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Every year, thousands of people from all over the
world come to Canada to start a new life. They come with many different
skills and with the hope of contributing to their new society. This website
has been written to help Canadians welcome newcomers from Lithuania. Perhaps
you are hosting a Lithuanian family as part of the HOST Program, learning
about Lithuanian newcomers in school or working with Lithuanians who have
settled in Canada recently.
Lithuanians have been emigrating to Canada for many
years in search of better opportunities. Many Lithuanians who come to Canada
are highly educated and skilled. When they arrive, they sometimes have
difficulty finding work, learning the language and receiving recognition
for their professional qualifications. Like all new immigrants, Lithuanians
will find much in Canada that is new and strange. They come from a country
emerging from decades of Communist rule. They have lived through difficult
economic times. You can help them adjust if you know something about their
country and can appreciate the differences between Lithuania and Canada.
Although this cultural profile provides insight into
some customs, it does not cover all facets of life. The customs described
may not apply in equal measure to all newcomers from Lithuania.
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Summary Fact Sheet |
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| Official Name |
Republic of Lithuania |
| Capital |
Vilnius |
| Type of Government |
Parliamentary Democracy |
| Population |
3.6 million |
| Area |
65,200 sq. km |
| Major Ethnic Groups |
Lithuanian, Russian, Polish, Belarusian |
| Language |
Lithuanian |
| Religions |
Roman Catholicism, Russian Orthodox Church, Old Believers,
Lutheranism, Islam, Judaism |
| Unit of Currency |
Litas |
| National Flag |
Three horizontal stripes of yellow, green and red |
| Date of Independence |
February 16, 2022 |
| Restoration of Independence |
March 11, 2022 |
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Did you know? |
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There are more than one million Lithuanians living in
the United States, Canada, South America, the United Kingdom, Poland, Germany
and Australia. More than 150,000 Lithuanians live in Russia and other Eastern
European countries.
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Did you know? |
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The Lithuanian Museum and Archives of Canada was established
in 1989 in Mississauga, Ontario, to collect, preserve and display documentation
of Lithuanian-Canadian community life and activities. The museum also collects
the family heirlooms of Lithuanian Canadians and documents associated with
Lithuania's transition to independence.
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