Lithuania

American  

[lith-oo-ey-nee-uh] / ˌlɪθ uˈeɪ ni ə /

noun

1. a republic in N Europe, on the Baltic: an independent state 1918–40; annexed by the Soviet Union 1940; regained independence 1991. 25,174 sq. mi. (65,200 sq. km). Vilnius.

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Lithuania British  

/ ˌlɪθjʊˈeɪnɪə /

noun

1. Lithuanian name: Lietuva.  Also called: Lithuanian Republic.  a republic in NE Europe, on the Baltic Sea: a grand duchy in medieval times; united with Poland in 1569; occupied by Russia in 1795 and by Germany during World War I; independent Lithuania formed in 1918, but occupied by Soviet troops in 1919 and then by Poland; became a Soviet republic in 1940; unilaterally declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1990; recognized as independent in 1991; joined the EU in 2004. Official language: Lithuanian. Religion: Roman Catholic majority. Currency: litas. Capital: Vilnius. Pop: 3 515 858 (2013 est). Area: 65 200 sq km (25 174 sq miles)

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Lithuania Cultural  

1. Republic on the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and southeast, Poland to the south, and by an isolated segment of Russia to the southwest. Its capital and largest city is Vilnius.

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Discover More

Occupied by German forces during World War II, at which time thousands of Lithuanian Jews (see also Jews) were exterminated.

As the communist system began to collapse and the Soviet Union began to dissolve, Lithuania became the first of the Baltic republics to reject Soviet rule, declaring its independence in March 1990.

Lithuania was one of the largest and most powerful states in Europe from the fourteenth to the sixteenth centuries, at which time it merged with Poland. In the late eighteenth century, it was absorbed by Russia. A nationalist movement that grew in strength throughout the nineteenth century finally bore fruit when the Russian empire collapsed during World War I. Lithuanians achieved their desired goal of an independent state during the interwar years, but their country was occupied and annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940, as were the neighboring countries of Estonia and Latvia.

Other Word Forms

• Lithuanic
  adjective

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Lithuania

Pakosta previously told the BBC she had met then-UK Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood in Lithuania.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

The party has previously suggested Kosovo and El Salvador as possible options, with Farage suggesting on Monday that Estonia and Lithuania presented "Baltic state options as well".

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

An active startup scene has developed in Lithuania and its fellow Baltic states of Estonia and Latvia in the decades since their transition from Soviet-controlled command economies.

From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026

He led Serbia to its first U16 EuroBasket title since 2007, contributing 18 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists and five steals in a 99-86 finals victory over Lithuania.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

When I closed my eyes, I could see sunlight in Lithuania, and on Andrius’s hair.

From "Between Shades of Gray" by Ruta Sepetys