The earliest evidence of inhabitants in present-day Lithuania dates back to 10,000 BC. Between 3,000–2,000 BC, the cord-ware culture people spread over a vast region of eastern Europe, between the Baltic Sea and the Vistula River in the West and the Moscow-Kursk line in the East. Merging with the indigenous population, they gave rise to the Balts, a distinct Indo-European ethnic group whose descendants are the present-day Lithuanian and Latvian nations and Prussians (who are no longer existing). The name of Lithuania - Lietuva - might be derived from the word Lietava, for a small river, or less likely from lietus, meaning rain (or land of rain). World map showing the location of Europe. ... The Baltic Sea is located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. ... Vistula river basin Vistula (Polish Wisła), is the longest river in Poland. ... Moscow (Moskva) (Russian: , romanised: Moskva, IPA: see also other names) is the capital of Russia and the countrys economic, financial, educational, and transportation centre. ... Kursk (Russian: ; pronunciation: koorsk; IPA: ) is a city in the western part of Central Russia, at the confluence of Kur, Tuskar, and Seym rivers. ... Indigenous peoples are: Peoples living in an area prior to colonization by a state Peoples living in an area within a nation-state, prior to the formation of a nation-state, but who do not identify with the dominant nation. ... http://www. ... Indo-Europeans are speakers of Indo-European languages. ... The Prussian people, or (old) Prussians, were Indo-European Balts inhabiting the area around the Curonian and Vistula Lagoons (i. ... The name of Lithuania (Lithuanian: ) was first recorded in written sources in 1009 in chronicles of Quedlinburg (Latin: ). The Quedlinburg Chronicle recorded a Latinized Slavic form of the name Lietuva – Litua,[1] pronounced [litvā]. While it is clear the name originated in a Baltic language, scholars still debate the meaning...

Lithuanians are neither Slavic nor Germanic, although the union with Poland, Germanic and Russian colonization and settlement left cultural and religious influences. This highly literate society places strong emphasis upon education, which is free and compulsory until age 16. Most Lithuanians and ethnic Poles belong to the Roman Catholic Church; Eastern Orthodoxy is the largest non-Catholic denomination. Distribution of Slavic people by language The Slavic peoples are a linguistic and ethnic branch of Indo-European peoples, living mainly in Europe, where they constitute roughly a third of the population. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The Eastern Orthodox Church (including Greek...

Enduring several border changes, Soviet deportations, a massacre of its Jewish population, and German and Polish repatriations during and after World War II, Lithuania has maintained a fairly stable percentage of ethnic Lithuanians (from 79.3% in 1959 to 83.5% in 2002). Lithuania's citizenship law and the Constitution meet international and OSCE standards, guaranteeing universal human and civil rights. For other uses, see Jew (disambiguation). ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is an international organization for security. ...

Ethnic composition

Among the Baltic states, Lithuania has the most homogeneous population. According to the census conducted in 2001, 83.45% of the population identified themselves as Lithuanians, 6.74% as Poles, 6.31% as Russians, 1.23% as Belarusians, and 2.27% as members of other ethnic groups. Such a high percentage of ethnic Lithuanians might be influenced by the fact that in the early 1990s, the newly established government of Lithuania decided to grant citizenship to anyone who lived in Lithuania and who wished to have Lithuanian citizenship. Thus a number of people might have been assimilated. The three Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. ... Cultural assimilation (often called merely assimilation) is an intense process of consistent integration whereby members of an ethno-cultural group, typically immigrants, or other minority groups, are absorbed into an established, generally larger community. ...

Poles are concentrated in the Vilnius region, the area controlled by Poland in the interwar period. Especially large communities of Polish minority in Lithuania are in Vilnius district municipality (61.3% of the population) and Šalčininkai district municipality (79.5%). Such concentration allows Election Action of Lithuania's Poles, an ethnic minority-based political party, to exert political influence. This party has held 1-2 seats in the parliament of Lithuania for the past decade. The party is more active in local politics and controls several municipal councils. Territory of Central Lithuania (green) as compared with other Lithuanian claims on neighbouring countries Vilnius region (Lithuanian Vilniaus kraÅ¡tas, Polish Litwa Åšrodkowa) refers to a part of historical Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth that was disputed between Poland and Lithuania between Polish-Bolshevik War and World War II. Although a part... Poles constitute 31,223 or about ~80% of the population in Å alčininkai district municipality. ... Location Ethnographic region AukÅ¡taitija / DzÅ«kija County Vilnius County General information Capital Vilnius Major settlements NemenčinÄ— (pop. ... Location Ethnographic region DzÅ«kija County Vilnius County General information Capital Å alčininkai Major settlements Å alčininkai (pop. ... The Election Action of Lithuanias Poles (Lietuvos lenkų rinkimų akcija) is a political party in Lithuania and represents the Polish minority. ...

Russians, even though they are almost as numerous as Poles, are much more evenly scattered and lack a strong political party. The most prominent community lives in Visaginas city municipality (52%). Most of them are scientists who moved with their families from the Russian SFSR to work at the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant. Lithuania is noted for its success in limiting Russian immigration during the Soviet period (1945-1990), in comparison to Latvia and Estonia. A number of ethnic Russians left Lithuania after the declaration of independence in 1990. Location Ethnographic region AukÅ¡taitija County Utena County General information Capital Visaginas Major settlements Visaginas (pop. ... State motto: Russian: Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь! Translation: Workers of the world, unite! Capital Moscow Official language Russian Established In the USSR:  - Since  - Until November 7, 1917 November 7, 1917 December 12, 1991 (dissolution) Area  - Total  - Water (%) Ranked 1st in the USSR 17,075,200 km² 13% Population  - Total   - Density Ranked 1st in the... Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant is a two-unit RBMK-1500 nuclear power station in Visaginas, Lithuania. ...

In the past, the ethnic composition of Lithuania has undergone dramatic changes. The most prominent change is the extermination of the Jewish population during the Holocaust. Before World War II about 7.5% of the population was Jewish; they were concentrated in cities and towns and had a significant influence on crafts and business. They were called Litvaks and had a strong culture. The population of Vilnius, sometimes nicknamed Northern Jerusalem, was about 30% Jewish. Almost all of these Jews were killed during the Nazi Germany occupation, or later emigrated to the United States and Israel. Now there are only about 4,000 Jews living in Lithuania. Languages Historical Jewish languages Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino, others Liturgical languages: Hebrew and Aramaic Predominant spoken languages: The vernacular language of the home nation in the Diaspora, significantly including English, Hebrew, Yiddish, and Russian Religions Judaism Related ethnic groups Arabs and other Semitic groups For the Jewish religion, see Judaism. ... “Shoah” redirects here. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Lithuanian Jews, (In Yiddish known as Litvish or Litvaks) are Ashkenazi Jews who have their origins in historic Lithuania. ... For other uses, see Jerusalem (disambiguation). ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ...

Citizenship

The fact that Lithuania has joined the European Union has made Lithuanian citizenship all the more appealing. Lithuanian citizenship is easier to obtain than that of many other European countries - only one great-grandparent is necessary to become a Lithuanian citizen. Persons who held citizenship in the Republic of Lithuania prior to June 15, 1940, and their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren (provided that these persons did not repatriate) are eligible for Lithuanian citizenship [1]. Claiming Lithuanian citizenship, however, can be laborious, time consuming and expensive. Documents in Lithuania's archives are kept in the language they were recorded, being Russian, Polish, and some Lithuanian. Aside from this, the correct documentation is needed - such documentation is often difficult to retrieve, as archives from the years of the Russian Empire through Soviet occupation have been destroyed, lost, or transported to Russia in entirety. Citizenship is membership in a political community (originally a city or town but now usually a country) and carries with it rights to political participation; a person having such membership is a citizen. ...

Lithuanian citizens are, naturally, allowed to travel throughout the European Union without a visa. As far as work is concerned, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Finland, and Greece place no restrictions on Lithuanians working in their respective countries. The other original member nations of the European Union still place restrictions on work, but these are merely transitional agreements.

Statistical indicators

Demographics of Lithuania, Data of FAO, year 1992-2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

Population: 3.412 million (2005 est.) Image File history File links Subject : evolution of demography in Lithuania (1992-2003) Source : Data FAOSTAT, year 2005 : http://faostat. ... Image File history File links Subject : evolution of demography in Lithuania (1992-2003) Source : Data FAOSTAT, year 2005 : http://faostat. ... Possible meanings: Faro Airport (Portugal) Federation of Astrobiology Organizations Financial Aid Office Food and Agriculture Organization This page expands a three-character combination which might be any or all of: an abbreviation, an acronym, an initialism, a word in English, or a word in another language. ...

Age structure:
0–14 years: 15.5% (male 284,888; female 270,458)
15–64 years: 69.1% (male 1,210,557; female 1,265,542)
65 years and over: 15.5% (male 190,496; female 363,965) (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: −0.30% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 8.75 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 10.98 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Map of population density in Lithuania

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female
total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2006 est.) Image File history File links Population_density_in_municipalities_of_Lithuania. ... Image File history File links Population_density_in_municipalities_of_Lithuania. ...

Infant mortality rate: 6.78 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.12 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
(Next three numbers contradict to one another.)
total population: 69.09 years
male: 69.2 years
female: 79.49 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.2 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Religions: Roman Catholic (primarily), Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, Muslim, Judaism The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The Eastern Orthodox Church (including Greek... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... There is also a collection of Hadith called Sahih Muslim A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Persian: Mosalman or Mosalmon Urdu: مسلمان, Turkish: Müslüman, Albanian: Mysliman, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of the religion of Islam. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Suicide rate: With 38.6 suicides per every 100,000 people Lithuania has the second highest suicide rate in the world as well as the highest male suicide rate (2005)^[1][2]. Mayor of Leipzig, Germany, committed suicide along with his wife and daughter on April 20, 1945. ... The following is a List of suicide rates by country according to data from the World Health Organization in which a countrys rank is determined by its total rate of suicides. ...

Divorce rate: With 3.2 divorces per every 1000 people, Lithuania in 2004 had the highest divorce rate in Europe [2].

Languages

The Lithuanian language, which uses the Latin alphabet, has only been the country's official language since 1989. The Soviet era had imposed the official use of Russian, so most adult Lithuanians speak Russian as a second language, while the resident Slavic populace generally speaks Russian or Polish as their first language. The younger generation usually speaks English, learned from school and the Internet, as their second language. Lithuanian is the official language of Lithuania, spoken by about 4 million native speakers (Lithuanians). ... The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most widely used alphabetic writing system in the world today. ...

About 30,600 pupils started their 2003 school year in schools where the entire curriculum is conducted in Russian (down from 76,000 in 1991), and about 20,500 enrolled in Polish schools (up from 11,400 in 1991). There are also schools in the Belarusian language; these enrolled about 160 students in 2003. The Belarusian or Belorussian language (беларуская мова, BGN/PCGN: byelaruskaya mova, Scientific: bjelaruskaja mova) is the language of the Belarusian people and is spoken in Belarus and abroad, chiefly in Russia, Ukraine, Poland. ...

Literacy

Lithuania is one of the most literate countries in the world. A portion of people 15-years-old and older who can read and write reached 99.8% in 2003 (est.) The proportion between males and females is the same. The primary, secondary, and high schools are free to all residents. Ten years of schooling is required. Tertiary education is almost free. Depending on grades, a student might receive a stipend or make a payment of 500 litas per semester. There are also small social stipends available for students with economic difficulties. In 2003 43,900 students were admitted to 21 universities in Lithuania (11,100 of the to master programs). About 70% of high school graduates continue to study in universities or professional schools. Students attend a lecture at a tertiary institution. ... The litas (ISO currency code LTL, symbolized as Lt; plural litai or litų) is the official currency of Lithuania. ...

Notes

See also

• Lithuania
• Lithuanians in Brazil
• Ethnic composition of Central Lithuania
• History of Russians in Lithuania

The first Lithuanian to set foot on Brazilian soil, according to a record dated in 1866, was a certain colonel Andrius Višteliauskas. ... The following is a list of all censæ organised in the city of Wilno/Wilna/Vilna/Vilnius throughout the ages. ... First small early East Slavic settlements in what is now Lithuania date back to late medieval ages when the first proto-Russian merchants and craftsmen began to permanently reside in several Lithuanian towns. ...

External links

• statistics about education in Lithuania (PDF)
• Key results of Lithuanian census
• Suicide statistics as of 2005 (Lith.)