Varėna District Municipality
Varėnos rajono savivaldybė
Nemunas River nearby Merkinė
Nemunas River nearby Merkinė
Coat of arms of Varėna District Municipality
Location in Lithuania
Location in Lithuania
Map of Varėna district municipality
Map of Varėna district municipality
Coordinates: 54°13′N 24°34′E / 54.217°N 24.567°E / 54.217; 24.567
Country Lithuania
Ethnographic regionDzūkija
CountyAlytus County
CapitalVarėna
Elderships8
Government
  TypeCity Council
  BodyVarėna Council
  MayorAlgis Kašėta (PAC)
  LeadingPolitical Committee[1]
9 / 25
Area
  Total2,218 km2 (856 sq mi)
  Rank1st
Population
 (2020 estimation[2])
  Total20,840
  Rank41st
  Density9.4/km2 (24/sq mi)
   Rank60th
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
  Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Telephone code310
Major settlementsVarėna (pop. 8,021)
Websitewww.varena.lt/en

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 Varėna District, 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, Grūda, Varėnė) is the main watercourse. There is the largest march in Lithuania the Čepkeliai March which is declared as a strict natural reserve. There are more than 100 lakes. Most of them are small, endorhetic, while some, like Ilgis, Nedingis, Lavysas, Glėbas, 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 circa 40 nature monuments - old pine trees used for beekeeping, some outcrops, unique geological landforms.

The main part of the district is in the Dainava Plain. North-western side is covered by the Dzūkian Highland, while eastern side is in the Eišiškės Plateau where is the highest point of Varėna District Municipality - the Riliškiai Hill (193 m).[2]

  • Rivers: Nemunas, Merkys, Ūla, Varėnė, Grūda, Strauja, Katra.
  • Lakes and ponds: Ilgis, Nedingis, Lavysas, Glėbas, Grūda Lake, Varėna 1st Reservoir.
  • Marches: Čepkeliai March, Pastalikė March.
  • Forests: Dainava Forest, Subartonys Forest.
  • Protected areas: Dzūkija National Park, Čepkeliai Natural Reserve, Ūla Landscape Sanctuary, Merkys Ichtiological Sanctuary, Pelesa Botanical-Zoological Sanctuary, 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.[2]

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:

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).

Elderships

Varėna District Municipality is divided into 8 elderships:

Eldership Area Population (2021)[3] Population density
(per km2)
Jakėnai 149 km2 (36,818.70 acres; 57.53 sq mi) 957 6
Kaniava 263 km2 (64,988.72 acres; 101.54 sq mi) 1,009 4
Marcinkonys 565 km2 (139,614.54 acres; 218.15 sq mi) 1,021 2
Matuizos 148 km2 (36,571.60 acres; 57.14 sq mi) 1,833 12
Merkinė 390 km2 (96,371.10 acres; 150.58 sq mi) 2,552 6
Valkininkai 156 km2 (38,548.44 acres; 60.23 sq mi) 1,572 10
Varėna 350 km2 (86,486.88 acres; 135.14 sq mi) 11,084 32
Vydeniai 140 km2 (34,594.75 acres; 54.05 sq mi) 1,109 8

Population

Demography

Ethnic makeup (2011 census):[4]

Largest settlements

Population by locality

2011 Census[5]
LocalityStatus Total  Male Female
Total25,37711,91613,461
Jakėnai Eldership1,202586616
AkmuoK000
AukštakalnisK1174
BarteliaiK18810
BytautonysK1596
BurbonysK1275
DamononysK1284
GinakiemisK1587
GruožninkėliaiK000
JakėnaiK1064
KalėnaiK17107
KaniūkaiK351520
KareivonysK995049
KarpiškėsK1367
KukliaiK331914
LaukiapušisK000
MaskaukaK221210
MiletonysK000
NorvydiškėsK211
PaakmenėK000
PabezninkaiK211
PajuodikysK000
PalielukisK000
ParučiaiK1257
PaspengliaiK000
PetrauskaiK000
PuodžiaiK322150172
RadžiūnaiK422
SalosK835
StrielčiškėsK642
UžtilčiaiK1064
VazgirdonysK753738
VerbiciškėsK000
VergakiemisK341816
VoniškėsK312
ZakoriaiK000
ŽilinaiK392184208
ŽilinėliaiK20911
Kaniava Eldership1,390660730
BagočiaiK1257
BalbutaiK391524
BūdosK945
DalinaK16610
DaržininkaiK261412
DrucminaiK1156
DubičiaiK291146145
GribašaK743
GrišoniškėsK000
JasauskaiK602733
KalviaiK471928
KaniavaK23914
KaniavėlėK1486
KaniūkaiK362313
KaraviškėsK532
KatraK19811
KaziukonysK624
KašėtosK1587
KrokšlysK502129
KrukliaiK301812
LynežerisK24915
MantotaiK16511
MargiaiK321
MikalčiūnaiK301515
MolinėK413
NoškūnaiK411922
PaąžuolėK1358
PakaniavysK954
PakuliškėsK743
PanočiaiK284136148
ParamėlisK20713
PauosupėK431
PodubičiaiK303
PraudaK532
RakaiK1145361
RudniaK743539
StojaiK1046
StoniūnaiK211
ŠiliniaiK000
ŠulaiK000
ŪtaK1183
Marcinkonys Eldership1,389671718
AšašninkaiK431924
BižaiK101
DarželiaiK632538
DaržinėlėsK22913
DubasK743
DubininkasK431
GrybauliaK261610
KabeliaiK1688385
KapiniškiaiK401921
KašėtosK1459
LavysasK211
MančiagirėK15105
MarcinkonysK640310330
MardasavasK261016
MargionysK583028
MusteikaK612536
PaūliaiK954
PiesčiaiK000
PogarendaK000
PuvočiaiK573126
RandamonysK000
RudniaK110
SenovėK716
ŠklėriaiK412417
TrakiškiaiK725
ViršurodukisK422
ZervynosK472522
ŽiūraiK261115
Matuizos Eldership2,2291,0841,145
BeržupisVS18117
BiekšiosK21813
BurneikosVS000
ButvydonysK502327
ČebatoriaiK874443
GiniūnaiK221111
GiraitėK613130
JakėnaiK1789
JurgiškėsK593029
KrūminiaiK1748886
KukiškėsK211
LikonysK000
MarijanavasK642
MatuizosK1,201561640
MielupiaiK1165
MoliaiK725
PabaronėK1064
PamerkiaiK874344
PapiškėsK291613
PasgrindaK341618
PaversekisK412516
SemoškosVS422
SmalninkaiVS220
ŠarkiškėsK483018
ŠlaitasK1073
UrkionysK1255966
VoriškėsK1035053
ŽagariaiK000
Merkinė Eldership3,2221,5141,708
ApsingėK734
AušrinėK752
BingeliaiK1046
BurokaraistėlėK725
BurokaraistisK1798
ČesukaiK633
DegsnėsK211
DubaklonisK391227
DvaralaukisK000
GelovinėK110
GeniaiK14104
GiraitėK101
GudakiemisK1236360
GudaraistisK000
GudeliaiK1064
IlgininkaiK964749
JablanavasK000
JakubiškiaiK432320
JanaukaK945
JonionysK482424
KačingėK321
KaibūčiaiK312
KamintiškėsK000
KampaiK19910
KasčiūnaiK743
KibyšiaiK1466878
KrušonysK000
KudrėnaiK1899
KurmiškėK624
KučiūnaiK211
LankininkaiK523
LaukininkaiK1679
LaukininkėliaiK844
LemkaraistisK954
LesagūraiK541
LevūnaiK000
LiškiavaK572928
MaksimaiK954
MaksimonysK22814
MantvilaiK1569
MardasavasK17107
MasališkėsK371720
MerkinėMST1,228559669
MerkinėVS17107
MikniūnaiK231112
MilioniškėsK19712
NavasodaiK514
NavikaiK422
NetiesosK1046
NoruliaiK281414
PagilšysK624
PagronyčysK1165
PanaraK213107106
PapiškėsK835
ParudniaK514
PaulenkaK000
PašilingėK000
PelekiškėK101
PilvingiaiK1729082
PurpliaiK211
PuvočiaiK532
RadyščiusK442222
RaitininkaiK642
RodukaK1358
RudniaK202
RūsingėK23815
SamūniškėsK351421
SarkajiedaiK413
SavulkosK1477
SpyriaiK413
SubartonysK452025
SukarepkaK271314
ŠunupisK1789
TetervinėK1174
TrasninkasK431
UlčičiaiK211
UtiekaK523
VaičiškėVS514
ValakėliaiK000
VilkiautinisK288130158
VoverysK000
ZakavoliaiK1165
ŽeimiaiK613031
Valkininkai Eldership1,9329151,017
ČižiūnaiK1296564
DargužiaiK252129123
DaržininkaiK401822
DegsnėsK663333
KuršiaiK542628
MaceliaiK201010
Naujieji ValkininkaiK370157213
Naujosios NaniškėsK492623
PaklėštarėK1506981
PirčiupiaiK753243
PošalčiaiK512526
PūčkornėsK20713
Senosios NaniškėsK412219
SpenglaK391821
UžuperkasisK343178165
VaitakarčmisK413
ValkininkaiMST22999130
Varėna Eldership12,6285,8176,811
AleksandravaK101
AndriūnaiK18117
ArčiūnaiK101
BabriškėsK16610
BiniūnaiK1147
DiržamenysK431
DruckūnaiK894148
DubaklonisK422
DvarčiaiK1055
EžeriekaiK1358
GeidukonysK391920
GenionysK20713
GirežerisK633
GlūkasK743
GojusK000
GrumiškėsK000
GudžiaiK348172176
KaružaiK1468
KazimieravasK302010
KirklionysK633
KucakiemisK1266
LaičiaiK271314
MartinavaK413
MergežerisK301515
MeškučiaiK312
MiguičionysK936
MilioniškėK22913
MoliadugnisK532
NedzingėK244120124
PadaugėK231211
PagirėsK743
PakaršysK452124
PamusėliaiK351322
PamusiaiK622834
PanedingysK963
PapiškiaiK22913
PavardaunysK1055
PavarėnisK303
PerlojaK586277309
RudniaK312
SalovartėK18108
SapiegiškėK1156
SarapiniškėsK1607684
Senoji VarėnaK1,203571632
SlabodkaK1174
SokonysK211
TolkūnaiK1588078
ŪtaK1477
VadėnaiK1073
VarėnaM9,2404,1925,048
VartavalakisK220
VilgučiaiK000
ŽelniūnaiK110
ŽilinčiškėsK000
Vydeniai Eldership1,385669716
AladaukaK000
AladiškėsK532
BarčiaiK1487078
CibonysK413
ČepelūnaiK954
DainavaK663333
DipiškėsK422
GojusK16610
GumbiškėsK000
JuočiaiK835
KalėdonysK000
KamaraučiškėsK532
KamorūnaiK371918
KijučiaiK1658481
KijutiškėsK18117
KriviliaiK358177181
MelekonysK312
MeškadonysK000
MilvydaK615
PalkabalisK16610
PapiškėsK392019
PavainikėsK000
PikiškėsK110
PuišysK000
RamonaiK000
RamoniškiaiK000
RazumnaK251510
RiliškiaiK251510
SenkonysK000
StrėžiūnaiK502822
UlbinaiK312
VaidagaiK000
VydeniaiK374164210
ŽukonysK000
  • Status: M - city; MST - town; K, GST - village; VS - homestead

References

  1. https://rinkimai.maps.lt/rinkimai2023/savivaldybes/
  2. 1 2 3 "Varėnos rajono savivaldybė". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Vol. 24. Vilnius: Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos institutas. 2014. Retrieved 2021-04-24.
  3. "GYVENTOJAI GYVENAMOSIOSE VIETOVĖSE". Osp.stat.gov.lt. Archived from the original (XLSX) on 7 March 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  4. "Lithuania 2011 Census". Lietuvos statistikos departamentas. 2011. Archived from the original on 2012-01-11. Retrieved 2013-03-24.
  5. "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)
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