Aukštaitija (litterally Highlands) is the name of one of five ethnographic regions of Lithuania.

Name

The name came from the fact that especially the east of this land is relatively high.

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 inhabittants) 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 inhabitant 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.

Demographics

People speak mostly Aukštaitian dialect. Due to the fact that under new classification of dialects whole Lithuanian language is divided in just two dialects, Aukštaitian and Samogitian and more subdialects, Sudovian and Dzukian dialects are also considered part of Aukštaitian one now, therefore dialect of Aukštaitija is known as East Aukštaitian.

The region has Russian and Byelorussian minority in the east, dialects there therefore uses more loan words. However the usage of dialects as in Lithuanian in general, is decreasing.

Traditions

History

Politics

Not politically or administratively defined at any time.

Symbolics

Has no symbolics

See also

• Aukštaitija National Park

Geography of Lithuania | Lithuanian ethnographic regions

Oberlitauen | Haute Lituanie | Aukštaitija | Aukštaitija | Auksjtaitia | Aukštaitija | Auksztota