The Republic of Lithuania lies in the center of Europe: the geometrical center of the continent is in eastern Lithuania, near the village of Bernotai, 25 km north of Vilnius (Europos parkas). Lithuania is on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea (the length of the Lithuanian coastline is 99 km). The northernmost point of Lithuania is at 56 27 degrees latitude, while the southernmost point is at 53 54 degrees latitude.

Climate

The climate of Lithuania is transitional between maritime and continental. The average temperature in January is -4.9C and +23C in July. Moderate temperatures in summer and adequate rainfall all year round are typical of Lithuania. One unfavorable feature is a relatively short vegetation period (169-202 days).

Population

Lithuania's population is 3.371 million (2007), of which 67% is urban, with an average density of 52 people per sq km. Population composition in Lithuania is approximately as follows:

* Lithuanians – 84.6%,
* Russians – 5.1%,
* Poles – 6.3%,
* Belarusians – 1.1%
* Ukrainians – 0.6%,
* Jews – 0.1%,
* Latvians, Tatars, Roma people and Germans make up 0.1%.

In different periods of history large numbers of Lithuanians emigrated to such countries as the United States of America, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Great Britain, Australia, Israel and Poland. According to the estimates, over 2 million Lithuanians currently live abroad.