Editing Vilnius (section)

==<span class="anchor" id="Nature reserves"></span>Geography==
[[File:Vilnius skyline - Oct 14, 2019.jpg|thumb|left|alt=See caption|Aerial view of Vilnius City Centre and its surrounding green space]]
[[File:Vilnia 2023b.jpg|thumb|left|Rivers Vilnia and Neris confluence]]
Vilnius is at the [[confluence]] of the [[Vilnia]] and [[Neris]] rivers in southeastern Lithuania. Several countries say that the [[geographical midpoint of Europe]] is within their territory. The midpoint depends on the definition of European extent, and the ''[[Guinness Book of World Records]]'' recognises a point near Vilnius as the continental centre.<ref name="gcentre">{{cite web |title=The geographical Centre of Europe |url=http://www.visitlithuania.net/index.php/places-to-visit/65-near-vilnius/94-the-geographical-centre-of-europe.html |website=visitlithuania.net |access-date=4 November 2019 |archive-date=4 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104215727/http://www.visitlithuania.net/index.php/places-to-visit/65-near-vilnius/94-the-geographical-centre-of-europe.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> After a 1989 re-estimation of European boundaries, [[Jean-George Affholder]] of the [[Institut géographique national (France)|Institut Géographique National]] (French National Geographic Institute) determined that its geographic centre was at {{coord|54|54|N|25|19|E|type:landmark|name=Purnuškės (centre of gravity)}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://geosite.jankrogh.com/other.htm |title=Other Places of Interest: Central Europe |first=Jan S. |last=Krogh}}</ref> The method used to calculate the point was the [[centre of gravity]] of the European [[geometry|geometrical figure]], and is near the village of [[Girija (village)|Girija]] (26 kilometres from Vilnius). A monument by sculptor Gediminas Jokūbonis, a column of white granite surmounted by a crown of stars, was built there in 2004.<ref name="gcentre" />

Vilnius is {{cvt|312|km}} from the [[Baltic Sea]] and [[Klaipėda]], the main Lithuanian [[Port|seaport]]. It is connected by road to other major Lithuanian cities, such as Kaunas ({{cvt|102|km|disp=or}} away), [[Šiauliai]] ({{cvt|214|km|disp=or}} away) and [[Panevėžys]] ({{cvt|135|km|disp=or}} away).

Vilnius has an area of {{cvt|402|km2|sqmi}}. Buildings cover 29.1 percent of the city; green space covers 68.8 percent, and water covers 2.1 percent.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vilnius.lt/newvilniusweb/index.php/252/ |title=The City |publisher=City of Vilnius |access-date=30 January 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216013924/http://www.vilnius.lt/newvilniusweb/index.php/252/ |archive-date=16 December 2008}}</ref> The city has eight [[nature reserve]]s: Vokės Senslėnio Slopes Geomorphological Reserve, Aukštagiris Geomorphological Reserve, Valakupių Klonio Geomorphological Reserve, Veržuva Hydrographic Reserve, Vokė Hydrographic Reserve, Cedronas Upstream Landscape Reserve, Tapeliai Landscape Reserve, and Šeškinė Slopes Geomorphological Reserve.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gamtos paveldo apsauga |url=https://vilnius.lt/lt/savivaldybe/miesto-pletra/gamtos-paveldo-apsauga/ |website=vilnius.lt |access-date=4 November 2019}}</ref>

Several lakes, including [[Balžis]], are located on the north-eastern outskirts of Vilnius.