Central and Western Lithuania Region

{{Infobox settlement

| official_name = Central and Western Lithuania Region

| native_name = {{native name|lt| Vidurio ir vakarų Lietuvos regionas}}

| settlement_type = Region

| image_skyline = {{Photomontage

|color = #ffffff

|photo1a = Kauno_senamiestis_by_Augustas_Didzgalvis.jpg{{!}}Kaunas, the largest city in the region

|photo2a = Modern buildings in Klaipėda in 2010.jpg{{!}}Klaipėda, the second largest city in the region

|photo2b = Hauptstraße-Siauliai.jpg{{!}}Šiauliai, the third largest city in the region

|spacing = 2

|border = 0

|size = 260

}}

| image_caption = {{hlist|From top, left to right: Kaunas, the largest city in the region with over 300,000 inhabitants, Klaipėda, the second largest city in the region, Šiauliai, the third largest city in the region with over 100,000 inhabitants}}

| image_map = Vidurio ir vakarų Lietuvos regionas.png

| map_caption = Central and Western Lithuania Region (in blue)

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = Lithuania

| area_total_km2 = 55556

| area_footnotes = {{cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/demo_r_d3area/default/table?lang=en|title=Area by NUTS 3 regions - km2|work=Eurostat|access-date=1 June 2024}}

| population_as_of = 2023

| population_total = 2017640

| population_footnotes = {{cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tgs00096/default/table?lang=en|title=Population on 1 January by NUTS 2 region|work=Eurostat|access-date=1 June 2024}}

| population_density_km2 = auto

| demographics_type1 = GDP

| demographics1_footnotes = {{cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tgs00003/default/table?lang=en|title=EU regions by GDP|access-date=18 September 2023|work=Eurostat}}

| demographics1_title1 = Total

| demographics1_info1 = €40.233 billion (2023)

| demographics1_title2 = Per capita

| demographics1_info2 = €20,000 (2023)

| timezone =

| utc_offset =

| timezone_DST =

| utc_offset_DST =

}}

Central and Western Lithuania Region ({{langx|lt|Vidurio ir vakarų Lietuvos regionas}}) is a subdivision of Lithuania as defined by the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS). It is one of the two classified NUTS-2 statistical regions of Lithuania. The region encompasses an area of {{cvt|55556|km2}} and incorporates nine counties of Lithuania except the Vilnius County. With a population of just over two million, it is the most populated of the two regions in Lithuania. Kaunas is the largest city in the region.

Classification

The country of Lithuania is organized into ten counties for administrative purposes by the amendments of Act XXI of 1996.{{cite web|title=Counties of Lithuania|url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/lithuania/admin/|access-date=23 November 2016|work=Citypopulation.de}} The Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) organizes the country into two broader level sub-divisions.{{cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/nuts|title=NUTS classification|work=Eurostat|access-date=1 June 2024}}{{cite web |url=http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_OFFPUB/KS-RA-07-020/EN/KS-RA-07-020-EN.PDF |title=Regions in the European Union: Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics |work=European Commission |access-date=25 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110221195504/http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_OFFPUB/KS-RA-07-020/EN/KS-RA-07-020-EN.PDF |archive-date=21 February 2011 |url-status=dead}} These are classified as a NUTS-2 statistical regions of Lithuania, and incorporate one or more counties within it.{{cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/345175/629341/NUTS2021-NUTS2024.xlsx/2b35915f-9c14-6841-8197-353408c4522d?t=1717505289640|title=NUTS regions|work=Eurostat|access-date=1 June 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32016R2066|title=Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/2066 of 21 November 2016 amending the annexes to Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of a common classification of territorial units for statistics (NUTS)|work=EUR-Lex|access-date=3 February 2019}} The new delimination was announced by the Parliament of Lithuania in 2016, and approved by European Parliament on 21 November 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.stat.gov.lt/home/-/asset_publisher/lbrXvLVHX2ln/content/del-sostines-bei-vidurio-ir-vakaru-lietuvos-regionu-statistiniu-rodikliu-skelbimo-ir-perdavimo-europos-komisijai-eurostatui-?inheritRedirect=false|title=Dėl Sostinės bei Vidurio ir vakarų Lietuvos regionų statistinių rodiklių skelbimo ir perdavimo Europos Komisijai (Eurostatui) - Naujienos - Lietuvos statistikos departamentas - Oficialiosios statistikos portalas|work=Government of Lithuania|language=Lithuanian}} The counties form the NUTS-3 territorial units under them.

Geography

Central and Western Lithuania Region incorporates an area of {{cvt|55556|km2}}. The region is located in Eastern Europe, and bordered by the Baltic Sea to the west.{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/lithuania/|title=Lithuania|work=CIA World fact book|access-date=1 June 2024}} It shares international land borders with Latvia in the north, Bealrus in the south-east, Poland in the south, and Kalinigrad of Russia in the south-west.{{cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/345175/17780005/2021-NUTS-2-map-LT.pdf/ec73b959-8f42-e917-55ed-e2a73109c6e7?t=1698686368787|title=NUTS Maps: Lithuania|work=Eurostat|access-date=1 June 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://circabc.europa.eu/webdav/CircaBC/ESTAT/regportraits/Information/lt_national.htm|title=Lithuania|work=Eurostat|access-date=1 June 2024}} The region has about {{cvt|97|km}} of coastline of which {{cvt|37|km}} face the Black Sea and the rest lies along the narrow mouth of the Curonian Lagoon extending south to Kaliningrad.{{cite web|url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5379.htm|title=Lithuania|work=Government of United States|access-date=1 June 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.countryreports.org/country/Lithuania/geography.htm|title=Geography of Lithuania|work=Country Reports|access-date=1 June 2024}} The Nemunas River enters the region from Belarus before flowing into the lagoon. The region generally consists of flat terrain except for few highlands in the west. The region consists of numerous small lakes and swamps.

= Sub-regions =

Central and Western Lithuania Region incorporates nine counties of Lithuania except the Vilnius County.

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! # !! County
(media help)!! Capital!! Area
in km² (rank)!! Population (2023){{cite web|title=Resident population at the beginning of the year|url=https://osp.stat.gov.lt/statistiniu-rodikliu-analize?indicator=S3R167#/|access-date=2023-06-08|archive-date=2023-05-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230508162636/https://osp.stat.gov.lt/statistiniu-rodikliu-analize?indicator=S3R167#/|url-status=live}}!!Pop. density
(per km²)!! GDP (nominal)
(billion EUR), 2023{{cite web|title=Gross domestic product by region in 2023 M.|url=https://osp.stat.gov.lt/informaciniai-pranesimai?articleId=13016705|website=osp.stat.gov.lt}}!! GDP (per capita)
(EUR, 2023)!! Average monthly net salary
(EUR), 2025-Q1{{cite web|url=https://osp.stat.gov.lt/informaciniai-pranesimai?articleId=13669793|title=Earnings in regions and municipalities}}!! HDI
(2022)
{{Cite web|url=https://globaldatalab.org/shdi/shdi/EST+LVA+LTU/?interpolation=0&extrapolation=0&nearest_real=0&years=2022|title=Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab|language=en|website=hdi.globaldatalab.org}} !! Municipalities