Regions of Lithuania
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Etnoregionai.JPG
Lithuania can be divided into historical and cultural regions (called ethnographic regions). The exact borders are not fully clear, as the regions are not any official political or administrative units. They are delimited by culture, such as country traditions, traditional lifestyle, songs, tales, etc. To some extent regions correspond to the zones of Lithuanian language dialects. This correspondence however is by no means strict. For example, although Dzūkian dialect is called South Aukštaitian, it does not mean that Dzūkija is part of Aukštaitija. In certain parts of some regions, dialects of other regions are spoken, while for example in Samogitia, there are three indigenous dialects (Southern, northern and western Samogitian), some of which are subdivided into subdialects.
Regions in politics
No region, except for Samogitia, has ever been a political or an administrative entity. However some work was done recently to delimit their boundaries more clearly, as there is a project to change the system of counties in Lithuania into ethnographic regions, which would be called lands (singular - žemė, plural - žemės). That is advocated also by the fact that with the limited functions of counties, 10 of them is not needed for Lithuania. Another argument is that in other countries historical territories are being revived, while in Lithuania artificially made counties exist. The project was supported by the former president Rolandas Paksas, yet now it is not clear when or if this would be completed at all. However Dzūkija quite recently adopted coat of arms and emblem which would be used in case the reform would be done; the coat of arms of Alytus County, which almost all lays in Dzūkija, adopted a bit later also was based on coat of arms of Dzūkija. Samogitia has flag and coat of arms from the time of Duchy of Samogitia, these symbols are older than the flag of Lithuania. Lithuania Minor has flag, used since 17th century, and anthem, originating from 19th century. However if the reform would be done, most likely there would be just 4 lands, not 5, because most of Lithuania minor is occupied by Russia, and Lithuanians were expelled from there; while the relatively small remaining part is also populated mostly by not original inhabitants, as many original ones died in Second World War or were expelled. Therefore Lithuania minor would probably be attached to Samogitia.
Despite of the fact that regions are not political/administrative entities, most have their "capitals", that is cities which are commonly considered as such. Those are not necessarily the largest cities in region.
List of regions
- Aukštaitija (Litterally Highlands). Region in northeastern Lithuania, also incldes some historical Lithuanian territories of southwestern Latvia and northwestern Belarus. Capital Panevežys, it is also largest city of region.
- Samogitia, (Žemaitija, literally Lowlands). Region in western Lithuania. Capital is Telšiai, largest city is Šiauliai.
- Lithuania Minor (Mažoji Lietuva). Region in sea coast of Lithuania, also includes historical Lithuanian territories of what is now Kaliningrad Oblast and a bit of northern Poland. Largest city is Klaipėda.
- Dzūkija (Dzūkija or Dainava (the latter name litterally means "Land of songs")). Region in the southeast of Lithuania, also includes vast historically Lithuanian territories of Belarus, and some territories of Poland. Capital is Alytus, largest city is Vilnius.
- Sudovia (Sūduva or Suvalkija (the later name litterally means "Land of Suvalkai" and came out of misconception, therefore Sūduva is preffered name)). Region in the southwest of Lithuania, also includes a small tract of what is now part of Poland, smallest ethnographic region. Capital is Marijampolė, largest city - Kaunas.