Language: Lithuanian
Currency: Lithuanian litas
Calling
Code: 370
Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (LR) is a country
in Northern Europe, on the southeastern coast of the Baltic Sea. The
area is 65,300 km². Lithuania is one of the Baltic states. It is
bordered in the north by Latvia (land border length - 588 km, sea
border - 22 km), in the east and south - by Belarus (border length -
677 km), in the southwest - by Poland (border length - 104 km) and
Russia (Kaliningrad region; length of land border - 255 km, Curonian
Lagoon - 18 km, sea - 22 km). The length of the Baltic Sea coast is
90.66 km. The Lithuanian-Belarusian and Lithuanian-Russian border is
also the border of the European Union. Lithuania's economic zone in
the Baltic Sea (in the west) reaches Sweden's economic zone. The
largest city of the country is the capital Vilnius. Other big
cities: Kaunas, Klaipėda, Šiauliai, Panevėžys.
The state of
Lithuania was formed in the 13th century, after 1569. The Grand
Duchy of Lithuania of the Union of Lublin became part of the
Republic of the Two Peoples. This state existed for more than 200
years, until the neighboring countries Russia, Austria and Prussia
in the 18th century. finally shared its territory. At the end of the
First World War, in 1918 On February 16, the Council of Lithuania
announced the restoration of independence, until 1921. The Republic
of Lithuania has been recognized by most countries of the world.
After more than 20 years of independence, the country was occupied
and annexed by the USSR in World War II, 1941-1945. occupied by Nazi
Germany, 1944-1945. once again occupied by the Soviet Union. in 1990
March 11 The Supreme Council announced the restoration of
independence.
Since 2004 Lithuania is one of the countries of
the European Union that is part of the Schengen area, where there is
no border control. Since 2015 the country belongs to the euro zone.
Lithuania is a high-income, developed economy that has achieved a
high standard of living, and Lithuania's level of civil liberties,
media freedom, Internet freedom, and democracy is highly valued.
Lithuania is a member of the European Union, the Council of Europe,
NATO, and the OECD.
Aukštaitija
Aukštaitija
National Park
Biržai Castle
Samogitia
Hill
of Crosses
Panemune Castle
Žemaitija
National Park
Dzūkija (Dainava)
Purnuškės
Trakai
Dzūkija National Park
Kernave
Sūduva (Suvalkija)
Lithuania Minor
Public transportation
The main public transport is the bus. There
is a dense network both in the cities and in the countryside. A helpful
portal for finding and booking suitable bus connections between cities
within Lithuania and also in neighboring countries is
Autobusubilietai.lt.
There are only a few railway lines and many
of them are in poor condition. However, the Vilnius-Kaunas railway line
is very well developed and it only takes around an hour to travel the
route. You can easily search for train connections and buy tickets via
the Lithuanian Railways website (not in German, but in English, among
other places). There is no rail transport within town (apart from the
airport shuttle in Vilnius), but there are trolleybuses.
Be
careful with line numbers in city transport: The same number can be used
up to three times: for a trolleybus line, a normal bus line and a
minibus line. The minibuses (Maršrutinis taksi) run a fixed route but
have no fixed stops. You wave them over to get in and tell them to get
out. Payment is made there in cash. Other city buses have tickets that
you put into a validator. You buy them at the kiosk or (more expensive,
but still cheap for Western Europeans) from the driver. For intercity
buses you usually pay to the driver, but at the large bus stations you
have to buy your ticket at the counter beforehand for some lines. The
timetables at the intermediate stops in the countryside are only
guidelines; the bus can also leave earlier.
Traveling by car/bike
In terms of population density, Lithuania has a high accident frequency
compared to the EU. This means that you have to expect (alcohol) checks
by the police at any time of the day or night. The alcohol limit is 0.4
(driver's license held for less than two years: 0.2; drivers of
motorcycles, trucks, buses (more than 9 seats): 0.0). A fire
extinguisher and a high-visibility vest in the car are mandatory.
Due to the low population/car density, the probability of actually
being involved in an accident is rather low.
Drivers (including
foreigners) who have had their driving license for less than 2 years
must mark their vehicle with a sticker in the shape of a maple leaf on
the rear; In contrast to the table above, this group of people has a
maximum speed of 90 km/h on motorways and expressways and 70 km/h on
country roads. Commercial vehicles (vehicle classes N1-N3) and buses
(M2-M3) require an electronic vignette on motorways, which is available
for various validity periods online and in points of sale in Lithuania.
Cars and mobile homes do not require a vignette. (fee overview)
Smaller towns are usually only accessible via gravel roads; Road maps
published in Lithuania also show this. You can get there by car, but not
as quickly; they are not suitable for cyclists. Regardless of the actual
weather conditions, winter tires are required for all vehicles from
November 10th to April 1st. Caution: Branches lying on the street can
indicate that a manhole cover is missing!
Helmets are mandatory
for motorcyclists. Important note for cyclists: It is mandatory to use
high-visibility vests! Children and young people under 18 are required
to wear a bicycle helmet.
Lithuanian is a Baltic language that is only closely related to
Latvian. In some places there is a significant Russian minority; in
places of interest to tourists, especially in Vilnius and Klaipėda.
There is also a Polish minority in Vilnius and the region south of it.
With the younger generation as well as in hotels etc. You can
usually communicate in English. Among the middle and older generations
(born around 1970) English skills are significantly less common. As a
rule, these people speak Russian more or less well. It is helpful to ask
the question about knowledge of Russian in Lithuanian (Ar Jūs kàlbate
rùsiškai?) in order to overcome the aversion to the former occupier
language.
Knowledge of German, on the other hand, is much less
common, but you can also find German-speaking people. This does not
apply to the Curonian Spit and Klaipėda (German Memel). Since this area
used to belong to Germany, they are prepared for German tourists.
Lithuania has been part of the Eurozone since January 1, 2015. The
supply at the ATM is not a problem. Many shops, even in smaller towns,
also accept credit cards.
Alcoholic beverages
In 2018, the minimum alcohol purchasing age was raised to 20 and sales hours were limited to 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. on weekdays and 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. on Sundays. Since 2020, drinking has been banned on beaches and at sporting events.
The Lithuanian national dish is cepelinai, zeppelin-shaped dumplings with meat filling. You can find restaurants with traditional food (which naturally has a connection to neighboring countries) as well as international offerings such as: B. Fast food chains.
There are numerous bars, pubs and discos in the larger cities. It
should be noted that discos only fill up from midnight. However, there
is no curfew and nightclubs often stay open until 5am or later. Entrance
fees are usually between 0 and 5 euros. In the big cities, such as
Vilnius and Kaunas, you can find clubs with different genres of music
(electronic, pop/mainstream, Latin, ...). In discos, people tend to
drink spirits and long drinks rather than beer and cocktails. In bars
and pubs, however, beer is often the first choice. Snacks and simple
dishes are usually served here.
The practice and use of
prostitution, as well as sexual coercion, are punishable. If minors are
involved in these crimes, this will have an aggravating effect on the
sentence; Police actions and checks must therefore be expected at any
time.
Palanga is probably the most popular Baltic Sea destination
in Lithuania during the summer months. Many young Lithuanians go here to
party hard. Live music is often played in the pubs, ranging from
traditional songs to pop music.
March: Kaziuko mugė around St. Casimir's Day, this festival of folk
arts and crafts is held in both Kaunas and Vilnius
May: New Baltic
Dance Festival, modern dance in various theaters in Kaunas and Vilnius
June: Medieval festival in Trakai
June 21st: Summer Solstice,
everywhere
June, last weekend: Folk music in Nidden
July:
Galapagai Rock Music Festival on the island of Zaras near Ignalina
July-August: St. Christopher's Cultural Festival in Vilnius
August,
last weekend: “Pagan music” in Zarasai
Mid-Sept.-Wed. Oct: Sirenos
Theater Days in Vilnius
Mid-November: European Film Forum Scanorama
simultaneously in Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda and Šiauliai
Corruption in the legal system and police remains a problem that can affect tourists in the early 2020s. The special department Specialiųjų tyrimų tarnyba (STT) is there specifically for such cases.
Treatment by statutory health insurance (dentists) is carried out
upon presentation of the European health insurance card. Specialists and
hospitals may only be visited directly (without referral or referral) in
an emergency.
For medication on prescription, a 20% additional
charge per pack (max. €4.71) must be paid. For some products it’s also
half the price.
At the dentist you have to pay 100% of the
material yourself.
Post Lietuvos paštas was taken over by DHL and focuses on parcel
shipping.
The Lithuanian mobile network (telephone and internet)
is very well developed, and there are rarely dead spots even in rural
areas and in the forest. Thanks to EU roaming, you only need a
Lithuanian SIM card if your data consumption is high. Prepaid cell phone
cards can be purchased at post offices, supermarkets, gas stations and
phone shops. Network operators are Telia (brands: Ežys and Extra, the
latter only without EU data roaming), Bitė (prepaid: Labas; took over by
Mezon) and Tele 2 (prepaid: Pildyk).
Lithuanian comparison site
English Prepaid overview.
Telephone area codes
Domestic long
distance calls: The telephone number must be preceded by an 8 (not 0!),
which is often not written. The switch to = is planned for 2025.
Lithuanian mobile numbers all start with 6.
To foreign countries:
The country code must be preceded by 00. In mobile communications, the
usual international area code can be, for example: B. +49 can be used
for Germany.
The traditional toilet symbols are stylized quite idiosyncratically, especially when it comes to men's toilets. You can now often find the symbols like those in this country, but new signage, such as in the recently renovated train station in Kaunas, sometimes uses the traditional representation.
The origin of the name Lithuania is not exactly known. Since many Baltic ethnonyms are derived from the names of rivers, the name Lithuania is associated with the name of the stream Lietava. Since it is a small stream, this assumption raises objections that such a small stream could not have given its name to a large land and a tribe. Historian Artūras Dubonis derives the name of the state from the word leičii, which was used in the 14th-15th centuries. referred to in the sources as the layer of the duke's officials. They were colonist warriors who established their authority in the lands attached to the grand duke's estates.
The first inhabitants came to the current territory of Lithuania
after the last ice age 11-13 thousand years ago. The Palaeolithic
inhabitants belonged to the cultural groups of Svidri and Baltic Madlen.
Mesolithic inhabitants belonged to the Nemunas and Kunda cultures. The
first inhabitants were nomads, they did not create permanent
settlements. VIII thousand BC the climate warmed, forests expanded.
Residents began to wander less, engaged in local hunting, fishing,
gathering. Agriculture reached the current territory of Lithuania in the
3rd thousand. Ave. m. e. The Pamarii culture, which belongs to the group
of corded pottery cultures, and is considered Baltic, spread in the
Neolithic region. In the first centuries of our era, the ethnic unions
of the Balts were already distinguished, among them the Samians and
Lithuanians.
The Baltic tribes did not have close cultural or
political ties to the Roman Empire, but traded with Rome (see Amber
Road). About 97 AD In his Germania, Tacitus described the Aesti, who
lived on the southeastern coast of the Baltic Sea, and who are usually
associated with the Western Whites. Western Balts differentiated into
tribes earlier than others, and information about them reached the
chroniclers of other countries the earliest. Claudius Ptolemy II c.
already knew the Galindu and the Jotvingi, and early medieval annals
mention the Prussians, Cursians and Žimgali.
Lithuania was
mentioned for the first time in the Quedlinburg annals when describing
the death of Bishop Brunos Kverfurtietis on the border between Russia
and Lithuania on March 9, 1009. Later annals also mention another date -
February 14, but the variety of years is great. The date of Bruno's
death in 1009 mentions 9 out of 25 sources. One states that it happened
in 1002, five names 1008, one - 1010. The sources indicate at least
seven places of death - the Russian-Lithuanian, Prussian-Russian,
Prussian-Russian-Lithuanian border, Prussia, Russia, Pecheneg lands and
Hungary. X-XI centuries Russian annals mention Lithuania as one of the
countries that paid tribute to Kievan Rus, the annals mention Yaroslav
the Wise's military campaign to Lithuania. From the 12th century Central
Lithuanians start attacking Russian lands. 1183 the lands of Polotsk and
Pskov were devastated, even for the mighty Novgorod Republic in the 12th
century. At the end of the year, invasions by Lithuanian troops were
repeatedly threatened. As the wealth and captives brought back from
raiding expeditions increased, the differences in wealth became
apparent, and the warring princes stood out from the others and took
over power. The unification of several principalities created by
different Baltic tribes that existed on the territory of Lithuania into
one confederated or federal state of Lithuania probably began in the 1st
millennium, but according to the prevailing historiographical concept,
the formation of the state ended only in the 13th century. In the II
quarter, when the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was created on the basis of
the hypothetical land of Lithuania or the Duchy of Lithuania.
13th century in the forties, Mindaugas became the first ruler of the
Lithuanian state, who accepted baptism and in 1253 was crowned king in
July. Later he refused baptism, and in 1263 was killed. Pagan Lithuania
was the target of constant Teutonic and Livonian raids. Despite the
difficult and constant struggle with the Orders, the Grand Duchy of
Lithuania quickly expanded by joining the principalities of Russia. 13th
century at the end of the century, the Gediminai dynasty was formed (the
first notable rulers of the dynasty were Vytenis and Gediminas).
Duke Gediminas significantly expanded the territory of Lithuania to the
east by diplomatic means (mostly by marrying off his daughters). His son
Algirdas continued the expansion with military means, and his brother
Kęstutis also contributed to this. 1362 Algird achieved an important
victory against the Golden Horde in the Battle of the Blue Waters and
established himself in southern Russia - Kiev, Podola and sparsely
populated Dykra. After capturing Kiev, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
became a direct neighbor and rival of the Grand Duchy of Moscow.
XIV century At the end of the 19th century, Lithuania achieved its
greatest territorial expansion - in the south, its borders even reached
the Black Sea, the state included the territories of present-day
Lithuania, Belarus, part of Ukraine, Russia and Poland. At the same time
from the XIII century. The state of Lithuania was constantly at war with
the German Order. The geopolitical situation between East and West led
to the fact that the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a multicultural and
multi-confessional state. The ruling elite maintained religious
tolerance, official documents used Latin and the old Slavic clerical
language.
1385 Grand Duke Jogaila of Lithuania married Jadvyga,
the heir to the Polish throne, and in 1386 was crowned king of Poland.
This is how the personal union of Lithuania and Poland was established.
According to the Krėva Act, Jogaila undertook to baptize Lithuania and
in 1387 after arriving in Lithuania, he himself participated in the
baptism campaigns, the Vilnius Diocese was established.
After two
internal wars in 1392 Grand Duke Vytautas established himself in
Lithuania. Under the reign of Vytautas, Lithuania achieved the greatest
territorial expansion, the state began to be centralized, nobles were
included in state politics. 1399 The forces of Vytautas and Horda Khan
Tochtamyš were defeated by the forces of the Golden Horde at the Vorskla
River. This defeat led to the fact that Vytautas failed to gain a
completely independent status. 1410 during the joint military campaign
of Lithuania and Poland, the Teutonic Order was defeated in the Battle
of Žalgiris. This victory eventually led to the removal of the
centuries-old threat of the Teutonic Order.
1429 In January, at
the Lutsk Congress, with the support of Holy Roman Emperor Zygmantas,
Vytautas received the title of king, but the messengers who brought him
the crown in 1430 Polish nobles were stopped in autumn. Another crown
was sent, but Vytautas died before receiving the coronation and was
buried in Vilnius Cathedral.
Grand Duke Kazimierz of Lithuania,
who was also elected king of Poland, expanded the influence of
Jogailaičiai in Europe. Prussia became a vassal of Poland, Casimir's son
Vladislaus II occupied the Czech and Hungarian thrones. 1492-1526 In
Central Europe, there was a system of Yogyakarta states, which included
Poland (with its vassals Prussia and Moldavia), Lithuania, the Czech
Republic and Hungary.
Jogaila did not unite Lithuania and Poland into one state - the
relations between these states in the 15th century. - 16th century were
not constant at the beginning - Lithuania often had a separate ruler
from the Gediminai dynasty, who was elected separately from Poland. 15th
century at the end of the 19th century, the Grand Duchy of Moscow grew
stronger alongside the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which began to claim
all the lands of Russia. Throughout the 15th century the raging conflict
with Moscow in the 15th century. turned into a war at the end. Wars
lasting several decades exhausted the country, adversely affected its
finances, and the state lost a large part of its territory. The
Lithuanian army also managed to achieve significant victories. in 1514
September 8 30,000 Lithuanian and Polish troops led by the great hetman
Konstantinos Ostrogiškis defeated about 80,000 Muscovite soldiers in the
Battle of Orsha, captured their camp and captured their commander and
many soldiers, but the LDK did not gain the upper hand in this war.
In the battles against Moscow, and especially after the start of the
Livonian War, Lithuanian nobles and nobility expected support from
Poland, which sought to gain a foothold in Livonia and demanded the
strengthening of the union. In addition, there were fears of the
extinction of the Jogailaičiai dynasty and the related uncertainty about
a new ruler. In such circumstances, the Union of Lublin was concluded
(1569). By its act, the personal union of Lithuania and Poland was
transformed into the so-called Republic of Both Nations, which had a
common ruler and a common Seimas, but kept separate borders, customs,
armies, law, public offices and institutions. The Statute of Lithuania
remained in force in Lithuania.
The Livonian War ended with the
Truce of Jam Zapole, concluded for ten years in 1582. January 15
According to them, the Republic of the Two Peoples recovered Livonia,
Polotsk and Veliza, but returned the Great Luks to the Russian Tsar.
Armistice in 1600 was extended for another twenty years during Lev
Sapiega's diplomatic mission to Boris Godunov. the truce actually ended
in 1605. after the Polish nobles began to support the claims of the
impostor Dmitriy to the Russian throne and the beginning of the
1605-1618 for war
16th century avg. - 17th century avg. culture,
arts and education flourished under the influence of the Renaissance and
the Protestant Reformation. After the demise of the Gediminai dynasty,
the rulers of Poland and Lithuania began to be chosen from among all
willing noble candidates. The elected rulers had to confirm all the
rights previously obtained by the nobility. The influence of nobles and
nobles in the state greatly strengthened, in principle, no serious
decisions could be made without the consent of the nobles in the Seimas.
Seimas often ended without making any decisions, favorable conditions
for this were created by the right of liberum veto, which theoretically
allowed any one representative to reject any decision. The Republic of
Both Nations reached its prosperity in the 17th century. at the
beginning The Seimas were dominated by nobles who were not inclined to
get involved in the Thirty Years' War. Neutrality in this war saved the
country from the political and religious conflicts that devastated most
of Europe. The Republic of Both Nations fought against Sweden, Russia
and the vassals of the Ottoman Empire and even waged expansionary wars
against its neighbors. During the great turmoil in Moscow, the troops of
the Republic of the Two Peoples entered Russia several times and
occupied Moscow, which they held in their hands since 1610. September 27
until 1612 on November 4, when they were pushed out from under the
cloak.
17th century at the end of the 18th century at the
beginning of the Lithuanian-Polish state passed into its sunset. in 1655
for the first time in the history of Lithuania, its capital, Vilnius,
was occupied by Cossack troops. The Russian army ravaged the city, its
churches and mansions. 8-10 thousand were killed. inhabitants, the city
burned for 17 days. The Russian army considered a large part of
Lithuania occupied until 1661. At that time, a lot of historical and
cultural heritage was lost, a large part of the state archive Lithuanian
Metrica was lost or taken to Moscow. The part of the state that was not
occupied by Russia was occupied and devastated by the Swedish army
during the "Swedish Flood".
18th century The Northern War at the
beginning of the 20th century showed the weakness of the state and
greatly exhausted the country, which was constantly terrorized by its
own and foreign armies. Since 1717 The Republic of the Two Peoples of
the "silent" Seimas has obviously come under the influence of Russia.
18th century At the end of the 20th century, state governance reforms
were attempted, but they were not successful, mainly due to Russian
opposition. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania maintained a certain autonomy,
but according to the 1791 May 3 It was actually abolished by the
Constitution.
After 1795 after the third division of the Republic of Both Nations,
most of the present-day Lithuania was annexed by Russia. in 1807
Napoleon Bonaparte created the Duchy of Warsaw from the Polish and
Lithuanian lands taken from Prussia, which existed until 1815. In order
to restore the state of Poland and Lithuania, the nobility and nobles
supported Napoleon. After Napoleon's defeat, the Duchy of Warsaw passed
to Russia and was named the Kingdom of Poland. This compound was also
called Congress Poland, because its existence was based on the
resolutions of the Congress of Vienna. The composition of the Kingdom of
Poland also included Lithuania's Užnemunė, which was ruled by Prussia
for a while after the partitions. So from 1815 all the Lithuanian lands
that belonged to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were included in the
Russian Empire, although there were still quite large differences in
their status. In Užnemunė, compared to other parts of Lithuania, the
peasants were granted personal freedom the earliest, here the policy of
Russification was weaker.
After Russia's victory over Napoleon,
Russification gradually began to strengthen in Lithuania. in 1830 In
November, the uprising in Lithuania started in Poland in 1831. March.
The nobility played a key role in it. After his defeat, Vilnius
University and many Catholic monasteries were closed, and the
participants of the uprising were exiled to Russia. 1863-1864 an
uprising supported by the peasantry was also suppressed. After 1863-1864
the press ban introduced by the uprising - the banning of writing in
Latin characters, in an attempt to replace them with Cyrillic. Books and
printed matter in Latin letters reached Lithuania from the printing
houses of Prussia and Lithuania Minor, established also by the efforts
of bishop M. Valančiaus and J. Bielinis, from where they were illegally
carried across the border to Lithuania and distributed by booksellers,
who later gathered in a dozen organizations. The reaction after the
uprising also affected other areas of life - all monasteries were
closed, the patronage of the Orthodox Church strengthened.
19th
century in the first half, the signs of the Lithuanian national revival
were evident. The Lithuanian national began to form, i.e. i.e. a culture
that has reached the level of civilization.
When the First World War started, it quickly covered the territory of
Lithuania. During 1914-1915 Germany occupied the entire territory of
present-day Lithuania. With the retreating Russian army, the Russian
administrative authorities retreated, Jews and some Lithuanians were
expelled (accused of spying for the Germans). After leaving, the
Lithuanians settled in large colonies in various areas of Russia, mainly
in Voronezh, Tambov, Yaroslavl, St. Petersburg, and Moscow.
Lithuania fell into an administrative entity created by the Germans
called Oberost. Lithuanians lost all political rights they had won,
personal freedom was restricted, Lithuanian periodicals were banned at
the beginning. Residents are covered with various taxes. They are
forbidden to leave their place of residence. Requisitions of animals and
things for war purposes were constantly carried out. Some residents are
sent to work in Germany. The Lithuanian intelligentsia tried to take
advantage of the geopolitical situation and began to look for
opportunities for the restoration of Lithuania's independence. in 1917
September 18-22 A conference of Lithuanians gathered in Vilnius, which
established the Council of Lithuania. During the conference, it was
decided to restore the state of Lithuania with ethnographic borders and
the capital in Vilnius. Antanas Smetona was elected chairman of the
Council of Lithuania (only on February 16, 1918, the chairman was Jonas
Basanavičius). Following the geopolitical situation in 1917 December 11
The Council of Lithuania signed a resolution announcing the restoration
of the independent state of Lithuania with its capital in Vilnius,
severing all ties that had ever been established with other states, and
advocating an eternal alliance with Germany. Part of the Council members
did not agree with the last thesis, so Mykolas Biržiška, Steponas
Kairys, Stanislovas Narutavičius and Petras Vileišis left the
organization. in 1918 February 16 The Council of Lithuania adopted a
resolution which was recognized as the Act of Independence of Lithuania.
It restores the independent and democratically organized state of
Lithuania with its capital in Vilnius, and the relations of the state
with other states were to be determined by the democratically elected
Constituent Seimas. Unlike 1917 December 11 declaration, it no longer
contains provisions for union with Germany. The state of Lithuania was
created within the framework of the postulates of this resolution, which
existed in 1918-1940. in 1918 March 3 With the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk,
Soviet Russia renounced its claims to the Baltic countries. After
signing the treaty, Germany ignored Lithuania's aspirations for
independence, and on February 16 did not recognize the declaration.
Opposing the German annexationist plans in 1918. In July, the Council
of Lithuania elected Wilhelm von Urach, Duke of Württemberg, as King
Mindaugas II of Lithuania. in 1918 November 2 the resolution was
annulled, the idea of monarchy was abandoned, and the question of order
was left to be decided by the Constituent Seimas. in 1918 November 11
the first Provisional Constitution of Lithuania was drawn up. At the
same time, the army was organized, the first government and other state
institutions were formed. in 1919 the office of the President was
introduced, Antanas Smetona was elected as the state president.
After the withdrawal of the main German forces and the Bolsheviks
advancing into Lithuania, the fighting against them began. in 1918
December 16 the Bolsheviks declared the Lithuanian Soviet Republic. The
Bolsheviks occupied Vilnius, the Lithuanian government moved to Kaunas,
which became the temporary capital. in 1919 February 27 At the joint
meeting of the Lithuanian and Belarusian Central Executive Committees in
Vilnius, the creation of the Lithuanian and Belarusian Soviet Socialist
Republic (Litbelas) was announced. In establishing statehood and the
desired state borders, we had to fight not only with the Bolsheviks, but
also with Bermontians and Poles. The Bermontinians were defeated in
1919. November in the battles of Radviliškis. A peace treaty was signed
with Soviet Russia in 1920. July 12 1920 October 7 A peace treaty
between Lithuania and Poland was signed in Suvalkai, according to which
Vilnius was recognized as a part of Lithuania, but soon the Poles broke
this treaty and their advance into the depths of the country was stopped
only on November 21-22. in the battles at Širvinti and Giedraičii.
Poland occupied and later annexed about 20 percent. The territories of
Lithuania, including the capital Vilnius.
1920 May 15 the first
democratically elected Constituent Seimas convened. The documents
adopted by him began to regulate the life of the state. The temporary
(1920) and permanent (1922) constitutions of Lithuania were adopted,
land, finance, and education reforms were implemented. Own currency
entered - litas. The University of Lithuania was opened. All major
government institutions and institutions have been created. After
stability was established in the country, it began to be recognized by
foreign countries. in 1921 Lithuania was admitted to the League of
Nations.
in 1922 the First Seimas was elected in October. He
elected Aleksandar Stulginskis as the president. One of the most
important achievements of that period was the annexation of Klaipėda
region to the territory of Lithuania in 1923. and its international
recognition in 1924. The Third Seimas elected Kazi Grinių, a populist,
as president, but his leadership did not last long. in 1926 December 17
a coup took place in the state, the military handed over power to the
nationalist A. Smetona. Augustin Voldemar is tasked with forming a
government. The authoritarian stage of state management began, the
influence of one union of nationalists in the country was strengthened.
in 1927 released the Seimas, 1928 a new constitution strengthening the
powers of the president was adopted. Opposition parties were gradually
banned, censorship was tightened, and the rights of national minorities
were narrowed.
The situation for the residents was aggravated by
the onset of the global economic crisis. The purchase prices of
agricultural products fell significantly. in 1935 Farmers' strikes
started in Suvalkija and Dzūkija. During them, in addition to economic,
political demands were also raised. The government quelled the unrest,
in 1936 in the spring, 4 peasants were convicted and shot for the riots.
On the eve of the Second World War, as the geopolitical situation of
the region changed, Lithuania was forced to accept the ultimatums of the
neighboring states. in 1938 March 17 Poland issued an ultimatum
demanding the establishment of diplomatic relations. Although this
practically meant the "renunciation" of Vilnius, the ultimatum was
accepted. A year later, in 1939 March 20 Lithuania was given an
ultimatum by Germany. It was demanded to hand over Klaipėda region to
Germany. The Lithuanian government also accepted this ultimatum.
According to the 1939 According to the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact,
Lithuania was assigned to the German sphere of influence, later, with
additional protocols, Germany gave Lithuania to the Soviet sphere of
influence in exchange for a part of Poland. After the fall of Poland,
the Soviet Union, without opposition from Germany, offered to conclude
an agreement under which Soviet military crews would be stationed in
Lithuania. According to the 1939 October 10 in the treaty concluded with
the USSR, Lithuania allowed the establishment of Soviet military bases
on its territory and regained Vilnius and part of the Vilnius region. in
1940 the Soviets began to create tension and accused Lithuania of
kidnapping Red Army soldiers. Although the authorities denied these
accusations, the Soviets in 1940 June 14 The USSR gave Lithuania an
ultimatum demanding a change of government and the admission of an
unlimited contingent of RA units, which meant the occupation of the
state.
After the ultimatum in 1940 June 15 The USSR occupied the territory
of the country. In Lithuania, sovietization was immediately started -
property nationalization and population deportation were started. The
opposition, its press, organizations are also banned, and relations with
foreign countries are limited. Forced elections to the People's Diet
were organized and their results were falsified. The Lithuanian Soviet
Socialist Republic was announced, which was incorporated into the Soviet
Union. Not all states recognized the annexation of Lithuania. in 1940
July 23 The Declaration of Wales published in the USA warned the Soviet
Union that the annexation of Lithuania would not be recognized, and the
financial capital of Lithuania, as an occupied state, was ordered to be
frozen by Roosevelt's instructions.
Along with the beginning of
the war between the USSR and Germany in 1941. June 22 An uprising took
place in Lithuania, and the Provisional Government was formed. The
latter hoped for German recognition, but the Nazis terminated its
activities and included Lithuania in the German Reichskommissariat of
Ostland as a general area of Lithuania under civil administration. A new
period of occupation has begun. Nationalized property was not returned
to residents. Citizens of the Jewish nationality were herded into
ghettos and gradually exterminated by shooting or being sent to
concentration camps. 1941-1944 80-85% were killed. Lithuanian Jews
(130,000–140,000).
in 1944 July-October As the front moved
westward, during the "Bagration" operation, the USSR occupied Lithuania
again. The second Soviet occupation began. Political repressions were
renewed again, mass deportations of the population to Siberia continued
until Stalin's death in 1953. Any symbols of nationality are prohibited.
People were persecuted for using them. Communist ideology and atheism
were forced upon the population.
Under the pretext of restoring
the Lithuanian economy, the Moscow authorities encouraged the migration
of workers and other residents to Lithuania; it was intended to further
integrate Lithuania into the Soviet Union and develop industry. At the
same time, able-bodied residents of Lithuania were lured to work in the
depths of the USSR, promising all kinds of benefits for settling in a
new place.
The second Soviet occupation was accompanied by the
armed resistance of the Lithuanian population in 1944-1953. It sought to
restore the independent state of Lithuania, consolidate democracy by
destroying communism in the country, return national values and freedom
of religion. People of various social strata, age groups and education,
who were called bandits by the Soviet authorities, became partisans. The
desire of some to retreat to the forests and resist with weapons was
determined by the occupation, others - their farms and property were
taken from them. Armed resistance is divided into three stages. The
first started in 1944. summer and lasted until 1946. summer During his
time, large groups were formed, but there was no unified organization.
There were frequent military clashes with the RA. The second stage
included 1946. in the summer of 1948 the end At that time, the
organizational structure of the partisans was formed, the squads were
reduced to 5-15 people living in bunkers. Underground combat tactics
were used, surprise attacks were organized. The third stage - 1949-1953.
the end During his time, the Lithuanian Freedom Struggle Movement was
founded under the leadership of Jonas Žemaitis-Vytautas. Squads
decreased to 3-5 people, open clashes rarely took place, sabotage and
terror were mostly used. Despite the fact that the partisan war did not
achieve its goal of liberating the state of Lithuania and claimed more
than 20,000 lives. victims of partisans, this armed resistance showed
the world that Lithuania joined the USSR against its will and
legitimized the nation's desire to be independent. Even after
suppressing the partisan resistance, the Soviet authorities did not
suppress the movement for Lithuanian independence. There were persecuted
underground dissident groups that published an underground press and
Catholic literature. Vincentas Sladkevičius, Sigitas Tamkevičius, Nijolė
Sadūnaitė are considered the most active repressed participants of the
movement. in 1972 after the burning of Romo Kalanta, there were several
days of unrest in Kaunas. After the international conference in the
capital of Finland, where the borders established after the Second World
War were recognized, the Helsinki group established in Lithuania
announced the demand for independence on foreign radio. The dissident
movement raised the spirit of the nation, and the passage of time
prevented history and national values from being forgotten. Thanks to
their activities, the world was informed about the situation in the
USSR, human rights violations, which forced Moscow to soften the regime.
in 1986 After the beginning of the policy of publicity (glasnost) in
the Soviet Union, public life became freer. in 1988 June 3 Lithuania
Persitvarkymos Sąjūdis was founded, people supporting the ideas of
Sąjūdis gathered in LPS support groups all over Lithuania. in 1988
August 23 a huge rally took place in Vingios Park in Vilnius. About 250
thousand people participated in it. people. A year later, in 1989 On
August 23, in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and in order to draw the attention of the whole
world to the occupation of the Baltic States, the "Baltic Road" campaign
was organized. The "Baltic Road" organized by the Lithuanian
Reorganization Association was a chain of people holding hands for about
600 km, stopping to connect the capitals of the three Baltic states -
Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn. This showed the desire of the people of
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to separate from the USSR.
in 1990
March 11 The Restorative Seimas announced the restoration of Lithuania's
independence. The Soviet leadership responded to Lithuania's
"unilateral" actions with an economic blockade. in 1990 April 18 The
USSR stopped the supply of raw materials (primarily oil) to Lithuania.
Not only the country's industry, but also the population began to lack
fuel, essential goods, even hot water. The economic blockade lasted 76
days, but Lithuania did not give up the declaration of independence.
Gradually, economic relations began to be restored. Tensions reached a
climax in 1991. In January. At that time, an attempt was made to carry
out a coup d'état using the armed forces of the USSR, the internal army
of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Security Committee of
the USSR. Due to the bad economic situation, people were expected to
support the coup, but people from all over Lithuania flocked to Vilnius
to defend the legally elected government and independence. The coup
attempt ended with the victims of the peaceful population and caused
great material losses. There was not a single case when the weapon was
used by peaceful residents and defenders of state institutions, only the
Soviet army fired. As a result of the use of the weapon, 14 people were
killed and hundreds were injured. Not long after the first Lithuanian
independence in 1991. February 11 recognized by Iceland. Lithuania
received wide international recognition after the failed August putsch
in Moscow. September 17 of the same year. Lithuania was admitted to the
United Nations Organization.
in 1992 October 25 The currently
valid Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania was adopted in a
referendum of the citizens of the Republic of Lithuania. As the first
President after the restoration of the independence of the Republic of
Lithuania, in 1993 February 14 during direct general elections, Algirdas
Brazauskas was elected. August 31 of the same year. the last units of
the Soviet army were withdrawn. Since 2004 March 29 Lithuania belongs to
the NATO bloc, and in 2004 May 1st Lithuania became a full member of the
European Union.
Lithuania is a multi-party parliamentary republic. The main law of
the country is by referendum in 1992. October 25 adopted the
Constitution, valid since 1992 November 6 Based on it, power is
exercised by the Seimas, the President, the Government and the Court.
Judicial power is exercised by courts. Their purpose is to
administer justice in criminal, civil and administrative cases. As is
characteristic of a democratic republic, the government in the country
is elected through elections. In Lithuania, they are of 4 types: the
Seimas, the President, municipal councils - mayors and representatives
of the European Parliament.
President
The president is elected
by the nation for a 5-year term no more than twice. One of the main
functions of the president is the formulation of foreign policy. The
president also appoints the Ministers, the Prime Minister and judges,
and is the supreme commander of the military forces. The current
President of the Republic Gitanas Nausėda was elected in 2019.
Seimas
The legislative power is a unicameral parliament - the Seimas.
It consists of 141 Seimas members elected for a 4-year term by a mixed
election system (71 members are elected by absolute majority, and 70 by
proportional representation with the possibility of ranking party
lists). Everyone over the age of 18 has the right to elect the Seimas.
citizens, to be elected as members of the Seimas - from the age of 25.
The Lithuanian army consists of four types of forces: Land Forces, Air Forces, Naval Forces, Special Operations Forces and separate units (separate battalions, boards, units, services, departments, etc.). Since 2004 Lithuania belongs to NATO. in 2017 A combat group of the NATO Forward Forces Battalion is deployed in the Baltic States and Poland. This decision demonstrates the solidarity and unity of the NATO alliance and is an expression of reliable deterrence and preparation for collective defense. Since 1994 Lithuania participates in international operations. Currently, Lithuanian soldiers are in ongoing operations in Mali, Somalia, Afghanistan, and Kosovo. Lithuania's participation in international operations is based on collective defense and security agreements signed by Lithuania. By fulfilling these obligations, Lithuania contributes to the efforts of the international community to strengthen security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area, while at the same time Lithuania implements its foreign policy priorities. in 2017 Lithuania has entered the top eight NATO countries with the best defense financing, compared to the size of the economy, according to the data published by the Alliance. Country for national defense in 2017 allocated 1.77 percent. gross domestic product. Lithuania spends slightly more than 31 percent on acquisitions. of the entire defense budget and is therefore ranked third in the Alliance. Lithuania has long lagged behind its NATO allies in terms of defense spending, but in recent years has begun to rapidly increase funding. in 2018 Lithuania plans to allocate 2.06 percent to defense. GDP and reach the funding standard required by NATO.
Lithuania is a Central European country (the United Nations
classifies it as Northern Europe). From the geographical center of the
territory of Lithuania at Ruoščiai to the North Pole, it is 3870 km, to
the equator about 6130 km, to the Greenwich meridian - 1488 km. 26 km
north of Vilnius, between the village of Purnuškii and the Bernotai
mound, is the geographical center of Europe determined by the French
National Geographic Institute (54° 54′ north latitude and 25° 19′ east
longitude). The easternmost area of Lithuania is located in the
territory of the municipality of Ignalina district near the villages of
Rimaldiškii and Vosiūnai (26° 51′ east longitude), to the west - at Nida
(20° 56′ east longitude), to the north - in the territory of the
municipality of Biržai district near the village of Aspariškii ( 56° 27′
north latitude), to the south – in the territory of the municipality of
Varėna district near the village of Musteika (53° 54′ north latitude).
At the same geographical latitude to the west of Lithuania are Denmark,
Great Britain (the northern part of England), to the east – Belarus and
the central regions of Russia, at the same geographical longitude to the
north are Latvia, Estonia, Finland, to the south – Eastern Poland, the
western part of Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece.
The territory
of Lithuania stretches 373 km from east to west, 276 km from north to
south. Lithuania's area (65.3 thousand km²) is larger than the
Netherlands (41.5 thousand km²), Belgium (30.5 thousand km²), Denmark
(43.1 thousand km²), Switzerland (41.2 thousand km²). km²), Estonia
(45.2 thousand km²), smaller than Austria (83.9 thousand km²), the Czech
Republic (78.9 thousand km²) and almost equal to Latvia (64.6 thousand
km²) and Ireland (70.3 thousand km²).
The sun rises in the east
of Lithuania for 23 minutes. 20 sec. earlier than in the west.
Lithuanian time zone is PL + 2 h (like Helsinki, Riga, Athens,
Jerusalem). In Lithuania, a seasonal change of time calculation is used.
From the point of view of natural geography, Lithuania is a country
of medium latitudes in the western part of the Eastern European plain,
in the geographical zone of the transitional climate from maritime to
continental, Eastern European mixed forests.
Fields and meadows
occupy 57%, forests and bushes - 30%, swamps - 3%, inland waters - 4%,
other lands - 6% of the territory.
The climate of Lithuania is moderately warm in the middle latitudes, changing from maritime to continental. The continental climate is more pronounced in the east of the country. Lithuania is in a cool temperate climate zone, with moderately warm summers and moderately cold winters. The average temperature in July is about 17 °C, and in winter about -5 °C, with an interval between temperatures of about 20 °C. In Lithuania, there are very hot summers, when the air warms up to 30 °C, and also very cold winters, when the air cools down to -20 °C, and at night to -30 °C. Most precipitation falls in summer (up to 50% of annual precipitation). Fall, winter and spring have less precipitation. Spring has the least amount of precipitation, as anticyclones usually prevail.
Lithuanian landscape types:
clay plains - 55.2 percent;
hilly
morainic highlands - 21.2 percent;
sandy plains - 17.8 percent;
river valleys - 3.6%;
coastal plains - 2.2 percent.
Rivers and
lakes
There are about 3 thousand rivers and lakes in Lithuania. The
total length of river and canal beds in Lithuania is 76,800 km. The
largest river is the Nemunas, whose source is in Belarus. The Nemunas
basin covers about 70 percent. territories of the country. The longest
river flowing only in the territory of Lithuania is Šventoji. The main
source of river water is precipitation, snow melting after winter often
causes river floods. Swamps are widespread in Lithuania, especially in
the northern and western parts, although most of them are drained.
The longest rivers in Lithuania:
Nemunas – 937 km (in the
territory of Lithuania – 475 km),
Neris - 510 km (234 km),
Venta -
343 km (161 km),
Šešupė – 298 km (209 km),
Mūša (Lielupė) – 284 km
(133 km).
The largest lakes in Lithuania:
Drukšiai – 44.8 km²;
Dysnai - 24.0 km²;
Dusia – 23.3 km²;
Sartai - 13.4 km²;
Luodi -
12.9 km².
in 1990 After independence, the transformation of the Soviet economy
into a free market economy began.
2000-2008 GDP grew rapidly
(record in 2003 +10.3%). For 2007-2008 financial crisis, 2009 GDP fell
by 14.8%. Since 2010 the economy started to pick up again. in 2013 The
World Bank classified Lithuania among developed countries, and in 2015
The International Monetary Fund granted Lithuania the status of
"advanced economy". Lithuania has a very high Human Development Index
and is advanced in many areas. Lithuania ranks first in the European
Union in terms of competitiveness growth, 28th in the world in terms of
gender equality (surpassing countries such as Spain, France, Estonia or
Russia), 32nd in terms of press freedom (surpassing countries such as
the USA, United Kingdom or Russia), 43rd in the world according to
Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index, surpassing
countries such as Italy, Greece and the Czech Republic, leaving far
behind countries such as Russia, Mexico or Brazil. in 2015 January 1
Lithuania became a member of the Eurozone, the euro replaced it in 1993.
valid national currency litas.
Lithuania is considered a country
of low political and economic risk, its GDP growth is one of the highest
in Europe. Lithuania is a country with a high standard of living,
according to economic development, nominal GDP, GDP per capita and other
parameters, it is classified by international organizations as a highly
developed country. In terms of GDP per capita, Lithuania surpasses
Estonia and Latvia, all post-Soviet countries, Greece and Portugal.
Important factors for economic development are macroeconomic stability,
international trade relations, geopolitical situation between East and
West. Advanced branches of the economy include biotechnology, the
pharmaceutical industry, and laser production.
in 2020 At the beginning, 2.79 million people lived in Lithuania.
population. in 1992 A maximum of 3.7 million was reached in Lithuania.
population. After that, the population decreased continuously and only
in 2019. a slight increase was recorded. in 2000 population decreased to
3.5 million, and in 2010 - up to 3.32 million in 2012 September 28
According to the statistics of the Lithuanian Department of Statistics,
the population no longer reached 3 million.
The main reason for
population decline is emigration and higher death rate than birth rate.
The majority of Lithuanian residents emigrated to Western countries,
where they found better conditions in the labor market. Thus, among the
emigrants there are mostly people of working age. The main destinations
are Scandinavia, United Kingdom, Ireland. 124,000 emigrants declared
their place of residence in the United Kingdom. In Ireland - 40,000, in
Norway - 24,000. According to various estimates, about 200,000
Lithuanian citizens live and work in Western countries. In Lithuania
itself, 4.3% of the population was born abroad. in 2011 54,000 residents
left Lithuania, 16,000 arrived, 39,000 left in 2013, 36,600 the
following year, and 2015. – 44,500 in 2016, 51,000 residents emigrated,
in 2017 – 57,200. In 2018 12,300 persons arrived in the country,
including 5,700 Ukrainians, 26 percent. from Belarus and 6 percent from
Russia.
The lowest birth rate was reached in 2002, when 30,000
babies were born (8.6/1000 population), since then this rate has
slightly increased: in 2010 35,625 babies were born (10.8/1000
population). The number of children per woman is 1.21. The highest
mortality is in the eastern regions of the country, where the aging of
the population is most felt. in 2007 In the districts of Ignalina,
Švenčioni and Zarasai, 20 deaths per thousand inhabitants were
registered (the national average in that year was 13.5 deaths per
thousand inhabitants). One of the highest suicide rates in Europe
contributes to the high mortality rate.
The majority of the
population lives in cities. This rate changed rapidly after the Second
World War. in 1959 another three-fifths of the population lived in the
countryside in 1970. the ratio leveled off, and in 1990 already
two-thirds of the population lived in cities. Currently, more than
1,000,000 inhabitants live in four cities (Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda,
Šiauliai).
100% of the country's population over the age of 15 is
literate. The average life expectancy is 80 years for men and 85 years
for women. Compared to the previous year's research data, the duration
has increased by about 4 years.
Over the centuries, Lithuanian culture has been influenced by many neighboring nations and religions. Despite this, it retained its originality. The Lithuanian language is one of the two remaining Baltic languages, originating from an Indo-European proto-language through an intermediate Baltic pro-language. 7 Lithuanian heritage objects are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List: the historic Old Town of Vilnius, the Curonian Spit, the Kernavė archaeological site, the geodetic points of the F.G.W. Struvė meridian arc, cross-stitching and the symbolism of crosses in Lithuania, the tradition of song and dance festivals in the Baltic States, and the Intangible World Heritage List. contract - Lithuanian polyphonic songs, to the register of "Pasaulis omnost" - "Catechism" by Martynas Mažvydas and other valuable documents.
The nation's Baltic past and geographical location meant that Lithuania was the last country in Europe that did not adopt any Abrahamic religion. Its rulers first accepted baptism only in the 13th century. This was determined by the manifestation of old Lithuanian customs in today's life. Lithuanian museums and society funds have accumulated a huge array of various types of heritage, testifying to the ethnic characteristics of the population, businesses, crafts and household. Ancient Lithuanians paid a lot of attention to wooden sculptures of saints. The sculpture of the Carer is unique. Also, authentic folk motifs are revealed in the carving of chapels and chapel pillars, household items, means of transportation, furniture, work tools, peasant clothes, fabrics. Not only the polyphonic folk songs, but also the customs of daisy printing and garden weaving are unique. Also wood carvings, iron and amber works.
The first Lithuanian Art Museum was founded in 1933. in Kaunas. This museum is named after Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, as the latter is considered the most famous Lithuanian artist. In independent Lithuania, the painter Petras Kalpokas, famous for his works "Swiss Landscape", "Roman Pantheon at Night", "Portrait of the Waterspout", painter, collector Antanas Žmuidzinavičius, painters Jonas Šileika, Kajetonas Sklērius, Adams Varnas, Justinas Vienožinskis created. The latter was the initiator of the Lithuanian Art School. Outstanding sculptors Petras Rimša, Juozas Zikars, Vincas Grybas, Bronius Pundzius.
During the Renaissance, a new, free, non-ideologicalized Lithuanian literature began to be created. The first creators were Juozas Erlickas, Ričardas Gavelis, Jurgis Kunčinas, Valdas Papievis, Aidas Marčėnas, Rolandas Rastauskas, Jurga Ivanauskaitė, Marius Ivaškevičius. Literature was enriched by the legacy of exile.
The country has a long, successful tradition of Lithuanian theater.
There are dozens of theaters in the country. A few of them are
particularly popular, e.g. LNDT, LNOBT, Keistuoliai (all in Vilnius),
NKDT (Kaunas), JMDT (Panevėžys).
The most famous Lithuanian
directors are Cezaris Graužinis, Oskaras Koršunovas, Rimas Tuminas,
Gintaras Varnas, Jonas Vaitkus, Eimuntas Nekrošius (1952–2018).
Lithuanians are proud of their hospitality and culinary heritage. In
ancient times, a lot of vegetables, berries and mushrooms were eaten in
the summer and canned, fermented products in the winter.
Zeppelins are the national dish. In summer, a pink cold soup is eaten -
šaltiborščiai.
Unique Lithuanian products - rye bread, curd
cheese, bacon cold-smoked with deciduous wood, occasional skilandis,
smoked fish (especially at the seaside), potato dishes (e.g. kugelis,
potato pancakes).
The most popular sport in Lithuania is basketball. The Lithuanian
men's basketball team won the European basketball championships in 1937,
1939 and 2003. in 2007 The Lithuanian women's basketball team became the
European champion. The Lithuanian men's basketball team was also a prize
winner at the European and World Basketball Championships and the
Olympic Games. Kaunas Žalgiris basketball club in 1986. won the
Intercontinental William Jones Cup (the unofficial title of world club
basketball team champions), and in 1999 became the Euroleague champion.
The country's best basketball players were invited to play in the NBA.
Among them are Arvydas Sabonis, Šarūnas Marčiulionis, Linas Kleiza,
Jonas Valančiūnas, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, Darius Songaila, Domantas
Sabonis.
Since 1992 Lithuanians won 25 Olympic medals (6 gold).
Discus thrower Virgilijus Alekna is the country's only two-time Olympic
champion (2000 in Sydney and 2004 in Athens). in 1992 Romas Ubartas
became the Olympic discus champion in Barcelona. in 2000 At the Sydney
Olympics, Daina Gudzinevičiūtė, the current president of the Lithuanian
National Olympic Committee, won gold in the target shooting event. in
2012 15-year-old who made her debut at the London Olympics. swimmer Rūta
Meilutytė became the Olympic champion. In the same year, pentathlete
Laura Asadauskaitė became the Olympic champion.