WEEKLY QUIZ True or False Transylvania is an actual place in Bulgaria.

A: False

LITHUANIACultureKinnect2014

LOCATION

QUICK FACTS Capital: Vilnius Ethnic Make-up: Lithuanian 80.6%, Russian 8.7%, Polish 7%,

Belarusian 1.6%, other 2.1% Religions:  Roman Catholic (primarily), Lutheran, Russian

Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical Christian Baptist, Muslim, Jewish

Language: Offical language of Lithuania is the Baltic language of Lithuanian. More than 80% of the country's 3.8m population speaks Lithuanian as their first language. Minority languages include Belarusian (1.5%), Polish (7.7%), Russian (8%). Others, most notably Ukrainian and Yiddish make up a further 2.1%.

Government: Parliamentary democracy

FLAG

The yellow in the flag is meant to symbolize the golden fields of Lithuania, the green is for its green countrysides, and the red represents all the blood that has been shed for Lithuania

CURRENCY Lithuanian litas Divided into 100 centų The euro was expected to replace the litas by January 1,

2010, but persistent high inflation and the economic crisis have delayed Lithuania's euro adoption.

1 Lithuanian Litas equals 0.40 US Dollar

ECONOMY Mainly agricultural Light industry, metalworking, and woodworking, along

with petroleum refining Livestock breeding, primarily pigs, and dairy farming are

an important sector of the economy Cereals, flax, beets, and potatoes are the primary crops.

ARCHITECTURE

FOOD National dishes reflect the economic situation and the

fact that the weather is cold for much of the year, creating a shortage of vegetables in the winter and a desire to prepare and eat warm, wholesome food.

Pork, smoked meats, cabbage, beets, and potatoes are staples.

Two favorite traditional dishes are šaltibarščiai , cold beet soup with buttermilk, and cepelinai , boiled potato dumplings filled with meat or curd and served with fried pork fat or sour cream.

The Christmas Eve meal, kučios , is the most symbolic meal of the year. Twelve meatless dishes are prepared, including several types of herring, grain porridge, and often pickled mushrooms. Hay sometimes is sprinkled under the tablecloth to represent the manger where Jesus was born. People often eat kučiukai (bite-sized biscuitlike cakes) with poppy milk (poppy seeds boiled with water and sugar) for dessert. They also break symbolic Christmas wafers ( Dievo pyragai ) which were once acquired in churches but are now available in local shops at Christmas, to bring the family closer together and wish for a healthy and successful year. If a family member has died in the past year, a plate and chair are placed at the table, along with a small candle, to welcome the spirit to participate in one last family gathering.

ETIQUETTE Lithuanians are a reserved people with respect for tradition. They

generally will not go out of their way to greet someone they do not know; people on public conveyances do not look directly at someone else unless they are friends and generally give up their seats to their elders.

Men always shake the hands of male friends when they meet in a café or on the street but never inside a door. This is one of many superstitions, which include not whistling indoors for fear of calling little devils and not sitting at the corner of a table if one wishes to marry soon.

Do not give white flowers - they are reserved for weddings.

Gifts are generally opened when received

DRESS

CELEBRATIONS Shrove Tuesday - the second Tuesday in February Midsummer's Eve (Saint John's Day) on 24 June,

celebrates the arrival of summer. The tradition includes running into the forest at night to search for fern blossoms. Legend holds that Midsummer's Eve is a night for young people to find a mate, and finding a fern blossom is a sign of great luck. Women and girls make wreaths of flowers to be worn on their heads or floated down the river with candles.