The region accounts for 14% of industrial output and 8% of agricultural production in Lithuania. The Vilnius region is a mixture of cultures and nationalities. Lithuanians, Poles, Russians, Byelorussians, Jews and Tartars live side by side here. The typical landscape consists of forest spotted with numerous lakes.

Vilnius Industry
The food and beverage industries account for the greater part of the industrial output: production of machines and equipment, clothes, furs, pulp, electrical equipment and tools. The industrial enterprises in the region export one third of their production. Producers in the Ukmerge and Svencionys districts sell half of their products abroad.

The city of Vilnius accounts for one third of the industrial production in the region. A greater variety of industries has been developed in the Trakai district. In other districts, the timber industry is dominant. Since nearly 40% of the territory is covered by forests, it is thought that a modern timber industry has good development prospects in the region. The Vilnius region is also rich in gravel, sand and clay. These natural resources have become more important as construction works are expanding throughout the county.

Vilnius Agriculture
The Vilnius region has 415,000 hectares of arable land. During the recent land reform 85,000 ha were returned to private owners for individual farming. Private farms (three-hectare homesteads) occupying 88,000 ha are also now being privatized. Agricultural associations and enterprises are cultivating 83,000 ha of farming land and 77,000 ha are still to be offered for rent.

Agriculture is a very important branch of the economy of the region; half of the employed population work in agricultural enterprises. The Vilnius region accounts for 8% of the country's crop's and potato harvests, 12% of meat and poultry, 8% of milk and 40% of egg production.

Today an average farm in the region occupies 8 ha, though some four hundred farmers have 30-50 ha. An average agricultural association has 350 ha. It is expected that in the future agricultural associations will be replaced by private farms and by the year 2000 only one-fourth of the existing associations will be left. Among the most successfully working agricultural enterprises are Vilniaus paukstynas Ltd, Vievio paukstynas Ltd, Vilniaus Zirgynas Ltd and Gaukstonys Ltd.

Vilnius Tourism
Tourism in the Vilnius region is administered by a separate institution, the Vilnius County Tourism Board. The board includes representatives of the regional council, municipalities and private tourist establishments. Apart from the board, a tourism foundation has been established by the governor of the region. It is funded by private travel companies. The first result of these activities is the opening of the Tourism information centre of Vilnius County (tel. 370 2 616 867). The centre provides information on tourism infrastructure, and cultural and sports events in the region and elsewhere in the country.

Vilnius Culture
The most prominent cultural monuments in the Vilnius region are the old towns of Vilnius and Trakai, the remains of Medininkai castle, churches in Rykantai and Siesikai, palaces in Siesikai and Taujenai, and homesteads in Cirkliskis, Jasiunai, Lentvaris and Traku Voke.

All major Lithuanian institutions of higher education and culture are situated in Vilnius. They include the Academy of Sciences, Art Academy and Music Academy, Vilnius University, the University of Technology, the Pedagogical University, and over 40 research institutes. Numerous theatres attract many theatre-goers, e.g., Lithuanian Opera and Ballet Theatre, Academic Drama Theatre, State Youth Theatre, Lele Theatre, Mazasis Theatre, Vaidilos Theatre, Russian Drama Theatre, Lithuanian Folk Theatre, Vilnius University Theatre, Vilnius Old Town Theatre and Keistuoliu Theatre.

Among the many museums are the Lithuanian National Museum, Lithuanian Art Museum, Museum of Applied Arts. In Kernave, a State Museum of Archaeology and History has been founded. In Trakai visitors are welcome to visit the Trakai History Museum situated in the island castle of Trakai.