Section7.Lithuania

** 1.History/Background of E.U. Country **


 * [[image:pictures_of_Lituania.gif width="177" height="116"]] || Lithuania has many languages, but the main languages are Lithuanian, Polish, and Russian. In 1236, Duke Mingdaugus created the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Lithuania and Poland created an official union in 1385. Lithuania has had trouble with many groups of people including Vikings (500s AD), also the Russians and the Slavs. It was also ruled by the Soviet Union until 1991. In 1569, Poland was slowly conquering Lithuania, but the Russians got to them first. Lithuania was the last country to accept the Christian religion. During WWI, Germany took control over Lithuania until Poland tried again to rule over it, but both failed to do so in 1939. In WWII, the Soviet Union took control over the poor country, only to lose it to Germany, then gain it, then for the last time, lose it again in 1991. Finally, on September 7, 2004, Lithuania was accepted in to the European Union. Lithuania is now a free republic! ||


 * 2. Year of Admission to E.U. History and General Information about the E.U.**
 * || Lithuania was admitted into the E.U. on September 7, 2004. The E.U. was built, aiming towards no more wars between neighbors. The E.U. started around 1952, along with the European Coal and Steel Community. 1960's E.U. countries stopped charging custom duties when trading amongst themselves. They agreed over a joint food production. The E.U. started out with six to nine countries and now has twenty-seven countries. Up until 1993 the E.U. was known as the European Community. ||

Click here to look at Lithuania 360 degrees! || The E.U. has agreed on climate change. The European Council will give money to help climate change as long as others do as well. The E.U. gives this problem more money than anyone else. The objective of the E.U. ,concerning global climate change, is to stay below two degrees celcius. Our country wishes to preserve natural resources and wildlife so that we may get more tourists. media type="file" key="Sarah 1.wav" Click on the link to hear our view! ||
 * 3. How does the E.U. and your country feel about global temperatures/climate change? (//environmental issue)// **
 * [[image:pictures_for_social_studies.jpg width="300" height="225" link="http://www.360cities.net/image/rose-garden-palanga-lithuania"]]

media type="file" key="Sarah 2.wav" Click on the link to hear our view! ||
 * 4. How does the E.U. and your country feel about supporting the war in Afghanistan? //(political issue)// **
 * || The EU and Afghanistan has an adopted new partnership. The EU and the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan want to make Afghanistan a secure,stable, free, and democratic. The EU gives Afghanistan more money than any other European country, they give them 1 billion euro a year; more than any other EU country receives. The European Union supports President Hamid Karzai in his speech on security and the government. As you can probably tell, the E.U very highly supports Afghanistan, and it wants to help in any way it can. Based on this information, Lithuania also supports the war. Because of our countries small size compared to other E.U countries it really just goes along with the unions initial decision we believe that this is true because there is not as many people to rule over the European Unions decisions. It will go along with the choice of the European Union with out needing to be bribed; also because what ever the EU chooses is what goes no ifs, ands or buts about it.


 * 5. What is the economic background of your country and how does your country feel about supporting the economies of weaker countries in the E.U? //(economic issue)// **
 * || The small country of Lithuania has not yet adopted the Euro. It produces machinery, fertilizers, textiles, processed foods, and light industrial products. Lithuania has few natural resources so it mostly depends on raw imported materials. the countries main exports are machinery parts, meat and dairy products, and also consumer goods. The production in Lithuania declined with independence as regular supply arrangements were interrupted. Lucky for Lithuanians, ties have been and are being established with Western Europe creating good relationships to raise the amount of money, investments, and product in Lithuania. Since our country is a poorer nation, we feel like other richer EU governments should support weaker economies because in the stage that we are currently in, we are considered to have a weaker less stable economy.

 media type="file" key="Sarah 3.wav" Click on the link to hear our view! ||