LITHUANIA

Lithuanians are neither Slavic nor Germanic, although the union with Poland and Germanic colonization and settlement left cultural and religious influences. This highly literate society places strong emphasis upon education, which is free and compulsory until age 16. Most Lithuanians and ethnic Poles belong to the Roman Catholic Church, but a sizable minority are Russian Orthodox. Enduring several border changes, Soviet deportations, a massacre of its Jewish population, and postwar German and Polish repatriations, Lithuania has maintained a fairly stable percentage of ethnic Lithuanians (from 84% in 1923 to 80% in 1993). Lithuania's citizenship law and constitution meet international and OSCE standards, guaranteeing universal human and civil rights.

POPULATION GRAPH

Population:
3,575,439 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.9% (male 273,573; female 259,570)
15-64 years: 69.3% (male 1,213,011; female 1,264.996)
65 years and over: 15.8% (male 194,500; female 369,789) (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.289% (2007 est.)
Birth rate:
8.87 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate:
11.05 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.054 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.959 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.526 male(s)/female
total population: 0.887 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
6.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.44 years
female: 79.69 years (2007 est.)
male: 69.46 years
Total fertility rate:
1.21 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,300 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Lithuanian(s)
adjective: Lithuanian
Ethnic groups:
Lithuanian 83.4%, Russian 6.3%, Polish 6.7%, other 3.6% (2001 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic (primarily), Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical Christian Baptist, Muslim, Jewish
Languages:
Lithuanian (official), Polish, Russian
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.6%
female: 99.6% (2001 census)