- 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 (while occupied by the USSR)
etymology: meaning of the name is obscure; may be derived from the local words lietava, meaning "small river," or lietus, meaning "rain" or "land of rain," or the Latin word litus, meaning "shore" - Government type
- semi-presidential republic
- Capital
- name: Vilnius
geographic coordinates: 54 41 N, 25 19 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
etymology: named after the Vilnia River; the river name is said to derive from the Lithuanian word vilnis, meaning "wave" - Administrative divisions
- 60 municipalities (savivaldybe, singular - savivaldybe); Akmene, Alytaus Miestas, Alytus, Anksciai, Birstonas, Birzai, Druskininkai, Elektrenai, Ignalina, Jonava, Joniskis, Jurbarkas, Kaisiadorys, Kalvarija, Kauno Miestas, Kaunas, Kazlu Rudos, Kedainiai, Kelme, Klaipedos Miestas, Klaipeda, Kretinga, Kupiskis, Lazdijai, Marijampole, Mazeikiai, Moletai, Neringa, Pagegiai, Pakruojis, Palangos Miestas, Panevezio Miestas, Panevezys, Pasvalys, Plunge, Prienai, Radviliskis, Raseiniai, Rietavas, Rokiskis, Sakiai, Salcininkai, Siauliu Miestas, Siauliai, Silale, Silute, Sirvintos, Skuodas, Svencionys, Taurage, Telsiai, Trakai, Ukmerge, Utena, Varena, Vilkaviskis, Vilniaus Miestas, Vilnius, Visaginas, Zarasai
- Legal system
- civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the Constitutional Court
- Constitution
- history: several previous; latest adopted by referendum 25 October 1992, entered into force 2 November 1992
amendment process: proposed by at least one fourth of all Parliament members or by petition of at least 300,000 voters; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament in each of two readings three months apart and a presidential signature; amendments to constitutional articles on national sovereignty and constitutional amendment procedure also require three-fourths voter approval in a referendum - International law organization participation
- accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
- Citizenship
- citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Lithuania
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years - Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
- Executive branch
- chief of state: President Gitanas NAUSEDA (since 12 July 2019)
head of government: Prime Minister Inga RUGINIENE (since 25 September 2025)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president, approved by Parliament
election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president, approved by Parliament
most recent election date: 26 May 2024
election results: 2024: Gitanas NAUSEDA elected president in second round; percent of vote -Gitanas NAUSEDA (independent) 75.6%, Ingrida SIMONYTE (TS-LKD) 24.4%2019: Gitanas NAUSEDA elected president in second round; percent of vote - Gitanas NAUSEDA (independent) 66.7%, Ingrida SIMONYTE (independent) 33.3%
expected date of next election: 2029 - Legislative branch
- legislature name: Parliament (Seimas)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 141 (all directly elected)
electoral system: mixed system
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 10/13/2024 to 10/27/2024
parties elected and seats per party: Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) (52); Homeland Union - Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) (28); Political Party "The Dawn of Nemunas" (PPNA) (20); Union of Democrats “For Lithuania” (DSVL) (14); Liberals Movement of the Republic of Lithuania (LS) (12); Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union (LVŽS) (8); Other (7)
percentage of women in chamber: 28.4%
expected date of next election: October 2028 - Judicial branch
- highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 37 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the Seimas; judges serve 5-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the Seimas from nominations - 3 each by the president of the republic, the Seimas speaker, and the Supreme Court president; judges serve 9-year, nonrenewable terms; one third of membership reconstituted every 3 years
subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; district and local courts - Political parties
- Center-Right Union or CDSDawn of Nemunas or PPNAElectoral Action of Poles in Lithuania - Christian Families Alliance or LLRA–KŠSHomeland Union or TS-LKDLithuanian Farmers and Greens Union or LVŽSLiberals' Movement or LRLSNational Alliance or NSSocial Democratic Party of Lithuania or LSDPUnion of Democrats for Lithuania or DSVL
- Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission: Ambassador Gediminas VARVUOLIS (since 5 September 2025)
chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860
FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466
email address and website: info@usa.mfa.lthttps://usa.mfa.lt/usa/en/
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York - Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission: Ambassador Kara C. McDONALD (since 26 January 2024)
embassy: Akmenu gatve 6, Vilnius, LT-03106
mailing address: 4510 Vilnius Place, Washington DC 20521-4510
telephone: [370] (5) 266-5500
FAX: [370] (5) 266-5510
email address and website: consec@state.govhttps://lt.usembassy.gov/ - International organization participation
- Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
- Independence
- 16 February 1918 (from Soviet Russia and Germany); 11 March 1990 (declared from the Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union); notable earlier dates: 6 July 1253 (coronation of MINDAUGAS, traditional founding date); 1 July 1569 (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth created)
- National holiday
- Independence Day (or National Day), 16 February (1918)
- Flag
- description: three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and redmeaning: yellow stands for golden fields, the sun, light, and goodness; green for the forests, nature, freedom, and hope; red for courage and the blood spilled in defense of the homeland
- National symbol(s)
- mounted knight known as Vytis (the Chaser), white stork
- National color(s)
- yellow, green, red
- National anthem(s)
- title: "Tautiska giesme" (The National Song)
lyrics/music: Vincas KUDIRKA
history: adopted 1918, restored 1990; written in 1898 when Lithuania was part of Russia; banned during the Soviet occupation from 1940 to 1990 - National heritage
- total World Heritage Sites: 5 (all cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Vilnius Historic Center; Curonian Spit; Kernavė Archaeological Site; Struve Geodetic Arc; Modernist Kaunas: Architecture of Optimism, 1919-1939