Current official estimates of Lithuania's population put the figure at around 3.2 million, but early analysis of census figures indicate a more realistic figure to be below 3 million. We remind readers that the population in 1991 was 3.7 million.

Lietuvos Rytas' journalist Edmund Jakilaitis spoke with two experts, Gitana Nausėda of SEB and Rimantas Rudzkis from DnB Nord Bank to better understand the current situation.
Both agreed that it had long been suspected that Lithuania's current population is below 3 million, and more likely around the 2.9 million mark as over 700,000 are believed to have left the country since Lithuania joined the EU.

While the main reason for the exodus of Lithuanian nationals was the weak economic environment and financial crisis, the point was also raised that other countries were undergoing similarly rough times, yet they were not haemorrhaging citizens.

There is some speculation that the government's lack of support for small to medium business is partly at fault and perhaps also the inclination of Lithuanians to try to better their situation as soon as possible, instead of sitting around and waiting for the economic climate to improve.
As always, emigration has both a positive and negative impact and it must be remembered that Lithuanians living abroad send around four billion litas back to Lithuania each year. The current situation however, with so many people leaving the country, is seen as a major disadvantage to Lithuania.

Eurostat data suggests that Lithuania's population might fall to 2.5 million by 2050, but Rudzkis said that 2020 would be the more likely date. By that time the workforce would be depleted and the percentage of older population increased causing a crisis in revenue. Public sector reform should be a top priority.

Source: http://www.litnews.lt/