Lithuania (2002) | Virgin Islands (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | 10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis); Alytaus, Kauno, Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages, Telsiu, Utenos, Vilniaus | none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 18.2% (male 333,966; female 319,992)
15-64 years: 68% (male 1,184,969; female 1,265,711) 65 years and over: 13.8% (male 167,789; female 328,711) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years:
27.27% (male 17,121; female 16,204) 15-64 years: 63.92% (male 35,391; female 42,727) 65 years and over: 8.81% (male 4,638; female 6,130) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs; fish | fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle |
Airports | 72 (2001) | 2
note: international airports on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 9
over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2002) |
total:
2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 63
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 55 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 65,200 sq km
land: NA sq km water: NA sq km |
total:
352 sq km land: 349 sq km water: 3 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than West Virginia | twice the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Independent between the two World Wars, Lithuania was annexed by the USSR in 1940. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but this proclamation was not generally recognized until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently has restructured its economy for eventual integration into Western European institutions. | During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848. |
Birth rate | 10.22 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 15.9 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $1.59 billion
expenditures: $1.77 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
revenues:
$364.4 million expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.) |
Capital | Vilnius | Charlotte Amalie |
Climate | transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers | subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November |
Coastline | 99 km | 188 km |
Constitution | adopted 25 October 1992 | Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania
conventional short form: Lithuania local long form: Lietuvos Respublika local short form: Lietuva former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic |
conventional long form:
United States Virgin Islands conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies |
Currency | litas (LTL) | US dollar (USD) |
Death rate | 12.87 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 5.47 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $5.8 billion (2002 est.) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador John F. TEFFT
embassy: 2600 Akmenu 6, Vilnius mailing address: American Embassy, Vilnius, PSC 78, Box V, APO AE 09723 telephone: [370] (2) 665-500 FAX: [370] (2) 665-510 |
none (territory of the US) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Vygaudas USACKAS
chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860 FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466 consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York |
none (territory of the US) |
Disputes - international | the Russian Duma has not ratified 1997 boundary treaty; the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $228.5 million (1995) (1995) | $NA |
Economy - overview | Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with Russia, has been slowly rebounding from the 1998 Russian financial crisis. High unemployment, still 12% in 2002, and weak consumption have held back recovery. Trade has been increasingly oriented toward the West. Lithuania has gained membership in the World Trade Organization and has moved ahead with plans to join the EU. Privatization of the large, state-owned utilities, particularly in the energy sector, is underway. Overall, more than 80% of enterprises have been privatized. The US government and business aid have helped in the transition from the old command economy to a market economy. | Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for more than 70% of GDP and 70% of employment. The islands normally host 2 million visitors a year. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. The agricultural sector is small, with most food being imported. International business and financial services are a small but growing component of the economy. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The islands are subject to substantial damage from storms. The government is working to improve fiscal discipline, support construction projects in the private sector, expand tourist facilities, and protect the environment. |
Electricity - consumption | 6.898 billion kWh (2000) | 948.6 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 6.3 billion kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 3 billion kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 10.966 billion kWh (2000) | 1.02 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 20%
hydro: 3% nuclear: 77% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Juozapines/Kalnas 292 m |
lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m |
Environment - current issues | contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases | lack of natural freshwater resources |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
- |
Ethnic groups | Lithuanian 80.6%, Russian 8.7%, Polish 7%, Belarusian 1.6%, other 2.1% | black 80%, white 15%, other 5%
note: West Indian (45% born in the Virgin Islands and 29% born elsewhere in the West Indies) 74%, US mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 5%, other 8% |
Exchange rates | litai per US dollar - 3.4946 (15 October 2002), 3.4794 (1 July 2002), 4.000 (fixed rate between 1 May 1994 and 1 February 2002); note - litai is the plural of litas; effective 1 February 2002 the litas was pegged to the euro at a rate of 3.4528 | the US dollar is used |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Rolandas PAKSAS (since 26 February 2003)
head of government: Premier Algirdas Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS (since 3 July 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the premier elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 22 December 2002 and 5 January 2003 (next to be held in late 2007); premier appointed by the president on the approval of the Parliament election results: Rolandas PAKSAS elected president; percent of vote - Rolandas PAKSAS 54.9%, Valdas ADAMKUS 45.1% |
chief of state:
President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (Since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5 January 1999) and Lieutenant Governor Gererd LUZ James II (since 5 January 1999) cabinet: NA elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2002) election results: Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL elected governor; percent of vote - Dr. Charles W. TURNBULL (Democrat) 58.9%, former Governor Roy L. SCHNEIDER (ICM) 41.1% |
Exports | $5.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) | $NA |
Exports - commodities | mineral products 23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery and equipment 11%, chemicals 6%, wood and wood products 5%, foodstuffs 5% (2001) | refined petroleum products |
Exports - partners | UK 13.8%, Latvia 12.6%, Germany 12.6%, Russia 11%, Poland 6.3% (2001) | US, Puerto Rico |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 October - 30 September |
Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red | white, with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a blue panel |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $29.2 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1.8 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 8%
industry: 31% services: 61% (2001 est.) |
agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $8,400 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.5% (2002 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 56 00 N, 24 00 E | 18 20 N, 64 50 W |
Geography - note | fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits | important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural, deepwater harbors in the Caribbean |
Highways | total: 44,000 km
paved: 35,500 km unpaved: 8,500 km (2001) |
total:
856 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 26% (1996) (1996) |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Southwest Asia, Latin America, and Western Europe to Western Europe and Scandinavia; limited production of methamphetamine and ecstasy; susceptible to money laundering | - |
Imports | $6.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) | $NA |
Imports - commodities | mineral products 21%, machinery and equipment 17%, transport equipment 11%, chemicals 9%, textiles and clothing 9%, metals 5% (2001) | crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials |
Imports - partners | Russia 25.3%, Germany 17.2%, Poland 4.9%, Italy 4.2%, France 3.8% (2001) | US, Puerto Rico |
Independence | 11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence) | - |
Industrial production growth rate | 6% (2002 est.) | NA% |
Industries | metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television sets, refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing, fertilizers, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic components, computers, amber | tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics |
Infant mortality rate | 14.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 9.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 0.8% (2002 est.) | NA% |
International organization participation | ACCT (observer), BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO | ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 32 (2001) | 50 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 90 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judges for all courts appointed by the President | US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms) |
Labor force | 1.5 million (2001 est.) | 47,443 (1990 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | industry 30%, agriculture 20%, services 50% (1997 est.) | agriculture 1%, industry 20%, services 79% (1990 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 1,273 km
border countries: Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 45.46%
permanent crops: 0.93% other: 53.61% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
15% permanent crops: 6% permanent pastures: 26% forests and woodland: 6% other: 47% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Lithuanian (official), Polish, Russian | English (official), Spanish, Creole |
Legal system | based on civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the constitutional court | based on US laws |
Legislative branch | unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats, 71 members are directly elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional representation; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democratic Coalition 31.1%, New Union-Social Liberals 19.6%, Liberal Union 17.2%, TS 8.6%, remaining parties all less than 5%; seats by party - Social Democratic Coalition 52, Liberal Union 34, New Union-Social Liberals 29, TS 9, Farmer's Party 4, Center Union 2, Poles' Electoral Action 2, Modern Christian Democratic Union 1, independents 3, others 5 |
unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 6, ICM 2, independents 7 note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); results - Donna M. CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) elected |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 69.42 years
male: 63.54 years female: 75.6 years (2002 est.) |
total population:
78.27 years male: 74.38 years female: 82.39 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1989 est.) |
definition:
NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia | Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico |
Map references | Europe | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 NM | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 279,743 GRT/304,156 DWT
ships by type: cargo 25, combination bulk 8, petroleum tanker 2, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea passenger 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 13 (2002 est.) |
none (2000 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the US |
Military branches | Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force, National Volunteer Defense Forces (SKAT) | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $230.8 million (FY01) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.9% (FY01) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 933,638 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 733,415 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 28,506 (2002 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note - 16 February 1918 is the date of independence from German, Austrian, Prussian, and Russian occupation, 11 March 1990 is the date of independence from the Soviet Union | Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917) |
Nationality | noun: Lithuanian(s)
adjective: Lithuanian |
noun:
Virgin Islander(s) adjective: Virgin Islander |
Natural hazards | NA | several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes |
Natural resources | peat, arable land | sun, sand, sea, surf |
Net migration rate | 0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil, 105 km; natural gas 760 km (1992) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Christian Democratic Party or LKDP [Kazys BOBELIS, chairman]; Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI, chairman]; Homeland Union/Conservative Party or TS [Vytautas LANDSBERGIS, chairman]; Lithuanian Center Union or LCS [Kestutis GLAVECKAS, chairman]; Lithuanian Farmer's Party or LUP [Ramunas KARBAUSKIS, chairman]; Lithuanian Green Party [Rimantas BRAZIULIS]; Lithuanian Liberal Union [Eugenijus GENTVILAS, chairman]; Lithuanian Liberal Youth [Neringa MOROZAITE]; Lithuanian National Democratic Party [Vygintas GONTIS]; Lithuanian Social Democratic Coalition [Algirdas BRAZAUSKAS, chairman] consists of the Lithuanian Democratic Labor Party or LDDP, the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party or LSPD, and New Democracy; Moderate Conservative Union [Gediminas VAGNORIUS]; Modern Christian Democratic Union [Vytautas BOGUSIS, chairman]; New Democracy and Farmer's Union [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE, chairman]; New Union-Social Liberals [Arturas PAULAUSKAS, chairman]; Young Lithuania [Arnoldas PLATELIS] | Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHON]; Republican Party [Gary SCROUVE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 3,601,138 (July 2002 est.) | 122,211 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | -0.25% (2002 est.) | 1.06% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Butinge, Kaunas, Klaipeda | Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 29, FM 142, shortwave 1 (2001) | AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 1.9 million (1997) | 107,000 (1997) |
Railways | total: 1,998 km
broad gauge: 1,807 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified) standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 169 km 0.750-m gauge (2001) |
0 km |
Religions | Roman Catholic (primarily), Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical Christian Baptist, Muslim, Jewish | Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.83 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections |
Telephone system | general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an improved international capability and better residential access
domestic: a national, fiber-optic cable, interurban, trunk system is nearing completion; rural exchanges are being improved and expanded; mobile cellular systems are being installed; access to the Internet is available; still many unsatisfied telephone subscriber applications international: landline connections to Latvia and Poland; major international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite |
general assessment:
NA domestic: modern, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay international: submarine cable and satellite communications; satellite earth stations - NA |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1.142 million (2001) | 62,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 500,000 (2001) | 2,000 (1992) |
Television broadcast stations | 27
note: Lithuania has approximately 27 broadcasting stations, but may have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations (2001) |
2 (1997) |
Terrain | lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil | mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land |
Total fertility rate | 1.4 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 2.25 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 12.5% (2001 est.) | 4.9% (March 1999) |
Waterways | 600 km (perennially navigable) | none |