Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, in the Baltic States, with access to the Baltic Sea in the west.
On the detailed map Lithuania can be found bordering the country with four states: with Latvia in the north, Belarus - in the southeast, Poland and Russia (Kaliningrad region) - in the southwest.
Lithuania is an exporter of oil and gas, dairy products, and pharmaceuticals.
Lithuania on the world map: geography, nature and climate
Lithuania on the world map is located in Northern Europe, in the Baltic region, washed by the waters of the Baltic Sea and its Curonian Lagoon in the west. The country stretched out in the latitudinal direction for 370 km, and in the meridional direction - for 280 km. The total length of the borders is 1273 km, and the length coastline- only 99 km.
Minerals
Lithuania is not rich in minerals. In the country there are only significant reserves of limestone, clay, quartz and gypsum sand; oil reserves on the shelf of the Baltic Sea and iron ore in the south are negligible.
Relief
The relief of Lithuania is flat and hilly, most of the country is located on the western outskirts of the East European Plain. Highest point Lithuania - Aukshtoyas hill (294 meters), belonging to the Oshmyany Upland.
Hydrography
Lithuania has a dense river network with short lowland rivers - only 19 rivers in the country have a length of more than 100 km. The longest river is the Nemunas, 937 km long (of which 475 km through the territory of Lithuania), flowing into the Curonian Lagoon of the Baltic Sea.
On the territory of Lithuania, there are about 3,000 lakes, which are predominantly of glacial origin and occupy 1.5% of the country's area. The largest lake is Druksiai (44.79 km²), located in the territories of Lithuania and Belarus, in the eastern part of the country.
The country is dominated by lowland, transitional and raised bogs, which account for 6% of the country's territory.
Flora and fauna
Soddy-podzolic and soddy-calcareous soils are the most common in Lithuania.
About a third of the country's territory is occupied by forest vegetation, which is dominated by pine, spruce, birch, alder, aspen, and oak.
All in all vegetable world Lithuania has 10,600 plant species. Often there are thyme, St. John's wort, cotton grass, cloudberries, duckweed, horsetails.
The fauna of Lithuania consists of 68 species of mammals, 203 species of birds, 7 species of reptiles, 13 species of amphibians and about 60 species of fish. Wild boars, roe deer, foxes, wolves, hares are found in local forests and fields from mammals; and among the birds - nightingales, tits, finches, blackbirds. Roach, ruff, bream, perch live in inland waters.
The specially protected areas of the country include about 300 national and regional parks, reserves and reserves. Aukshtaitsky national park- the oldest national park in the country, which includes picturesque forests and hills with 126 lakes scattered on them. On the map of Lithuania in Russian, the national park is located in the eastern part of the country.
Climate
The climate of Lithuania is temperate continental in the center and in the eastern part, temperate maritime on the coast. The Baltic Sea has a significant impact on the climate of the whole country, making it less continental: severe frosts in winter and sweltering heat in summer are rare for Lithuania. The average annual temperature is +6 °C. Winter is mild and snowy, lasting no more than 3 months, the average January temperature ranges from -1 °C on the coast to -6 °C in the continental part. Summer is cool and rainy, lasting 3 months, the average July temperature is from +16 °C to +19 °C. 540 - 930 mm of precipitation falls annually, the largest amount of which is observed on the southwestern coast of the Baltic Sea.
Map of Lithuania with cities. Administrative division of the country
The territory of Lithuania is divided into 10 counties:
- Alytus,
- Vilnius,
- Kaunas,
- Klaipeda,
- Mariyampolsky,
- Panevezsky,
- Taurage,
- Telshyaysky,
- Utensky,
- Siauliai.
Largest cities in Lithuania
- Vilnius- the capital and The largest city Lithuania, in which one fifth (546 thousand people) of the country's population lives. On the map of Lithuania with cities in Russian, the city is located in the southeast of the country. Vilnius is the transport, tourism and economic center of Lithuania, specializing in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and the food industry. Old city with the Gediminas Tower, the Cathedral Square, the Church of St. John is the most important sight of Vilnius.
- Kaunas- the second largest city in the country, located in its central part. There are many textile enterprises operating in Kaunas, as well as the Kaunas hydroelectric power station. Kaunas Castle, built in the 13th century, is the main attraction of the city. The population of Kaunas is 301 thousand people.
- Siauliai is a city in northern Lithuania. The main role in the economy of Šiauliai is occupied by trade, the production of beverages and confectionery, and the leather industry. The city is home to the large Šiauliai University and the Šiauliai Drama Theatre. 108 thousand inhabitants live in Siauliai.
Liberal Democratic Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky set the Lithuanian political elite on the ears with his remark that "if you already live by the Constitution of 1939, then live by it in everything." Therefore, return Vilnius and Klaipeda, which in 1939 were not part of Lithuania. The reaction was lightning fast: the Russian Federation was accused of encroaching on the territorial integrity of Lithuania. Not there, look for the guilty, gentlemen. Look at yourself.
Zhirinovsky was accused of wanting to "take away Vilnius and Klaipeda". MEP Valentinas Mazuronis, Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius were filled with noble indignation. EU Ambassador to Russia Vygaudas Usackas immediately requested his government to declare Zhirinovsky persona non grata and demand that the Kremlin evaluate the words of the LDPR leader.
“Of course, in a hybrid war, everything is possible,” Usackas said. “I think that he (Zhirinovsky) did not express the position of the Kremlin, but such provocative statements of his that instill aggression and hatred, no doubt, should wait, I hope, for a reaction. I hope that after watching and evaluating this program, the leaders of Lithuania will also pay attention to this.I think this is a broader issue that needs to be raised.
But Vladimir Volfovich is not a Russian official, so the Kremlin will not evaluate his opinion. The Lithuanian authorities, represented by Prime Minister Algridas Butkevičius, advised Usackas to "not pay attention" to Vladimir Volfovich's "emotions".
On the merits of the issue under discussion, the following can be noted. Firstly, the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party did not say a word about the fact that Russia would "take" some land from Lithuania.
Let us remind the reader that in the First Channel program "The Structure of the Moment" the same Usackas said that Lithuania had returned to the Constitution of 1939. But in 1939, Vilnius and Klaipeda did not belong to Lithuania, the leader of the LDPR noted. So, if you returned the Constitution, then return everything else, do everything as it was under it, Zhirinovsky said.
Map of Lithuania 1939-40
Secondly, Zhirinovsky is actually right, in 1939 Vilnius was within the borders of Poland - Polish units on October 8-9, 1920 occupied Vilna (Vilnius) and adjacent territories. And only under the Mutual Assistance Treaty between Soviet Union and Lithuania on October 10, 1939, the city of Vilna and the Vilna region, as well as part of southeastern Lithuania, were transferred to the Republic of Lithuania. The territory of Klaipeda belonged to the northern part of the Lithuanian Department of East Prussia.
In March 1939, Germany annexed Memel (Klaipeda) and signed a protectorate treaty with the Lithuanian government. Klaipeda was transferred to Lithuania in 1945 after the liberation of the city by the Red Army, as well as the Neman delta adjoining the city with the port of Rusne, and almost half of the Curonian Spit. But the Soviet authorities could attach these lands to the Kaliningrad region.
The absence of a legally formalized act on the transfer of the Klaipeda region to Lithuania was also recognized by the former President of Lithuania Brazauskas, who signed the 1997 border treaty. He stated in 1990 that "after the war there are no official documents on the accession of the Klaipeda region to the territory of Lithuania."
Thus, the Klaipeda region de jure is currently under the temporary administrative control of Lithuania, which is confirmed, in particular, by the decision of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation adopted on November 4, 1992, in accordance with which the Russian-Lithuanian border was given a temporary status until the conclusion of the corresponding border contracts.
The 1997 border treaty with Lithuania, "forgiving" it, in particular, Memel-Klaipeda, has not yet been ratified by the Russian parliament, therefore the Russian Federation, as the legal successor of the Soviet Union, retains sovereign rights to Klaipeda and has full legal grounds to raise the question of initiating the procedure for the return of the Klaipeda region to Lithuania.
Thirdly, Zhirinovsky, as it were, hints to the Lithuanian elite about double standards and says - do not spit in the well from which they drank. Indeed, Lithuania became a state only thanks to the Bolshevik revolution. In 1918, the Lithuanian-Belarusian SSR (LBSSR) was created, the post of president was established in it, which was taken by Antanas Smetona.
After the collapse of the LBSSR, he became the President of Lithuania. Anti-Russian sentiments dominated in the state circles of the Baltic countries in the 1920s, writes Vytautas Sasnauskas in the article "Lakeyshchina". And Smetona was no exception. At the same time, quarreling with Russia, Lithuania had no defenders in the West, the author points out.
"On March 15, 1923, the conference of the ambassadors of England, France, Italy and Japan recognized Poland's right to Vilnius and the Vilnius region. A month later, the Entente authorized the secession of Vilnius from Lithuania. And after the Vatican recognized Vilnius for Poland. Only the Soviet Union declared Lithuania's rights to Vilnius, causing the joy of the Lithuanian people."
VILNIUS - the capital of Lithuania
After the annexation of part of Lithuania and the establishment of a protectorate over the other part under the Ribbentrop-Skirp pact (and not Molotov-Ribbentrop), Sasnauskas points out, Germany occupied Lithuania in 1941. "During the period of occupation on the territory of Lithuania, the Nazis killed 370,000 Lithuanian citizens. 200,000 able-bodied Lithuanians were sent to Germany for forced labor."
Soviet troops were introduced into Lithuania on the basis of legally executed agreements with the government of Justas Paleckis and strictly observed the established order, the author notes. During the period of being a part of the USSR, Lithuania, according to Sasnauskas, "for the first time in the history of the twentieth century, brought together its lands, grew territorially by 30 percent, broke out of poverty and in its economic growth reached the level of European states, and in some areas surpassed - became highly developed nuclear state, a nuclear power plant appeared on its territory.
But "with what Lithuania entered the USSR, it must leave with that," the author notes. "It is necessary to return back: to the Poles - the Vilnius region with the capital Vilnius, Belarus - the lands that went to Lithuania under the agreement of August 3, 1940, Germany - Klaipeda and the Klaipeda region, as a trophy of the Red Army, transferred to Lithuania in 1945."
"If this had been presented to the Lithuanians by Russian diplomacy, then there would have been no 'trepalogy' about the 'non-recognition' of the Soviet period, about 'occupation' or 'annexation'," Vytautas Sasnauskas wrote.
So that's why the hysteria in Lithuania. Zhirinovsky's words indicate that such ideas are roaming in the power structures in the Kremlin. Since the Helsinki Accords and the inviolability of the post-war borders are no longer valid, and they are not valid after Kosovo and Crimea, then everything is possible and even necessary to put not on the ears, but already in the place of the pro-American politicians who have gone too far in the anti-Russian frenzy.
Republic of Lithuania. The name of the country Lithuania (Lietuva) is derived from the ancient name of the river. Letava (Lietava from lit. lieti to pour, pp Nyarisa), Russian. Letavka. The feudal principality, through the lands of which this river flowed, eventually occupied the leading ... ... Geographic Encyclopedia
- (Lietuva), Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika), state in Eastern Europe, in the Baltic States, washed by the Baltic Sea. 65.2 thousand km2. Population 3707 thousand people (1996), urban 68.3% (1994); Lithuanians (2924 thousand people; 1989, ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary
- (1) 1. Collected. The people constituting the population of Lithuania; Lithuanians: I will crack the earth, and many countries of Khinov, Lithuania, Yatvyaz, Deremela and Polovtsi, have turned their faces, and bowed their heads under thy swords of haraluzhny. 32. In Afetov’s part, sit Rus, ... ... Dictionary-reference book "The Tale of Igor's Campaign"
- (Republic of Lithuania), a state in Eastern Europe, in the Baltic States, washed by the Baltic Sea. The area is 65.2 thousand km2. The population is 3798 thousand people, urban 68%: Lithuanians (79.6%), Russians (9.4%), Poles (7.0%) and others. Official language… … Modern Encyclopedia
Dr. Russian lithuania, collected, Lithuanians (Pov. time years), adj. Lithuanian, Ukrainian Lithuania, blr. Lithuania, Polish Litwa, litwin, litewski. Loans. from lit. Lietuva Lithuania, cf. ltsh. Lìetava - the same, leĩtis Lithuanian, leĩtene Lithuanian, Leĩšmale Lithuanian ... Etymological dictionary Russian language by Max Fasmer
Lithuania- LITHUANIA, collected, arch. - Lithuanians. Well, many Russian people and foreigners, Lithuanians and Germans, who are baptized in our true Orthodox faith, do not wear crosses on themselves and do not keep holy fast days, Wednesdays and Fridays, and on fast days they eat meat and all sorts ... ... Dictionary of the trilogy "The Sovereign's Estate"
J. Baltic tribes of pastoralists and farmers who came to the basins of the Neman and Daugava rivers (predecessors of modern Lithuanians). Explanatory Dictionary of Efremova. T. F. Efremova. 2000... Modern dictionary Russian language Efremova
Exist., Number of synonyms: 1 country (281) ASIS Synonym Dictionary. V.N. Trishin. 2013 ... Synonym dictionary
Went. Psk. Unapproved About the beginning of the battle, squabbles. SPP 2001, 49 ... Big Dictionary Russian sayings
Lithuania- rep. yashәүche top halyk ... Tatar telenen anlatmaly suzlege
Lithuania- (Lithuania), state in east. coast of the Baltic Sea. On Wednesday. century, it was a large Grand Duchy, at one time stretching from the Baltic to the Black Sea and in the east almost to Moscow. In 1569, it united with Poland, then, in 1795, its ... ... The World History
Books
- Lithuania, McLachlan Gordon. Lithuania is small, but amazing country. Travel lovers will truly enjoy visiting stylish local cafes and leisurely strolls through the old streets of Vilnojus and Kaunas,…
- Lithuania, McLachlan G. Lithuania is a small but amazing country. Fans of traveling around the city will get real pleasure by visiting colorful local cafes and walking along the streets of Vilnius and Kaunas,…
Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia gained independence after the 1917 revolution in Russia. But Soviet Russia and later the USSR never gave up trying to regain these territories. And according to the secret protocol to the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, in which these republics were assigned to the Soviet sphere of influence, the USSR got a chance to achieve this, which it did not fail to take advantage of.
Implementing the Soviet-German secret agreements, the Soviet Union in the autumn of 1939 began preparations for the annexation of the Baltic countries. After the Red Army occupied the eastern provinces in Poland, the USSR began to border on all the Baltic states. Soviet troops were moved to the borders of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. At the end of September, these countries were offered in an ultimatum form to conclude treaties of friendship and mutual assistance with the USSR. On September 24, Molotov told Estonian Foreign Minister Karl Selter, who arrived in Moscow: “The Soviet Union needs an expansion of its security system, for which it needs access to the Baltic Sea ... Do not force the Soviet Union to use force in order to achieve its goals.”
On September 25, Stalin informed the German ambassador, Count Friedrich-Werner von der Schulenburg, that "the Soviet Union will immediately take up the solution of the problem of the Baltic states in accordance with the protocol of August 23."
Mutual assistance treaties with the Baltic states were concluded under the threat of the use of force.
On September 28, a Soviet-Estonian mutual assistance pact was signed. A 25,000-strong Soviet military contingent was introduced into the territory of Estonia. Stalin told Selter on his departure from Moscow: “It could work out with you, as with Poland. Poland was a great power. Where is Poland now?
On October 5, a mutual assistance pact was signed with Latvia. A 25,000-strong Soviet military contingent entered the country.
And on October 10, an "Agreement on the transfer of the city of Vilna and the Vilna region to the Republic of Lithuania and on mutual assistance between the Soviet Union and Lithuania" was signed with Lithuania. When Lithuanian Foreign Minister Juozas Urbšys declared that the proposed terms of the treaty were tantamount to the occupation of Lithuania, Stalin countered that “the Soviet Union does not intend to threaten the independence of Lithuania. Vice versa. The introduction of Soviet troops will be a genuine guarantee for Lithuania that the Soviet Union will protect it in the event of an attack, so that the troops will serve the security of Lithuania itself. And he added with a grin: "Our garrisons will help you put down the communist uprising if it happens in Lithuania." 20 thousand Red Army soldiers also entered Lithuania.
After Germany defeated France with lightning speed in May 1940, Stalin decided to expedite the annexation of the Baltic states and Bessarabia. June 4 strong factions Soviet troops under the guise of exercises, they began to advance to the borders of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. On June 14, Lithuania, and on June 16, Latvia and Estonia were presented with ultimatums of a similar content with a demand to allow significant Soviet military contingents, 9-12 divisions in each of the countries, to enter their territory and to form new, pro-Soviet governments with the participation of the Communists, although the number Communist parties in each of the republics consisted of 100-200 people. The pretext for the ultimatums was provocations allegedly carried out against the Soviet troops stationed in the Baltic states. But this pretext was sewn with white thread. It was alleged, for example, that the Lithuanian police abducted two Soviet tankers, Shmovgonets and Nosov. But already on May 27, they returned to their unit and stated that they were kept in the basement for a day, trying to get information about the Soviet tank brigade. At the same time, Nosov mysteriously turned into Pisarev.
The ultimatums were accepted. On June 15, Soviet troops entered Lithuania, and on June 17 they entered Latvia and Estonia. In Lithuania, President Antanas Smetana demanded to reject the ultimatum and show armed resistance, but, not having received the support of the majority of the cabinet, he fled to Germany.
From 6 to 9 Soviet divisions were introduced into each of the countries (previously, each of the countries had rifle division and for the tank brigade). There was no resistance. The creation of pro-Soviet governments on Red Army bayonets was presented by Soviet propaganda as "people's revolutions", which were given out as demonstrations with the seizure of government buildings, organized by local communists with the help of Soviet troops. These "revolutions" were carried out under the supervision of the representatives of the Soviet government: Vladimir Dekanozov in Lithuania, Andrei Vyshinsky in Latvia and Andrei Zhdanov in Estonia.
The armies of the Baltic states could not really offer armed resistance to Soviet aggression either in the autumn of 1939, or even more so in the summer of 1940. In the three countries, in the event of mobilization, 360,000 people could be put under arms. However, unlike Finland, the Baltics did not have their own military industry, there were not even sufficient stocks of small arms to arm so many people. If Finland could also receive supplies of weapons and military equipment through Sweden and Norway, then the way to the Baltic States through the Baltic Sea was closed by the Soviet fleet, and Germany complied with the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and refused to help the Baltic states. In addition, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia did not have border fortifications, and their territory was much more accessible for invasion than the territory of Finland covered with forests and swamps.
The new pro-Soviet governments held elections to local parliaments on the principle of one candidate from an unbreakable bloc of non-partisans per seat. Moreover, this bloc in all three Baltic states was called the same - "Union of the working people", and the elections were held on the same day - July 14th. People in civilian clothes who were present at the polling stations took note of those who crossed out candidates or threw empty ballots into the ballot boxes. The Nobel laureate Polish writer Czeslaw Milosz, who was in Lithuania at that time, recalled: “It was possible to vote in the elections for the only official list of the “working people” - with the same programs in all three republics. I had to vote, as each voter was stamped in his passport. The absence of a stamp certifies that the owner of the passport is an enemy of the people who evaded the elections and thereby revealed his enemy essence. Naturally, the Communists received more than 90% of the votes in all three republics - 92.8% in Estonia, 97% in Latvia, and even 99% in Lithuania! The turnout was also impressive - 84% in Estonia, 95% in Latvia and 95.5% in Lithuania.
Not surprisingly, on July 21-22, three parliaments approved a declaration on Estonia's entry into the USSR. By the way, all these acts contradicted the constitutions of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, where it was said that the issues of independence and changes political system can only be decided by popular referendum. But in Moscow they were in a hurry to annex the Baltic States and did not pay attention to formalities. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR satisfied the appeals written in Moscow for admission to the Union of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in the period from 3 to 6 August 1940.
At first, many Latvians, Lithuanians and Estonians saw the Red Army as a defense against German aggression. The workers were happy to reopen businesses that had been dormant due to the World War and the resulting crisis. However, soon, already in November 1940, the population of the Baltic states was completely ruined. Then local currencies were equated to the ruble at sharply undervalued rates. Also, the nationalization of industry and trade led to inflation and a shortage of goods. The redistribution of land from the richer peasants to the poorest, forced resettlement farmers in the countryside and repressions against the clergy and intelligentsia caused armed resistance. Detachments of "forest brothers" appeared, so named in memory of the rebels of 1905.
And already in August 1940, the deportations of Jews and other national minorities began, and on June 14, 1941, the turn came to Lithuanians, Latvians and Estonians. 10 thousand people were deported from Estonia, 17.5 thousand people from Lithuania and 16.9 thousand people from Latvia. 10,161 people were resettled and 5,263 were arrested. 46.5% of the deportees were women, 15% were children under 10 years old. The total number of deceased victims of deportation was 4884 people (34% of total number), of which 341 people were shot.
The capture of the Baltic countries by the Soviet Union was fundamentally no different from the capture by Germany of Austria in 1938, Czechoslovakia in 1939 and Luxembourg and Denmark in 1940, also carried out peacefully. The fact of occupation (in the sense of the seizure of territory against the will of the population of these countries), which was a violation of international law and an act of aggression, was recognized as a crime at the Nuremberg trials and imputed to the main Nazi war criminals. As in the case of the Baltic states, the Anschluss of Austria was preceded by an ultimatum to establish a pro-German government in Vienna, headed by the Nazi Seyss-Inquart. And already it invited German troops to Austria, which previously did not exist in the country at all. The annexation of Austria was carried out in such a way that it was immediately incorporated into the Reich and divided into several Reichsgau (regions). Similarly, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, after a short period of occupation, were included in the USSR on the rights union republics. The Czech Republic, Denmark and Norway were turned into protectorates, which did not prevent them both during the war and after it from talking about these countries as occupied by Germany. This formulation was also reflected in the verdict of the Nuremberg trials of the main Nazi war criminals in 1946.
Unlike Nazi Germany, whose consent was guaranteed by the secret protocol of August 23, 1939, most Western governments regarded the occupation and annexation as illegal and continued de jure to recognize the existence of an independent Republic of Latvia. As early as July 23, 1940, U.S. Under Secretary of State Sumner Welles denounced the "dishonest processes" by which "the political independence and territorial integrity of the three small Baltic Republics... were premeditated and deliberately destroyed by one of their more powerful neighbors." Non-recognition of the occupation and annexation continued until 1991, when Latvia regained its independence and full independence.
In Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, the entry of Soviet troops and the subsequent annexation of the Baltic countries to the USSR is considered one of the many Stalinist crimes.