Ethnicities in Lithuania

According to the census conducted in 2011, about

15.8% of Lithuania's population was composed

of ethnic minorities

Ethnic groups Total population Population %

ethnic Lithuanians 2.561314 84.2

Poles 200.317 6.6

Russians 176.913 5.8

Belarusians 36.27 1.2

Ukrainians 16.423 0.5

Jews 3.050 0.1

Tatars 2.793 0.09

Germans 2.418 0.07

Roma 2.115 0.07

Latvians 2.025 0.06

Armenians 1.233 0.04

Azerbaijani 648 0.02

Moldovans 540 0.01

Georgian 372 0.01

Estonian 314 0.01

Karaims 241 0.008

Other 3.508 0.1

LithuaniansAs we see Lithuanians are the majority of the population with around 84.2 percent who like nature and have a strong feeling of a shared culture that begins as early as primary school where folk music, national traditions and holidays play an important role. The pride in surviving a period of repression and difficulty is a focal point of the national culture. Lithuanian is spoken by nearly everyone in the country except for a few Russians and Poles in Vilnius and in the extreme east and south. It is a language with many words to describe a single idea. There are a lot of nature words, probably because the people are so fond of the outdoors. This is particularly evident in traditional personalnames such as Rūta ("Rue"), Aušra ("Dawn"), and Giedrius ("Dew.)

PolesPoles come second, mostly concentrated in Southeast Lithuania including Vilnius.They are known for being direct communicators, i.e. they say what they are thinking. However, they are also very sensitive to other’s feelings and let that determine how and what they say. Poles are fun lovers who enjoy festivities, traditions and centuries-old Polish customs.

RussiansRussians are third with their liveliest communities in cities. It certainly is the most visible ethnic group. You can hear Russian music in certain bars and restaurants or see the Russian TV stations on. Russian people are hospitable, risk-taking and warm-hearted.

Belarusians and UkrainiansThe fourth largest ethnicity in Lithuania are the Belarusians, the fifth are the Ukrainians. Together with the other ethnicities of former Soviet Union these two are sometimes labeled Russophobes and are also concentrated primarily in the cities

Other traditional minorities in Lithuania are the Jews, Germans, Tatars, Latvians, Karaimsand Gypsies, each of them centuries-old but consisting of 0,1% or less population today.

Both Tatars and Karaims have Turkic roots and their presence in Lithuania dates to the 15th century when the Grand Duchy of Lithuania spanned from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Tatars’ and Karaims’ ancestors were brought to Lithuania by Grand Duke Vytautas the Great to serve as soldiers. They settled around the capital city Vilnius.

JewsJews began living in Lithuania as early as the 8th century. Once a mighty Jewish urban community which made majority in some towns of Lithuania was greatly hit by the Nazi Germany and its Holocaust (1941-1945). The remaining Jews largely emigrated to Israel, Palestine and South Africa.

LatviansLatvians, together with the Lithuanians, are the only nations speaking Baltic languages left in the world. Their relations are generally very good, and they call each other brothers. Perhaps because of their cultural similarity to Lithuanians the Latvians of Lithuania generally receive less public attention than other traditional minorities of similar size.

Gypsies Gypsies (Romani people) make up only a small portion of Lithuanian population (2 500 people) but they are very visible. Family is of utmost importance and Gypsies have more children than any other Lithuania's community. Unregistered teenage marriages (14-16 year old girls) are common. Some children attend school yet others do not as education is not valued.

Inter-ethnic relations are generally good in Lithuania. Unlike in many European nations the Lithuania’s largest ethnic minorities enjoy public schools where the language of instruction is their native one rather than the official Lithuanian language. Their different characteristics, manners, habits and ways of life from the majority are respected.