Lithuania for India...

…extended from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea and was the largest country in Europe in the 15^th century. By the end of the 14^th century the Grand Duchy of Lithuania occupied the territories of present-day Belarus, Ukraine, and parts of Poland and Russia, and not because of conquest but because of diplomacy and inclusiveness.

… was the last pagan state in Europe to accept Christianity. Lithuania officially adopted Christianity in 1387.

…turned 1000 years old in 2009. Lithuania entered  European history when it was first mentioned in a medieval German manuscript, the Quedlinburg Chronicle, on 14 February 1009.

...has  unique, unspoilt nature with 22,000 rivers and rivulets, about 3,000 lakes, a clean seaside and 4 UNESCO World Heritage masterpieces. Lithuania is sometimes called “the land of lakes” and attracts tourists looking for a vacation in the clean and calm countryside. Also, the country welcomes those who want  to explore unique natural as well as urban treasures and the deeply rooted Baltic culture and customs.

…is the European Union’s prime transport centre. The European Union has recognized Lithuania as the prime transport centre in the region linking the EU with the East.

…is known as a homeland of talented basketball players. For millions of people all over the world, it was precisely basketball that put the name of Lithuania on the map together with its star players such as Arvydas Sabonis, Šarūnas Jasikevičius, Žydrūnas Ilgauskas and others. In the relatively short history of Lithuanian basketball (the first basketball game took place in 1922), the men's national team won three Olympic bronze medals, was three times  the European champion, and once earned the European silver.

Lithuania is an independent democratic republic. In Lithuania, the powers of the state are exercised by the Seimas (Parliament), the President, the Government, and the Judiciary.

Size & Territory

Lithuania is the largest of the 3 Baltic States in terms of population, territory, and economy. Its territory of 65,300 sq km is larger than that of Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, or Switzerland. 70% of its lowland plains and hilly uplands are arable and 28% are forested. Lithuania’s 722 rivers, more than 2,800 lakes, and 99 km of the Baltic Sea coastline are mostly devoted to recreation and nature preservation.

Major Cities

The capital, Vilnius (population ~556,000); Kaunas (~358,000); Klaipėda (~186,000); Šiauliai (~128,000), and Panevėžys (~115,000).

Population

Lithuania has the largest population of the three Baltic States, ~3.4 million (83.5% are ethnic Lithuanians, 6.7% Polish, 6.3% Russians, and 3.5% of other nationalities).

Religion

Mostly Roman Catholic. Other religions include Russian Orthodox, Evangelical Lutheran, Judaic, etc.

State Language

Lithuanian is closely related to the old Sanskrit and belongs to the Baltic family of Indo-European languages.

Currency

Time

Lithuania is in the Central European Time Zone: GMT+2 hours (+3 hours summer time). When it is noon in Vilnius, it is 11:00 am in Stockholm and Frankfurt, 10:00 am in London and 5:00 am in New York.

Maritime/continental. Average July temperature +23°C; January - 5°C.

What makes Lithuania unique?

• Architecture

First mentioned in the Kvedlinburgh Chronicle in 1009, Lithuania today boasts millennium-old history and nearly eight hundred years of statehood tradition. Around 30 of Lithuanian towns and settlements are over 750 years old, with surviving old towns. Gothic, classicism and baroque styles are represented in churches, monasteries and noblemen’s manors. In addition, there are more than ten ethnographic villages of 16^th-17^th centuries, preserving their authentic wooden architecture, as well as their ancient crafts. Examples of ancient woodcarving tradition also remain, such as crosses, wooden shrines, figures of saints, furniture.

Old town of Lithuania’s capital Vilnius was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

• Folklore

Lithuania can boast extremely rich cultural heritage, evident in its song, chants, laments, dances, rituals, tales and legends. Elements of Baltic mythology and pre-Christian traditions are evident in Lithuania’s folklore without contradicting Christian ideals, thus making country’s cultural heritage decidedly unique. The same can be witnessed in several festivals, such as Užgavėnės (Shrove Tuesday), celebrated in February or March, or Joninės (Midsummer Day), which is celebrated on 24 June. A famous crafts’ fair known as Kaziukas fair, hosted in Vilnius for over 400 years, is usually held in early spring and is the best way to get acquainted with ancient crafts, such as pottery, textile, wood carving and others.

In 2003 Lithuanian tradition and symbolism was announced as the masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity by UNESCO.

• Nature

Scenic Lithuania’s nature is without a doubt one of the major attractions of the country. Beautiful and diverse, it is defined by a multitude of rivers, forests that cover 30 % of the territory, marshlands and lakes, of which there are close to 6000, and together they take up about 914 km². Five national parks (Aukštaitijos, Dzūkijos, Žemaitijos, Kuršių nerijos and Trakų) and a number of regional parks embrace all the best Lithuanian nature, including protected wild animals and rare birds. Curonian Spit (Kuršių nerijos) National Park requires special mention here. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 as one of the most beautiful and unique European landscapes, Curonian Spit is a thin strip of sand between Curonian Lagoon and Baltic Sea.

Altogether protected areas of the Lithuanian nature cover more than 12 % of country’s territory.

• Cuisine

Traditional dishes are preserved in all the regions of Lithuania, ranging from dairy meals to smoked meat products. Culinary heritage of region of Aukštaitija, mostly consisting of flour and freshwater fish dishes, is a member of European Culinary Heritage. Coastal part of Lithuania is famously known for its delicious smoked fish. Most famous products and dishes, however, are common throughout all the country. These include but are not restricted to black rye bread, cold beet-root soup (šaltibarščiai), zeppelins (didžkukuliai). Lithuania is also famous for its beer, made in more than 80 breweries scattered across the country.

More information on tourism in Lithuania

http://www.travel.lt

http://lietuva.lt/en/tourism