Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania is on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea and is also
known as the Republic of Lithuania. The country's name comes from
Polish meaning "rainy country." Covering an area of 65,300 square
kilometers, it has a population of 3.46 million, mainly Lithuanian,
with the rest Russian, Polish, and so on. The primary languages are
Lithuanian and Russian, and the official language is Lithuanian. The
currency is the Litas, and the capital is Vilnius (vilnius).
National Flag
The national flag consists of three parallel rectangles, colored
yellow, green, and red from the top down.
History
In 1240, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was established and united. In
1385, Lithuania and Poland joined togteher. In 1795, Lithuania was
annexed by tsarist Russia. During World War I, Lithuania was under
German occupation. During the October Revolution, the legislature
set up most of the territory as part of the Soviet regime. On
February 16, 1918, Lithuania declared independence, establishing a
bourgeois republic. In August 1939, the Soviet Union and Germany
signed a secret treaty, and Lithuania was assigned to the Soviet
sphere of influence. Soon thereafter it was occupied by the Soviets.
When the Soviet-German War broke out, the Germans occupied
Lithuania. In 1944, Soviet troops entered Lithuania, and the
Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic was established. On March 1,
1990, Lithuania declared independence from the Soviet Union.
Economic and Cultural Customs
Lithuania has highly developed agriculture. Agricultural products
are mainly long-fiber flax, potatoes, cereals, and pulses. Animal
husbandry mainly involves cattle and pigs. Lithuania has also
developed offshore fishing.
The capital, Vilnius, is the political, economic, cultural and
transportation center. It has an 800-year history; the city was
built on mountains, with each layer increasingly beautiful. The city
has hundreds of different styles of ancient architecture, of which
the most famous is the Santa Ana Cathedral, known as the Gothic Art
Gallery in the Pearl. In addition, Vilinius hosts the Polish poet's
Mickiewicz old home, known as the "Vilnius" castle cradle.
Santa Ana Cathedral
Lithuania's ancient church, the Santa Ana Cathedral is in Vilnius.
Built in the 16th century, its Gothic architecture is regarded as
exemplary. The church is 22 meters high and wide. From 33 different
sections of tile laying, it is a complex structure. The top has a
tall main tower, holding a number of small towers surrounded with
care. The lines have a strange beauty, as if the clouds were
hanging.
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