Independent between the two World Wars, Lithuania was annexed by the USSR in 1940. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but this proclamation was not generally recognized until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow).

The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently has restructured its economy for eventual integration into Western European institutions.
Lithuania, the southern-most Baltic state, was once a powerful force in medieval Europe.

In modern times it suffered from the tragic impact of a German invasion during World War II, and the almost 60 years of failed Communist rule.

When the former Soviet Union collasped in 1991, it finally gained its independence.

Lithuania is slowly adapting to western economic policies, and its economy, though changing, still depends on a strong agricultural base.