VILNIUS - A new study by Hansabankas has found that Lithuanians have only 20 percent - 40 percent of the living space that West Europeans enjoy, with a majority of Lithuanians living in one- or two-room apartments.
The research revealed that some 55.3 percent of Lithuania's population live in apartments, 29 percent reside in houses and cottages, over 8 percent share a dwelling house and over 5 percent live in dormitories.
The average family living space in Lithuania is 60 square meters, which is more than Slovakia, Latvia and Bulgaria in this respect. In Croatia, Hungary and Czech Republic, the average is 70 square meters, while in southern Europe it is over 80 square meters. In Holland and Denmark, the average is 99 and 109 square meters respectively.
The minimum living area per individual as established by Lithuanian law is 14 square meters, even though about one-fifth of the population has to live on a smaller floor space.
