Relocating to Lithuania

The Land and Its People

Situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, Lithuania is the largest of the three Baltic States, with an estimated population of 3.5 million in 2014, and 65,300 square kilometers of land.

The majority of its population are native Lithuanians (around 84%), but its close proximity to both Eastern Europe and Scandinavia means that it also has a growing population of non-nationals, the biggest groups of which are Poles (6.6%), Russians (5.8%), and Belarusians (1.2%).

Lithuania’s strong economy and focus on technology attracts many expatriates, mainly to Vilnius, the capital city. Although the official language is Lithuanian, many people also speak Russian, Polish, and Ukrainian. English is taught in schools but is rarely spoken by the business community, as the law states that all business dealings must be conducted in Lithuanian.

The Climate in Lithuania

Lithuania has a relatively mild climate that ranges between maritime and continental, depending on where you are in the country. On the coast average summer temperatures are around 16 °C, and drop to −2.5 °C in the winter. Inland temperatures in the summer are 20 °C on average and −6 °C in the winter months.

Average annual precipitation also varies across the country, from 800 mm on the coast to 900 mm in the Samogitia highlands; the eastern part of Lithuania can experience severe storms in the winter months. Snow is common every winter throughout Lithuania.

Getting to Lithuania

The excellent transport infrastructure makes moving to Lithuania very easy. There are four major airports in Lithuania, the biggest of which, Vilnius International Airport, is located in the capital city, and is where many expatriates moving to Lithuania will enter the country. The others are Kaunas Airport, Palanga International Airport, and Siauliai International Airport.

The other five airports with paved runways are only able to accommodate small, domestic flights, but this does mean that you can continue your onward journey by plane once landing at one of the international airports.

Lithuania has three major ports, Būtingė, Klaipėda, and Sventoji, all located on the Baltic Sea. Many expatriates moving to Lithuania have their furniture and large personal belongings shipped to one of these ports, or have them driven into the country through Europe. Lithuania has direct rail links with some neighboring countries, including Latvia, Belarus, Russia, and Poland.