Property frontiers

Lithuania:
General Country Guide

lithuania - general country guide

Sample

Map

^{Source: CIA World Factbook}

Summary Data

summary data
Total Area (km²)	65,200
Land (km²)	65,200
Water (km²)	0
Population	3,565,205
Population Density (/km²)	55
Capital	Vilnius
Religion (%)	Roman Catholic 79% Russian Orthodox 4.1% Protestant 1.9% Other 5.5% None 9.5%
Time	GMT +2
Climate	Midway between maritime and continental with extremes of temperature between -5 to +30°C.

^{Source: CIA World Factbook}

Geography

Lithuania borders the Baltic Sea and is a largely flat country made up of lakes and forests. It has a population of over 3 and a half million and is half the size of England. Vilnius, Lithuania's capital is situated 200 kilometres inland near the Polish border and is where the majority of British investors buy property. The Corunian Peninsula is a spit of land creating a huge lagoon that is popular with tourists.

Government

The government in Lithuania is a parliamentary democracy. Lithuania's government is actively involved with international organizations, including the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, and is a valued member of both the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

The political system includes a central government, and forty-four regions with eleven municipalities. Public opinion toward political officials and their effectiveness and trustworthiness is mixed as corruption can be a problem in some governmental bodies. The Chief of State is President Valdas Adamkus and the Prime Minister is Gediminas Kirkilas.

Language

The official language spoken by 82% of the population is Lithuanian. The majority of Lithuanians can also speak Russian as they were required to learn the language when part of the Soviet Union. German and English are spoken throughout the country, although mainly in hotels and popular tourist areas. 5.6% of the population speak Polish and a further 4.4% speak an unspecified language.

Electricity

European style two-pin sockets at 220 volts AC, 50Hz.

Passports/Visa

No visa is required for UK nationals for a stay of up to 90 days in any 6 month period as long as they have a valid British passport. Americans, Canadians and Australians do not need a visa for a stay of up to 90 days. South Africans do require a visa, however, for entry to Lithuania, unless the traveller already holds a visa for neighbouring Baltic States Estonia or Latvia. New Zealand nationals and Irish nationals also require a visa for a stay of up to 90 days in Lithuania.

All visitors must hold a passport that is valid for at least three months beyond their intended stay; this is not applicable to EU members in which case a passport need only be valid at time of entry. Visitors must also have a return or onward ticket as well as sufficient funds and all necessary documentation for onward travel.

Passport/Visa Information

Lithuania Embassy

84 Gloucester Place,

London W1U 6AU.

Airports and Airlines

Vilnius International Airport (VNO)

Location: Located 7 km south west of Vilnius.
Time: GMT +2
Contacts: tel: +370 5 273 9305; E-mail address: airport@vno.lt
Transfer between terminals: One terminal only.
Car rental: A range of rental companies, most of which have desks in the arrivals end of the terminal.
Facilities: Bank branches, ATMs, restaurants, cafes, internet.
Parking: Short and long term parking facilities available.
Website: www.vilnius-airport.lt

There are two other airports that see frequent usage: Kaunas Airport, located in Karmelava (KUN), is used by some airlines as their main airport for international visitors, and Palanga Airport, located in the west of Lithuania, is the third largest and busiest of the country's airports.

Standard of Living

The standard of living in Lithuania in 2005 was 48% of the EU average although the economy is growing and unemployment rates are falling. Between 2004 and 2006 Lithuania was due to receive over 1.5 billion Euros in EU Structural Aid. Society in Lithuania is mainly middle class although pensioners suffer poor conditions due to an isufficient social security system.