VILNIUS, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Number of Lithuanian residents has been constantly decreasing in recent years, from 2,921,920 in 2015 to 2,810,100 in the beginning of 2018, Lithuania's Ministry of the Interior announced on Tuesday.
Presenting a new report on migration, the ministry said the main reasons behind the shrinkage of Lithuanian population remain unchanged.
"Dissatisfaction with economic situation, social exclusion and insecurity, limited prospect of self-presentation and a number of other reasons, such as growing Lithuanian communities abroad, are on the list," the ministry said in a statement.
The report shows that emigration rate slightly decreased in 2017, when 47,900 Lithuanian residents emigrated, 4.8 percent less than in 2016.
Nevertheless, the ministry points to declining repatriation rates as 10,200 emigrants returned to Lithuania last year, compared to 14,200 in 2016.
"One of the main measures to encourage repatriation is the state's sufficient attention for emigrants and their awareness (about the possibilities to return), however, only 25 percent of Lithuanians living abroad stated that they had sufficient information about returning and reintegration," the statement reads.
Mostly people of working-age are leaving Lithuania while emigration is seen as a positive trend among youth, the ministry underlined.
"It shows that not enough attention is being paid for promoting of awareness and public spirit during the school years," the ministry stated.
Meanwhile, number of foreigners living in Lithuania has been growing in recent years. In 2017, Lithuania hosted 49,387 foreigners, compared with 40,284 in 2015.
The ministry's report will be discussed by Lithuanian government on Wednesday.
Earlier this year, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) urged Lithuania to tackle emigration challenges as the country is losing many working-age people.
According to OECD, around 10 percent of Lithuania's residents have emigrated since 2004, a rate that is among the highest of OECD countries. Emigration rates of young people are particularly high.
Lithuania will officially become the 36th member of the OECD on Wednesday.
