Administrative divisions of Lithuania

Lithuania is a country in the Baltic region of Europe.

Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1251–1569)

In the earliest stages of the formation of the Lithuanian state, the area included several "lands" (Lithuanian: plural – ', singular – '), such as Nalšia, Deltuva and Lietuva (as well as others), each ruled by a regional duke. When King Mindaugas () unified the state, he killed, expelled, or subjugated most of the regional dukes. The lands were either added to the new ruler's domain or granted to members of his family.

As the Grand Duchy of Lithuania expanded into Slavic lands, title to the acquired principalities was given to the Grand Duke's offspring or to others of his relatives. For example, Mindaugas granted Black Ruthenia with its center in Navahrudak to his son Vaišvilkas, Grand Duke Gediminas (1316–1341) sent his brother Teodoras to Kiev. This system had major disadvantages: the principalities remained semi-independent with loose ties to the central government. Rulers of these principalities could operate as powerful rivals to the Grand Duke, a situation that led to frequent power-struggles. they slowly became incorporated into the administration of the Grand Duchy. The Kiev Voivodeship was established in 1471, five other voivodeships were set up between 1504 and 1514.

The entire territory of the Grand Duchy, with exception of Samogitia, was divided into 12 voivodeships.

File:Divisions of Lithuania 1385.svg|Rulers of the principalities of Lithuania in 1385. Jogaila Jagiełło is the Grand Duke.

File:1430 m. LDK administracinis susiskirstymas.svg|Administrative divisions of Lithuania in 1430

File:LDK administracinis susiskirstymas XVI amžiuje.png|Administrative divisions of Lithuania in the first half of the 1500s

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Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1569–1795)

Just before the Union of Lublin (1569), four voivodeships (Kiev, Podlaskie, Bracław, and Wołyń) of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were transferred to the Polish Crown by direct order of Sigismund II Augustus while the Duchy of Livonia, acquired in 1561, became a condominium (joint domain) of both Lithuania and Poland.

| Brest Litovsk Voivodeship || Brest || 1566 || 2 powiats || 40,600

| Minsk Voivodeship || Minsk || 1566 || 3 powiats ||55,500

| Mstsislaw Voivodeship || Mstsislaw || 1566 || 1 powiat || 22,600

| Nowogródek Voivodeship || Navahrudak || 1507 || 3 powiats || 33,200

| Polotsk Voivodeship || Polotsk || 1504 || 1 powiat || 21,800

| Samogitian Eldership || Raseiniai || 1411 || 1 powiat || 23,300

| Trakai Voivodeship || Trakai || 1413 || 4 powiats || 31,100

| Vilnius Voivodeship || Vilnius || 1413 || 5 powiats || 44,200

| Vitebsk Voivodeship || Vitebsk || 1511 || 2 powiats || 24,600

After the Livonian War (1558–1582), Lithuania acquired the vassal state of Duchy of Courland with its capital Jelgava. This administrative division remained without any major changes until the partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in the late 18th century.

Russian Empire (1795–1914)

thumb|300px|Map of Vilna and Slonim Governorates in 1795

thumb|300px|Map of Lithuania in the Russian Empire (1867–1914)

Under the Russian Empire, the territory of the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania was divided into governorates (Russian: ', Lithuanian: ') and districts (Russian: uyezd, Lithuanian: '). Such system was introducing in Russia during the reforms of 1775. In 1801 Lithuania Governorate was split into Lithuania-Vilna Governorate and Lithuania-Grodno Governorate. Forty years later the word "Lithuania" was dropped from the two names and official maps of Europe. The territory of the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania became known as the Northwestern Krai.

In 1861, after announcing the abolition of serfdom, peasants acquired civil rights, among them a right to self-governmence. To facilitate such a right townships (Russian: volost, Lithuanian: valsčius) and elderates (Russian: ', Lithuanian: ') were established. By the end of 1861 there were 1,479 elderates in 181 townships of Vilna Governorate and 1,033 elderates in 153 townships of Kovno Governorate. The elderates would elect an elder (Russian: starosta, Lithuanian: seniūnas) and representatives to a township council (Lithuanian: valsčiaus sueiga). However, these institutions had very little power and were dependent on the local nobles. The power was concentrated in the hands of governors, all of whom were appointed by the tsar.

Interwar (1918–1940)

thumb|right|Administrative divisions in 1923

During the interwar period, Lithuania regained independence. The first law on administrative sub-units was passed on July 1, 1919. It declared that Lithuania was divided into twenty counties (Lithuanian: singular – ', plural – '). Several more counties (including Zarasai, Naujieji Švenčionys, Vilnius, Eišiškės, Lida, Ashmyany and Hrodna) were reserved for territories in the Vilnius Region, that Lithuania had claims to, but were under Polish or Russian control. In March 1939, after an ultimatum from Hitler, Lithuania lost the Klaipėda Region with its three counties. In October Soviet Union returned one fifth of the Vilnius Region in exchange for Red Army stations in Lithuania. Acquired Vilnius Region was divided into three counties (Vilnius, Eišiškės, and Naujieji Švenčionys). Therefore, at the end of 1939 Lithuania again had twenty three counties. Counties were further subdivided into townships (Lithuanian: singular – valsčius, plural – valsčiai). In 1933 there were 365 townships. The townships were further subdivided into elderates (Lithuanian: seniūnija).

The counties were governed by a county governor (Lithuanian: '), appointed by the Minister of Interior. Being almost the only link between the central government and the local population, governors were first responsible for a wide range of duties. They were to collect all property left by the retreating German army, organize local government, recruit local army groups, ensure security and stability in the county, etc. In 1920 they were also entrusted to preside over county police. In 1931, in an effort to centralize the government, county governors also became the chairmen of a three-member county governing body (Lithuanian: '), an executive institution of a county council.

These were the counties, their territory and residents according to the 1923 census:

{| class=wikitable

! # !! County !! Area (km2) !! Residents !! Notes

| 1 || Alytus county || 2,849 || 116,000 || Part of this county was inside the Polish-controlled Vilnius Region; it was expanded in 1939

| 2 || Biržai–Pasvalys county || 3,268 || 115,186 || Originally it was named just Biržai county

| 3 || Kaunas county || 2,618 || 191,364 ||

| 4 || Kėdainiai county || 2,403 || 93,514 ||

| 5 || Klaipėda county || 823 || 66,213 || This county was in the Klaipėda Region, therefore administered by Lithuania in 1923–1939

| 6 || Kretinga county || 2,579 || 93,875 ||

| 7 || Marijampolė county || 2,199 || 103,749 ||

| 8 || Mažeikiai county || 2,070 || 75,404 ||

| 9 || Pagėgiai county || 938 || 38,613 || This county was in the Klaipėda Region, therefore administered by Lithuania in 1923–1939

| 10 || Panevėžys county || 3,972 || 138,917 ||

| 11 || Raseiniai county || 3,087 || 113,294 ||

| 12 || Rokiškis county || 2,255 || 87,545 ||

| 13 || Sejny county || 1,263 || 38,207 || Part of this county, including its capital, was under Polish control as part of the Suvalkai Region; a temporary capital of the county was in Lazdijai

| 14 || Šakiai county || 1,773 || 69,518 ||

| 15 || Šiauliai county || 5,714 || 198,015 ||

| 16 || Šilutė county || 643 || 36,099 || This county was in the Klaipėda Region, therefore administered by Lithuania in 1923–1939

| 17 || Tauragė county || 3,351 || 116,435 ||

| 18 || Telšiai county || 2,601 || 85,233 ||

| 19 || Trakai county || 2,191 || 78,636 || Part of this county, including its capital, was under Polish control as part of the Vilnius Region; a temporary capital of the county was in Kaišiadorys until 1939

| 20 || Ukmergė county || 3,199 || 126,309 || Part of this county was inside the Polish-controlled Vilnius Region; it was expanded in 1939

| 21 || Utena county || 3,090 || 108,960 ||

| 22 || Vilkaviškis county || 1,412 || 86,909 ||

| 23 || Zarasai county || 1,314 || 46,442 || Part of this county was inside the Polish-controlled Vilnius Region; it was expanded in 1939. It is also known as Ežerėnai county after an old name for Zarasai

Soviet system (1940–1994)

Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union on June 15, 1940. However, due to ensuring World War II the authorities did not introduce major changes to the administrative divisions, just elderates were renamed to apylinkė. After the second occupation in 1944, the number of counties grew from 26 to 41: eleven counties were added in 1946–47 and four more were introduced in 1949. At the end of 1947 there were 37 counties subdivided into 320 townships that were further subdivided into approximately 2,900 apylinkės.

The entire interwar system was scrapped for the 10th anniversary of the first occupation. The new system matched that of other Soviet Republics. On July 20, 1950 Lithuanian SSR was divided into four regions (Russian: oblast, Lithuanian: sritis).

The townships were abolished and the districts were further subdivided into apylinkės. In 1984 there were 527 apylinkės in Lithuania. They had similar rights as a district.

The regions were short-lived and on May 28, 1953, they were abolished, leaving the districts as the first-level administrative division. The number of districts was reduced several times, and in 1962 it settled at 44. with counties remaining highest level territorial units of Lithuania.

Comparison of post-1918 systems

{| class=wikitable width=100% align=center

! rowspan=2| Measure

! colspan=3| Interwar (1937)

! colspan=3| Soviet times (1989)

! colspan=3| Independence (2004)

! Level 1 || Level 2 || Level 3 || Level 1 || Level 2 || Level 3 || Level 1 || Level 2 || Level 3

| Lithuanian name || Apskritis || Valsčius || Seniūnija || – || Rajonas || Apylinkė || Apskritis || Savivaldybė || Seniūnija

| How many? || 23 || 260 || 2545 || – || 44 || 423 || 10 || 60 || 524

| Self-governing? || Yes || Yes || No || – || Yes* || Yes* || No || Yes || No

| Average population (in thousands) || 110.9 || 9 || 1 || – || 27.3** || 2.5 || 348.4 || 39.0** || 6.6

| Average territory (in km2) || 2420 || 214 || 22 || – || 1449 || 132 || 6530 || 1088 || 125

| colspan=10| * Nominally, in reality all self-governing institutions were orchestrated by the Communist Party of Lithuania ** Without major cities