Basic facts
Official name: Republic of Lithuania
Location: eastern coast of the Baltic Sea
Geographic location: 56 00 N, 24 00 E
Borders & length of borders: in the north Latvia (588 km), in the east Belarus (660 km), in the south Poland (103 km) and Kaliningrad Region of the Russian Federation (273 km), Baltic Sea coast (90 km).
Area: 65300 sq km
Population: 3,43 million, 80% Lithuanian; 9% Russian-speaking; 7% Polish
Capital city: Vilnius
Major cities: Kaunas, Klaipeda, Siauliai, Panevezys
Administration: 10 counties, which span 60 administrative districts and towns
Local Time: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October)
Official language: Lithuanian
Form of government: republic
Religion: Roman Catholic (80%), Orthodox, Old Believers, Lutheran, Reformat, Judaist, Sunni, Karaite and other communities
Ethnic Composition: Lithuanians - 83.5%, Polish - 6.7%, Russians - 6.3%, Belarusians - 1.2%, others - 2.3%. Lithuania is home to as many as 115 ethnic groups
Lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
Highest point: Juozapines/Kalnas 292 m
National emblem: white Vytis (a mounted armoured knight with a raised sword) against a red (since 1991)
Flag: yellow, green, and red with horizontal stripes.
Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania is located in the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea. The country shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east, Poland and Kaliningrad Region of the Russian Federation to the south. It's natural border is the Baltic Sea coast. The geographic centre of Europe lies 24 kilometres northwest of Vilnius. Lithuania covers an area of 65 300 square kilometres and has 3.43 million inhabitants.
Lithuania has 5 ethnic regions:
- Aukstaitija: north-eastern and eastern Lithuania
- Dzukija: south-eastern and southern Lithuania
- Suvalkija: southern and south-western Lithuania south of the Nemunas River
- Zemaitija: north-western and western Lithuania
- Lithuania Minor: south-western and western edge of Lithuania
Resorts are Palanga and Neringa, seaside resorts are Druskininkai and Birstonas |
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