Varėna District Municipality
Varėna district municipality
Varėnos rajono savivaldybė | |
---|---|
Municipality | |
Nemunas River nearby Merkinė | |
Coat of arms | |
Location in Lithuania | |
Map of Varėna district municipality | |
Coordinates: 54°13′N 24°34′E / 54.217°N 24.567°ECoordinates: 54°13′N 24°34′E / 54.217°N 24.567°E | |
Country | Lithuania |
Ethnographic region | Dzūkija |
County | Alytus County |
Capital | Varėna |
Elderships | 8 |
Area | |
• Total | 2,218 km2 (856 sq mi) |
Area rank | 1st |
Population (2020 estimation[1]) | |
• Total | 20,840 |
• Rank | 41st |
• Density | 9.4/km2 (24/sq mi) |
• Density rank | 60th |
Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
Telephone code | 310 |
Major settlements | Varėna (pop. 10,845) |
Website | www |
Varėna District Municipality (Lithuanian: Varėnos rajono savivaldybė) is a municipality in Alytus County in southern Lithuania.
History[]
Along with Vilnius region, a large part of Varėna District Municipality was on the Polish side of not-mutually recognized border during the interwar period. This was mainly due to the strategic Warsaw – Saint Petersburg Railway. Unlike in neighboring regions, where the number of Poles is high, the territories now comprising the municipality always had a Lithuanian majority. The , as it was then called, was formed during the Soviet Union, with the small town of Varėna chosen as the capital. Varėna was chosen over the then much larger Senoji Varėna (literally "Old Varėna") as the capital, due to its proximity to a railroad. It only became the center of region in the 1970s when it underwent industrialization under Soviet leadership. During a municipality reform the territory was renamed to Varėna District Municipality and the westernmost parts of it ceded to Druskininkai Municipality.
Geography[]
Most of the municipality is covered by forests and swamps, it is the largest and least densely populated municipality of Lithuania. It borders Druskininkai Municipality to the west, Alytus District Municipality to the northwest, Trakai District Municipality to the northeast, and Šalčininkai District Municipality also to the west. To the south it shares a border with Belarus.
The district is in the Nemunas Basin. The Nemunas itself passes by its western edge while the Merkys (with its tributaries Ūla, , Varėnė) is the main watercourse. There is the largest march in Lithuania the which is declared as a strict natural reserve. There are more than 100 lakes. Most of them are small, endorhetic, while some, like , , , , are larger.
68.9 % of the district's territory is occupied by forests, mostly, by the Dainava Forest (ancient Hrodna Wood), the largest in the country. There are cerca 40 nature monuments - old pine trees used for beekeeping, some outcrops, unique geological landforms.
The main part of the district is in the . North-western side is covered by the , while eastern side is in the where is the highest point of Varėna District Municipality - the Riliškiai Hill (193 m).[1]
- Rivers: Nemunas, Merkys, Ūla, Varėnė, , , .
- Lakes and ponds: , , , , , .
- Marches: , .
- Forests: Dainava Forest, .
- Protected areas: Dzūkija National Park, , , , , etc.
Economics[]
Tourism is on rise, as Dzūkija National Park is located in the region. Also, forestry, construction materials, textile, food (milk) industry is being developed.[1]
Council[]
Varėna district municipality council currently has 25 seats. The last elections took place in December 2002, and the term limit is 4 years.
The results of the 2002 elections:
- - 18
- - 2
- Social Democratic Party of Lithuania - 2
- New Union Social Liberals - 2
- Liberal democrat party - 1
Transportation[]
The road network is sparse, but a railway connects the district with Vilnius. There are stations in Valkininkai, Matuizos, Varėna, Marcinkonys, and stops in Kalviai, Pamerkiai, Zervynos, Darželiai, Margionys, Kabeliai, Senovė (the last three recently closed after the train route to Hrodna was discontinued).
Seniūnijos (Elderships or Wards)[]
The Varėna municipality contains 8 seniūnijos (in English: elderships or wards);[2] the main town or village is listed for each.
- Jakėnai –
- Kaniava –
- Marcinkonys Eldership – Marcinkonys
- Matuizos –
- Merkinė –
- Valkininkai –
- Varėna –
- Vydeniai –
Population[]
Demography[]
Urbanization:
- Urban - 10845 (34,83%)
- Rural - 20292 (75,27%)
Sexual makeup:
- Men - 14947 (48,00%)
- Women - 16190 (52,00%)
Religious makeup:
- Catholics - 28651 (94,75%)
- Atheists - 1146 (3,79%)
- Eastern Orthodox - 349 (1,15%)
- Others less than 0,5% each
Ethnic makeup (2011 census):[3]
- Lithuanians - 22967 (90,5%)
- Poles - 1612 (6,35%)
- Russians - 307 (1,02%)
- Belarusians - 237 (0,93%)
- Others less than 0,5% each
Largest settlements[]
Largest cities or towns in Varėna District Municipality
2011 Lithuanian Census | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | Eldership | Pop. | |||||||
Varėna Merkinė |
1 | Varėna | 9240 | Senoji Varėna Matuizos | |||||
2 | Merkinė | 1228 | |||||||
3 | Senoji Varėna | 1203 | |||||||
4 | Matuizos | 1201 | |||||||
5 | Marcinkonys | Marcinkonys Eldership | 640 | ||||||
6 | Perloja | 586 | |||||||
7 | Žilinai | 392 | |||||||
8 | Vydeniai | 374 | |||||||
9 | 370 | ||||||||
10 | Kriviliai | 358 |
Population by locality[]
Locality | Status | Total | Male | Female |
---|---|---|---|---|
Varėnos d. mun. | 25,377 | 11,916 | 13,461 | |
(seniūnija) | 1,202 | 586 | 616 | |
Akmuo | K | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Aukštakalnis | K | 11 | 7 | 4 |
Barteliai | K | 18 | 8 | 10 |
K | 15 | 9 | 6 | |
K | 12 | 7 | 5 | |
K | 12 | 8 | 4 | |
K | 15 | 8 | 7 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Jakėnai | K | 10 | 6 | 4 |
K | 17 | 10 | 7 | |
Kaniūkai | K | 35 | 15 | 20 |
Kareivonys | K | 99 | 50 | 49 |
K | 13 | 6 | 7 | |
Kukliai | K | 33 | 19 | 14 |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 22 | 12 | 10 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Pabezninkai | K | 2 | 1 | 1 |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Paručiai | K | 12 | 5 | 7 |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Puodžiai | K | 322 | 150 | 172 |
Radžiūnai | K | 4 | 2 | 2 |
K | 8 | 3 | 5 | |
K | 6 | 4 | 2 | |
K | 10 | 6 | 4 | |
Vazgirdonys | K | 75 | 37 | 38 |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Vergakiemis | K | 34 | 18 | 16 |
K | 3 | 1 | 2 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Žilinai | K | 392 | 184 | 208 |
Žilinėliai | K | 20 | 9 | 11 |
(seniūnija) | 1,390 | 660 | 730 | |
Bagočiai | K | 12 | 5 | 7 |
Balbutai | K | 39 | 15 | 24 |
K | 9 | 4 | 5 | |
K | 16 | 6 | 10 | |
K | 26 | 14 | 12 | |
K | 11 | 5 | 6 | |
Dubičiai | K | 291 | 146 | 145 |
K | 7 | 4 | 3 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Jasauskai | K | 60 | 27 | 33 |
Kalviai | K | 47 | 19 | 28 |
Kaniava | K | 23 | 9 | 14 |
Kaniavėlė | K | 14 | 8 | 6 |
Kaniūkai | K | 36 | 23 | 13 |
K | 5 | 3 | 2 | |
Katra | K | 19 | 8 | 11 |
K | 6 | 2 | 4 | |
K | 15 | 8 | 7 | |
Krokšlys | K | 50 | 21 | 29 |
K | 30 | 18 | 12 | |
Lynežeris | K | 24 | 9 | 15 |
K | 16 | 5 | 11 | |
K | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
K | 30 | 15 | 15 | |
K | 4 | 1 | 3 | |
Noškūnai | K | 41 | 19 | 22 |
Paąžuolė | K | 13 | 5 | 8 |
K | 9 | 5 | 4 | |
K | 7 | 4 | 3 | |
Panočiai | K | 284 | 136 | 148 |
K | 20 | 7 | 13 | |
K | 4 | 3 | 1 | |
K | 3 | 0 | 3 | |
K | 5 | 3 | 2 | |
K | 114 | 53 | 61 | |
Rudnia | K | 74 | 35 | 39 |
K | 10 | 4 | 6 | |
K | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Ūta | K | 11 | 8 | 3 |
(seniūnija) | 1,389 | 671 | 718 | |
Ašašninkai | K | 43 | 19 | 24 |
K | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
Darželiai | K | 63 | 25 | 38 |
Daržinėlės | K | 22 | 9 | 13 |
K | 7 | 4 | 3 | |
Dubininkas | K | 4 | 3 | 1 |
Grybaulia | K | 26 | 16 | 10 |
Kabeliai | K | 168 | 83 | 85 |
Kapiniškiai | K | 40 | 19 | 21 |
Kašėtos | K | 14 | 5 | 9 |
K | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
Mančiagirė | K | 15 | 10 | 5 |
Marcinkonys | K | 640 | 310 | 330 |
Mardasavas | K | 26 | 10 | 16 |
Margionys | K | 58 | 30 | 28 |
Musteika | K | 61 | 25 | 36 |
K | 9 | 5 | 4 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Puvočiai | K | 57 | 31 | 26 |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
Senovė | K | 7 | 1 | 6 |
Šklėriai | K | 41 | 24 | 17 |
Trakiškiai | K | 7 | 2 | 5 |
K | 4 | 2 | 2 | |
Zervynos | K | 47 | 25 | 22 |
Žiūrai | K | 26 | 11 | 15 |
(seniūnija) | 2,229 | 1,084 | 1,145 | |
VS | 18 | 11 | 7 | |
K | 21 | 8 | 13 | |
VS | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Butvydonys | K | 50 | 23 | 27 |
Čebatoriai | K | 87 | 44 | 43 |
K | 22 | 11 | 11 | |
Giraitė | K | 61 | 31 | 30 |
K | 17 | 8 | 9 | |
Jurgiškės | K | 59 | 30 | 29 |
Krūminiai | K | 174 | 88 | 86 |
K | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 6 | 4 | 2 | |
Matuizos | K | 1,201 | 561 | 640 |
Mielupiai | K | 11 | 6 | 5 |
K | 7 | 2 | 5 | |
K | 10 | 6 | 4 | |
Pamerkiai | K | 87 | 43 | 44 |
K | 29 | 16 | 13 | |
K | 34 | 16 | 18 | |
Paversekis | K | 41 | 25 | 16 |
VS | 4 | 2 | 2 | |
VS | 2 | 2 | 0 | |
Šarkiškės | K | 48 | 30 | 18 |
K | 10 | 7 | 3 | |
Urkionys | K | 125 | 59 | 66 |
Voriškės | K | 103 | 50 | 53 |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
(seniūnija) | 3,222 | 1,514 | 1,708 | |
K | 7 | 3 | 4 | |
K | 7 | 5 | 2 | |
Bingeliai | K | 10 | 4 | 6 |
K | 7 | 2 | 5 | |
Burokaraistis | K | 17 | 9 | 8 |
Česukai | K | 6 | 3 | 3 |
K | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
K | 39 | 12 | 27 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
Geniai | K | 14 | 10 | 4 |
K | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
Gudakiemis | K | 123 | 63 | 60 |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Gudeliai | K | 10 | 6 | 4 |
Ilgininkai | K | 96 | 47 | 49 |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 43 | 23 | 20 | |
K | 9 | 4 | 5 | |
Jonionys | K | 48 | 24 | 24 |
K | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
K | 3 | 1 | 2 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 19 | 9 | 10 | |
Kasčiūnai | K | 7 | 4 | 3 |
Kibyšiai | K | 146 | 68 | 78 |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Kudrėnai | K | 18 | 9 | 9 |
Kurmiškė | K | 6 | 2 | 4 |
K | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
K | 5 | 2 | 3 | |
K | 16 | 7 | 9 | |
K | 8 | 4 | 4 | |
K | 9 | 5 | 4 | |
K | 5 | 4 | 1 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Liškiava | K | 57 | 29 | 28 |
Maksimai | K | 9 | 5 | 4 |
Maksimonys | K | 22 | 8 | 14 |
Mantvilai | K | 15 | 6 | 9 |
Mardasavas | K | 17 | 10 | 7 |
Masališkės | K | 37 | 17 | 20 |
Merkinė | MST | 1,228 | 559 | 669 |
VS | 17 | 10 | 7 | |
K | 23 | 11 | 12 | |
K | 19 | 7 | 12 | |
K | 5 | 1 | 4 | |
Navikai | K | 4 | 2 | 2 |
K | 10 | 4 | 6 | |
Noruliai | K | 28 | 14 | 14 |
Pagilšys | K | 6 | 2 | 4 |
K | 11 | 6 | 5 | |
K | 213 | 107 | 106 | |
Papiškės | K | 8 | 3 | 5 |
K | 5 | 1 | 4 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
Pilvingiai | K | 172 | 90 | 82 |
K | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
K | 5 | 3 | 2 | |
Radyščius | K | 44 | 22 | 22 |
K | 6 | 4 | 2 | |
Roduka | K | 13 | 5 | 8 |
K | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
Rūsingė | K | 23 | 8 | 15 |
Samūniškės | K | 35 | 14 | 21 |
K | 4 | 1 | 3 | |
K | 14 | 7 | 7 | |
K | 4 | 1 | 3 | |
Subartonys | K | 45 | 20 | 25 |
K | 27 | 13 | 14 | |
K | 17 | 8 | 9 | |
K | 11 | 7 | 4 | |
Trasninkas | K | 4 | 3 | 1 |
K | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
K | 5 | 2 | 3 | |
VS | 5 | 1 | 4 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Vilkiautinis | K | 288 | 130 | 158 |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Zakavoliai | K | 11 | 6 | 5 |
Žeimiai | K | 61 | 30 | 31 |
(seniūnija) | 1,932 | 915 | 1,017 | |
Čižiūnai | K | 129 | 65 | 64 |
Dargužiai | K | 252 | 129 | 123 |
Daržininkai | K | 40 | 18 | 22 |
Degsnės | K | 66 | 33 | 33 |
Kuršiai | K | 54 | 26 | 28 |
K | 20 | 10 | 10 | |
K | 370 | 157 | 213 | |
K | 49 | 26 | 23 | |
Paklėštarė | K | 150 | 69 | 81 |
Pirčiupiai | K | 75 | 32 | 43 |
K | 51 | 25 | 26 | |
Pūčkornės | K | 20 | 7 | 13 |
K | 41 | 22 | 19 | |
K | 39 | 18 | 21 | |
Užuperkasis | K | 343 | 178 | 165 |
K | 4 | 1 | 3 | |
Valkininkai | MST | 229 | 99 | 130 |
(seniūnija) | 12,628 | 5,817 | 6,811 | |
K | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
Andriūnai | K | 18 | 11 | 7 |
K | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
Babriškės | K | 16 | 6 | 10 |
K | 11 | 4 | 7 | |
K | 4 | 3 | 1 | |
Druckūnai | K | 89 | 41 | 48 |
K | 4 | 2 | 2 | |
K | 10 | 5 | 5 | |
Ežeriekai | K | 13 | 5 | 8 |
Geidukonys | K | 39 | 19 | 20 |
Genionys | K | 20 | 7 | 13 |
K | 6 | 3 | 3 | |
Glūkas | K | 7 | 4 | 3 |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Gudžiai | K | 348 | 172 | 176 |
Karužai | K | 14 | 6 | 8 |
K | 30 | 20 | 10 | |
Kirklionys | K | 6 | 3 | 3 |
K | 12 | 6 | 6 | |
K | 27 | 13 | 14 | |
K | 4 | 1 | 3 | |
Mergežeris | K | 30 | 15 | 15 |
Meškučiai | K | 3 | 1 | 2 |
K | 9 | 3 | 6 | |
K | 22 | 9 | 13 | |
K | 5 | 3 | 2 | |
Nedzingė | K | 244 | 120 | 124 |
K | 23 | 12 | 11 | |
K | 7 | 4 | 3 | |
K | 45 | 21 | 24 | |
K | 35 | 13 | 22 | |
Pamusiai | K | 62 | 28 | 34 |
K | 9 | 6 | 3 | |
K | 22 | 9 | 13 | |
K | 10 | 5 | 5 | |
Pavarėnis | K | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Perloja | K | 586 | 277 | 309 |
K | 3 | 1 | 2 | |
K | 18 | 10 | 8 | |
K | 11 | 5 | 6 | |
Sarapiniškės | K | 160 | 76 | 84 |
Senoji Varėna | K | 1,203 | 571 | 632 |
Slabodka | K | 11 | 7 | 4 |
K | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
Tolkūnai | K | 158 | 80 | 78 |
K | 14 | 7 | 7 | |
K | 10 | 7 | 3 | |
Varėna | M | 9,240 | 4,192 | 5,048 |
K | 2 | 2 | 0 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
(seniūnija) | 1,385 | 669 | 716 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Aladiškės | K | 5 | 3 | 2 |
Barčiai | K | 148 | 70 | 78 |
K | 4 | 1 | 3 | |
K | 9 | 5 | 4 | |
Dainava | K | 66 | 33 | 33 |
K | 4 | 2 | 2 | |
K | 16 | 6 | 10 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 8 | 3 | 5 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 5 | 3 | 2 | |
K | 37 | 19 | 18 | |
Kijučiai | K | 165 | 84 | 81 |
K | 18 | 11 | 7 | |
Kriviliai | K | 358 | 177 | 181 |
K | 3 | 1 | 2 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 6 | 1 | 5 | |
Palkabalis | K | 16 | 6 | 10 |
K | 39 | 20 | 19 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 25 | 15 | 10 | |
K | 25 | 15 | 10 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
K | 50 | 28 | 22 | |
K | 3 | 1 | 2 | |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Vydeniai | K | 374 | 164 | 210 |
K | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Status: M, MST - city, town / K, GST - village / VS - steading
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Varėnos rajono savivaldybė". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). 24. Vilnius: Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos institutas. 2014. Retrieved 2021-04-24.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Population by locality". 2011 Population and Housing Census. Statistics Lithuania. Archived from the original (XLS) on 22 September 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
ward (seniūnija)
External link in|work=
(help) - ^ "Lithuania 2011 Census". Lietuvos statistikos departamentas. 2011. Archived from the original on 2012-01-11. Retrieved 2013-03-24.
External links[]
- Varėna District Municipality
- Municipalities of Alytus County
- Municipalities of Lithuania