Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania shares land borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, Poland to the south, and Russia to the southwest. Lithuania covers an area of 65,300 km2 (25,200 sq mi), with a population of 2.8 million. Its capital and largest city is Vilnius; other major cities are Kaunas and Klaipėda. Lithuanians belong to the ethno-linguistic group of the Balts and speak Lithuanian, one of only a few living Baltic languages.
Lithuania is a country on the south-eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, a member of the United Nations Organisation, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, the World Trade Organisation. Currently, Lithuania maintains diplomatic relations with 182 states Lithuania became a member of the United Nations on 18 September 1991, and is a signatory to a number of its organizations and other international agreements. It is also a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, NATO and its adjunct North Atlantic Coordinating Council, the Council of Europe, and the European Union. Lithuania gained membership in the World Trade Organization on 31 May 2001.
Vilnius is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 588,412 as of 2021. The population of Vilnius's functional urban area, which stretches beyond the city limits, is estimated at 706,832, while according to the Vilnius territorial health insurance fund, there were 732,421 permanent inhabitants as of October 2020 in Vilnius city and Vilnius district municipalities combined. Vilnius is in southeastern Lithuania and is the second-largest city in the Baltic states. It is the seat of Lithuania's national government and the Vilnius District Municipality.
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania after Vilnius and an important centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the centre of a county in the Duchy of Trakai of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Trakai Palatinate since 1413. In the Russian Empire, it was the capital of the Kaunas Governorate from 1843 to 1915.
Sportin Lithuania is governed by the Physical Education and Sports Department following the country's independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. The Lithuanian government established the department to manage physical education in the schools and sports administration in the country. Over the next few years, Lithuanian sports organizations established membership in international governing bodies. Lithuania participated in the Winter Olympics in Albertville and has participated in every Winter and Summer Olympics since.
Lietuvos krepšinio lyga (LKL), also known as Betsafe LKL for sponsorship reasons, is the premier professional men's club basketball league in Lithuania. It is composed of 11 teams, and it is a member of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation. The best LKL clubs are also annual participants of the top European-wide basketball competitions, including the top-tier level EuroLeague.
The World Curling Federation (WCF) is the world governing body for curling accreditation, with offices in Perth, Scotland. It was formed out of the International Curling Federation (ICF), when the push for Olympic Winter Sport status was made. The name was changed in 1990.
Scouting and Guiding in Lithuania consist of a number of different organizations, some of them connected to international bodies. Besides open associations, there are also some for the national minorities living in Lithuania, as well as Girl Scouts of the USA.
Rail transport in Lithuania consists of freight shipments and passenger services. The construction of the first railway line in Lithuania began in 1859. As of 2021, the total length of railways in Lithuania was 1,868.8 km (1,161.2 mi). Lietuvos Geležinkeliai, the national state-owned railway company, operates most of the passenger and freight services.
Tadas Sedekerskis is a Lithuanian professional basketball player for Kirolbet Baskonia of the Liga ACB and the EuroLeague.
The Grand Duke Gediminas StaffBattalion is a unit of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, whose staff it protects. It is also charged with representing Lithuania and its army by providing guard of honour at official events in Lithuania and abroad.
Lithuanian Speed Skating Association is a national governing body of short track speed skating and speed skating sports in Lithuania.
Lithuanian Skating Federation or LČF is the national governing body of figure skating in Lithuania. The LČF organises the annual Lithuanian Figure Skating Championships.
Lithuanian Badminton Federation is a national governing body of badminton sport in Lithuania.
Lithuanian Archery Federation is a national governing body of archery sport in Lithuania.
Lithuanian Biathlon Federation is a national governing body of biathlon sport in Lithuania.
Lithuanian Curling Association is a national governing body of curling sport in Lithuania.
Major general Jonas Andriškevičius was a Lithuanian military figure and ex-Soviet military officer. He was the first Chief of Defence of Lithuania. He served in this position from 20 October 1993 to 1 July 1999.
Virginija Paulauskaitė is a Lithuanian curler and curling coach.
The Lithuanian Men's Curling Championship is the national championship of men's curling in Lithuania. It has been held annually since 2006 and organized by the Lithuanian Curling Association.
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