List of cities in Lithuania

Vilnius, capital of Lithuania

In Lithuania, there are 103 cities (in Lithuanian: singular – miestas, plural – miestai). The term city is defined by the Parliament of Lithuania as compact areas populated by more than 3,000 people of whom at least two thirds work in the industry or service sector. Those settlements which have a population of less than 3,000 but historically had city status are still considered to be cities. Smaller settlements are called miestelis (plural miesteliai) which is translated as towns. Even smaller settlements (villages) are called kaimas (plural kaimai). Often the official status is not clear and people refer to both towns and villages as gyvenvietė (plural gyvenvietės) which in essence means settlement.

The cities started to form in the 13th-14th century together with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The first city to receive city rights was Klaipėda. According to medieval law, a city could have its own fairs, taverns, guilds, courts, etc. Some former cities lost their status are now just towns or villages, for example Kernavė or Merkinė. Most of the cities in Lithuania are old, established before the 18th century. Their location is mostly determined by trade and transportation routes. Some of the newer cities grew because of railroad construction, for example Kaišiadorys, Vievis, Radviliškis, Ignalina or Mažeikiai. In the last century cities grew new to big industry centers, for example Visaginas, Elektrėnai or Naujoji Akmenė. Five cities – Birštonas, Druskininkai, Neringa, Palanga and Anykščiai – have a special resort status.

Most of the cities are small. There are only 19 cities with population of more than 20,000. Cities are quite evenly spread out through the territory of Lithuania. This forms a good network to support economic development throughout the country. At the 2001 census 66.7% of the population lived in cities and the percentage is growing.

Cities

#	CoA	City	Pronunciation (audio help)	Population (2001)	Population (2014)	Granted city rights	County	Municipality
1		Vilnius	Listen • Info	554,281	539,939	1387	Vilnius County	Vilnius city municipality
2		Kaunas	Listen • Info	378,943	304,097	1408	Kaunas County	Kaunas city municipality
3		Klaipėda	Listen • Info	192,954	157,350	1257	Klaipėda County	Klaipėda city municipality
4		Šiauliai	Listen • Info	133,883	105,653	1589	Šiauliai County	Šiauliai city municipality
5		Panevėžys	Listen • Info	119,749	96,345	1837	Panevėžys County	Panevėžys city municipality
6		Alytus	Listen • Info	71,491	56,364	1581	Alytus County	Alytus city municipality
7		Marijampolė	Listen • Info	48,675	39,542	1792	Marijampolė County	Marijampolė municipality
8		Mažeikiai	Listen • Info	42,675	36,278	1924	Telšiai County	Mažeikiai district municipality
9		Jonava	Listen • Info	34,954	34,056	1864	Kaunas County	Jonava district municipality
10		Utena	Listen • Info	33,860	28,391	1599	Utena County	Utena district municipality
11		Kėdainiai	Listen • Info	32,048	26,080	1590	Kaunas County	Kėdainiai district municipality
12		Telšiai	Listen • Info	31,460	24,500	1791	Telšiai County	Telšiai district municipality
13		Visaginas	Listen • Info	29,554	20,238	1977	Utena County	Visaginas municipality
14		Tauragė	Listen • Info	29,124	24,043	1924	Tauragė County	Tauragė district municipality
15		Ukmergė	Listen • Info	28,759	22,904	1486	Vilnius County	Ukmergė district municipality
16		Plungė	Listen • Info	23,436	19,142	1792	Telšiai County	Plungė district municipality
17		Šilutė	Listen • Info	21,476	15,044	1941	Klaipėda County	Šilutė district municipality
18		Kretinga	Listen • Info	21,423	18,124	1609	Klaipėda County	Kretinga district municipality
19		Radviliškis	Listen • Info	20,339	19,625	1923	Šiauliai County	Radviliškis district municipality
20		Druskininkai	Listen • Info	18,233	16,263	1893	Alytus County	Druskininkai municipality
21		Palanga	Listen • Info	17,623	17,620	1791	Klaipėda County	Palanga city municipality
22		Rokiškis	Listen • Info	16,746	15,549	1920	Panevėžys County	Rokiškis district municipality
23		Biržai	Listen • Info	15,262	14,565	1589	Panevėžys County	Biržai district municipality
24		Gargždai	Listen • Info	15,212	16,087	1792	Klaipėda County	Klaipėda district municipality
25		Kuršėnai	Listen • Info	14,197	13,670	1946	Šiauliai County	Šiauliai district municipality
26		Elektrėnai	Listen • Info	14,050	13,818	1962	Vilnius County	Elektrėnai municipality
27		Jurbarkas	Listen • Info	13,797	13,307	1611	Tauragė County	Jurbarkas district municipality
28		Garliava	Listen • Info	13,322	13,500	1958	Kaunas County	Kaunas district municipality
29		Vilkaviškis	Listen • Info	13,283	12,931	1660	Marijampolė County	Vilkaviškis district municipality
30		Raseiniai	Listen • Info	12,541	12,245	1492–1506	Kaunas County	Raseiniai district municipality
31		Naujoji Akmenė	Listen • Info	12,345	11,468	1792	Šiauliai County	Akmenė district municipality
32		Anykščiai	Listen • Info	11,958	11,829	1516	Utena County	Anykščiai district municipality
33		Lentvaris	Listen • Info	11,773	11,642	1946	Vilnius County	Trakai district municipality
34		Grigiškės	Listen • Info	11,448	11,466	1958	Vilnius County	Vilnius city municipality
35		Prienai	Listen • Info	11,353	10,984	1609	Kaunas County	Prienai district municipality
36		Joniškis	Listen • Info	11,329	10,881	1616	Šiauliai County	Joniškis district municipality
37		Kelmė	Listen • Info	10,900	10,302	1947	Šiauliai County	Kelmė district municipality
38		Varėna	Listen • Info	10,845	10,296	1946	Alytus County	Varėna district municipality
39		Kaišiadorys	Listen • Info	10,002	9,729	1946	Kaunas County	Kaišiadorys district municipality
40		Pasvalys	Listen • Info	8,709	8,296	1946	Panevėžys County	Pasvalys district municipality
41		Kupiškis	Listen • Info	8,451	8,082	1791	Panevėžys County	Kupiškis district municipality
42		Zarasai	Listen • Info	8,365	7,766	1843	Utena County	Zarasai district municipality
43		Skuodas	Listen • Info	7,896	7,358	1572	Klaipėda County	Skuodas district municipality
44		Kazlų Rūda	Listen • Info	7,401	7,162	1950	Marijampolė County	Kazlų Rūda municipality
45		Širvintos	Listen • Info	7,273	7,070	1950	Vilnius County	Širvintos district municipality
46		Molėtai	Listen • Info	7,221	6,949	1956	Utena County	Molėtai district municipality
47		Švenčionėliai	Listen • Info	6,923	6,346	1920	Vilnius County	Švenčionys district municipality
48		Šakiai	Listen • Info	6,795	6,511	1776	Marijampolė County	Šakiai district municipality
49		Šalčininkai	Listen • Info	6,722	6,563	1956	Vilnius County	Šalčininkai district municipality
50		Ignalina	Listen • Info	6,591	6,119	1950	Utena County	Ignalina district municipality
51		Kybartai	Listen • Info	6,556	6,209	1947	Marijampolė County	Vilkaviškis district municipality
52		Pabradė	Listen • Info	6,525	6,236	1946	Vilnius County	Švenčionys district municipality
53		Šilalė	Listen • Info	6,281	6,037	1950	Tauragė County	Šilalė district municipality
54		Pakruojis	Listen • Info	6,057	5,750	1950	Šiauliai County	Pakruojis district municipality
55		Nemenčinė	Listen • Info	5,892	5,876	1955	Vilnius County	Vilnius district municipality
56		Trakai	Listen • Info	5,725	5,373	1409	Vilnius County	Trakai district municipality
57		Švenčionys	Listen • Info	5,684	5,566	1800	Vilnius County	Švenčionys district
58		Vievis	Listen • Info	5,303	5,049	1950	Vilnius County	Elektrėnai municipality
59		Lazdijai	Listen • Info	5,140	4,811	1957	Alytus County	Lazdijai district municipality
60		Kalvarija	Listen • Info	5,090	5,013	1791	Marijampolė County	Kalvarija municipality
61		Rietavas	Listen • Info	3,979	3,843	1792	Telšiai County	Rietavas municipality
62		Žiežmariai	Listen • Info	3,884	3,759	1792	Kaunas County	Kaišiadorys district municipality
63		Eišiškės	Listen • Info	3,765	3,610	1950	Vilnius County	Šalčininkai district municipality
64		Ariogala	Listen • Info	3,697	3,458	1792	Kaunas County	Raseiniai district municipality
65		Venta	Listen • Info	3,412	2,959	1978	Šiauliai County	Akmenė district municipality
66		Šeduva	Listen • Info	3,400	3,200	1654	Šiauliai County	Radviliškis district municipality
67		Birštonas	Listen • Info	3,225	3,172	1518?	Kaunas County	Birštonas municipality
68		Akmenė	Listen • Info	3,140	2,690	1792	Šiauliai County	Akmenė district municipality
69		Tytuvėnai	Listen • Info	2,851	2,690	1956	Šiauliai County	Kelmė district municipality
70		Rūdiškės	Listen • Info	2,559	2,472	1958	Vilnius County	Trakai district municipality
71		Pagėgiai	Listen • Info	2,393	2,236	1923	Tauragė County	Pagėgiai municipality
72		Neringa	Listen • Info	2,386	3,371	1961	Klaipėda County	Neringa municipality
73		Vilkija	Listen • Info	2,338	2,301	1792	Kaunas County	Kaunas district municipality
74		Žagarė	Listen • Info	2,312	2,115	1924	Šiauliai County	Joniškis district municipality
75		Viekšniai	Listen • Info	2,270	2,198	1791	Telšiai County	Mažeikiai district municipality
76		Skaudvilė	Listen • Info	2,140	1,976	1950	Tauragė County	Tauragė district municipality
77		Ežerėlis	Listen • Info	2,051	2,014	1956	Kaunas County	Kaunas district municipality
78		Gelgaudiškis	Listen • Info	2,029	1,936	1958	Marijampolė County	Šakiai district municipality
79		Kudirkos Naumiestis	Listen • Info	1,997	1,916	1643	Marijampolė County	Šakiai district municipality
80		Simnas	Listen • Info	1,980	1,844	1626	Alytus County	Alytus district municipality
81		Salantai	Listen • Info	1,942	1,825	1746	Klaipėda County	Kretinga district municipality
82		Linkuva	Listen • Info	1,797	1,735	1950	Šiauliai County	Pakruojis district municipality
83		Veisiejai	Listen • Info	1,762	1,592	1956	Alytus County	Lazdijai district municipality
84		Ramygala	Listen • Info	1,733	1,695	1957	Panevėžys County	Panevėžys district municipality
85		Priekulė	Listen • Info	1,725	1,663	1948	Klaipėda County	Klaipėda district municipality
86		Joniškėlis	Listen • Info	1,477	1,389	1736	Panevėžys County	Pasvalys district municipality
87		Jieznas	Listen • Info	1,476	1,311	1956	Kaunas County	Prienai district municipality
88		Daugai	Listen • Info	1,458	1,432	1792	Alytus County	Alytus district municipality
89		Obeliai	Listen • Info	1,371	1,293	1956	Panevėžys County	Rokiškis district municipality
90		Varniai	Listen • Info	1,355	1,258	1950	Telšiai County	Telšiai district municipality
91		Virbalis	Listen • Info	1,351	1,250	1593	Marijampolė County	Vilkaviškis district municipality
92		Vabalninkas	Listen • Info	1,328	1,155	1775	Panevėžys County	Biržai district municipality
93		Seda	Listen • Info	1,309	1,189	1950	Telšiai County	Mažeikiai district municipality
94		Subačius	Listen • Info	1,180	1,105	1958	Panevėžys County	Kupiškis district municipality
95		Baltoji Vokė	Listen • Info	1,073	1,073	1958	Vilnius County	Šalčininkai district municipality
96		Dūkštas	Listen • Info	1,070	930	1956	Utena County	Ignalina district municipality
97		Pandėlys	Listen • Info	1,024	941	1956	Panevėžys County	Rokiškis district municipality
98		Dusetos	Listen • Info	914	831	1950	Utena County	Zarasai district municipality
99		Užventis	Listen • Info	898	811	1746	Šiauliai County	Kelmė district municipality
100		Kavarskas	Listen • Info	809	692	1956	Utena County	Anykščiai district municipality
101		Smalininkai	Listen • Info	653	600	1945	Tauragė County	Jurbarkas district municipality
102		Troškūnai	Listen • Info	525	504	1956	Utena County	Anykščiai district municipality
103		Panemunė	Listen • Info	329	318	1837	Tauragė County	Pagėgiai municipality

Map

Map showing all cities marked with red dots. Bigger cities are written in larger letters. Click on the map for better resolution.

Gallery

• 
  Kaunas
• 
  Klaipėda
• 
  Šiauliai
• 
  Panevėžys
• 
  Alytus
• 
  Marijampolė
• 
  Mažeikiai
• 
  Jonava
• 
  Utena
• 
  Kėdainiai
• 
  Telšiai
• 
  Visaginas
• 
  Tauragė
• 
  Ukmergė
• 
  Šilutė
• 
  Plungė
• 
  Kretinga
• 
  Radviliškis
• 
  Druskininkai
• 
  Palanga

See also

• List of towns in Lithuania (Lithuanian: plural – miesteliai, singular – miestelis)
• List of Lithuanian cities in other languages
• Administrative divisions of Lithuania
• Counties (Lithuanian: singular – apskritis, plural – apskritys)
• Municipalities (Lithuanian: plural – savivaldybės, singular – savivaldybė)
• Elderships (or wards) (eldership, ward) (Lithuanian: plural – seniūnijos, singular – seniūnija).
• Seniūnaitija (sub-eldership)

Notes and sources

• Population sizes are given according to Department of Statistics to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania (Statistics Lithuania) data for 2008 and census of 2001. The cities are sorted according to 2001 census data because it is more reliable (data from 2008 is derived from census data using various formulas and models).
• "City rights" means rights to self-governing. For older cities usually it is the date when Magdeburg rights were granted. Most dates are obtained from Lithuanian Wikipedia which assembled the information from several different sources. One of the main sources was Population Statistics. This information cannot be completely trusted.
• Counties, municipalities and elderates are given according to Lithuanian Central Internet Gates data.
• Stasys Vaitiekūnas, Elena Valančienė, Lietuvos geografija (Geography of Lithuania), Alma littera, 2004, pages 160-162. ISBN 9955-08-534-7
• Lietuvos Respublikos teritorijos administracinių vienetų ir jų ribų įstatymas (Republic of Lithuania Law on Administrative Units and Their Borders), Seimas law database, June 19, 1994, law no. I-558.
• At the time of 2001 census, there were 106 cities in Lithuania. Government of Republic of Lithuania made these changes:

• On December 16, 2002 Juodupė lost city status and became a town;
• On February 25, 2003 Kulautuva lost city status and became a town;
• On April 8, 2003 Tyruliai lost city status and became a town.

• Cities without coat of arms image do not have it confirmed by the President of Lithuania. Municipalities share coat of arms with their capitals with the exception of cities which are capitals of more than one municipality (i.e. a city municipality and a district municipality) in which case the city municipality shares the coat of arms with the city, while the district municipality has its own distinct coat of arms. Another notable exception is Trakai town, which has different coat of arms than does its municipality (Trakai district municipality).