Editing Lithuania (section)

===Administrative divisions===
{{Main|Administrative divisions of Lithuania}}
{{See also|Counties of Lithuania|Municipalities of Lithuania|Elderships of Lithuania|Cultural regions of Lithuania}}
{{Map of Counties of Lithuania|50px|float=right}}
[[File:Lithuania regions map.png|thumb|350px|Map of cultural regions of Lithuania:<br />{{legend|#e0e59d|[[Lithuania Minor]] (Mažoji Lietuva)}}
{{legend|#9ac8a1|[[Samogitia]] (Žemaitija)}}
{{legend|#e0979d|[[Aukštaitija|Highland]] (Aukštaitija)}}
{{legend|#94b6ba|[[Dzūkija|Dainava]] (Dzūkija)}}
{{legend|#dcb278|[[Suvalkija|Sudovia]] (Suvalkija)}}]]
The current system of administrative division was established in 1994 and modified in 2000 to meet the requirements of the European Union. The country's [[Counties of Lithuania|10 counties]] (Lithuanian: singular – ''apskritis'', plural – ''apskritys'') are subdivided into [[Municipalities of Lithuania|60 municipalities]] (Lithuanian: singular – ''savivaldybė'', plural – ''savivaldybės''), and further divided into 546 [[Elderships of Lithuania|elderships]] (Lithuanian: singular – ''seniūnija'', plural – ''seniūnijos''). There are also 5 distinct [[Cultural regions of Lithuania|cultural regions]] in Lithuania – [[Dzūkija]], [[Aukštaitija]], [[Suvalkija]], [[Samogitia]] and [[Lithuania Minor]], which are recognized by the state.

Municipalities have been the most important unit of administration in Lithuania since the system of [[County governor (Lithuania)|county governorship]] (''apskrities viršininkas'') was dissolved in 2010.<ref name="county">{{in lang|lt}} [http://www3.lrs.lt/pls/inter3/dokpaieska.showdoc_l?p_id=349513 (Republic of Lithuania Annul Law on County Governing)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205162011/http://www3.lrs.lt/pls/inter3/dokpaieska.showdoc_l?p_id=349513 |date=5 February 2016}}, [[Seimas]] law database, 7 July 2009, Law no. XI-318.</ref> Some municipalities are historically called "district municipalities" (often shortened to "district"), while others are called "city municipalities" (sometimes shortened to "city"). Each has its own elected government. The election of municipality councils originally occurred every three years, but now takes place every four years. The council appoints [[elder (administrative title)|elders]] to govern the elderships. Mayors have been directly elected since 2015; prior to that, they were appointed by the council.<ref>{{in lang|lt}} Justinas Vanagas, [http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/seimas-iteisino-tiesioginius-meru-rinkimus.d?id=65139619 Seimo Seimas įteisino tiesioginius merų rinkimus] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014091111/https://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/seimas-iteisino-tiesioginius-meru-rinkimus.d?id=65139619 |date=14 October 2017}}, Delfi.lt, 26 June 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2015.</ref>

Elderships, numbering over 500, are the smallest administrative units and do not play a role in national politics. They provide necessary local public services—for example, registering births and deaths in rural areas. They are most active in the social sector, identifying needy individuals or families and organizing and distributing welfare and other forms of relief.<ref name="elderates">{{in lang|lt}} [http://www3.lrs.lt/pls/inter2/dokpaieska.showdoc_l?p_id=146527 Lietuvos Respublikos vietos savivaldos įstatymo pakeitimo įstatymas] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130919182519/http://www3.lrs.lt/pls/inter2/dokpaieska.showdoc_l?p_id=146527 |date=19 September 2013}}, [[Seimas]] law database, 12 October 2000, Law no. VIII-2018. Retrieved 3 June 2006.</ref> Some citizens feel that elderships have no real power and receive too little attention, and that they could otherwise become a source of local initiative for addressing rural problems.<ref>{{in lang|lt}} Indrė Makaraitytė, [https://web.archive.org/web/20131020060635/http://www.delfi.lt/archive/europos-sajungos-pinigai-kaimo-neisgelbes.d?id=5663231 Europos Sąjungos pinigai kaimo neišgelbės], Atgimimas, Delfi.lt, 16 December 2004. Retrieved 4 June 2006.</ref>

{| class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%;"
|-
! style="width:170px;"|County !! style="width:70px;"|Area (km<sup>2</sup>)!! style="width:50px;"|Population (2023)<ref name="Population">{{cite web|title=Resident population at the beginning of the year|url=https://osp.stat.gov.lt/statistiniu-rodikliu-analize?indicator=S3R167#/|access-date=15 December 2023|archive-date=8 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230508162636/https://osp.stat.gov.lt/statistiniu-rodikliu-analize?indicator=S3R167#/|url-status=live}}</ref>!! style="width:50px;"|GDP (billion EUR)<ref name="Counties">{{cite web|title=BENDRASIS VIDAUS PRODUKTAS PAGAL APSKRITIS 2022 M.|url=https://osp.stat.gov.lt/informaciniai-pranesimai?articleId=11709298|website=osp.stat.gov.lt|access-date=15 December 2023|archive-date=15 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231215154029/https://osp.stat.gov.lt/informaciniai-pranesimai?articleId=11709298|url-status=live}}</ref>!! style="width:50px;"|GDP per capita (EUR)<ref name="Counties" /> 
|-
| [[Alytus County]]
| 5,425
| 135,367
| 1.8
| 13,600
|-
| [[Kaunas County]]
| 8,089
| 580,333
| 13.7
| 23,900
|-
| [[Klaipėda County]]
| 5,209
| 336,104
| 7.0
| 21,300
|-
| [[Marijampolė County]]
| 4,463
| 135,891
| 2.0
| 14,400
|-
| [[Panevėžys County]]
| 7,881
| 211,652
| 3.6
| 17,100
|-
| [[Šiauliai County]]
| 8,540
| 261,764
| 4.6
| 17,600
|-
| [[Tauragė County]]
| 4,411
| 90,652
| 1.2
| 13,200
|-
| [[Telšiai County]]
| 4,350
| 131,431
| 2.2
| 16,900
|-
| [[Utena County]]
| 7,201
| 125,462
| 1.7
| 13,800
|-
| [[Vilnius County]]
| 9,731
| 851,346
| 29.4
| 35,300
|-
! Lithuania
! 65,300
! 2,860,002
! 67.4
! 23,800
|}