Lietuva in brief - 2013-06-27

Over the past decade the number of families in Lithuania fell by more than 10 percent, reports ELTA. The census carried out in 2011 recorded 861,400 families, and comprised 2.6 million people, whereas in 2001 the number of families stood at 962,600, comprised of 3 million people. The average family size has decreased from 3.18 people in 2001 to 3.03 people in 2011. According to the data at the Department of Statistics, on March 1, 2011, 1.267 million households were recorded in Lithuania. In a decade the number of households decreased by 6.6 percent. Single person households accounted for 31.7 percent, while two-four person households - 62 percent; five or more - 6.3 percent of all the households. The average household size declined from 2.55 persons in 2001 to 2.38 in 2011.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a note to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs asking for help in the repatriation back to Lithuania of the body of the murdered mountain climber, reports ELTA. The note also asks ensuring the safety of a second Lithuanian resident, to make sure that his documents and personal belongings would be returned and to help him return home safely. The MFA says they are in a constant contact with the victim’s family, provide them with information and help. On June 23, a group of militants stormed a hotel near the base camp of the Nanga Parbat peak in northern Pakistan, killing nine foreign tourists and their guide, including Lithuanian Ernestas Marksaitis. Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan has claimed responsibility for the attack. On Monday Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the death of the Lithuanian citizen in the north of Pakistan when militants of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan alliance attacked the climbers’ camp.

During the first quarter of 2013 most Lithuanians heading abroad traveled to the United Kingdom, the Lithuanian Department of Statistics said, reports ELTA. 47,800 travelers or 16.9 percent of all Lithuanians who traveled abroad went to the UK in January-March 2013. Other countries most Lithuanians went to were: Poland (31,000 travelers or 11 percent), Belarus (28,800 or 10.2 percent), Russia (26,000 or 9.2 percent), Germany (24,600 or 8.7 percent) and Latvia (18,700 or 6.6 percent). During the first quarter of 2013, 225,400 residents of the country traveled abroad; it increased by 5.7 percent compared the first quarter of 2012. Fifty-four percent of travelers were male. The number of trips abroad increased by 1.1 percent from January-March 2013 compared to the same period in 2012. During the first quarter of 2013, 74 percent of trips abroad were personal, while 26 percent were for business. In the first quarter of 2013, personal travel decreased by 1 percent, whereas business trips increased by 7.3 percent compared to the corresponding period in 2012. In the first quarter of 2013 Lithuanians traveling abroad spent 413.7 million litas (120 million euros), or 6.8 percent more year-on-year.