Lithuania gained its independence in 1918. Its capital is Vilnius and the official language is Lithuanian. About 2.846 million people live in Lithuania (2017), which is a decline from its estimated 2.95 million inhabitants in 2013. The dominant religion is Roman Catholicism. Lithuania’s top exports are crude petroleum and refined petroleum, packaged medicaments, cars, and petroleum gas. The time zone is 6 hours ahead of EST.

A fun fact about Lithuanian is that it is the oldest surviving Indo-European language. The language itself is very old and is related to Sanskrit, one of the oldest languages in the world. Also unique is that Lithuania provides the fastest public WiFi service in the world.

A must-see place is the Siauliai Hill of Crosses, a sacred religious site with thousands upon thousands of crosses there as a tribute to when the Soviet Union banned religion. The capital, Vilnius, should be visited as well for its plethora of museums, churches, and other interesting attractions. The Bernardine Gardens in Vilnius will give travelers a beautiful and relaxing place to visit and escape the bustling city life.