DEMOGRAPHY of Lithuania

Source: Department of Statistics, Republic of Lithuania                

 

November 19, 2004

During the last 8 years (1996-2004) Lithuania has lost 7.5% of its population. During every of these years, the number of emigrants exceeded the number immigrating and the number of deaths exceeded the births.  At the start of year 2004,  Lithuania's population numbered 3,445,900.

The population loss rate does not appear to be subsiding.  The Lithuania's Department of Statistics reports that during the first eight months of 2004, the country's population decreased by 11.8 thousand, largely due to continuing high rate of emigration.  During this period 8,668 persons left for other countries, 1,769 more than during the same period last year.  During the same 8-month period the deaths exceeded births by 6,759 (27,408 to 20,649).  The population losses are only partially offset by immigrants, principally from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.

This downward trend is expected to continue and, with opening of borders to other EU countries, possibly to accelerate.  Surveys, conducted earlier in 2004, indicate that 70-90% of Lithuanian youth (15-24 years old) and 60-75% of youth with higher education, given an opportunity, would emigrate to Western countries.

 

Population (in 1000's as of January 1)                                 Tables Updated: 7/10/05

YEAR

1989

1996

1998

2001 *

2002

2003

2004

 2005

Total

3674.8

3711.9

3704.0

3487.0

3475.6 3462.5 3445.9 3425.5

Urban

2486.8

2518.4

2525.2

2334.2

2326.2 2317.2 2297.4

Rural

1188.0

1193.5

1178.8

1152.8

 1149.4 1145.3 1148.5

% Urban

67.7

67.8

68.2

  66.9

 66.9 66.9 66.7  

Males

1739.0

1752.6

1747.1

 1630.9

 1624.5 1617.3 1608.7  

Females

1935.8

1959.3

1956.9

 1956.1

 1851.1 1845.2 1837.2  

F/M Ratio

1.11

1.12

1.12

  1.138

 1.140 1.141 1.142  

% Under 20 of age

14.6(1991)

28.6

27.9

  32.52

 31.88 31.60 30.38  

% 20 – 60

69.5(1991)

54.1

54.2

  48.15

 48.42 48.82 49.36  

% Over 60

14.6(1991)

17.3

17.9

  19.33

 19.7 20.02 20.26  

Births

55.8

39.07

37.02

31.55

 30.01 30.60 30.6  

Deaths

38.2

42.8

40.76

  40.4 0

 41.07 40.99 41.4  

Immigration

11.8(1991)

3.025

2.71

  4.69

 5.11 4.73    

Emigration

22.5(1991)

26.39

24.83

  7.25

 7.09 11.03    
* NOTES:  (1)The population figures in the above table for 2001 are projected figures from the last census. Census conducted in early 2001 came up with a total population of only 3,493,400.     (2) From 2001 migration flows include foreigners coming to and staying in Lithuania for 1-yr.     (3) The emigration data for 1990-2000 period has been revised to include estimated numbers of illegal emigrants.

 

Population in Largest Cities (in 1000s):

DATE 1/1/01 1/1/02 1/1/04
Vilnius 589.2 553.2 552.8
Kaunas 409.8 373.7 368.9
Klaipeda 201.8 191.6 190.2
Panevezis 133.6 118.8 117.6
Siauliai 146.2 132.7 131.2
Alytus   71.5 70.7

                                                

Number of Religious Communities          

  1997 2001     2002    

2003   

2004
Roman Catholic (parishes)  693 690    679 677 677
Lutheran 54 54 54 54 54
Church of Old Rites 57  27 54 59 59
Orthodox Church 44 46 47 51 50
Evangelical Protestant 11 12 13    
Eastern Rite Catholic 5  4 4 4 4
Moslem 5 5 5 5 5
Jewish  1 3 5 5 6
Karaiman 1 1 1 1 1

  79.0% of Lithuanian population are Roman Catholics and 4.07% are of Orthodox faith.  14.86% profess no religion and the remaining 2.1%consider themselves followers of 19 different religious dominations.  As of 1/1/04, there were 708 active R.C. churches and 774 R.C. priests.

 

Population by nationality :

YEAR

 1979         1989       2001
 Lithuanian 80.0% 79.6% 83.5%
 Russian 8.9% 9.4 % 6.3%
 Polish 7.3% 7.0 % 6.7%
Byelorussian  1.7% 1,7 % 1.2%
 Ukrainian 1.0% 1.2 % 0.7%
Jewish              0.4% 0.3 % 0.1%
Latvian 0.1% 0.1% 0.1%
Tartar 0.1% 0.1% 0.1%
Roma 0.1% 0.2% 0.1%
Other 0.7% 0.8 % 1.5%
Unknown     0.9%
NOTE:  According to 2001 Census data, 92.9 % of resident population was born in Lithuania, but only 82% consider Lithuanian as their native language.  7.9 % of population consider Russian, and 5.6% consider Polish as their native languages.
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