Part 436

Flag ----

Description: three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red

Geography ---------

Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia

Geographic coordinates: 56 00 N, 24 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total area: 65,200 sq km land area: 65,200 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 1,273 km border countries: Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km

Coastline: 108 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: dispute with Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) over the position of the Nemunas (Nemen) River border presently located on the Lithuanian bank and not in midriver as by international standards; disputes maritime border with Latvia (primary concern is oil exploration rights); treaty with Belarus defining the border awaits ratification

Climate: maritime; wet, moderate winters and summers

Terrain: lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Juozapine Kalnas 292 m

Natural resources: peat

Land use: arable land: 49% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 22% forest and woodland: 16% other: 13%

Irrigated land: 430 sq km (1990)

Environment: current issues: contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Ozone Layer Protection

People ------

Population: 3,646,041 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (male 400,823; female 384,592) 15-64 years: 66% (male 1,162,626; female 1,244,103) 65 years and over: 12% (male 154,862; female 299,035) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.35% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 12.93 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 13.33 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female all ages: 0.89 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 17 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.03 years male: 62.15 years female: 74.21 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.78 children born/woman (1996 est.)