Aukštaitija

Aukštaitija (literary: "Highlands"; pronEng|oʊkʃteɪtɪˈjʌ) is the name of one of five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. The name comes from the fact that the region is relatively elevated, particularly in its eastern parts.

Geography

Aukštaitija is in the northeast part of Lithuania and also encompasses a small part of Latvia and Belarus. Largest city and, despite of lack of its political meaning, considered capital of the region is Panevėžys, which has over 100,000 inhabittants. Largest cities (by population; those over 20,000 inhabitants) are:
*Panevėžys - 119,749 (considered to be capital)
*Jonava - 34,954
*Utena - 33,860
*Kėdainiai - 32,048
*Visaginas - 29,554 (note - this city was built by Soviets and is mainly inhabited by Russians and other Soviet nationalities, therefore it is part of this ethnographic region only geographically)
*Ukmergė - 28,759
*Radviliškis - 20,339

The region is full of lakes, mainly in the eastern side.

History

Historically Aukštaitija had been correspondent to the Duchy of Lithuania up to the 13th century. Its initial capital most likely was Kernavė. In the treaty of Gediminas of 1322, Aukštaitija is named "terra Eustoythen" ('land of Aukštaitijans'). Aukštaitija was mentioned as "Austechia" in "Chronicon terrae Prussiae" written around 1326. Politically, since the end of the 13th century, it comprised the Duchy of Vilnius/Lithuania and Duchy of Trakai, and perhaps was employed to refer to them both taken together. Since the 15th century, corresponding Trakai Voivodeship and Vilnius Voivodeship made up Aukštaitija, as a political and ethnically based unit, also known as "Lithuania Propria".

Demographics

The people mostly speak the Aukštaitian dialect of Lithuanian. Under the new classification of dialects Lithuanian is divided into just two dialects, Aukštaitian and Samogitian with all previous dialects being classified as subdialects. The Sudovian and Dzukian dialects are also considered subdialects of Aukštaitian now, therefore the specific subdialect spoken in Aukštaitija is known as East Aukštaitian.

The region has Russian and Belarusian minorities in the east, dialects there therefore use more loan words from those languages. However the usage of dialects as in Lithuania in general, is decreasing.

ymbols

The designs by R. Rinkunas of Aukstaitija flag and coat of arms was introduced to public in March 2007.

See also

* Aukštaitija National Park

References