Recent History
In World War I Lithuania was occupied by German forces. After the Russian Revolution in 1917, Germany allowed Lithuania to elect its own officials, who in February 1918 declared independence. In December that year, Communists in Lithuania established a government, and the Bolsheviks invaded from Russia.
In 1919 the Russian army was driven from most of Lithuania. A peace treaty was signed, and Russia recognized Lithuania’s sovereignty over Vilnius. But Poland, which had been seeking to recover territory lost during the 18th century, seized the city, after which Kaunas became the capital of Lithuania.
From 1920 Lithuania was independent until, as a result of the 1939 pact between the Nazis and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), it was invaded by Soviet forces. During World War II, the USSR lost possession of Lithuania for a short time, but by 1944 it had re-established firm control.
Thousands of armed partisan fighters, known as the “Forest Brothers”, continued their fight for national sovereignty, but during Stalin’s regime Lithuania suffered repression and mass deportations. Relations were less confrontational after the 1950s, but Lithuanians never gave up their goal of independence. In 1990 the country was one of the first republics to declare independence from the USSR, which was by then too unstable to force Lithuania back into the Union. Many countries quickly recognized Lithuania’s sovereignty, as did Russia and other former Soviet republics after the break-up of the USSR in 1991.
The Lithuanian government, led by members of a political coalition called Saj?dis, embarked on a radical programme to reform the economy and other social structures, but progress was slow and painful. In national elections held in 1992, voters rejected the Saj?dis leadership in favour of former Communists, who had formed a new political party advocating slower reform and closer ties with neighbouring countries, especially Russia. The new government pledged to remain committed to democracy, but slowed privatization and other reform measures to soften the impact of political and social change. In August 1993 all remaining Russian troops withdrew from Lithuania, leaving the people free to concentrate on building a stable and prosperous country.
Economy
There was rapid industrialization after World War II, and by 1991 industry accounted for 43 per cent of Lithuania’s gross domestic product (GDP), and agriculture for about 28 per cent. The country makes precision machinery and spare parts, processed foods, and light industrial products. The main exports are machinery and parts, meat and dairy products, and consumer goods. Lithuania has very few natural resources, so the country depends heavily on imported raw materials. Imports include oil and gas, chemicals, metals, and equipment. Output declined after independence, because traditional supply arrangements were interrupted, but Lithuania is seeking ties with Western governments and neighbouring countries to increase revenue, foreign investment, and productivity.
After independence, the Sajūdis government introduced a radical reform programme involving privatization and price liberalization. As in all former Communist countries that are moving towards a market economy, the initial results were rising inflation and falling living standards. By 1994, however, there were signs of recovery. The national currency is the litas.
Some facts about Lithuania
Official Name Republic of Lithuania
Capital Vilnius
Area 65,200 square kilometers
25,174 square miles
Major cities (Population) Vilnius 598,000 (1990 estimate)
Kaunas 434,000 (1992 estimate)
Klaipeda 208,000 (1992 estimate)
Population 3,700,000 (1995 estimate)
Population growth rate -0.1 per cent (1990-1995 average)
Population density 57 persons per square kilometre
147.6 persons per square mile (1995 estimate)
Urbanization Per cent urban 72.1 per cent (1995 estimate)
Per cent rural 27.9 per cent (1995 estimate)
Life Expectancy Total 70 years (1995 estimate)
Female 76 years (1995 estimate)
Male 65 years (1995 estimate)
Ethnic Divisions Lithuanian 80.0 per cent
Russian 8.6 per cent
Polish 7.7 per cent
Belarusian 1.5 per cent
Ukrainian 1.2 per cent
Other 1.0 per cent
Languages Lithuanian, the official language, is one of the oldest Indo-European languages still in everyday use. It belongs to the Baltic language group along with Latvian and some extinct languages such as Yatvangian and Old Prussian. Its rules of grammar are similar to those of Sanskrit and Homeric Greek. The formation of Standard Lithuanian was not completed until the 19th century because Polish (and sometimes other languages) had been used as the state language from the 13th century onwards. By the 17th century the Lithuanian language survived only among rural peasants because urban dwellers spoke Polish. After 1795, when Lithuania and Poland ceased to exist, Russian was introduced and encouraged among Lithuanians. When Lithuanian was later revived, four main dialects evolved out of the many that had existed before. As a result of the period of Soviet domination, about 80 per cent of Lithuanians can speak Russian. Many are now learning English.
Religions
Mostly Roman Catholic; Lutheran, other Protestant, Muslim, Jewish
Most Lithuanians belong to the Roman Catholic Church, which is regaining influence in the country. Under Soviet domination, organized religion was repressed and many churches closed. Since 1990, Christians of many different sects, as well as Jews and Muslims, have been free to practice their religion in Lithuania.
Traditions
Catholic WeddingThe average family has one or two children; larger families are unusual. The father is generally the head of the family, but both parents take part in raising their children and both may work outside the home. In cities, most people live in flats, but single-family homes are more common in rural areas. Many people in urban areas own or rent small gardens on the outskirts of cities in which to relax and grow food.
Lithuanians usually marry while in their 20s, but some couples wait until they have more financial security. Because of a housing shortage, most young couples live with their parents during the first years of marriage and may rely on them for financial support for some time. It is becoming more popular to live together before, or instead of, getting married. It is a legal requirement that marriages be performed at a city hall, but many couples now also have a church ceremony.
Weddings in rural areas may be quite elaborate, and traditional customs are enjoying resurgence in popularity. One of these requires the groom’s friends and the “matchmaker” to buy, with confectionery and whisky, the bride and groom’s way through a succession of “ropes” of flowers that block the way home from the ceremony, the last of which usually stretches across the gate of the couple’s home. Parents meet the newlyweds at the door with bread, salt, and wine glasses filled with water. Many customs surround the two-day wedding celebration, including the mock punishment of the “matchmaker” for convincing the bride to marry the groom.
Diet and Eating
Lithuanian cuisine has been influenced by many cultures. Traditional specialities include smoked sausage, various cheeses, cepelinai (meat cooked inside a ball of potato dough, served with a special sauce), and vedarai (cooked potatoes and sausage stuffed into pig intestines). The main meal usually includes soup. Lithuania produces a range of dairy products as well as fruit (apples, pears, plums, and strawberries) and vegetables (carrots, cabbage, peas, beetroots). Tea, milk, and coffee are the most common drinks.
Lithuanians eat with the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right. People usually eat three meals each day. Breakfast is between 7 AM and 9 AM, the main meal between 1 PM and 3 PM, and a lighter meal between 6 PM and 8 PM. In rural areas, meals are eaten earlier (in some cases considerably earlier) than in urban areas. For the midday meal most people either go home or eat at worksite cafeterias. In restaurants, the waiter is asked for the bill, which is paid at the table. Toasts are often made during meals, whether guests are present or not.