This list is comprised of Presidents, Prime Ministers and other leaders of Lithuania. The modern country of Lithuania came into being in 1918 after World War I. The head of state is the President (Prezidentas), while the head of the government is the Prime Minister (Ministras Pirmininkas). From 1944 to 1990 Lithuania was part of the Soviet Union and was led by the First Secretary and the Chairman of the Presidium.