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'''Carol Yager''' ([[1960]]-[[1994]]) holds the distinction of having been the [[obesity|most obese]] person ever to live. When she died in 1994 at the age of 34, she weighed about 1200 [[pound (mass)|pounds]]. Some estimates place her weight at as much as 1600 pounds at her peak, but these are unverified. At death, she was 5'7" tall, and able to fit through her custom-built 48" wide front door, although some sources claim she was more than 5 feet wide.
The '''Republic of Lithuania''' ([[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]]: ''Lietuva''; full - ''Lietuvos Respublika'') is a [[republic]] in northeastern Europe. One of the three [[Baltic States]] along the [[Baltic Sea]], it shares borders with [[Latvia]] to the north, [[Belarus]] to the southeast, [[Poland]] to the south, and the [[Kaliningrad Oblast]] of [[Russia]] to the southwest.
Like others in the 900+ pound weight class, Yager was not able to stand or walk, as her [[muscle]]s were not strong enough to lift her due to [[atrophy]].
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|+<big><big>'''Lietuvos Respublika'''</big></big>
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| style="background:#efefef;" align="center" colspan=2 |
{| border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"
| align="center" width="140px" | [[image:Lithuania flag large.png|125px|Flag of Lithuania]]
| align="center" width="140px" | [[Image:Vytis.gif|111px|Lithuania: Coat of Arms]]
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| align="center" width="140px" | ([[Flag of Lithuania|Flag]])
| align="center" width="140px" | ([[Coat of Arms of Lithuania|Coat of Arms]])
|}
|-
| align="center" colspan=2 | <small">''National [[motto]]: Vienybė težydi (Let the unity bloom)''</small>
|-
| align=center colspan=2 | [[image:LocationLithuania.png]]
|-
| '''[[Official language]]'''
| [[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]]
|-
| '''[[Capital]]'''
| [[Vilnius]]
|-
| '''[[List of Presidents of Lithuania|President]]'''
| [[Valdas Adamkus]]
|-
| '''[[Prime Minister of Lithuania|Prime Minister]]'''
| [[Algirdas Brazauskas]]
|-
| '''[[Area]]'''<br> - Total <br> - % water
| [[List of countries by area|Ranked 122nd]] <br> [[1 E10 m²|65,200 km²]] <br> Negligible
|-
| '''[[Population]]'''<br> - Total ([[2005|July 2005 est.]])<br> - [[Population density|Density]]
| [[List of countries by population|Ranked 125th]]<br> 3,596,617 <br> 55.2/km²
|-
| '''[[Gross Domestic Product|GDP]]''' (PPP)<br> - Total ([[2005|July 2005 est.]])<br> <br> - GDP/head
| [[List of countries by GDP (PPP)|Ranked 74th (total)]]<br>$49.1 billion<br>[[List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita|Ranked 49th (per capita)]]<br>$14,198
|-
| '''[[Independence]]'''<br> - Declared<br> - Recognised<br> - Lost<br>[[Collapse of the Soviet Union|Independence]]<br> - Declared<br> - Recognised
| From [[Imperial Russia]]<br>[[16 February]] [[1918]]<br>[[12 July]] [[1920]]<br>[[1940]]<br>From [[Soviet Union]]<br>[[11 March]] [[1990]]<br>[[6 September]] [[1991]]
|-
| '''[[Currency]]'''
| [[Litas]] (Lt) = 100 Centų (Ct)<br/>Euro from 2007<br/>1€ = 3.45Lt
|-
| '''[[Time zone]]'''<br/> - in [[European Summer Time|summer]]
| [[Eastern European Time|EET]] ([[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]+2)<br/>[[Eastern European Summer Time|EEST]] ([[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]+3)
|-
| '''[[National anthem]]'''
| [[Tautiška giesmė]]
|-
| '''[[Top-level ___domain|Internet TLD]]'''
| [[.lt]]
|-
| '''[[List_of_country_calling_codes|Calling Code]]'''
| 370
|}
== History ==
She lived in Mt Morris Township, near [[Flint, Michigan]], and was cared for by health care professionals, friends, her daughter Heather, and other family members, many of whom visited daily.
''Main article: [[History of Lithuania]]''
Yager claimed to have started her massive weight gain deliberately as a child to discourage the sexual attacks of a "close family member," although in later interviews, she indicated that there were other contributing factors, or "skeletons in my closet", and "monsters" as she was quoted.
First mentioned in a [[medieval]] German manuscript, the ''[[Quedlinburg]] Chronicle'', on [[February 14]] [[1009]], Lithuania became a significant state in the [[Middle Ages]]. The official crowning of [[Mindaugas]] as King of Lithuania in [[Voruta]] on [[July 6]] [[1253]] marked Lithuania's birth, as warring [[duke]]s united to support his reign. Later, during [[Gediminas|Gediminas']] conquests, the nation grew into the independent, multi-ethnic [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]], which joined the lands of modern [[Belarus]] and [[Ukraine]]. By the [[15th century]], the [[Grand Duchy]] stretched across [[Eastern Europe]] from the [[Baltic Sea|Baltic]] to the [[Black Sea]].
In January, 1993, she was admitted to Hurley Medical Center, weighing-in at 1189 lbs. She suffered from [[cellulitis]] (her skin was breaking down due to the stress of holding in her mass). She stayed in the hospital for three months, where she was restricted to a 1200 [[calorie]] diet, and while there, lost 519 pounds, though most of this was fluid. (Massively obese people often suffer from [[edema]], and their weight can fluctuate with astonishing speed as fluid is taken up or released.) Yager sufferred from many other obesity-related health problems as well, including breathing difficulty, a dangerously high sugar level, and stress on her heart and other organs. Yager's death certificate lists kidney failure as the cause of death, with obesity and multiple organ failure as contributing causes.
When [[Grand Duke]] [[Jogaila]] was crowned [[King of Poland]] on [[February 2]], [[1386]], Lithuania and [[Poland]] became [[Polish-Lithuanian Union|unified]] under one monarch. In [[1569]], Poland and Lithuania formally merged into a single state called the [[Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth]]. This union remained in place until the adoption of the [[May Constitution of Poland|May Constitution]] of [[1791]], which abolished all subdivisions of the states and merged them into the [[Kingdom of Poland]]. In [[1795]], this new state was soon dissolved by the third [[Partition of Poland]], which ceded its lands to [[Imperial Russia|Russia]], [[Prussia]] and [[Austria]].
It took a lot of teamwork among as many as 15 - 20 fire fighters and ambulance workers to convey Yager to the [[ambulance]], in relay fashion. One team inside the house would pass her through the doorway to another team on the outside, who would in turn pass her off to another team inside the ambulance, where she would ride on the floor, for her many trips to the hospital (13 times in two years). Eventually, she was moved into the [[nursing home]] where she lived after leaving the hospital. She appeared on the [[Jerry Springer Show]], and was the subject of attention from several [[dieting]] gurus.
On [[February 16]], [[1918]], Lithuania re-established its independence in severely limited territory that had been designated Lithuanian, with non-Lithuanian areas of the Grand Duchy that had fallen to the [[Soviet Union]] remaining under Soviet control. From the outset, territorial disputes with Poland (over the [[Vilnius region]] and the [[Suvalkai region]]) and [[Germany]] (over the [[Klaipėda region]], German: Memelland) plagued the new nation. During the interwar period, the constitutional capital of Lithuania was [[Vilnius]], although the city itself was then under Polish control (see [[History of Vilnius]] for more details). The Lithuanian government at the time was seated in [[Kaunas]], which officially held the status of [[temporary capital]].
A short time before her death, Yager's latest boyfriend, Larry Maxwell, who was characterized by her family as being 'an opportunist who courted media attention for money-making possibilities', married her friend, Felicia White. Maxwell had claimed that the only donation in Yager's name he ever received was for $20.00, although numerous talk shows, newspapers, radio stations, and other national and international media are reported to have offered her cash and other gifts in exchange for interviews, pictures, etc. Diet maven [[Richard Simmons]] is said to have been 'angry that Yager's story was actively peddled to tabloid and television media by Maxwell and others'.
In [[1940]], at the height of [[World War II]], the [[Soviet Union]] annexed Lithuania in accordance with the [[Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact]]. It later came under [[Germany|German]] occupation, during which time a large proportion of [[Lithuanian Jews]] succumbed to the [[Holocaust]]. Ultimately Lithuania fell again to the [[Soviet Union]] in [[1945]].
Yager was buried privately, with about 90 friends and family members attending memorial services.
Fifty years of communist rule ended with the advent of [[glasnost]], and Lithuania, led by [[Sąjūdis]], an anti-communist and anti-Soviet independence movement, proclaimed its renewed independence on [[March 11]], [[1990]]. Lithuania was the first Soviet republic to do so, though Soviet forces unsuccessfully tried until August [[1991]] to suppress this secession, including an [[SC Lithuanian Radio and Television Centre|incident at Vilnius' TV Tower]] in January 1991 that resulted in the death of several Lithuanian civilians. The last Russian troops left Lithuania on [[August 31]], [[1993]] — even earlier than those in [[East Germany]].
== See also ==
On [[February 4]], 1991, [[Iceland]] became the first country to recognize Lithuanian independence, and [[Sweden]] the first to open an embassy in the country. The [[United States of America]] never recognized the Soviet claim to Lithuania or the other two Baltic republics.
* [[List of the most obese humans]]
== Sources ==
Lithuania joined the [[United Nations]] on [[September 17]], 1991. On [[May 31]], [[2001]], Lithuania became the 141st member of the [[World Trade Organization]]. Since [[1988]], Lithuania has sought closer ties with the West, and so on [[January 4]], [[1994]], it became the first of the [[Baltic States]] to apply for [[NATO]] membership. On [[November 21]], [[2002]], [[NATO]] invited Lithuania to start membership negotiations, and on [[March 29]], [[2004]], it became a full and equal [[NATO]] member. On [[February 1]], [[1998]], it became an Associate Member of the [[EU]], and on [[April 16]], [[2003]], it signed the EU Accession Treaty. 91% of Lithuanians backed EU membership in a referendum held on [[May 11]], 2003 and on [[May 1]], 2004, Lithuania joined the [[European Union]].
* [http://www.dimensionsmagazine.com/dimtext/kjn/people/heaviest.htm Dimensions Magazine, people known to have weighed more than 900 pounds]
* ''Bizarre'' magazine 64, p. 81
* [http://www.mlive.com/fljournal/ The Flint Journal]
* ''The Flint [Michigan] Journal'', Wednesday, August 18, 1993, page A1, "Weight loss brings star status" by Mike Stobbe (Journal health writer)
* ''The Flint Journal'', Tuesday, May 24, 1994, page C1, "Obese woman's losing bid to lose hits TV show"
* ''The Flint Journal'', Friday, June 17, 1994, page A1, "What next for 1,200-pound woman?" by Marcia Mattson (Journal staff writer)
* ''The Flint Journal'', Tuesday, July 19, 1994, page A1, "1,200-lb Woman dies" by Marcia Mattson
* ''The Flint Journal'', Wednesday, July 20, 1994, page B1, "Richard Simmons mourns Yager" by Marcia Mattson
* ''The Flint Journal'', Sunday, July 24, 1994, page B1, "1,200-lb. woman more than curiosity" by Ken Palmer (Journal staff writer)
* ''The Flint Journal'', Monday, July 25, 1994, page A6, "Americans must work harder to overcome weight problems"
[[Category:World record holders|Yager, Carol]]
== Politics ==
[[Category:Obesity|Yager, Carol]]
[[Category:1960 births|Yager, Carol]]
''Main article: [[Politics of Lithuania]]''
[[Category:1994 deaths|Yager, Carol]]
The Lithuanian [[head of state]] is the [[List of Presidents of Lithuania|president]], who is elected directly for a five-year term. The president functions as the commander-in-chief and oversees foreign and security policy. On the approval of the parliament, he appoints the [[prime minister]] and on the latter's nomination, appoints the rest of the [[cabinet (government)|cabinet]], as well as a number of other top civil servants and the judges for all courts, including the [[Constitution]]al Court (''Konstitucinis Teismas'').
The [[unicameral]] Lithuanian [[parliament]], the ''[[Seimas]]'', has 141 members that are elected to four-year terms. About half of the members of this [[legislative]] body are elected in single constituencies (71), and the other half (70) are elected in a nationwide vote by [[proportional representation]]. A party must receive at least 5% of the national vote to be represented in the Seimas.
== Administrative division ==
''Main article: [[Administrative division of Lithuania]]''
[[Image:Lh-map.png|right|Map of Lithuania with cities]]
Lithuania consists of 10 counties (Lithuanian: ''apskritys'', singular - ''apskritis''), each named after their principal city. The counties are subdivided into 60 municipalities (some municipalities are historically called "district municipalities", and thus shortened to "district"; others are called "city municipalities", sometimes shortened to "city", or leaving just the name of city; and some are just simply called "municipalities") (see: [[List of municipalities in Lithuania]]). The municipality is the most important unit.
Each municipality has its own elected government. In the past, the election of municipality councils occurred once every three years, but now take place every four years. The council elects the [[mayor]] of the municipality and other required personnel (larger municipalities have larger councils and more officials). The municipality councils also appoint [[elder (administrative title)|elders]] to the adminstrative division (small municipalities do not have elderships, though). Taken together, the municipalities consist of over 500 [[eldership]]s. This administrative division was created in 1994 and modified in 2000. There is currently a proposal that would require mayors and elders to be elected in direct elections by the public.
The whole of Lithuania is partitioned into counties, which are ruled by officials ("Rulers of Apskritis") who are sent by the central government. These officials ensure that the municipalities work according to the laws of Lithuania and the constitution. They do not, however, have substantial powers vested in them, and there has been a proposal to reduce the number of counties because of the small number of municipalities falling under each ruler's jurisdiction.
One proposal is to create a new administrative unit comprised of four lands, the boundaries of which would be determined by the [[Regions of Lithuania|ethnographic regions of Lithuania]]. Another proposed solution is to expand the counties so that there would be five in all, each based in one of the five largest cities.
Also see: [[Counties of Lithuania]], [[List of municipalities in Lithuania]], [[Eldership]]s
== Geography ==
''Main article: [[Geography of Lithuania]]''
The largest and most populous of the [[Baltic states]], Lithuania has around 100 km of sandy coastline, of which only about 38 km faces the open [[Baltic Sea]]. Lithuania's major warm-water port of [[Klaipėda]] lies at the narrow mouth of ''Kuršių marios'' ([[Curonian Lagoon]]), a shallow lagoon extending south to [[Kaliningrad]]. The main river, the [[Nemunas]], and some of its tributaries carry international shipping vessels.
The Lithuanian landscape is glacially flat, except for [[moraine|morainic]] hills in the western uplands and eastern highlands that are no higher than 300 m, with the highest point being found at [[Juozapinės]] at 292 m. The terrain features numerous lakes, [[Lake Vištytis]]) for example, swamps, and a mixed forest zone covers 30% of the country. The [[climate]] lies between maritime and continental, with wet, moderate winters and summers. According to some geographers, Lithuania's capital, [[Vilnius]], lies a few kilometres south of the [[Geographic Center of Europe|geographical centre of Europe]].
Lithuania consists of the following [[Regions of Lithuania|historical and cultural regions]]:
*[[Aukštaitija]] - literally, the "Highlands"
*[[Samogitia]] - also known as ''Žemaitija,'' or literally, the "Lowlands"
*[[Lithuania Minor|''Mažoji Lietuva'']] - Lithuania Minor, also known as "Prussian Lithuania" (''Prūsų Lietuva''))
*[[Dzūkija]] (''Dzūkija'' or Dainava).
*[[Sudovia]] (''Sūduva'' or Suvalkija).
== Economy ==
''Main article: [[Economy of Lithuania]]''
In 2003, prior to joining the European Union, Lithuania had the highest economic growth rate amongst all candidate and member countries, reaching 8.8% in the third quarter. In 2004, a 6.6% growth in GDP reflected impressive economic development. Prior to 1998, Lithuania was the [[Baltic state]] that conducted the most trade with [[Russia]]; however, the 1998 Russian financial crisis forced the country to orient toward the West.
Lithuania has since gained membership of the [[World Trade Organization]], and joined the [[European Union]] on [[May 1]], 2004. According to officially published figures, accession to the EU reduced previously high [[unemployment]] to 10.6% in 2004, although some argue that this has been prompted by the high rate of [[emigration]] from Lithuania that has occurred since it joined the EU. Lithuania has nearly completed the [[privatization]] of its large, state-owned utilities. The [[Litas]], the national currency, has been pegged to the [[Euro]] since February 2, 2002 at the rate of EUR 1.00 = LTL 3.4528, and Lithuania is expected to switch to the Euro in [[2006]], thus becoming one of the first of the new EU members to do so.
Although Lithuania's economy is undoubtedly growing, many people still live in abject poverty and the situation does not appear to be improving. An urban elite is now highly visible, whilst little seems to have changed for the country's poor. According to a report published by the [[US Department of State]] in June 2005, the minimum wage has not changed since June 1998 and stands at $107.50 per month, well below the poverty threshold. The average wage stands at $336.8 per month [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5379.htm 1]. Like other countries in the region ([[Estonia]], [[Latvia]], [[Poland]], and [[Russia]]) Lithuania has also adopted a [[Flat tax|flat rate of tax]] rather than a [[Graduated tax|progressive scheme]]. However, at 33% of income, the tax rate is considerably higher than that of its neighbours and some suggest that this may be another factor influencing emigration [http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,,1549075,00.html 2].
== Demographics ==
''Main article: [[Demographics of Lithuania]]''
83.5% of the Lithuanian population are ethnic Lithuanians who speak the [[Lithuanian language]] (one of two surviving members of the [[Baltic languages|Baltic language group]]), which is the official language of the state. Several sizable minorities exist, such as [[Russians]] (6%), [[Poles]] (6%) and [[Belarusians]] (1.5%).
Poles are the largest minority, mostly concentrated in southeast Lithuania (the [[Western Vilnius region]]). Russians are the second largest minority, concentrated mostly in the cities and comprising a majority in [[Visaginas]]; they also constitute a large minority in [[Vilnius]] and [[Klaipėda]].
Because of the Soviet occupation, most older people and some members of the younger population still understand Russian. Most schools teach English or German as a first foreign language, but students may also study Russian and, in some schools, French.
The predominant religion is [[Roman Catholicism]], but [[Eastern Orthodoxy]], [[Protestantism]], [[Judaism]], [[Islam]] and [[Karaism]] (an ancient offshoot of Judaism represented by a long-standing community in Trakai) also exist as minority religions.
== Culture ==
''Main article: [[Culture of Lithuania]]''
* [[List of famous Lithuanians]]
* [[Lithuanian mythology]]
* [[Music of Lithuania]]
== Lithuanians Abroad ==
* [[Lithuanians in Brazil]]
* [[Lithuanians in Cleveland]]
* [[Lithuanians in France]]
* [[Little Lithuania, Chicago]]
== Miscellaneous topics ==
* [[Communications in Lithuania]]
* [[Foreign relations of Lithuania]]
* [[Holidays in Lithuania]]
* [[List of cities in Lithuania]]
* [[List of Lithuanian rulers]]
* [[Military of Lithuania]]
* [[Sports in Lithuania]]
* [[Tourism in the Baltics]]
* [[Transportation in Lithuania]]
== External links ==
* [http://www.istorija.net Istorija.net] - Pages and forum on the history of Lithuania (in Lithuanian, English, Russian)
* [http://www.lietuva.lt/index.php?Lang=5&ItemId=27616 Lithuanian Central Internet Gates] - Main Lithuanian portal
* [http://www.on.lt Lithuania Online] - Wide collection of Lithuanian links
* [http://neris.mii.lt/ mii.lt] - Portal of the Lithuanian Institute of Mathematics and Informatics with rich material about Lithuania
* [http://www.president.lt/en Prezidentas] - Official presidential site
* [http://www3.lrs.lt/pls/inter/w3_eng_h.home Seimas] - Official parliamentary site
* [http://www.lrv.lt/main_en.php Vyriausybe] - Official governmental site
== Maps & GIS ==
* [http://www.maps.lt Maps of Lithuania on Maps.lt]
* [http://www.mapquest.com/maps/main.adp?country=LT Maps of Lithuania on Mapquest]
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