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	Flag Description
	Three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red;
	Yellow symbolizes golden fields, as well as the sun, light, and goodness;
	Green represents the forests of the countryside, in addition to nature, freedom, and hope;
	Red stands for courage and the blood spilled in defense of the homeland

Lithuanian lands were united under MINDAUGAS in 1236; over the next century, through alliances and conquest, Lithuania extended its territory to include most of present-day Belarus and Ukraine. By the end of the 14th century Lithuania was the largest state in Europe. An alliance with Poland in 1386 led the two countries into a union through the person of a common ruler. In 1569, Lithuania and Poland formally united into a single dual state, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This entity survived until 1795, when its remnants were partitioned by surrounding countries. Lithuania regained its independence following World War I but was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but Moscow did not recognize this proclamation until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently restructured its economy for integration into Western European institutions; it joined both NATO and the EU in the  spring of 2004.

Location

Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia

Comparative Size

The country has a land area mass of 62,680 sq km, the water area is 2,620 sq km and in the world comparison it stands at 122nd in size with a total of 65,300 sq km total area.  Slightly larger than the state of West Virginia in the United States.

Land Boundaries

Border countries: Belarus 680 km, Latvia 576 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km

Other Information

Coastline - 90 km,  Maritime Claims - territorial sea: 12 nm,  Climate - transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers,  Terrain - lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil,  Elevation Extremes -  lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m, highest point: Juozapines Kalnas 294 m, Natural Resources - peat, arable land, amber,  Land Use -   arable land: 44.81%, permanent crops: 0.9%, irrigated Land 70 sq km (2003) other: 54.29% (2005)

Environmental International Agreements

Party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands.  Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography

fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits

 Government

Formal Name: Republic of Lithuania, short form - Lithuania

Type of Government - parliamentary democracy

Capital - Vilnius

Time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Political Divisions

10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis); Alytaus, Kauno, Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages, Telsiu, Utenos, Vilniaus

Independence -  11 March 1990 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union)

National Holiday -  Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note - 16 February 1918 was the date Lithuania declared its independence from Soviet Russia and established its statehood; 11 March 1990 was the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution -  adopted 25 October 1992; last amended 13 July 2004

Legal System -  based on civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the constitutional court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage -  18 years of age; universal

Diplomatic Representation in the USA

 Consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860

FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466

Diplomatic Representation from the United States

 Embassy: Akmenu gatve 6, Vilnius, LT-03106

Mailing address: American Embassy, Akmenu Gatve 6, Vilnius LT-03106

Telephone: [370] (5) 266 5500

FAX: [370] (5) 266 5510

Economic

Lithuania gained membership in the World Trade Organization and joined the EU in May 2004. Despite Lithuania's EU accession, Lithuania's trade with its Central and Eastern European neighbors, and Russia in particular, accounts for a growing percentage of total trade. Privatization of the large, state-owned utilities is nearly complete. Foreign government and business support have helped in the transition from the old command economy to a market economy. Lithuania's economy grew on average 8% per year for the four years prior to 2008, driven by exports and domestic demand. However, GDP plunged 15% in 2009 - the three former Soviet Baltic republics had the world's worst economic declines last year. The current account deficit rose to roughly 15% of GDP in 2007-08, but fell sharply in 2009 in the wake of a cutback in imports to almost half the 2008 level. Unemployment reached 13.7% in 2009, up from 5.8% in 2008. In 2009 the government launched a high-profile campaign, led by Prime Minister KUBILIUS, to attract foreign investment and to develop export markets.

Imports -  mineral products, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, chemicals, textiles and clothing, metals