lietuviai

Lietuviai, or Lithuanians, are a Baltic ethnic group native to Lithuania. They speak Lithuanian, a Baltic language, and constitute the majority of the population in modern Lithuania. There are also Lithuanian communities abroad, notably in North America and Western Europe.

Language is a central marker of lietuviai identity. Lithuanian is part of the Baltic branch of the Indo-European family and preserves historic features from proto-Baltic. The language has two main dialect groups, Aukštaitian and Samogitian, with standard Lithuanian largely based on Aukštaitian. It uses the Latin alphabet and is used in education, media, and public life.

Historically, the Lithuanians emerged as a distinct ethnic group in the medieval era. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania formed in the 13th–14th centuries, later uniting with Poland to create the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. After the partitions of the Polish-Lithuanian state, Lithuania regained independence in 1918, endured occupation during World War II, and was incorporated into the Soviet Union until regaining independence in 1990–1991.

Culture and religion have shaped lietuviai identity. The majority are Roman Catholic, with minority communities of other faiths. Traditional practices include sutartinės, multipart folk singing, and a strong song and dance heritage celebrated in national events such as the Song Festival. Lithuanian literature and arts have produced notable figures since the 19th century, and Vilnius serves as the capital and cultural center.

Demographics and diaspora: in Lithuania, lietuviai form the majority, with minorities such as Poles and Russians. A global Lithuanian diaspora exists in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, and Australia, among other countries, sustaining cross-border cultural and economic ties.