The Republic of Lithuania is a small Baltic country situated in North Eastern Europe. It borders Latvia, Belarus, Russia and Poland. The region has been populated for more than 10,000 years. The ancient Balts traded Latvian amber with Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. Christianity arrived in the late 12th century. Lithuania was first united as a state by King Mindaugas in the 13th century. In the 14th and 15th century, the Kingdom of Lithuania spanned present day Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine and parts of Russia and Poland and was the largest country in Europe. However, the kingdom was dissolved in 1401, but in the mid 17th century Lithuania and Poland formed a commonwealth, which lasted for over 200 years, after which the majority of Lithuania became part of the Russian Empire. After the World War I, Lithuania gained renewed independence which lasted until it was annexed by Russia during World War II. With the fall of the Soviet Union, Lithuania became an independent republic in 1990. It is member of NATO and EU.

Inhabitants: 3,600,000
Area: 65,000 km2
Capital: Vilnius (610,000 inhabitants)
Languages: Lithuanian
Religion: Catholics (79%), Non-believers (12%), Eastern Orthodox (5%), Protestants (2%), others (2%)
GDP (PPP) per capita: $17,100
Government: Parliamentary democracy
Climate: Between maritime and continental, with wet, moderate winters and summers.