Northern Europe.

GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

65,300 sq km (25,212 sq miles).

3.6 million (2007 estimate).

54.7 per sq km.

Vilnius. Population: 541,300 (census 2005).

Lithuania is situated on the eastern Baltic coast and borders Latvia in the north, the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation and Poland in the southwest, and Belarus in the southwest and east. The geometrical centre of Europe lies in eastern Lithuania near the village of Bernotai, 25km (16 miles) north of Vilnius. The landscape alternates between lowland plains and hilly uplands and has a dense, intricate network of rivers, including the Nemunas and the Neris. Around 1.5% of the country’s territory is made up of lakes, of which there are over 2,800. The majority of these lie in the east of the country and include Lake Druksiai and Lake Tauragnas.

Member since 2004.

Republic. Gained independence from Russia/Germany 1918-1940 and from the Soviet Union in 1990.

President Dalia Grybauskaite since 2009.

Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius since 2009.

President Valdas Adamkus was re-elected Lithuanian president in June 2004, in a poll that followed the impeachment and dismissal of the previous president, Rolandas Paksas, on corruption charges.

During his first term he was credited with speeding up reforms, steering the country towards relative prosperity and overseeing Lithuania's historic progress towards integration with the West and Nato and EU membership. 

In July 2006, Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas formed Lithuania's 14th government in 15 years, ending a political crisis which started when Algirdas Brazauskas, from the centre-left Social Democrats, resigned as premier in May. He promised to strive to bring Lithuania into the eurozone, ensure better access to healthcare and curtail emigration.

In May 2009, Dalia Grybauskaite, standing as an independent candidate, became Lithuania's first female president, as the country faces its worst recession in over a decade. 

Lithuanian is the official language. Lithuania has a large number of dialects for such a small territory, including High Lithuanian (Aukstaiciai) and Low Lithuanian (Zemaiciai).

Predominantly (79%) Roman Catholic with Russian Orthodox and Protestant, including Evangelical Lutheran and Evangelical Reformist.

220 volts AC, 50Hz. European two-pin plugs are in use.

Handshaking is customary. Normal courtesies should be observed. The Lithuanians are proud of their culture and their national heritage and visitors should take care to respect this sense of national identity.