At a Glance
Lithuania: References & Edit History
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Additional Reading
General works
Simas Sužiedēlis (ed.), Encyclopedia Lituanica, 6 vol. (1970–78), is a comprehensive work, with many of the articles translated from Lithuanian. The following titles were published in the U.S.S.R. and present the Soviet point of view: Jonas Zinkus (ed.), Lithuania: An Encyclopedic Survey, trans. from Lithuanian (1986), informative but with no index; Bronius Akstinas, Glimpses of Lithuania, 2nd ed., trans. from Lithuanian (1978), a descriptive work; and Vilius Baltrēnas (compiler), In the Eyes of Foreign Guests: Meetings with Soviet Lithuania, trans. from Lithuanian (1983). Histories of the Lithuanian church contribute significantly to a characterization of the people in Antanas Musteikis, The Reformation in Lithuania: Religious Fluctuations in the Sixteenth Century (1988); Michael Bourdeaux, Land of Crosses: The Struggle for Religious Freedom in Lithuania, 1939–78 (1979); and Kestutis K. Girnius, “Nationalism and the Catholic Church in Lithuania,” in Pedro Ramet (ed.), Eastern Christianity and Politics in the Twentieth Century (1988), pp. 82–103.
History
A broad historical survey is offered in Albertas Gerutis (ed.), Lithuania, 700 Years, 6th ed. (1984). A good survey of Lithuanian history in the 20th century is John Hiden and Patrick Salmon, The Baltic Nations and Europe: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in the Twentieth Century (1994). More specialized histories include Leonas Sabaliūnas, Lithuanian Social Democracy in Perspective, 1893–1914 (1990); Alfred Erich Senn, The Great Powers, Lithuania, and the Vilna Question, 1920–1928 (1966); and Robertas Ziugza, Lithuania and Western Powers, 1917–1940 (1987; originally published in Lithuanian, 1983). Robert A. Vitas, The United States and Lithuania: The Stimson Doctrine of Nonrecognition (1990), examines the diplomatic history of the 1940s; and Bronis J. Kaslas (ed.), The USSR-German Aggression Against Lithuania (1973), illustrates the period through documents. K.V. Tauras, Guerilla Warfare on the Amber Coast (1962), discusses underground movements in the 1940s; V. Stanley Vardys (ed.), Lithuania Under the Soviets: Portrait of a Nation, 1940–65 (1965), analyzes postwar developments; and Thomas Remeikis, Opposition to Soviet Rule in Lithuania, 1945–1980 (1980), carries the history into the late 20th century. The history of the Polish-Lithuanian confederation is brilliantly covered in Norman Davies, Europe: A History (1996). Analysis of the independence movement is presented in Alfred Erich Senn, Lithuania Awakening (1990); and Richard J. Krickus, Showdown: The Lithuanian Rebellion and the Breakup of the Soviet Empire (1997). A popular and well-written history of the Baltic states, mainly focusing on the period after glasnost, is Anatol Lieven, The Baltic Revolution: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and the Path to Independence (1994).
Article Contributors
Primary Contributors
- James H. Bater
- Romuald J. Misiunas
- Kazimieras Meškauskas
-
Aivars Stranga
Director, Latvian Institute of International Affairs; Professor, University of Latvia.
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The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors
Article History
| Type | Description | Contributor | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Updated currency exchange rate. | Nov 12, 2026 | ||
| Country Profile: Deleted literacy rate. | Aug 04, 2026 | ||
| Invalidated site: Interesting Facts for Kids - Interesting Lithuania Facts. | Mar 10, 2021 | ||
| Corrected display issue. | Jan 28, 2021 | ||
| Country Profile: Updated head of government. | Dec 14, 2020 | ||
| Country Profile: Updated head of state. | Jul 15, 2019 | ||
| Add new Web site: Interesting Facts for Kids - Interesting Lithuania Facts. | Jan 18, 2019 | ||
| Country Profile: Expanded country profile. | May 11, 2018 | ||
| Country Profile: Updated head of government. | Dec 14, 2016 | ||
| Add new Web site: World InfoZone - Lithuania. | Dec 06, 2016 | ||
| Country Profile: Updated monetary unit; revised footnote. | May 25, 2016 | ||
| In Economy section, added data chart. | May 16, 2016 | ||
| Media added. | May 16, 2016 | ||
| In People section, added data chart. | May 16, 2016 | ||
| Added locator map to the Introduction. | May 16, 2016 | ||
| Updated for Lithuania's adoption of the euro. | Jan 21, 2015 | ||
| Country Profile: Updated monetary unit. | Jan 20, 2015 | ||
| Country Profile: Country Profile: Updated prime minister. | Jan 29, 2013 | ||
| Add new Web site: GlobalSecurity.org - Lithuania, Europe. | Jan 10, 2013 | ||
| Add new Web site: Iloveindia.com - Lithuania, Europe. | Jan 10, 2013 | ||
| Country Profile: Added name of head of state and head of government, along with urban-rural, life expectancy, literacy, and GNI per capita statistics. | Feb 27, 2012 | ||
| Add new Web site: JewishEncyclopedia.com - Lithuania. | Feb 01, 2011 | ||
| National anthem added. | Dec 21, 2010 | ||
| Changed "The Netherlands" to "the Netherlands." | Sep 15, 2010 | ||
| Country Profile: Updated area and population figures. | Mar 12, 2010 | ||
| Updated economy section with the closure of Lithuania's Ignalina nuclear power plant. | Jan 05, 2010 | ||
| Dalia Grybauskaite, the EU budget commissioner, won the May 2009 presidential election, capturing about 69 percent of the vote. | May 29, 2009 | ||
| Updated to reflect the growing importance of tourism on the Baltic coast. | May 05, 2009 | ||
| Added new Web site: National Geographic - Travel and Cultures - Lithuania. | Apr 20, 2009 | ||
| Article revised and updated. | Jul 29, 2008 | ||
| Bibliography revised and updated. | Jul 29, 2008 | ||
| Article revised and updated. | Apr 21, 2008 | ||
| Article revised and updated. | Dec 14, 2006 | ||
| Added new Web site: Library of Congress - Lithuania - Selected Internet Resources. | Aug 08, 2006 | ||
| Added new Web site: Central Intelligence Agency - The World Factbook - Lithuania. | Jul 25, 2006 | ||
| Article revised. | Mar 10, 2005 | ||
| Article revised. | Jan 04, 2002 | ||
| Article revised. | Feb 29, 2000 | ||
| Article added to new online database. | Jul 26, 1999 |
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