GeographyCountry name: Republic of Lithuania (local: Lietuvos Respublika). Capital: Vilnius. Government type: parliamentary democracy. Independence: 11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence). Administrative divisions: 10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis); Alytaus, Kauno, Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages, Telsiu, Utenos, Vilniaus. Terrain: lowland, many scattered small lakes. Fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits. Total area: 65,200 km². Coastline: 99 km. Highest point: Juozapines / Kalnas 292 m. Climate: transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers. Ports and harbors: Butinge, Kaunas, Klaipeda. |
Independent
between the two World Wars, Lithuania was annexed by the USSR in 1940. 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.
Lithuania joined both NATO and the EU in 2004.
Trakai Castle in southeastern Lithuania.
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