, the biggest of the three Baltic states
. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea
, whereby to the west lie Sweden
and Denmark
. It shares borders with Latvia
to the north, Belarus
to the east and south, Poland
to the south, and a Russia
n exclave (Kaliningrad Oblast
) to the southwest. Lithuania has an estimated population of 3.2 million as of 2011, and its capital and largest city is Vilnius
.
1009 First known mention of Lithuania, in the annals of the monastery of Quedlinburg.
1253 Mindaugas is crowned King of Lithuania.
1674 The nobility elect John Sobieski King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania.
1863 The January Uprising breaks out in Poland, Lithuania and Belarus. The aim of the national movement is to regain Polish-Lithuanian-Ruthenian Commonwealth from occupation by Russia.
1917 Lithuania declares its independence from Russia.
1918 The Council of Lithuania unanimously adopts the Act of Independence, declaring Lithuania an independent state.
1918 Germany, Austria and Russia sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk ending Russia's involvement in World War I, and leading to the independence of Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.
1920 The Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty is signed. Soviet Russia recognises independent Lithuania.
1920 The Suwalki Agreement between Poland and Lithuania is signed.
1923 Lithuania seizes and annexes Memel.