BASIC FACTS OF LITHUANIA

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:

Resorts are Palanga and Neringa, seaside resorts are Druskininkai and Birstonas