Šilutė district municipality
Šilutės rajono savivaldybė (Šilutė Rajong municipality (Heydekrug)) |
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district | Klaipeda | ||
Coordinates | 55 ° 21 ′ N , 21 ° 29 ′ E | ||
Parish seat | Šilutė | ||
Biggest cities / towns |
Šilutė (14,968 E) Švėkšna (2,053 E) |
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Number of cities | 1 | ||
Number of towns | 7th | ||
Number of villages | 311 | ||
Residents | 53,376 | ||
surface | 1706 km² | ||
Population density | 31 | ||
prefix | +370 441 | ||
Ruling party | Liberalų ir centro sąjunga | ||
mayor | Arvydas Jakas | ||
Size of the parish council | 27 seats | ||
ISO 3166-2 | LT-46 | ||
http://www.silute.lt/ |
The Šilutė Rajong Municipality is one of the 60 self-governments in Lithuania . It is known for its floods when the ice on the Memel begins to melt. It is the only municipality in Lithuania that is regularly flooded. The unemployment rate fell from 10.9% in January 2003 to 7.7% in January 2005. However, the national rate is 1.2–1.7% higher.
geography
The total area of the municipality is 1706 km². Of these, 20% (340 km²) are forests, 20.4% (348 km²) water (especially the Memel Delta), 35.8% (611 km²) cultivated soils, 13.2% (226 km²) pastures and meadows and 3, 5% (60 km²) roads and buildings. The area of the Rajongemeinde Šilutė covers a large part of Lithuania Minor and extends north-east into Lower Lithuania. In the southern part there are areas with meadow pastures. There are large populations of migratory birds in the Memel Delta and Windenburger Eck . Rusnė , a small town (miestelis) in the Memel Delta, is the only Lithuanian island town; some parts are below sea level.
Demographics
As in almost all rural areas of Lithuania, including small and medium-sized towns, the population development is characterized by rural exodus. Over 14,000 of the community residents are children under the age of 15 and about 10,000 are over ...
coat of arms
The coat of arms was created in 1968. It shows the sails of a ship. At the very top is a traditional wind direction indicator as used by fishermen. Below is a horn, the ancient symbol of the post office. These symbols indicate the Curonian Lagoon , fishing and Šilutė as an ancient seaport. An important post road ran through Šilutė.
Settlements
Švėkšna, Catholic Church of the Apostle James, built 1901–1905, architect Karl Eduard Strandmann (1867–1946)
The Rajongemeinde (Šilutės rajono savivaldybė) includes (2001 population figures)
- the town of Šilutė (Heydekrug) - 21,476
- the towns (miesteliai):
- Gardamas (Garden) - 437
- Katyčiai (Coadjuthen) - 737
- Kintai (Kinten) - 833
- Rusnė - (Soot) 1642
- Švėkšna (Schwestnau) - 2053
- Vainutas (Woinutten) - 993
- Žemaičių Naumiestis (New Town) - 1716
- 311 villages including:
- Traksėdžiai (Trakseden) - 1246
- Juknaičiai (Jugnaten) - 1106
- Macikai (Matzicken) - 967
- Saugos (sucking) - 945
- Pagryniai (Pagrien) - 934
- Ramučiai (Ramutten) - 126
- Minija , also: Mingė (Minge) - 46
- Vyžiai (Wieszen) - 40
Districts
Town twinning
- Ljungby , Sweden
- Nakskov , Denmark
- Emmerich am Rhein , North Rhine-Westphalia , since 1990
- Ostróda , Poland
- Slavsk , Russia , Kaliningrad Oblast