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Lithuania is divided into three layers of administrative divisions. The first-level division consists of 10 counties (Lithuanian: singular – apskritis, plural – apskritys). These are sub-divided into 60 municipalities (Lithuanian: plural – savivaldybės, singular – savivaldybė), which in turn are further sub-divided into over 500 smaller groups, known as elderships (Lithuanian: plural – seniūnijos, singular – seniūnija).
At the end of its tenure as a Soviet Socialist Republic, Lithuania's administrative divisions consisted of 44 regions, 12 cities, 80 towns, 19 settlements, and 426 rural districts.[1] The reform of this system was an immediate concern for the new government.[2] The Constitution of Lithuania, ratified in 1992, delegated the power of establishing future administrative units to the Lithuanian Parliament (Seimas). Accordingly, the Seimas passed two fundamental laws: a 1993 law on government representation and a 1994 law specifying the territorial-administrative units and their boundaries.[2] The current system of a set of municipalities under 10 counties was codified by 1995.[2] Several changes were made in 2000, resulting in 60 municipalities.[3] Ordinary municipal councilors are elected every four years from electoral lists using proportional representation. The mayor, who is a member of the council, is elected directly by the residents in a majority vote. [4] Before 2015, the mayors were elected by the municipal councils.
The following map shows counties as well as municipalities. Seven city municipalities and three municipalities are marked by numbers.
Municipalities[edit]
Municipality | County | Administrative center[5] | Area[6] | Pop. (2015)[6] | Density (2015)[6] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Akmenė District Municipality | Šiauliai | Naujoji Akmenė | 844 square kilometres (208,556.94 acres; 325.87 sq mi) | 21,332 | 25.3 |
Alytus City Municipality | Alytus | Alytus | 40 square kilometres (9,884.22 acres; 15.44 sq mi) | 55,614 | 1,390.4 |
Alytus District Municipality | Alytus | Alytus[nb 1] | 1,403 square kilometres (346,688.85 acres; 541.70 sq mi) | 27,126 | 19.3 |
Anykščiai District Municipality | Utena | Anykščiai | 1,764 square kilometres (435,893.89 acres; 681.08 sq mi) | 26,393 | 15.0 |
Birštonas Municipality | Kaunas | Birštonas | 122 square kilometres (30,146.86 acres; 47.10 sq mi) | 4,371 | 35.8 |
Biržai District Municipality | Panevėžys | Biržai | 1,476 square kilometres (364,727.54 acres; 569.89 sq mi) | 25,937 | 17.6 |
Druskininkai Municipality | Alytus | Druskininkai | 453 square kilometres (111,938.74 acres; 174.90 sq mi) | 20,728 | 45.8 |
Elektrėnai Municipality | Vilnius | Elektrėnai | 509 square kilometres (125,776.64 acres; 196.53 sq mi) | 24,164 | 47.5 |
Ignalina District Municipality | Utena | Ignalina | 1,441 square kilometres (356,078.85 acres; 556.37 sq mi) | 16,806 | 11.7 |
Jonava District Municipality | Kaunas | Jonava | 943 square kilometres (233,020.37 acres; 364.09 sq mi) | 43,875 | 46.5 |
Joniškis District Municipality | Šiauliai | Joniškis | 1,151 square kilometres (284,418.29 acres; 444.40 sq mi) | 23,807 | 20.7 |
Jurbarkas District Municipality | Tauragė | Jurbarkas | 1,506 square kilometres (372,140.70 acres; 581.47 sq mi) | 28,162 | 18.7 |
Kaišiadorys District Municipality | Kaunas | Kaišiadorys | 1,087 square kilometres (268,603.55 acres; 419.69 sq mi) | 31,915 | 29.4 |
Kalvarija Municipality | Marijampolė | Kalvarija | 440 square kilometres (108,726.37 acres; 169.88 sq mi) | 11,486 | 26.1 |
Kaunas City Municipality | Kaunas | Kaunas | 157 square kilometres (38,795.54 acres; 60.62 sq mi) | 301,357 | 1919.5 |
Kaunas District Municipality | Kaunas | Kaunas[nb 1] | 1,495 square kilometres (369,422.55 acres; 577.22 sq mi) | 88,396 | 59.1 |
Kazlų Rūda Municipality | Marijampolė | Kazlų Rūda | 555 square kilometres (137,143.49 acres; 214.29 sq mi) | 12,494 | 22.5 |
Kėdainiai District Municipality | Kaunas | Kėdainiai | 1,677 square kilometres (414,395.72 acres; 647.49 sq mi) | 49,939 | 29.8 |
Kelmė District Municipality | Šiauliai | Kelmė | 1,705 square kilometres (421,314.68 acres; 658.30 sq mi) | 29,559 | 17.3 |
Klaipėda City Municipality | Klaipėda | Klaipėda | 99 square kilometres (24,463.43 acres; 38.22 sq mi) | 156,141 | 1,577.2 |
Klaipėda District Municipality | Klaipėda | Gargždai | 1,340 square kilometres (331,121.21 acres; 517.38 sq mi) | 52,831 | 39.4 |
Kretinga District Municipality | Klaipėda | Kretinga | 989 square kilometres (244,387.22 acres; 381.86 sq mi) | 39,758 | 40.2 |
Kupiškis District Municipality | Panevėžys | Kupiškis | 1,080 square kilometres (266,873.81 acres; 416.99 sq mi) | 18,678 | 17.3 |
Lazdijai District Municipality | Alytus | Lazdijai | 1,306 square kilometres (322,719.63 acres; 504.25 sq mi) | 20,813 | 15.9 |
Marijampolė Municipality | Marijampolė | Marijampolė | 755 square kilometres (186,564.56 acres; 291.51 sq mi) | 58,027 | 76.9 |
Mažeikiai District Municipality | Telšiai | Mažeikiai | 1,219 square kilometres (301,221.46 acres; 470.66 sq mi) | 55,441 | 45.5 |
Molėtai District Municipality | Utena | Molėtai | 1,367 square kilometres (337,793.06 acres; 527.80 sq mi) | 19,233 | 14.1 |
Neringa Municipality | Klaipėda | Nida | 90 square kilometres (22,239.48 acres; 34.75 sq mi) | 2,879 | 32.0 |
Pagėgiai Municipality | Tauragė | Pagėgiai | 536 square kilometres (132,448.48 acres; 206.95 sq mi) | 8,711 | 16.3 |
Pakruojis District Municipality | Šiauliai | Pakruojis | 1,315 square kilometres (324,943.58 acres; 507.72 sq mi) | 21,555 | 16.4 |
Palanga City Municipality | Klaipėda | Palanga | 79 square kilometres (19,521.33 acres; 30.50 sq mi) | 15,379 | 194.7 |
Panevėžys City Municipality | Panevėžys | Panevėžys | 50 square kilometres (12,355.27 acres; 19.31 sq mi) | 95,202 | 1,904.0 |
Panevėžys District Municipality | Panevėžys | Panevėžys[nb 1] | 2,177 square kilometres (537,948.42 acres; 840.54 sq mi) | 37,173 | 17.1 |
Pasvalys District Municipality | Panevėžys | Pasvalys | 1,289 square kilometres (318,518.84 acres; 497.69 sq mi) | 26,213 | 20.3 |
Plungė District Municipality | Telšiai | Plungė | 1,105 square kilometres (273,051.45 acres; 426.64 sq mi) | 36,052 | 32.6 |
Prienai District Municipality | Kaunas | Prienai | 1,032 square kilometres (255,012.75 acres; 398.46 sq mi) | 28,181 | 27.3 |
Radviliškis District Municipality | Šiauliai | Radviliškis | 1,634 square kilometres (403,770.19 acres; 630.89 sq mi) | 39,043 | 23.9 |
Raseiniai District Municipality | Kaunas | Raseiniai | 1,573 square kilometres (388,696.77 acres; 607.34 sq mi) | 35,013 | 22.3 |
Rietavas Municipality | Telšiai | Rietavas | 586 square kilometres (144,803.75 acres; 226.26 sq mi) | 8,096 | 13.8 |
Rokiškis District Municipality | Panevėžys | Rokiškis | 1,806 square kilometres (446,272.32 acres; 697.30 sq mi) | 32,191 | 17.8 |
Skuodas District Municipality | Klaipėda | Skuodas | 911 square kilometres (225,113.00 acres; 351.74 sq mi) | 18,498 | 20.3 |
Šakiai District Municipality | Marijampolė | Šakiai | 1,454 square kilometres (359,291.22 acres; 561.39 sq mi) | 30,321 | 20.9 |
Šalčininkai District Municipality | Vilnius | Šalčininkai | 1,493 square kilometres (368,928.33 acres; 576.45 sq mi) | 32,705 | 21.9 |
Šiauliai City Municipality | Šiauliai | Šiauliai | 81 square kilometres (20,015.54 acres; 31.27 sq mi) | 104,569 | 1,291.0 |
Šiauliai District Municipality | Šiauliai | Šiauliai[nb 1] | 1,807 square kilometres (446,519.42 acres; 697.69 sq mi) | 41,767 | 23.1 |
Šilalė District Municipality | Tauragė | Šilalė | 1,188 square kilometres (293,561.19 acres; 458.69 sq mi) | 24,869 | 20.9 |
Šilutė District Municipality | Klaipėda | Šilutė | 1,714 square kilometres (423,538.62 acres; 661.78 sq mi) | 41,814 | 24.4 |
Širvintos District Municipality | Vilnius | Širvintos | 906 square kilometres (223,877.48 acres; 349.81 sq mi) | 16,333 | 18.0 |
Švenčionys District Municipality | Vilnius | Švenčionys | 1,691 square kilometres (417,855.20 acres; 652.90 sq mi) | 25,719 | 15.2 |
Tauragė District Municipality | Tauragė | Tauragė | 1,179 square kilometres (291,337.24 acres; 455.21 sq mi) | 41,341 | 35.1 |
Telšiai District Municipality | Telšiai | Telšiai | 1,439 square kilometres (355,584.64 acres; 555.60 sq mi) | 43,922 | 30.5 |
Trakai District Municipality | Vilnius | Trakai | 1,207 square kilometres (298,256.20 acres; 466.03 sq mi) | 33,437 | 27.7 |
Ukmergė District Municipality | Vilnius | Ukmergė | 1,395 square kilometres (344,712.01 acres; 538.61 sq mi) | 36,919 | 26.5 |
Utena District Municipality | Utena | Utena | 1,230 square kilometres (303,939.62 acres; 474.91 sq mi) | 40,454 | 32.9 |
Varėna District Municipality | Alytus | Varėna | 2,216 square kilometres (547,585.53 acres; 855.60 sq mi) | 23,528 | 10.6 |
Vilkaviškis District Municipality | Marijampolė | Vilkaviškis | 1,262 square kilometres (311,846.99 acres; 487.26 sq mi) | 39,465 | 31.3 |
Vilnius City Municipality | Vilnius | Vilnius | 400 square kilometres (98,842.15 acres; 154.44 sq mi) | 542,626 | 1,356.6 |
Vilnius District Municipality | Vilnius | Vilnius[nb 1] | 2,129 square kilometres (526,087.36 acres; 822.01 sq mi) | 95,620 | 44.9 |
Visaginas Municipality | Utena | Visaginas | 58 square kilometres (14,332.11 acres; 22.39 sq mi) | 20,249 | 349.1 |
Zarasai District Municipality | Utena | Zarasai | 1,331 square kilometres (328,897.26 acres; 513.90 sq mi) | 17,035 | 12.8 |
See also[edit]
- Administrative divisions of Lithuania
- Counties (Lithuanian: singular – apskritis, plural – apskritys)
- Elderships (or wards) (Lithuanian: plural – seniūnijos, singular – seniūnija).
- Seniūnaitija (sub-eldership)
- Cities (Lithuanian: plural – miestai, singular – miestas)
- Towns (Lithuanian: plural – miesteliai, singular – miestelis)
Notes and references[edit]
- Notes
- General
- "Law on the Territorial Administrative Units and Their Boundaries". Lietuvos Respublikos Seimas. 30 March 2010. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
- Specific
- ^ Conference on Local and Regional Authority Co-operation in the Baltic Sea Area: proceedings, Kaunas, Lithuania, 21-23, April 1999. Council of Europe. January 2000. p. 9. ISBN 978-92-871-4538-3. Retrieved 16 February 2011.
- ^ a b c Jolanta Vaičiūnienė (2008-11-14). "The Administrative–Territorial Reform in Lithuania: History and Today" (PDF). Council of Europe. Retrieved 16 February 2011.
- ^ Local Economic and Employment Development (Program); Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (April 2007). Baltic partnerships: integration, growth and local governance in the Baltic Sea Region. OECD Publishing. p. 75. ISBN 978-92-64-02928-6. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
- ^ "Law on elections to municipal councils". The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
- ^ Municipality administrative centers and coats of arms are given by Statistics Lithuania in subpages under the Portrait of the Regions of Lithuania; e.g. Alytus town municipality.
- ^ a b c "Area (land) at the beginning of the year, Population density at the beginning of the year, Resident population at the beginning of the year". Statistics Lithuania. Retrieved 4 February 2016.