Portal:Lithuania
Welcome to the Lithuania Portal — Sveiki atvykę į Lietuvos Portalą
Lithuania (/ˌlɪθjuˈeɪnijə/ LITH-yoo-AYN-ee-yə; Lithuanian: Lietuva [lʲiətʊˈvɐ]), officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lithuanian: Lietuvos Respublika [lʲiətʊˈvoːs rʲɛsˈpʊblʲɪkɐ]), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. It borders Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, Poland to the south, and Russia to the southwest, with a maritime border with Sweden to the west. Lithuania covers an area of 65,300 km2 (25,200 sq mi), with a population of 2.86 million. Its capital and largest city is Vilnius; other major cities are Kaunas, Klaipėda, Šiauliai and Panevėžys. Lithuanians belong to the ethnolinguistic group of the Balts and speak Lithuanian, one of only a few living members of the Baltic branch of the Indo-European language family, which is also the most widely spoken language of the branch.
For millennia, the southeastern shores of the Baltic Sea were inhabited by various Baltic tribes. In the 1230s, Lithuanian lands were united for the first time by Mindaugas, who formed the Kingdom of Lithuania on 6 July 1253. Subsequent expansion and consolidation resulted in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which by the 14th century was the largest country in Europe. In 1386, the Grand Duchy entered into a de facto personal union with the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland. The two realms were united into the bi-confederal Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1569, forming one of the largest and most prosperous states in Europe. The Commonwealth lasted more than two centuries, until neighbouring countries gradually dismantled it between 1772 and 1795, with the Russian Empire annexing most of Lithuania's territory. Towards the end of World War I, Lithuania declared Independence in 1918, founding the modern Republic of Lithuania. In World War II, Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union, then by Nazi Germany, before being reoccupied by the Soviets in 1944. Lithuanian armed resistance to the Soviet occupation lasted until the early 1950s. On 11 March 1990, a year before the formal dissolution of the Soviet Union, Lithuania became the first Soviet republic to break away when it proclaimed the restoration of its independence.
Lithuania is a developed country with a high income, advanced economy, ranking 37th in the Human Development Index (HDI) and 19th in the World Happiness Report. Lithuania is a member of the European Union, the Council of Europe, the eurozone, the Nordic Investment Bank, the Schengen Agreement, NATO, and OECD. It also participates in the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) regional co-operation format. (Full article...)
Selected article -
The Lithuanian–Soviet War or Lithuanian–Bolshevik War (Lithuanian: karas su bolševikais) was fought between newly independent Lithuania and the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic in the aftermath of World War I. It was part of the larger Soviet westward offensive of 1918–1919. The offensive followed the retreat of German troops and sought to establish Soviet republics in Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland and link up with the German Revolution. By the end of December 1918 Soviet forces reached Lithuanian borders. Largely unopposed, they occupied one town after another and by the end of January 1919 controlled about two thirds of the Lithuanian territory. In February, the Soviet advance was stopped by Lithuanian and German volunteers, who prevented the Soviets from capturing Kaunas, the temporary capital of Lithuania. From April 1919, the Lithuanian war went parallel with the Polish–Soviet War. Poland had territorial claims over Lithuania, especially the Vilnius Region; these tensions spilt over into the Polish–Lithuanian War.
British-Polish historian Norman Davies summarized the situation: "the German army was supporting the Lithuanian nationalists, the Soviets were supporting the Lithuanian communists and the Polish Army was fighting them all." In mid-May, the Lithuanian army, now commanded by General Silvestras Žukauskas, began an offensive against the Soviets in Northeastern Lithuania. By mid-June, the Lithuanians reached the Latvian border and cornered the Soviets among lakes and hills near Zarasai, where the Soviets held out until the end of August 1919. The Soviets and Lithuanians, separated by the Daugava River, maintained their fronts until the Battle of Daugavpils in January 1920. As early as September 1919, the Soviets offered to negotiate a peace treaty, but talks began only in May 1920. The Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty was signed on July 12, 1920. Soviet Russia fully recognized independent Lithuania. (Full article...)General images
Did you know -
![](http://178.128.105.246/content-http-upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a0/Updated_DYK_query.svg/65px-Updated_DYK_query.svg.png)
- ...Lithuania, together with Latvia and Estonia, in 1989 formed a human chain – Baltic Way which connected the three Baltic states capitals?
- ...AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd is of Lithuanian descent?
- ...Grand Duchy of Lithuania once stretched from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea?
- ... that in 2020 Robert Tvorogal became Lithuania's first European champion in gymnastics?
- ... that when journalist and trade unionist Nisn Pups was released from jail, the Communist Party of Lithuania instructed him to change his name?
- ... that Daniel Klein's Grammatica Litvanica, the first printed grammar of the Lithuanian language, introduced the distinctive Lithuanian letter Ė?
Selected images
Topics
Military of Lithuania
| ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Public holidays in Lithuania | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date | English name | Local name | Remarks |
1 January | New Year's Day | Naujųjų metų diena | |
16 February | Day of Restoration of the State of Lithuania (1918) | Lietuvos valstybės atkūrimo diena | |
11 March | Day of Restoration of Independence of Lithuania (1990) | Lietuvos nepriklausomybės atkūrimo diena | |
Moveable Sunday | Easter Sunday | Šv. Velykos | Commemorates resurrection of Jesus. The first Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or soonest after 21 March. |
The day after Easter Sunday | Easter Monday | Antroji šv. Velykų diena | |
1 May | International Workers' Day | Tarptautinė darbo diena | |
First Sunday in May | Mother's Day | Motinos diena | |
First Sunday in June | Father's Day | Tėvo diena | |
24 June | St. John's Day / Day of Dew | Joninės / Rasos | Celebrated according to mostly pagan traditions (Midsummer Day, Saint Jonas Day). |
6 July | Statehood Day | Valstybės (Lietuvos karaliaus Mindaugo karūnavimo) ir Tautiškos giesmės diena | Celebrates the 1253 coronation of Mindaugas, the first King of Lithuania, and the national anthem of Lithuania. |
15 August | Assumption Day | Žolinė (Švč. Mergelės Marijos ėmimo į dangų diena) | Also marked according to pagan traditions, celebrating the goddess Žemyna and noting the mid-August as the middle between summer and autumn. |
1 November | All Saints' Day | Visų šventųjų diena | Halloween is increasingly popular and is also informally celebrated on the eve (31 October). |
2 November | All Souls' Day | Mirusiųjų atminimo (Vėlinių) diena | |
24 December | Christmas Eve | Šv. Kūčios | |
25 and 26 December | Christmas Day | Šv. Kalėdos | Commemorates birth of Jesus. |
Categories
Recognized content
New articles
Rules | Match log | Results page (for watching) | Last updated: 2024-07-04 20:47 (UTC)
Note: The list display can now be customized by each user. See List display personalization for details.
- Agnė Širinskienė (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Augenis (talk · contribs · new pages (3)) started on 2024-07-04, score: 100
- Józef Marszewski (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by KrivisKrivaitis (talk · contribs · new pages (3)) started on 2024-07-04, score: 60
- 2024 European Junior Swimming Championships (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Bearas (talk · contribs · new pages (6)) started on 2024-07-03, score: 50
- Vytautas Kašuba (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Blowwhite1 (talk · contribs · new pages (4)) started on 2024-07-03, score: 80
- Agreement on Defense Cooperation between Finland and the United States of America (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Juustila (talk · contribs · new pages (9)) started on 2024-07-03, score: 60
- List of translations of The Lord of the Rings (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Kusma (talk · contribs · new pages (1)) started on 2024-07-03, score: 30
- 2013 Polish Basketball Supercup (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Oliwiasocz (talk · contribs · new pages (26)) started on 2024-07-02, score: 20
- Liudvinavas Eldership (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Blowwhite1 (talk · contribs · new pages (4)) started on 2024-07-02, score: 30
- Yaakov Roja (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Commontater (talk · contribs · new pages (2)) started on 2024-07-02, score: 20
- Surname inflection (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Aaa000000 (talk · contribs · new pages (2)) started on 2024-07-01, score: 20
- Nino Odzelashvili (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by ჯეო (talk · contribs · new pages (2)) started on 2024-07-01, score: 20
- Michael Levitt (biophysicist) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Joeykai (talk · contribs · new pages (15)) started on 2024-06-23, score: 30
- 2024 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup squads (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Stojan212 (talk · contribs · new pages (2)) started on 2024-06-30, score: 20
- Temu (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by BilledMammal (talk · contribs · new pages (42)) started on 2024-06-30, score: 20
- Mylek (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Rotideypoc41352 (talk · contribs · new pages (7)) started on 2024-06-29, score: 20
- Andrė Baldišiūtė (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Bk1986 (talk · contribs · new pages (1)) started on 2024-06-27, score: 40
- Slovenia in the European Union (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Sredina (talk · contribs · new pages (1)) started on 2024-06-27, score: 30
- Benjamin Rivlin (Riveles) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Commontater (talk · contribs · new pages (2)) started on 2024-06-26, score: 40
- Bertha Wiernik (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Gamaliel (talk · contribs · new pages (27)) started on 2024-06-23, score: 60
- Lithuanian People's Party (2012) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Augenis (talk · contribs · new pages (3)) started on 2024-06-26, score: 70
- Jonas Vabalas (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by KrivisKrivaitis (talk · contribs · new pages (3)) started on 2024-06-26, score: 80
- Wanda Rewieńska (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by AMM Pittsburgh (talk · contribs · new pages (10)) started on 2024-06-25, score: 30
- Skučas (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by WikiOriginal-9 (talk · contribs · new pages (778)) started on 2024-06-25, score: 20
- Meanings of minor planet names: 658001–659000 (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Ilvon (talk · contribs · new pages (22)) started on 2024-06-25, score: 20
- Tenth European Parliament (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by 163.159.1.161 (talk · contribs · new pages (1)) started on 2024-06-24, score: 20
- Valence populism (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Vacant0 (talk · contribs · new pages (17)) started on 2024-06-25, score: 20
- Paulius Stankevicius (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Gidan Gas (talk · contribs · new pages (1)) started on 2024-06-23, score: 20
- 1982 Soviet Cup final (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Aleksandr Grigoryev (talk · contribs · new pages (14)) started on 2024-06-22, score: 20
- Public election committee (Lithuania) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Augenis (talk · contribs · new pages (3)) started on 2024-06-24, score: 100
- Transylvanian campaign into Poland (1657) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Gvssy (talk · contribs · new pages (10)) started on 2024-06-24, score: 20
- UAB (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Niokog (talk · contribs · new pages (1)) started on 2024-06-24, score: 20
- Baiba Braže (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by THeShavidow1 (talk · contribs · new pages (1)) started on 2024-06-21, score: 30
- Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Vilnius (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Oliwiasocz (talk · contribs · new pages (26)) started on 2024-06-19, score: 100
- Vincas Pietaris (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by KrivisKrivaitis (talk · contribs · new pages (3)) started on 2024-06-23, score: 70
- 1982 Soviet Cup Final (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Aleksandr Grigoryev (talk · contribs · new pages (14)) started on 2024-06-22, score: 20
- Rokas Jazdauskas (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Bearas (talk · contribs · new pages (6)) started on 2024-06-22, score: 40
- Kristupas Trepočka (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Bearas (talk · contribs · new pages (6)) started on 2024-06-22, score: 40
- Tomas Lukminas (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Bearas (talk · contribs · new pages (6)) started on 2024-06-21, score: 40
- Sylvester Hulevych (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by SafariScribe (talk · contribs · new pages (278)) started on 2024-06-21, score: 20
- Coat of arms of Smolensk (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Valeino (talk · contribs · new pages (5)) started on 2024-06-20, score: 50
- 2024–25 IIHF Continental Cup (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by LucasMDS05 (talk · contribs · new pages (1)) started on 2024-06-21, score: 20
- Church of St. George, Pašilė (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Pofka (talk · contribs · new pages (4)) started on 2024-06-20, score: 100
- Ljuba Bielefeld (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by Gamaliel (talk · contribs · new pages (27)) started on 2024-06-20, score: 80
- Union of Cities THE HANSA (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools) by PaulHansebüro (talk · contribs · new pages (1)) started on 2024-06-20, score: 40
Associated Wikimedia
The following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:
-
Commons
Free media repository -
Wikibooks
Free textbooks and manuals -
Wikidata
Free knowledge base -
Wikinews
Free-content news -
Wikiquote
Collection of quotations -
Wikisource
Free-content library -
Wikiversity
Free learning tools -
Wikivoyage
Free travel guide -
Wiktionary
Dictionary and thesaurus