Lithuania is the largest and most southerly of the three Baltic republics.
Not much more than a decade after it regained its independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Lithuania was welcomed as a Nato member in late March 2004.
Overview
The move came just weeks before a second historic shift for the country in establishing its place in the Western family of nations as it joined the EU in May 2004. These developments would have been extremely hard to imagine in not-so-distant Soviet times.
Russia, anxious about the implications of the eastward advance of the EU and Nato to include the three Baltic republics, has a particular eye on Lithuania which has an important border with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
Vilnius, the capital, weathered a series of foreign occupations
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The history of Lithuania has close ties with that of Poland, its neighbour to the southwest. By the end of the 18th century most of the country came under the Russian empire. German occupation in the first world war was followed by two decades of independence, although Vilnius was occupied by Poland for most of that time.
Following a pact between Stalin and Hitler, Soviet troops arrived in 1940. They were pushed out by the Nazis the following year but returned in 1944.
For the next half century of Soviet rule, Lithuanians relied on Catholic tradition and memories of independence to preserve their national identity, a skill mastered through centuries of foreign domination. Pagan traditions with roots stretching back centuries have been kept alive too.
Lithuania has embraced market reform since independence. In the run up to and period following EU entry the republic saw very strong economic growth. It applied to join the eurozone from January 2007 but was rejected because the inflation rate was too high.
Facts
- Full name: Republic of Lithuania
- Population: 3.4 million (UN, 2007)
- Capital: Vilnius
- Area: 65,300 sq km (25,212 sq miles)
- Major languages Lithuanian, Russian
- Major religion: Christianity
- Life expectancy: 67 years (men), 78 years (women) (UN)
- Monetary unit: 1 Lithuanian litas = 100 centas
- Main exports: Textiles, clothing, fertilisers, industrial machinery
- GNI per capita: US $9,920 (World Bank, 2007)
- Internet domain: .lt
- International dialling code: +370
Leaders
President: Valdas Adamkus
Valdas Adamkus was re-elected Lithuanian president in June 2004, defeating Farmers' and New Democracy Union leader Kazimiera Prunskiene in a run-off.
Valdas Adamkus pursued reforms
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The poll followed the impeachment and dismissal of the previous president, Rolandas Paksas, on corruption charges.
Mr Adamkus was president between 1998 and January 2003 when he was defeated at the ballot box by Mr Paksas in a result which surprised many observers.
During his first term he was credited with speeding up reforms, steering the country towards relative prosperity and overseeing Lithuania's historic progress towards integration with the West and Nato and EU membership.
Mr Adamkus was born in Kaunas in 1926 but in 1949 emigrated to the US where he gained a degree in civil engineering and held a senior position with the Environmental Protection Agency. He returned to Lithuania after independence.
Prime minister: Gediminas Kirkilas
PM Kirkilas heads a minority government
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Gediminas Kirkilas formed Lithuania's 14th government in 15 years - a four-party minority coalition - in July 2006.
This ended a political crisis which started when Algirdas Brazauskas, from the centre-left Social Democrats, resigned as premier in May. The Labour Party had pulled out of government, leaving the former PM well short of a parliamentary majority.
Mr Kirkilas, also from the Social Democrats, is a former defence minister. On coming into office, he said he would strive to bring Lithuania into the eurozone, ensure better access to healthcare and curtail emigration.
However, popular anger at double-digit inflation and fears over the impact of the the global credit crisis on the economy resulted in defeat for Mr Kirkilas's party in the October 2008 elections.
His government looks set to be replaced by a centre-right coalition led by the conservative Homeland Union of Andrius Kubilius.
Media
Lithuania's commercial TV channels have eroded public television audiences. The radio market is similarly competitive, with dozens of stations competing for listeners and advertisers.
Public broadcaster Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT) operates national TV and radio networks. In 2003 it launched a cultural TV channel.
Lithuania's media are free and operate independently of the state, and there are no government-owned newspapers.
Nonetheless, the national broadcaster has sometimes encountered attempts by politicians to influence its editorial policy.
The press
Television
Radio
News agencies/internet
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