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LITHUANIA.TXT
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1992-09-02
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Lithuania is found on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea in north eastern
Europe. It was first established as an independent kingdom in the mid
thirteenth century. In the sixteenth century it united with Poland. During
the late eighteenth century Lithuania was slowly incorporated into the
Russian Empire following the partition of Poland. However, in 1918 it
declared its independence which was confirmed the following year by the
terms of the Treaty of Versailles. After the Soviet Union proclaimed it to
be one of its Soviet Socialist Republics in 1940, the Germans occupied
Lithuania during the Second World War. However, the Soviet Union quickly
recaptured the territory and once more staked claim to it. Following
multiparty elections in 1990 independence was declared, which the Soviet
Union eventually recognised after fighting between Lithuanians and Soviet
troops. Most of the people are Roman Catholics and Lithuanian is the
official language.