ABSTRACT
Lithuania, the largest and southernmost of the three Baltic States, stretches over an area of 65, 300 km2. Situated in the East European Lowland Plain, the country’s topography is typified by till plains and terminal moraines with many lakes, bogs and vast forests. Lithuania’s climate is of a transitional type, between continental and maritime. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was founded in 1236, when King Mindaugas united Lithuanian tribes. In 1385, the Union Treaty of Krewo formalized the Lithuanian/Polish union. Many Lithuanians subsequently converted to Christianity. The country has three administrative divisions: counties are the largest unit, followed by districts and municipalities as the smallest units. The Soviet Union’s collapse cleared Lithuania’s path to renewed independence, and in 1991 it was again recognized as a sovereign state. Land use depends heavily on soil water regimes, and large tracts of land cannot be farmed without being drained.
