Lithuania is the biggest of the three Baltic States and covers an area roughly the same size as Ireland. It borders Latvia in the north, Belarus in the southeast. Lithuania trade has been increasingly oriented toward the West. Lithuania has gained membership in the World Trade Organization and joined the EU in May 2004. More than 80% of enterprises have been privatized. Foreign government and business support have helped in the transition from the old command economy to a market economy.
Area: 65,200 sq km
Population: 3.59 million
Capital: Vilnius
People: Lithuanian 80.6%, Russian 8.7%, Polish 7%, Byelorussian 1.6%
Language: Lithuanian, Russian
Religion: Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical Christian Baptist, Islam, Judaism
Government: Parliamentary Democracy
GDP: US$30.8 billion
Major Industries: Petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing, fertilizers, agricultural machinery, electronic components, and agriculture
Major Trading Partners: Russia, Germany, Belarus, Latvia, Ukraine, Poland, Denmark, Italy, and Finland |
