization, following the principles of democracy, individual freedom and the rule of law.
    • NATO members are committed to protecting each other.

Some interesting facts about Lithuania

    1. The first time the name of Lithuania mentioned in 1009, in Quedlinburg analogues.
    2. According to a survey conducted by a French scientist in 1989, Lithuania is in the geographical center of Europe.
    3. Lithuania is the last nation in Europe that adopted Christianity.
    4. The Lithuanian language is older than Greek, Slavic or even Latin. It belongs to the Indo-European group and is closest to Sanskrit.
    5. Most philologists admit that Lithuanian is one of the oldest living languages.
    6. In 2011, Lithuania ranked first in the world according to the speed of Internet upload and download.
    7. In 2015, Lithuania acquired the euro currency.
    8. Lithuania was the first to declare independence in the Soviet Union in 1990.
    9. Including most of the protected areas and parks, forests cover one third of the territory of Lithuania.
    10. Till XIV century, Lithuania was the largest country in Europe.
    11. Vilnius University was the first university in Eastern Europe.
    12. The mother of Pope John Paul II was of Lithuanian origin.