Interesting facts about Lithuania
20160701
- By the end of the fourteenth century, Lithuania was the largest country in Europe.
- 190,000 or 91% of the Lithuanian Jews were killed, one of the highest total mortality rates of the holocaust.
- On February 4, 1991, Iceland became the first country to recognize Lithuanian independence.
- Lithuania joined the United Nations on September 17, 1991.
- On May 1, 2004, Lithuania joined the European Union.
- Lithuania is divided into 10 counties, 60 municipalities, and 500 administrative areas.
- Lithuania has 99 kilometers (61.5 mi) of sandy coastline.
- 83.6% of the Lithuanian population is ethnic Lithuanians who speak the Lithuanian language.
- The historically predominant religion is Roman Catholicism.
- The 2007 estimated population was 3,575,439.
- The official name of Lithuania is “The Republic of Lithuania”.
- Lithuania is situated in Eastern Europe, between Latvia and Russia, and stands bordered by the Baltic Sea, Belarus and Poland.
- Lithuania is one of the countries that make up the ‘Baltic States’. However, contrary to what the name suggests, the states do not share political unity.
- The official language of Lithuania is Lithuanian. However, you will find majority of the people speaking Russian and English also.
- Lithuania is spread over an area of approximately 65,300 sq km (25,212 sq miles) and is about the same size as West Virginia.
- The state of Lithuania is an independent, democratic republic and follows Parliamentary democracy.
- The currency of Lithuania is Euro and 1 Euro is equal to 100 centas.
- Lithuania was the last country in Europe to be converted to Christianity. Before Christianity, the country’s religion was ‘Romuva’.
- The capital of Lithuania is Vilnius.
- Juozapines Hill (294 m) forms the highest point in Lithuania, while the largest and longest river in the country is Nemunas.
- Lithuania had only one king during the royal times, King Mindaugas.
- The first publishing house in Lithuania was founded in Vilnius, in 1522, and the first Lithuanian Book was published in 1547.
- The mother of Pope John Paul II was of Lithuanian descent.
- Lithuania was the first Soviet republic to declare independence from the USSR.