Lithuania - Complete Report
Uploaded by MABLAM1 on Sep 19, 2002
Geography
Lithuania is the largest of the three Baltic countries. It is located on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea at 56 00 N and 24 00 E. Lithuania covers 65,300 square kilometers and 99 kilometers of coastline. It borders Latvia in the north, Belarus in the southeast, and Poland and Russia in the southwest. In the southeast lies Lithuania’s capitol, Vilnius (Coutsoukis).
Nature has been generous to Lithuania. Although it does not have any great forest or mountains, the country is known for its beautiful landscapes. Lithuania’s hills and plains are great for farming. The land is used for: 12% permanent crops, 7% permanent pastures, 31% forest and woodlands, and 35% arable land (Coutsoukis). Lithuania has hundreds of small rivers and 3,000 lakes that carry water from the Baltic Sea. The lakes cover about .5% of Lithuania. The longest and largest river is the Neman. The largest fresh water lake is Kauno Morios, and the deepest is 260 feet deep and is the Tauraghai (World Book). Lithuania’s famous, “amber coast,” called the Curonian Split, produces the country’s largest resource (Lithuanian Tourist Board).
Lithuania can be broken down into eight sections. Its highland in the east, Aukstaitija. This section has pine forests, hills, and hundreds of lakes. Zomaitiji, of the northwest, is noted for its dialect, roadside shrines, and local culture. Between Aukstaitija and Zomaitiji are the central lowlands that have the largest agriculture. The southern region, east of the Neman River, is the hilly Dzukija. On the other side of the Neman River is Suvalkija, with large lakes and agriculture. The Kaunas Region is generally flat and farmed, except for the steep hills bordering the Neman River Valley (Lonely Planet). Finally, the Vilnius Region contains the capitol and the highest hill, Juozapine, at 294 meters (Ramunas).
The climate in Lithuania is a mixture between maritime and continental. Strong winds blow from the North Atlantic Ocean bringing mild temperatures in the east during winter. The coldest month in Lithuania is January, with temperatures that average from 27 °F on the seacoast, and 21 °F in the east. In July, Lithuania’s hottest month, temperatures are averaged at 61 °F on the coast, and 64 °F in the east (World Book). In 1998, there were 1,635 hours of sunshine, 757 millimeters of total precipitation, and an...