Location: eastern coast of the Baltic sea The area: 65,300 km2 Capital: Vilnius The largest cities by population: Vilnius (553 200) Kaunas (373,700) Klaipėda (191 600)

Population: 3 million Ethnic population: Language: Lithuanian Lithuanians - 83.5% Poles - 6.7% Russians - 6.3% Other nationalities – 3.5% Language: Lithuanian

Religion: Roman Catholics Political system: Parliamentary democracy State leader – president Religion: Roman Catholics

National currency: Litas (LTL) 3.4528 LTL = 1 EUR.

20 years ago Lithuania regained its independence after 50 years of Soviet occupation. Member of NATO and EU.

Ruth Stork Amber Oak

Lithuanian moderate temperature in winter is -5 °C and 17 °C in summer.

Lithuania does not have such spectacular mountains as other countries have. The highest mountain in Lithuania is Juozapine’s hill, which is 293,6 meter height.

Lithuania is a land of plains, rivers and lakes Lithuania is a land of plains, rivers and lakes. Lithuanian widest, longest and the deepest river is the Nemunas.

Too much Too greasy

Traditional dishes: potato dumplings (cepelinai), pilaf, brown bread, cold beetroot soup, cheese and kvass.

In Lithuania the most popular vegetables are potatoes, carrots, beetroots, onions. Popular fruits are apples, pears, plums.

In the summer we are rich in berries: strawberries, gooseberries, currants, blueberries. It is still common to make jam for winter.

When the autumn comes we pick mushrooms and nuts in the forests.

At the end of winter, we celebrate Shrove Tuesday At the end of winter, we celebrate Shrove Tuesday. Children put on masks, dress up as devils, goats and witches. They ask for sweets and sing songs as loud as they can. That day people eat piles of pancakes .

On the shortest night of the year lovers search for fern in blossom Jump over the fire Young girls let their wreaths down the river.

Our president is Ms. Dalia Grybauskaitė. Mindaugas was the first and the last King of Lithuania in XIII c. Vincas Kudirka wrote Lithuanian hymn.

Žydrūnas Savickas is the strongest man in Lithuania. Arvydas Sabonis the most distinct Lithuanian basketball player of all times. Lithuania basketball team

9th Fort is a museum of Nazi and Soviet genocide facts.

An exposition in the open air An exposition in the open air. The main exhibits are dwelling houses, farmstead buildings and folk art.

A site of pilgrimage with the thousands of crosses, crucifixes, rosaries and effigies.

Curonian spit - a peninsula of sand dunes separating the lagoon from the Baltic Sea.

When someone is smiling in the crowd, you know he’s a foreigner