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List of cities in Lithuania

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Vilnius is the largest city of Lithuania with urban population over 700,000 inhabitants

In Lithuania, there are 103 cities (miestai). The term city is defined by the Parliament of Lithuania as a compact urban area with more than 3,000 people, of whom at least two-thirds work in the industry or service sector. Settlements with a population of less than 3,000 but with historical city status are still considered to be cities. Smaller settlements are known as towns (miesteliai), and even smaller settlements are known as villages (kaimai). Often the official status of these smaller settlements are unclear, and people simply refer to both towns and villages as settlements (gyvenvietės).

The cities started to form between the 13th and 14th centuries together with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The first 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 and are now just towns or villages, for example Kernavė and Merkinė. Most of the cities in Lithuania were 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 and Mažeikiai. In the 20th century, cities grew next to big industrial centers, for example Visaginas, Elektrėnai and Naujoji Akmenė. Five cities (Birštonas, Druskininkai, Neringa, Palanga and Anykščiai) have a special resort status.

Of over 100 cities, only 14 have populations of over 20,000. Cities are quite evenly spread out through the territory of Lithuania. At the 2001 census, 66.7% of the population lived in cities. During the 2021 census it increased to 68.2% of the population.

Cities with over 50,000 inhabitants

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# CoA City Pronunciation Population Change Granted
city rights
County Municipalities in urban area Urban area
(2024)
2024 2021 2001
1 Vilnius ListenInfo 5 602,430 546,155 554,281 −1.47% 1387 Vilnius County Vilnius City Municipality Vilnius District Municipality 708,627
2 Kaunas ListenInfo 3 304,210 298,753 378,943 −21.16% 1408 Kaunas County Kaunas City Municipality Kaunas District Municipality 410,475
3 Klaipėda ListenInfo 1 159,403 152,008 192,954 −21.22% 1257 Klaipėda County Klaipėda City Municipality Klaipėda District Municipality 226,676
4 Šiauliai ListenInfo 1 110,463 100,653 133,883 −24.82% 1589 Šiauliai County Šiauliai City Municipality Šiauliai District Municipality 151,026
5 Panevėžys ListenInfo 0 86,606 89,100 119,749 −25.59% 1837 Panevėžys County Panevėžys City Municipality Panevėžys District Municipality 121,977
6 Alytus ListenInfo 0 51,353 52,727 71,491 −26.25% 1581 Alytus County Alytus City Municipality Alytus District Municipality 76,815

Cities between 20,000 and 50,000 inhabitants

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# CoA City Pronunciation Population Change) Granted
city rights
County Municipality
2024 2021 2001
1 Marijampolė ListenInfo 1 36,704 36,727 48,675 −24.55% 1792 Marijampolė County Marijampolė Municipality
2 Mažeikiai ListenInfo 1 33,377 33,101 42,675 −22.43% 1924 Telšiai County Mažeikiai District Municipality
3 Utena ListenInfo 1 27,763 25,343 33,860 −25.15% 1599 Utena County Utena District Municipality
4 Jonava ListenInfo 1 26,838 27,381 34,954 −21.67% 1864 Kaunas County Jonava District Municipality
5 Kėdainiai ListenInfo 1 23,362 23,461 32,048 −26.79% 1590 Kaunas County Kėdainiai District Municipality
6 Telšiai ListenInfo 1 22,024 22,642 31,460 −28.03% 1791 Telšiai County Telšiai District Municipality
7 Tauragė ListenInfo 1 21,216 21,203 29,124 −27.20% 1924 Tauragė County Tauragė District Municipality
8 Ukmergė ListenInfo 1 20,928 21,258 28,759 −26.08% 1486 Vilnius County Ukmergė District Municipality

Cities between 5,000 and 20,000 inhabitants

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# CoA City Pronunciation
(audio help)
Population (2024) Population (2021) Population (2001) Granted city rights County Municipality
1 Visaginas ListenInfo 19,330 19,446 29,554 1995 Utena County Visaginas Municipality
2 Palanga ListenInfo 18,066 16,746 17,623 1791 Klaipėda County Palanga City Municipality
3 Plungė ListenInfo 17,259 17,543 23,436 1792 Telšiai County Plungė District Municipality
4 Kretinga ListenInfo 16,927 17,249 21,423 1609 Klaipėda County Kretinga District Municipality
5 Šilutė ListenInfo 16,002 15,952 21,476 1941 Klaipėda County Šilutė District Municipality
6 Radviliškis ListenInfo 15,518 15,103 20,339 1923 Šiauliai County Radviliškis District Municipality
7 Gargždai ListenInfo 15,510 15,065 15,212 1792 Klaipėda County Klaipėda District Municipality
8 Druskininkai ListenInfo 12,978 12,908 18,233 1893 Alytus County Druskininkai Municipality
9 Elektrėnai ListenInfo 12,536 11,255 14,050 1962 Vilnius County Elektrėnai Municipality
10 Jurbarkas ListenInfo 11,455 10,186 13,797 1611 Tauragė County Jurbarkas District Municipality
11 Rokiškis ListenInfo 11,388 11,770 16,746 1920 Panevėžys County Rokiškis District Municipality
12 Kuršėnai ListenInfo 10,570 10,916 14,197 1946 Šiauliai County Šiauliai District Municipality
13 Biržai ListenInfo 10,238 10,734 15,262 1589 Panevėžys County Biržai District Municipality
14 Vilkaviškis ListenInfo 10,182 10,286 13,283 1660 Marijampolė County Vilkaviškis District Municipality
15 Garliava ListenInfo 10,035 10,366 13,322 1958 Kaunas County Kaunas District Municipality
16 Grigiškės ListenInfo 9,829 9,950 11,448 1958 Vilnius County Vilnius City Municipality
17 Lentvaris ListenInfo 9,589 9,713 11,773 1946 Vilnius County Trakai District Municipality
18 Raseiniai ListenInfo 9,553 9,865 12,541 1492–1506 Kaunas County Raseiniai District Municipality
19 Prienai ListenInfo 8,773 8,796 11,353 1609 Kaunas County Prienai District Municipality
20 Anykščiai ListenInfo 8,534 8,697 11,958 1516 Utena County Anykščiai District Municipality
21 Kaišiadorys ListenInfo 8,480 8,380 10,002 1946 Kaunas County Kaišiadorys District Municipality
22 Joniškis ListenInfo 8,437 8,612 11,329 1616 Šiauliai County Joniškis District Municipality
23 Naujoji Akmenė ListenInfo 8,044 7,985 12,345 1792 Šiauliai County Akmenė District Municipality
24 Varėna ListenInfo 7,866 8,202 10,845 1946 Alytus County Varėna District Municipality
25 Kelmė ListenInfo 7,344 7,688 10,900 1947 Šiauliai County Kelmė District Municipality
26 Šalčininkai ListenInfo 6,825 6,857 6,722 1956 Vilnius County Šalčininkai District Municipality
27 Pasvalys ListenInfo 6,288 6,451 8,709 1946 Panevėžys County Pasvalys District Municipality
28 Kupiškis ListenInfo 6,107 6,218 8,451 1791 Panevėžys County Kupiškis District Municipality
29 Zarasai ListenInfo 5,851 6,077 8,365 1843 Utena County Zarasai District Municipality
30 Trakai ListenInfo 5,720 5,426 5,725 1409 Vilnius County Trakai District Municipality
31 Širvintos ListenInfo 5,650 5,827 7,273 1950 Vilnius County Širvintos District Municipality
32 Molėtai ListenInfo 5,611 5,782 7,221 1956 Utena County Molėtai District Municipality
33 Kazlų Rūda ListenInfo 5,457 5,590 7,401 1950 Marijampolė County Kazlų Rūda Municipality
34 Šakiai ListenInfo 5,348 5,462 6,795 1776 Marijampolė County Šakiai District Municipality
35 Skuodas ListenInfo 5,231 5,508 7,896 1572 Klaipėda County Skuodas District Municipality

Cities between 1,000 and 5,000 inhabitants

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# CoA City Pronunciation
(audio help)
Population (2024) Population (2021) Population (2001) Granted city rights County Municipality
1 Ignalina ListenInfo 4,843 5,106 6,591 1950 Utena County Ignalina District Municipality
2 Pabradė ListenInfo 4,636 4,918 6,525 1946 Vilnius County Švenčionys District Municipality
3 Šilalė ListenInfo 4,605 4,729 6,281 1950 Tauragė County Šilalė District Municipality
4 Švenčionėliai ListenInfo 4,536 4,748 6,923 1920 Vilnius County Švenčionys District Municipality
5 Nemenčinė ListenInfo 4,495 4,831 5,892 1955 Vilnius County Vilnius District Municipality
6 Pakruojis ListenInfo 4,487 4,594 6,057 1950 Šiauliai County Pakruojis District Municipality
7 Švenčionys ListenInfo 4,292 4,448 5,684 1800 Vilnius County Švenčionys District Municipality
8 Neringa ListenInfo 4,265 3,609 2,386 1961 Klaipėda County Neringa Municipality
9 Vievis ListenInfo 4,135 4,311 5,303 1950 Vilnius County Elektrėnai Municipality
10 Kalvarija ListenInfo 3,939 3,982 5,090 1791 Marijampolė County Kalvarija Municipality
11 Kybartai ListenInfo 3,871 4,126 6,556 1947 Marijampolė County Vilkaviškis District Municipality
12 Lazdijai ListenInfo 3,817 4,016 5,140 1957 Alytus County Lazdijai District Municipality
13 Rietavas ListenInfo 3,144 3,234 3,979 1792 Telšiai County Rietavas Municipality
14 Birštonas ListenInfo 3,011 3,072 3,225 1518? Kaunas County Birštonas Municipality
15 Žiežmariai ListenInfo 2,989 3,158 3,884 1792 Kaunas County Kaišiadorys District Municipality
16 Eišiškės ListenInfo 2,734 2,908 3,765 1950 Vilnius County Šalčininkai District Municipality
17 Ariogala ListenInfo 2,591 2,743 3,697 1792 Kaunas County Raseiniai District Municipality
18 Šeduva ListenInfo 2,367 2,421 3,400 1654 Šiauliai County Radviliškis District Municipality
19 Akmenė ListenInfo 2,294 2,355 3,140 1792 Šiauliai County Akmenė District Municipality
20 Venta ListenInfo 2,150 2,250 3,412 1995 Šiauliai County Akmenė District Municipality
21 Viekšniai ListenInfo 2,133 2,249 2,270 1791 Telšiai County Mažeikiai District Municipality
22 Rūdiškės ListenInfo 1,889 1,985 2,559 1958 Vilnius County Trakai District Municipality
23 Tytuvėnai ListenInfo 1,759 1,850 2,851 1956 Šiauliai County Kelmė District Municipality
24 Vilkija ListenInfo 1,694 1,762 2,338 1792 Kaunas County Kaunas District Municipality
25 Ežerėlis ListenInfo 1,580 1,640 2,051 1956 Kaunas County Kaunas District Municipality
26 Pagėgiai ListenInfo 1,540 1,576 2,393 1923 Tauragė County Pagėgiai Municipality
27 Gelgaudiškis ListenInfo 1,497 1,572 2,029 1958 Marijampolė County Šakiai District Municipality
28 Skaudvilė ListenInfo 1,331 1,427 2,140 1950 Tauragė County Tauragė District Municipality
29 Kudirkos Naumiestis ListenInfo 1,305 1,381 1,997 1643 Marijampolė County Šakiai District Municipality
30 Žagarė ListenInfo 1,226 1,326 2,312 1924 Šiauliai County Joniškis District Municipality
31 Priekulė ListenInfo 1,223 1,245 1,725 1948 Klaipėda County Klaipėda District Municipality
32= Linkuva ListenInfo 1,218 1,283 1,797 1950 Šiauliai County Pakruojis District Municipality
32= Salantai ListenInfo 1,218 1,272 1,942 1746 Klaipėda County Kretinga District Municipality
34 Ramygala ListenInfo 1,183 1,241 1,733 1957 Panevėžys County Panevėžys District Municipality
35 Simnas ListenInfo 1,176 1,247 1,980 1626 Alytus County Alytus District Municipality
36 Veisiejai ListenInfo 1,022 1,141 1,762 1956 Alytus County Lazdijai District Municipality
37 Jieznas ListenInfo 1,004 1,047 1,476 1956 Kaunas County Prienai District Municipality

Remaining cities in Lithuania

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The smallest cities in Lithuania that have below 1,000 inhabitants. The counties are ranked by number of cities and further ranked by the population of the largest one. Cities are ranked by the size of the population.

Panevėžys County (5)
Subačius, Obeliai, Vabalninkas, Pandėlys, Joniškėlis.
Utena County (4)
Dūkštas, Kavarskas, Dusetos, Troškūnai.
Telšiai County (2)
Varniai, Seda.
Tauragė County (2)
Smalininkai, Panemunė.
Marijampolė County (1)
Virbalis.
Šiauliai County (1)
Užventis.
Vilnius County (1)
Baltoji Vokė.
Alytus County (1)
Daugai.

Map

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Cities by compass direction reference

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South-North reference: (Vilnius), E272 (Panevėžys), E67 (Bauska, Latvia)
CoA City Pronunciation
(audio help)
Number by the size (2024) County Municipality
Šalčininkai ListenInfo 40 Vilnius County Šalčininkai District Municipality
Vilnius ListenInfo 1 Vilnius County Vilnius City Municipality Vilnius District Municipality
Širvintos ListenInfo 45 Vilnius County Širvintos District Municipality
Ukmergė ListenInfo 14 Vilnius County Ukmergė District Municipality
Panevėžys ListenInfo 5 Panevėžys County Panevėžys City Municipality Panevėžys District Municipality
Pasvalys ListenInfo 41 Panevėžys County Pasvalys District Municipality

See also

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Notes and sources

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  • Population sizes are given according to Department of Statistics to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania (Statistics Lithuania) data for the census of 2001.
  • "City rights" means rights to self-government. For older cities this is usually 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 elderships 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 the 2001 census, there were 106 cities in Lithuania. the Government of the Republic of Lithuania made these changes:
  • Cities with no image of a coat of arms shown do not have one confirmed by the President of Lithuania. Municipalities share coats 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 from its municipality (Trakai District Municipality).

References

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