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"Lithuania." Geography, Europe, Q-files Encyclopedia, 10 Feb. 2022.
https://www.q-files.com/geography/europe/lithuania.
Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.
Lithuania 2022. Geography, Europe. Retrieved 19 March 2024, from
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Geography, Europe, s.v. "Lithuania," accessed March 19, 2024.
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Lithuania
Lithuania is the largest and most populous of the Baltic states—a group of countries including Latvia and Estonia, which border the Baltic Sea. It was ruled by Russia and the communist Soviet Union for much of the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, it is a member of the European Union and has a rapidly-developing economy. Lithuania’s landscape was smoothed down by glaciers during the most recent Ice Ages, about 22,000 years ago. Apart from some low hills in the east, the land is fairly flat and forested, dotted with lakes, rivers and marshes. Sandy beaches and dunes stretch along the coast. Winters in Lithuania are cold, while summers are sunny but usually mild.
People
Most of the people are ethnic Lithuanians, a Baltic people directly descended from the region’s first settlers. The rest are mainly Poles and Russians. Lithuanian is one of the oldest languages in Europe; it is very similar to the ancient language spoken by the earliest Lithuanians. More people live in cities and towns than in the countryside, many in large housing blocks built during the Soviet era (1944–90). In the countryside, traditional homes are built entirely from wood.
All the while the country was under Soviet rule, Lithuanians worked hard to keep their culture and traditions—and national identity—alive. Literature, folk and choral music and dance play a big part in Lithuanian culture.
Manufacturing is important in Lithuania, too. In eastern towns and cities, furniture-making is a major industry. Much of the wooden furniture, along with parts and textiles, is exported to Scandinavia. When the Baltic states joined the EU in 2004, their economies grew quickly. Because of this, they were nicknamed the Baltic Tigers ("tiger" being the name given to states that are experiencing high economic growth).
Amber
Amber is fossilized resin (sticky sap) from inside ancient pine trees. It is usually found in small, golden-yellow chunks, and can be polished or cut to make jewellery. After lying buried in the sand for millions of years, pieces of amber regularly wash up on Lithuania’s beaches. Some pieces are more than 30 million years old. Sometimes, amber contains prehistoric insects or plants that were attracted to the sticky resin, then became trapped; now they are perfectly preserved as fossils.
In Lithuanian folklore, pieces of amber that wash up on the beach are said to be the tears of the sea goddess Jurate, whose palace was destroyed by Perkunas (god of thunder) in a fit of jealousy.
Consultant: Nicholas Harris
Facts about Lithuania
Population 2,797,000
Area 62,680 sq km
Highest point Aukstojas 294 m (965 ft)
Capital Vilnius, population 542,664
Other major cities Kaunas (pop. 295,492), Klaipeda (152,962), Siauliai (102,136)
Languages Lithuanian, Polish, Russian
Religions Christian (Roman Catholic) 77%, Christian (Russian Orthodox) 4%, others and none 19%
Ethnicity Lithuanian 82%, Polish 7%, Russian 6%, Belarusian 1%, others 4%
Currency Euro (EUR)
Chief exports machinery and equipment, chemicals, cars, furniture and parts, textiles, foods, plastics
History of Lithuania
2000 BC
First settlers live along the Baltic coast, hunting and fishing
1253
King Mindaugas unites the region’s tribes as the Kingdom of Lithuania
1323
Vilnius becomes the country’s capital
14th century
Lithuania is the largest country in Europe—its territories stretch into modern-day Belarus, Ukraine, Poland and Russia
1569
Lithuania and Poland join together in a powerful partnership called the Lublin Union
1772–95
Lublin Union breaks apart; Russia takes control of most of Lithuania’s land
1918
Lithuania declares its independence from Russia
1940
Lithuania is invaded and occupied by the Soviet Union
1941
Thousands of Lithuanians are deported to prison camps in Siberia. Nazi Germany occupies Lithuania
1944–90
Soviet Union reoccupies Lithuania: the countriy becomes a republic within the Soviet Union
1990
A year before the Soviet Union collapses, Lithuania declares its independence
1991
Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania’s independence
2004
Lithuania joins the European Union (EU)
2009
Lithuania elects its first female president, Dalia Grybauskaite
2015
NATO conducts major military exercises in the Baltic region