Lithuania

The Republic of Lithuania (Lithuanian: Lietuva; full - Lietuvos Respublika) is a republic in northeastern Europe. One of the three Baltic States along the Baltic Sea, it shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland to the south, and the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia to the southwest.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Lithuania

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The largest and most populous of the Baltic states, Lithuania has around 100 km of sandy coastline, of which only about 38 km faces the open Baltic Sea. Lithuania's major warm-water port of Klaip?da lies at the narrow mouth of Kur?i? marios (Curonian Lagoon), a shallow lagoon extending south to Kaliningrad. The main river, the Nemunas, and some of its tributaries carry international shipping vessels.

Related Topics:
Baltic states - Baltic Sea - Klaip?da - Curonian Lagoon - Kaliningrad - Nemunas

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The Lithuanian landscape is glacially flat, except for morainic hills in the western uplands and eastern highlands that are no higher than 300 m, with the highest point being found at Juozapin?s at 292 m. The terrain features numerous lakes, Lake Vi?tytis) for example, swamps, and a mixed forest zone covers 30% of the country. The climate lies between maritime and continental, with wet, moderate winters and summers. According to some geographers, Lithuania's capital, Vilnius, lies a few kilometres south of the geographical centre of Europe.

Related Topics:
Morainic - Juozapin?s - Lake Vi?tytis - Climate - Vilnius - Geographical centre of Europe

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Lithuania consists of the following historical and cultural regions:

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• Auk?taitija - literally, the "Highlands"
• Samogitia - also known as ?emaitija, or literally, the "Lowlands"
• Dz?kija (Dz?kija or Dainava).
• Sudovia (S?duva or Suvalkija).

Also:

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• Ma?oji Lietuva - Lithuania Minor, also known as "Prussian Lithuania" (Pr?s? Lietuva). Now most of it is under control by Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast).