Labas!
Lithuania is a small country with a complicated history, which is quite a common topic among people here. But this time, we are here not for it. Let’s highlight some facts that can become great talking points for small/big talk with local people.First of all, here are some facts about Lithuania nowadays:
Lithuania is the biggest size- and population-wise of the Baltic States (Latvia and Estonia are smaller).
Lithuania has been a member of NATO and the EU since 2004. We are proud of this membership.
Lithuania has the highest number of hot air balloons per capita. Vilnius is also one of the few capitals in the world where you can fly in a hot air balloon. Usually, the season starts in the middle of April and ends in the middle of October.
Source: Karolina, OLS Community Manager
Lithuania has more than 5,500 lakes, both large and small. It’s a remarkable number for such a small country, don’t you think?
Closely related to the previous point is the fact that we have one of the cleanest water in Europe and the world. You can safely drink water from the tap.
Lithuania is a flat country. We don’t have mountains and big hills here. However, try to go to Šeškinė on the bike, and you will see that Vilnius is not so flat after all.
Did you know that the strongest man on the planet is Lithuanian? Yes. Žydrūnas Savickas proved it 13 times!
Our small country has its dog breed! The Lithuanian Hound is a rare, medium-sized hunting dog. It is the only dog breed originating in this country and dates back to the medieval Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
Many celebrities of international fame have Lithuanian heritage. Among them are Hollywood star Jason Sudeikis, Red Hot Chili Peppers vocalist Anthony Kiedis, singer Pink, action movie icon Charles Bronson, NBA champion Rick Barry, basketball player Joe Arlauckas, American football star Dick Butkus, tennis player Vitas Gerulaitis, Fluxus art movement founder Jurgis Mačiūnas, martial arts champion Rose Namajunas, actor Sean Penn, director Robert Zemeckis, and others.
Some facts about the past:
Lithuania stands out as the last pagan nation in Europe, holding onto its beliefs a millennium after the rest of the continent embraced Christianity. People’s devotion to multiple gods for weather, harvest, and fertility preserved Lithuanian culture and traditions, which continue to this day. This unique blend of religious history and folklore makes Lithuania a fascinating place to explore its rich pre-Christian pagan past. Today, Lithuania is among the most devout Christian nations in Europe, with significant religious sites like Vilnius's ornate churches and Šiauliai's Hill of Crosses found countrywide.
Lithuanians highly value honey, and in ancient times, killing a bee with malicious intent could even result in the death penalty, as bees were considered sacred creatures. This tradition underscores the deep respect for nature and the significance of bees in Lithuanian culture.
While oranges grow on trees in some countries, in Lithuania, they do not. During the interwar period, as a new state, Lithuania began gradually importing goods from Western Europe. Fruits like bananas and oranges were extremely expensive and often bought individually rather than by weight. They were considered luxurious gifts, given to women on dates or as a thank-you for favors, highlighting their value and rarity in Lithuanian society at the time.
Interesting facts about the Lithuanian language:
Among all European languages, Lithuanian has the most diminutive and endearing terms. By adding different suffixes, an endless number of diminutive descriptions can be created for words in Lithuanian. Such words can be infinitely multiplied, forming them from verbs and adverbs, adjectives, and nouns. For this reason, Lithuanian is considered one of the most poetic languages.
Another reason the Lithuanian language is considered musical and simultaneously complicated to speak is due to its unique accentuation system. In other Indo-European languages, it is either simplified or lost. Lithuanian has preserved the variation of pitch accents and the mobility of stress placement. Like before, modern Lithuanian retains four accentuation patterns.
The Lithuanian language consists of about half a million words. The Comprehensive Lithuanian Language Dictionary is one of the largest in the world, comprising 20 volumes. For comparison, the English dictionary has 14 volumes, Russian has 17, and Norwegian has 12 volumes. This dictionary includes all words that have ever existed in the language, including dialectal variations, foreign loanwords, and even swear words. It also contains words that have become obsolete due to lifestyle changes and are no longer in use.
No other language in its dictionary has the word "knygnešys" (smuggler book carrier) because book smuggling is a unique phenomenon, a cultural movement that protected the Lithuanian language from extinction. After suppressing the 1863–1864 uprising, the Russian Empire banned printing, importing, and distributing Lithuanian publications written in Latin letters. This ban lasted 40 years, during which Lithuanian publications were printed abroad. Smugglers secretly transported printed books, newspapers, and magazines across the border. Book smuggling became a crucial part of the Lithuanian national movement, a true phenomenon in 19th-century Lithuania's history.
Do you find these facts interesting? Should I share more of these? Let me know in the comments! Also, if you have questions about these facts, they are more than welcome!
Karolina, OLS Community Manager – Lithuanian