Demographic situation

Largely flat and covered with forests, Lithuania covers a land area of 65 286 km2. Forests cover one third of the country's territory, which affects the density of the populations in urban areas. The most populated areas are the counties with the biggest cities, Vilnius, Kaunas and Klaipėda. The population density of these three cities at the start of 2023 was 87.3 inhabitants/km2, 71.7 inhabitants/km2 and 64.1 inhabitants/km2, respectively. The density is steadily increasing in these three counties. The counties with the lowest population densities are Tauragė (20.5 inhabitants/km2) and Utena (17.4 inhabitants/km2) with the density declining every year.

According to Statistics Lithuania , the country's population as at 1 July 2023 totalled 2 867 725. In 2019, the number of permanent residents in Lithuania had stopped declining and began growing every year. Lithuania's population has stabilised in recent years as a result of increased immigration from Ukraine and Belarus.

After a slight rise during the period 2005–2009, the birth rate had been steady in recent years but dropped in 2020. The natural population variations (increases/decreases), remained negative. 

Number of newborns

*Preliminary data

Source: Official Statistics Portal (last accessed: 02/2/2024)

Natural population variation (increase/decrease)

*Preliminary data

Source: Official Statistics Portal (last accessed: 02/2/2024)

Average life expectancy (years)

Source: Official Statistics Portal (last accessed: 02/2/2024)

Average life expectancy is slowly increasing. For men, it is about 10 years less than it is for women – about 70,86 years for men and 79,57 for women.

In common with other countries around the world, Lithuania has an ageing population. There has been a significant decrease in the number of school-aged children and teenagers over the last decade, while at the same time there has been a rise in the number of seniors as a percentage of the population. These demographic changes, together with the widespread problem of emigration (see below), are having a direct impact on education. With the decline in the number of pupils and students, incentives to foster the optimization of the network of educational institutions, are being developed. Measures are being taken to rejuvenate the pedagogical sector and adapt to the needs of the network.

Residents by main age groups at the start of a year (%)

Source: Official Statistics Portal (last accessed: 02/2/2024) 

According to Statistics Lithuania, the unemployment rate has been decreasing each year, but there has been a strong increase since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, it stood at 8.5%. Meanwhile, the employment rate has been increasing each year and decreased by only 0.5% last year.

Rates of unemployment and employment Lithuania (%) *

*Data for the last quarter of each year

Source: Official Statistics Portal (last accessed: 02/2/2024)

People aged 15–29 not in education or employment (NEET) (%)

Source: Official Statistics Portal (last accessed: 28/2/2023)

In 2022, 87.4 thousand people immigrated to Lithuania. The number of immigrants in Lithuania has almost doubled as compared to 2021 (42.5 thousand). Over the last years, the rate of emigration has reduced with the number of immigrants exceeding that of emigrants. The international migration of citizens of the Republic of Lithuania remains positive (more people immigrated than emigrated). In 2020, the decline in emigration was due to COVID-19. After the Russian military invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the number of immigrants increased significantly due to the arrival of Ukrainians. In 2023, more than 12 000 Ukrainian war refugees newly arrived in Lithuania. As some of the refugees are of school age, measures are taken to ensure that their education is not stopped.

Migration outflow

*Preliminary data.

Source: Official Statistics Portal (last accessed: 05/2/2024)

There is also internal migration. Recent years had seen a trend for moving from the cities to rural areas, however, more recently, the number of people traveling from towns to villages has decreased and almost equals those moving from rural areas to the towns. In 2022, 27 689 people moved from rural areas to the cities, with 35 402 moving from cities to rural areas. The total number of those who moved to the cities and migrated between cities was more than those who moved to rural areas or between those areas. This internal migration also raises an issue for the school network.

The official language of the Republic of Lithuania is Lithuanian.

According to the Official Statistics Portal, in 2023, 83.6% of residents were Lithuanians, 6.4% were Poles, 5.1% were Russians and 1.7% were Belarusians, 1.6 Ukrainians and other nationalities – 1%. There were 154 different nationalities living in Lithuania, according to the 2011 general population census.

National minorities are recognized in Lithuania. They can teach their children their native language and the history of their nations, foster their culture and follow their own religion. There are early childhood and general education schools available in Lithuania for the different minorities. Education in these institutions is provided both in the Lithuanian language and in the languages of the national minority. Studies for college and university students are also available in languages other than Lithuanian.   

There is no state religion in Lithuania. However, the biggest faith group is Roman Catholicism. According to the population census in 2011, about 77% of those who deemed themselves religious, identified as Catholics. Other religions represented, were Russian Orthodox, Old Believers, Evangelical Lutherans, Reformed Evangelicals and other faiths. Around 6% of the population claimed they did not belong to any religious community.

Most educational institutions are secular. At the request of parents, pupils in general education schools are taught religion. The Minister of Education and Science has approved the Concept of a Catholic Education System (Katalikiškojo ugdymo sistemos samprata). The ministry has indicated that 17 general education schools of different types implement elements, or all of this concept. Another concept of education approved by the Education and Science minister, is the concept of education based on Jesuit pedagogy (Jėzuitų pedagogika grįsta ugdymo Lietuvoje samprata). The ministry notes that three schools in Lithuania follow this concept.