Lithuania is one of the three Baltic countries along with Latvia and Estonia situated along the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe; it is the largest amongst the three countries. Lithuania in ancient times was the center of an important kingdom known as the Kingdom of Lithuania at one time in the 14th century and was among the largest in Europe. The kingdom rivaled Russia in the medieval period and encompassed territories stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea.

In 1569 Lithuania and Poland formed a dual state known as the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth; in 1795 the territories of the Commonwealth were divided between Russia, Prussia and Austria with Russia occupying most of present day Lithuania.

The country regained its independence on February 16, 1918 which proved to be short lived as Poland, the Soviet Union and Germany successively occupied the country. After World War II the Soviet Union controlled Lithuanian territories and the country became a satellite state of the USSR. Lithuania proclaimed its independence on March 11, 1990 and adopted a Parliamentary democracy type of government.