Lithuania
Lithuania⌘K
Overview
- Background
- Lithuanian lands were united under MINDAUGAS in 1236; over the next century, Lithuania extended its territory through alliances and conquest to include most of present-day Belarus and Ukraine. By the end of the 14th century, Lithuania was the largest state in Europe. An alliance with Poland in 1386 led the two countries into a union through a common ruler. In 1569, Lithuania and Poland formally united into a single dual state, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This entity survived until 1795 when surrounding countries partitioned its remnants. Lithuania regained its independence after World War I, but the USSR annexed it in 1940 -- an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. In 1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but Moscow did not recognize this proclamation until 1991. The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently restructured its economy for integration into West European institutions; it joined both NATO and the EU in 2004. In 2015, Lithuania joined the euro zone, and it joined the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in 2018.
Geography
Area
- Land
- 62,680 sq km
- Water
- 2,620 sq km
- Total
- 65,300 sq km
- Climate
- transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers
- Terrain
- lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil
Land Use
- Other
- 18.8% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 35.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 45.9% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 36.8% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 0.5% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 8.6% (2023 est.)
- Location
- Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia, west of Belarus
- Coastline
- 90 km
Elevation
- Lowest point
- Baltic Sea 0 m
- Highest point
- Aukstojas 294 m
- Mean elevation
- 110 m
- Irrigated land
- 61 sq km (2020)
- Map references
- Europe
Land Boundaries
- Total
- 1,545 km
- Border countries
- Belarus 640 km; Latvia 544 km; Poland 100 km; Russia (Kaliningrad) 261 km
Maritime Claims
- Territorial sea
- 12 nm
- Natural hazards
- occasional floods, droughts
- Geography note
- fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits
- Natural resources
- peat, arable land, amber
- Area comparative
- slightly larger than West Virginia
- Geographic coordinates
- 56 00 N, 24 00 E
- Population distribution
- fairly even population distribution throughout the country, but somewhat greater concentrations in the southern cities of Vilnius and Kaunas, as well as the western port of Klaipeda
Major Lakes (Area Sq Km)
- Salt water lake(s)
- Curonian Lagoon (shared with Russia) - 1,620 sq km
People & Society
Languages
- Languages
- Lithuanian (official) 85.3%, Russian 6.8%, Polish 5.1%, other 1.1%, two mother tongues 1.7% (2021 est.)
- Major language sample(s)
Pasaulio enciklopedija – naudingas bendrosios informacijos šaltinis. (Lithuanian)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 74.2%, Russian Orthodox 3.7%, Old Believer 0.6%, Evangelical Lutheran 0.6%, Evangelical Reformist 0.2%, other (including Sunni Muslim, Jewish, Greek Catholic, and Karaite) 0.9%, none 6.1%, unspecified 13.7% (2021 est.)
Sex Ratio
- At birth
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 0 14 years
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 15 64 years
- 0.96 male(s)/female
- Total population
- 0.86 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
- 65 years and over
- 0.53 male(s)/female
- Birth rate
- 7.01 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Death rate
- 14.1 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median Age
- Male
- 40.9 years
- Total
- 44 years (2025 est.)
- Female
- 49.2 years
Population
- Male
- 1,334,600
- Total
- 2,815,687 (2025 est.)
- Female
- 1,481,087
Nationality
- Noun
- Lithuanian(s)
- Adjective
- Lithuanian
Tobacco Use
- Male
- 38% (2025 est.)
- Total
- 26.6% (2025 est.)
- Female
- 16.7% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 68.7% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- -0.12% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age Structure
- 0 14 years
- 15.2% (male 205,154/female 194,386)
- 15 64 years
- 62.6% (male 808,435/female 837,908)
- 65 years and over
- 22.2% (2024 est.) (male 201,405/female 380,898)
- Ethnic groups
- Lithuanian 84.6%, Polish 6.5%, Russian 5%, Belarusian 1%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.8% (2021 est.)
Child Marriage
- Women married BY age 15
- 0% (2022)
- Women married BY age 18
- 0.2% (2022)
Dependency Ratios
- Total dependency ratio
- 56.5 (2025 est.)
- Youth dependency ratio
- 23.3 (2025 est.)
- Potential support ratio
- 3 (2025 est.)
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 33.3 (2025 est.)
- Physician density
- 6.1 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Health Expenditure
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
- 7.5% of GDP (2022)
- Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
- 13% of national budget (2022 est.)
- Net migration rate
- 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Hospital bed density
- 6 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
- Total fertility rate
- 1.22 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking Water Source
- Improved: rural
- rural: 93.8% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 98% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 6.2% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 2% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Education Expenditure
- Education expenditure (% GDP)
- 4.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Education expenditure (% national budget)
- 11.8% national budget (2022 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate
- Male
- 4 deaths/1,000 live births
- Total
- 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- Female
- 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births
- Population growth rate
- -0.71% (2025 est.)
- Gross reproduction rate
- 0.6 (2025 est.)
- Population distribution
- fairly even population distribution throughout the country, but somewhat greater concentrations in the southern cities of Vilnius and Kaunas, as well as the western port of Klaipeda
Life Expectancy at Birth
- Male
- 70.8 years
- Female
- 81.7 years
- Total population
- 76.1 years (2024 est.)
- Maternal mortality ratio
- 8 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation Facility Access
- Improved: rural
- rural: 91.9% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 96.7% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 99% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 8.1% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 3.3% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 1% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita
- Beer
- 4.61 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Wine
- 0.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Total
- 11.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Spirits
- 4.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Other alcohols
- 1.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Major urban areas population
- 541,000 VILNIUS (capital) (2023)
- Obesity adult prevalence rate
- 26.3% (2016)
- Mother's mean age at first birth
- 28.2 years (2020 est.)
- Currently married women (ages 15 49)
- 51.8% (2024 est.)
- Children under the age of 5 years underweight
- 1.1% (2021 est.)
School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)
- Male
- 16 years (2022 est.)
- Total
- 17 years (2022 est.)
- Female
- 17 years (2022 est.)
Government
Civica · structure
How power is organised
ExecutiveLegislative
- Flag
- description: three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red
meaning: yellow stands for golden fields, the sun, light, and goodness; green for the forests, nature, freedom, and hope; red for courage and the blood spilled in defense of the homeland
Capital
- Name
- Vilnius
- Etymology
- named after the Vilnia River; the river name is said to derive from the Lithuanian word vilnis, meaning "wave"
- Time difference
- UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Daylight saving time
- +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
- Geographic coordinates
- 54 41 N, 25 19 E
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
- Citizenship BY birth
- no
- Citizenship BY descent only
- at least one parent must be a citizen of Lithuania
- Dual citizenship recognized
- no
- Residency requirement for naturalization
- 10 years
Constitution
- History
- several previous; latest adopted by referendum 25 October 1992, entered into force 2 November 1992
- Amendment process
- proposed by at least one fourth of all Parliament members or by petition of at least 300,000 voters; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament in each of two readings three months apart and a presidential signature; amendments to constitutional articles on national sovereignty and constitutional amendment procedure also require three-fourths voter approval in a referendum
Country Name
- Former
- Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (while occupied by the USSR)
- Etymology
- meaning of the name is obscure; may be derived from the local words lietava, meaning "small river," or lietus, meaning "rain" or "land of rain," or the Latin word litus, meaning "shore"
- Local long form
- Lietuvos Respublika
- Local short form
- Lietuva
- Conventional long form
- Republic of Lithuania
- Conventional short form
- Lithuania
- Independence
- 16 February 1918 (from Soviet Russia and Germany); 11 March 1990 (declared from the Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union); notable earlier dates: 6 July 1253 (coronation of MINDAUGAS, traditional founding date); 1 July 1569 (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth created)
- Legal system
- civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the Constitutional Court
- Government type
- semi-presidential republic
Judicial Branch
- Highest court(s)
- Supreme Court (consists of 37 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)
- Subordinate courts
- Court of Appeals; district and local courts
- Judge selection and term of office
- Supreme Court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the Seimas; judges serve 5-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the Seimas from nominations - 3 each by the president of the republic, the Seimas speaker, and the Supreme Court president; judges serve 9-year, nonrenewable terms; one third of membership reconstituted every 3 years
Executive Branch
- Cabinet
- Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president, approved by Parliament
- Chief of state
- President Gitanas NAUSEDA (since 12 July 2019)
- Election results
2024: Gitanas NAUSEDA elected president in second round; percent of vote -Gitanas NAUSEDA (independent) 75.6%, Ingrida SIMONYTE (TS-LKD) 24.4%
2019: Gitanas NAUSEDA elected president in second round; percent of vote - Gitanas NAUSEDA (independent) 66.7%, Ingrida SIMONYTE (independent) 33.3%- Head of government
- Prime Minister Inga RUGINIENE (since 25 September 2025)
- Most recent election date
- 26 May 2024
- Election/appointment process
- president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president, approved by Parliament
- Expected date of next election
- 2029
- National holiday
- Independence Day (or National Day), 16 February (1918)
- National color(s)
- yellow, green, red
National Heritage
- Total world heritage sites
- 5 (all cultural)
- Selected world heritage site locales
- Vilnius Historic Center; Curonian Spit; Kernavė Archaeological Site; Struve Geodetic Arc; Modernist Kaunas: Architecture of Optimism, 1919-1939
- Political parties
- Center-Right Union or CDS
Dawn of Nemunas or PPNA
Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania - Christian Families Alliance or LLRA–KŠS
Homeland Union or TS-LKD
Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union or LVŽS
Liberals' Movement or LRLS
National Alliance or NS
Social Democratic Party of Lithuania or LSDP
Union of Democrats for Lithuania or DSVL
Legislative Branch
- Term in office
- 4 years
- Number of seats
- 141 (all directly elected)
- Electoral system
- mixed system
- Legislature name
- Parliament (Seimas)
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Legislative structure
- unicameral
- Most recent election date
- 10/13/2024 to 10/27/2024
- Expected date of next election
- October 2028
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 28.4%
- Parties elected and seats per party
- Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) (52); Homeland Union - Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) (28); Political Party "The Dawn of Nemunas" (PPNA) (20); Union of Democrats “For Lithuania” (DSVL) (14); Liberals Movement of the Republic of Lithuania (LS) (12); Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union (LVŽS) (8); Other (7)
National Anthem(s)
- Title
- "Tautiska giesme" (The National Song)
- History
- adopted 1918, restored 1990; written in 1898 when Lithuania was part of Russia; banned during the Soviet occupation from 1940 to 1990
- Lyrics/music
- Vincas KUDIRKA
- National symbol(s)
- mounted knight known as Vytis (the Chaser), white stork
- Administrative divisions
- 60 municipalities (savivaldybe, singular - savivaldybe); Akmene, Alytaus Miestas, Alytus, Anksciai, Birstonas, Birzai, Druskininkai, Elektrenai, Ignalina, Jonava, Joniskis, Jurbarkas, Kaisiadorys, Kalvarija, Kauno Miestas, Kaunas, Kazlu Rudos, Kedainiai, Kelme, Klaipedos Miestas, Klaipeda, Kretinga, Kupiskis, Lazdijai, Marijampole, Mazeikiai, Moletai, Neringa, Pagegiai, Pakruojis, Palangos Miestas, Panevezio Miestas, Panevezys, Pasvalys, Plunge, Prienai, Radviliskis, Raseiniai, Rietavas, Rokiskis, Sakiai, Salcininkai, Siauliu Miestas, Siauliai, Silale, Silute, Sirvintos, Skuodas, Svencionys, Taurage, Telsiai, Trakai, Ukmerge, Utena, Varena, Vilkaviskis, Vilniaus Miestas, Vilnius, Visaginas, Zarasai
Diplomatic Representation in the US
- Fax
- [1] (202) 328-0466
- Chancery
- 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
- Telephone
- [1] (202) 234-5860
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador Gediminas VARVUOLIS (since 5 September 2025)
- Consulate(s) general
- Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
- Email address and website
info@usa.mfa.lt
https://usa.mfa.lt/usa/en/
Diplomatic Representation from the US
- Fax
- [370] (5) 266-5510
- Embassy
- Akmenu gatve 6, Vilnius, LT-03106
- Telephone
- [370] (5) 266-5500
- Mailing address
- 4510 Vilnius Place, Washington DC 20521-4510
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador Kara C. McDONALD (since 26 January 2024)
- Email address and website
consec@state.gov
https://lt.usembassy.gov/
- International organisations
- Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
- International law organization participation
- accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Legislature
LITHUANIA · LEGISLATURE
Parliament
141 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
141
Majority line
72
Largest party
Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP)
Parties
10
All political parties
Leaders
Current
Gitanas Nausėda
- Head of State
Inga Ruginienė
- Head of Government
Economy
Budget
- Note
- note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
- Revenues
- $28.011 billion (2023 est.)
- Expenditures
- $28.68 billion (2023 est.)
Exports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $62.9B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
- Exports 2022
- $61.448 billion (2022 est.)
- Exports 2023
- $61.02 billion (2023 est.)
- Exports 2024
- $62.896 billion (2024 est.)
Imports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $58.5B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
- Imports 2022
- $62.916 billion (2022 est.)
- Imports 2023
- $57.899 billion (2023 est.)
- Imports 2024
- $58.491 billion (2024 est.)
- Industries
- metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, televisions, refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small ships), furniture, textiles, food processing, fertilizer, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, lasers, electronic components, computers, amber jewelry, information technology, video game development, app/software development, biotechnology
- Labor force
- 1.548 million (2024 est.)
Public Debt
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 39.5%
- Note
- note: central government debt as a % of GDP
- Public debt 2023
- 36.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances
- Note
- note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
- Remittances 2022
- 1% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Remittances 2023
- 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Remittances 2024
- 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange Rates
- Currency
- euros (EUR) per US dollar -
- Exchange rates 2020
- 0.876 (2020 est.)
- Exchange rates 2021
- 0.845 (2021 est.)
- Exchange rates 2022
- 0.95 (2022 est.)
- Exchange rates 2023
- 0.925 (2023 est.)
- Exchange rates 2024
- 0.924 (2024 est.)
- Economic overview
- high-income EU and eurozone member, largest Baltic economy; recovery supported by private consumption and EU fund-driven investments; structural challenges include pension reform, aging workforce, and high energy-import costs
Unemployment Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 6.7%
- Note
- note: % of labor force seeking employment
- Unemployment rate 2022
- 6% (2022 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2023
- 6.9% (2023 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2024
- 7.6% (2024 est.)
- Exports partners
- Latvia 11%, Poland 8%, Germany 7%, Netherlands 6%, Russia 6% (2023)
- Imports partners
- Germany 13%, Poland 13%, Latvia 8%, USA 7%, Norway 5% (2023)
Real GDP Per Capita
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $55,286
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP per capita 2022
- $46,700 (2022 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2023
- $46,200 (2023 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2024
- $47,200 (2024 est.)
Real GDP Growth Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 2.9%
- Note
- note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
- Real GDP growth rate 2022
- 2.5% (2022 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2023
- 0.3% (2023 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2024
- 2.8% (2024 est.)
- Agricultural products
- wheat, milk, sugar beets, rapeseed, barley, potatoes, triticale, oats, beans, peas (2023)
- Exports commodities
- refined petroleum, furniture, plastic products, wheat, cars (2023)
- Imports commodities
- crude petroleum, cars, natural gas, packaged medicine, plastic products (2023)
Current Account Balance
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $2.8B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
- Current account balance 2022
- -$4.322 billion (2022 est.)
- Current account balance 2023
- $878.388 million (2023 est.)
- Current account balance 2024
- $2.101 billion (2024 est.)
- Taxes and other revenues
- 21.4% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
- GDP (official exchange rate)
- $84.869 billion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY End Use
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
- Household consumption
- 57.3% (2023 est.)
- Government consumption
- 17.3% (2023 est.)
- Investment in inventories
- -1.8% (2023 est.)
- Investment in fixed capital
- 23.7% (2023 est.)
- Exports of goods and services
- 76.5% (2023 est.)
- Imports of goods and services
- -72.6% (2023 est.)
- Population below poverty line
- 20.9% (2021 est.)
Average Household Expenditures
- On food
- 19.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
- On alcohol and tobacco
- 5.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 3.4%
- Note
- note: annual % change based on consumer prices
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
- 19.7% (2022 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
- 9.1% (2023 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
- 0.7% (2024 est.)
- Industrial production growth rate
- 3.2% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $136.227 billion (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
- $132.099 billion (2022 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
- $132.552 billion (2023 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
- $136.227 billion (2024 est.)
Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)
- Male
- 16.3% (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
- Total
- 14.1% (2024 est.)
- Female
- 11.7% (2024 est.)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold
- Note
- note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
- $5.365 billion (2022 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
- $6.168 billion (2023 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
- $7.406 billion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
- Industry
- 23.4% (2024 est.)
- Services
- 63.6% (2024 est.)
- Agriculture
- 2.6% (2024 est.)
Household Income or Consumption BY Percentage Share
- Note
- note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
- Lowest 10%
- 2.5% (2022 est.)
- Highest 10%
- 28.7% (2022 est.)
Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income
- Note
- note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
- Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2022
- 36.6 (2022 est.)
Energy
Coal
- Exports
- 78,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Imports
- 149,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 166,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- Total petroleum production
- 4,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- Crude oil estimated reserves
- 12 million barrels (2021 est.)
- Refined petroleum consumption
- 67,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)
Electricity
- Exports
- 3.98 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Imports
- 10.91 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 10.992 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Installed generating capacity
- 5.426 million kW (2023 est.)
- Transmission/distribution losses
- 829.9 million kWh (2023 est.)
Natural Gas
- Exports
- 1.867 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Imports
- 3.282 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 1.49 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Nuclear Energy
- Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down
- 2 (2025)
Electricity Access
- Electrification total population
- 100% (2022 est.)
Energy Consumption Per Capita
- Total energy consumption per capita 2023
- 83.7 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity Generation Sources
- Wind
- 51% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Solar
- 14.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Fossil fuels
- 16.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Hydroelectricity
- 4.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Biomass and waste
- 13.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet Users
- Percent of population
- 89% (2023 est.)
- Broadcast media
- public broadcaster operates 3 channels, with the third channel (satellite) introduced in 2007; various privately owned commercial TV broadcasters operate national and multiple regional channels; many privately owned local TV stations; multi-channel cable and satellite TV services available; publicly owned broadcaster operates 3 radio networks; many privately owned commercial broadcasters, with repeater stations in various regions
- Internet country code
- .lt
Telephones Fixed Lines
- Total subscriptions
- 224,000 (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 8 (2023 est.)
Telephones Mobile Cellular
- Total subscriptions
- 3.97 million (2024 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 139 (2024 est.)
Broadband Fixed Subscriptions
- Total
- 806,000 (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 28 (2023 est.)
Transport
Ports
- Large
- 0
- Small
- 0
- Medium
- 1
- Key ports
- Butinge Oil Terminal, Klaipeda
- Very small
- 1
- Total ports
- 2 (2024)
- Ports with oil terminals
- 2
- Airports
- 64 (2025)
Railways
- Total
- 1,911 km (2020) 152 km electrified
- Heliports
- 2 (2025)
Merchant Marine
- Total
- 59 (2023)
- BY type
- container ship 3, general cargo 19, oil tanker 2, other 35
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
- LY
Environment
- Climate
- transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers
Land Use
- Other
- 18.8% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 35.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 45.9% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 36.8% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 0.5% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 8.6% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 68.7% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- -0.12% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and Recycling
- Municipal solid waste generated annually
- 1.315 million tons (2024 est.)
- Percent of municipal solid waste recycled
- 34.9% (2022 est.)
- Environmental issues
- water pollution; air pollution; deforestation; groundwater pollution from chemicals and waste; soil degradation and erosion
Total Water Withdrawal
- Municipal
- 136.78 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Industrial
- 87.96 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Agricultural
- 58.74 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
- Total emissions
- 12.877 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From consumed natural gas
- 2.887 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From coal and metallurgical coke
- 380,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From petroleum and other liquids
- 9.61 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- Particulate matter emissions
- 11.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
- Total renewable water resources
- 24.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International Environmental Agreements
- Party to
- Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
- Signed, but not ratified
- none of the selected agreements
Military & Security
- Military note
- the Lithuanian Armed Forces are responsible for the defense of the country’s interests, sovereignty, and territory, fulfilling Lithuania’s commitments to NATO and European security, and contributing to UN international peacekeeping efforts; Russia is Lithuania’s primary security focus, which has only increased since the Russian seizure of Crimea in 2014 and subsequent full-scale attack on Ukraine in 2022; Lithuania has been a member of NATO since 2004 and is reliant on the Alliance as the country’s security guarantor; it is actively engaged in both NATO and EU security, as well as bilaterally with allies such as the other Baltic States, Germany, Poland, the UK, Ukraine, and the US; the Lithuanian military has participated in NATO and EU missions abroad and regularly conducts training and exercises with NATO and EU partner forces; it hosts NATO forces, is a member of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, and contributes troops to a multinational brigade with Poland and Ukraine; Lithuania participated in its first UN peacekeeping mission in 1994
since 2017, Lithuania has hosted a German-led multinational NATO ground force battlegroup as part of the Alliance’s Enhanced Forward Presence initiative; NATO has also provided air protection for Lithuania since 2004 through its Baltic Air Policing mission; NATO fighter aircraft are hosted at Lithuania’s Šiauliai Air Base (2025) - Military deployments
- note: contributes about 350-550 troops to the Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine joint military brigade (LITPOLUKRBRIG), which was established in 2014; the brigade is headquartered in Poland and is comprised of an international staff, three battalions, and specialized units; units affiliated with the multinational brigade remain within the structures of the armed forces of their respective countries until the brigade is activated for participation in an international operation
Military Expenditures
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 4% of GDP (2025 est.)
- Military expenditures 2021
- 2% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Military expenditures 2022
- 2.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Military expenditures 2023
- 2.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Military expenditures 2024
- 3.1% of GDP (2024 est.)
- Military expenditures 2025
- 4% of GDP (2025 est.)
- Military and security forces
- Lithuanian Armed Forces (Lietuvos Ginkluotosios Pajegos): Lithuanian Land Forces (LLF), Lithuanian Navy, Lithuanian Air Force (LTAF), Lithuanian Special Operations Forces (LITHSOF); National Defense Volunteer Forces (2025)
- Military service age and obligation
- 19-26 years of age for conscripted military service for men; 9-month service obligation; 18-38 for voluntary service for men and women; 18-60 for the National Defense Volunteer Services (2025)
- Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- the military's inventory is a mix of mostly European and US armaments (2025)
- Military and security service personnel strengths
- approximately 20,000 active-duty military personnel (2025)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons
- Refugees
- 53,859 (2024 est.)
- Stateless persons
- 2,236 (2024 est.)
Scores & Rankings
ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of
Civica Index76.0 / 100as of 2024-Q431 / 1902024-Q4
V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.73as of 2024-Q427 / 1702024-Q4
Freedom House StatusPartly Free (92/100)as of 2024-Q4—2024-Q4
Press Freedom (RSF)Free press (80/100)as of 2024—2024
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Lithuania — vintage 2026-Q1: Lithuania factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/lithuania
Sources: Eurostat, FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), OECD.Stat, UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata