Culture of Lithuania - Ethnicity and Nationality

Ethnicity and Nationality

Lithuania has the most homogeneous population in the Baltic states. In the 2001 census, 83.45% of the population identified themselves as ethnic Lithuanians, 6.74% as Poles, 6.31% as Russians, 1.23% as Belarusians, and 2.27% as members of other ethnic groups. Poles in Lithuania are concentrated in the Vilnius region, allowing Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania, their ethnically-based party, to exert some influence. Russians, however, are relatively evenly spread throughout Lithuania. Lithuanians are usually divided into 5 groups: Samogitians, Sudovians, Aukštaitians, Dzūkians and Lietuvininks, although the Lietuviniks are nearly extinct. City dwellers, however, are most often called simply Lithuanians.

Lithuania's ethnic composition has undergone significant changes throughout history. The most significant one of these was the extermination of Jews during the Holocaust. Before World War II, approximately 7.5% of Lithuanians were Jewish, referred to as Litvaks. The population of Vilnius was 30% Jewish. Almost all of Lithuania's Jews either were killed by Nazi Germany or emigrated, and the 2001 census only counted 4007 Jews.