# Ariogala

> city in Lithuania

**Wikidata**: [Q1004320](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1004320)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariogala)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/ariogala

## Summary

Ariogala is a city in Lithuania located in the Raseiniai District Municipality, serving as the administrative center of Ariogala Eldership. With a recorded history dating back to 1253 and a population of approximately 2,619 residents as of 2023, Ariogala is a historic urban center situated at coordinates 55.27°N, 23.48°E at an elevation of 92 metres above sea level, covering an area of 4.82 square kilometres.

## Key Facts

- **Location**: Raseiniai District Municipality, Lithuania; coordinates 55.266666666666666°N, 23.483333333333334°E
- **Area**: 4.82 square kilometres
- **Elevation**: 92 metres above sea level
- **Population**: 2,619 (as of 2023, preferred value); 2,743 (2021); 2,671 (2022)
- **Historical population peak**: Approximately 3,705 (2002)
- **Postal code**: LT-60019
- **Earliest written record**: 1253
- **Official website**: http://www.ariogala.lt/
- **Administrative status**: Capital of Ariogala Eldership; former capital of Ariogala raion (1950-06-20 to 1962-12-08)
- **Identifiers**: VIAF ID 308770244; Freebase ID /m/0b7gt5; Geonames ID 600962; GNS Unique Feature ID -2612768
- **Classification**: City (instance_of)
- **Lithuanian Heritage Registry Code**: 2893

## FAQs

**What is the population trend of Ariogala?**

Ariogala has experienced population decline since its peak of approximately 3,705 residents in 2002. The population decreased to 2,619 by 2023, representing a significant decline of about 29% over two decades. The population remained relatively stable between 2013-2019, hovering around 2,800-3,000 residents before dropping more sharply.

**What administrative roles has Ariogala played?**

Ariogala has served as an administrative center since the Soviet era, functioning as the capital of Ariogala raion (district) from June 20, 1950 until December 8, 1962. Today, it remains the capital of Ariogala Eldership within Raseiniai District Municipality.

**What is the historical significance of Ariogala?**

The earliest written record of Ariogala dates to 1253, making it a historic settlement with nearly 800 years of documented history. The city appears in multiple encyclopedic sources, including the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary and the Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron.

**What languages have Wikipedia articles about Ariogala?**

Ariogala has Wikipedia articles in 29 languages, including Lithuanian, English, Russian, German, French, Polish, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Finnish, Swedish, Ukrainian, Hebrew, Chinese, Arabic, and many others, indicating international recognition and interest in the city.

**What identifiers are associated with Ariogala in major databases?**

Ariogala is catalogued in numerous international databases: VIAF (308770244), Freebase (/m/0b7gt5), Geonames (600962), Library of Congress (no2014076352), National Library of Latvia (000291977), National Library of Israel J9U ID (987007413534305171), Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names (1052280), and Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (ariogala).

## Why It Matters

Ariogala matters as one of Lithuania's historic small cities that preserves the country's rural administrative and cultural heritage. Despite its modest population of around 2,600 residents, Ariogala serves as an administrative, cultural, and historical center for its surrounding region in Raseiniai District. The city's nearly 800-year documented history makes it a living testament to Lithuanian urban development from medieval times through the Soviet era to the present day. Its designation as an Eldership capital ensures continued administrative relevance, while its inclusion in the Lithuanian Heritage Registry (code 2893) recognizes its historical and architectural significance. For researchers and historians, Ariogala's extensive documentation across multiple international encyclopedic and bibliographic databases—including sources in Russian, Lithuanian, and Jewish historical encyclopedias—demonstrates its cross-cultural historical importance.

## Notable For

- One of Lithuania's oldest continuously inhabited settlements with records dating to 1253
- Former administrative center of Ariogala raion during Soviet period (1950-1962)
- Current capital of Ariogala Eldership
- Listed in Lithuanian Heritage Registry (code 2893)
- Presence in multiple historic encyclopedic dictionaries (Brockhaus and Efron, Jewish Encyclopedia)
- Wikipedia coverage in 29 different languages
- Geographic coordinates precisely documented at 55.27°N, 23.48°E

## Body

### Geography and Location

Ariogala is situated in the Raseiniai District Municipality of Lithuania, positioned at coordinates 55.266666666666666°N latitude and 23.483333333333334°E longitude. The city covers an area of 4.82 square kilometres and sits at an elevation of 92 metres above sea level. The postal code for Ariogala is LT-60019. The city is located in the historical region of Samogitia (Žemaitija), known for its rolling hills, forests, and agricultural significance in Lithuanian culture.

### Administrative History

The administrative significance of Ariogala traces back to the Soviet era when it served as the capital of Ariogala raion (Ariogalos rajonas) from June 20, 1950 until December 8, 1962. Following administrative reforms during the Soviet period, the raion was dissolved, but Ariogala retained its importance as the administrative center of Ariogala Eldership, a subdivision of Raseiniai District Municipality. The city serves as the seat of local governance for the surrounding rural area, maintaining its role as a focal point for municipal services and administration.

### Population and Demographics

Ariogala has experienced significant population changes over the past two decades. The population peaked in the early 2000s at approximately 3,705 residents in 2002, with similar numbers maintained throughout the early 2000s (3,702 in 2003 and 2004). A gradual decline began around 2005, with the population dropping from 3,648 to 3,574 in 2006, and continuing to decrease through the 2010s. By 2017, the population had fallen to 2,830, and continued declining to 2,619 by 2023. This represents a population decrease of approximately 29% from the 2002 peak, reflecting broader trends of rural depopulation in Lithuania's smaller towns as younger residents migrate to larger cities.

### Historical Significance

The earliest written record of Ariogala dates to 1253, placing it among the older documented settlements in Lithuania. This medieval origins gives Ariogala a historical heritage spanning nearly eight centuries. The city's historical importance is reflected in its inclusion in multiple encyclopedic sources, including the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, the Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron, and the Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia), which features an article authored by Kazys Misius.

### Cultural and Institutional Presence

Ariogala maintains an official website at http://www.ariogala.lt/ for municipal information and community resources. The city is represented in various international databases and encyclopedias, demonstrating its recognition beyond Lithuania's borders. The city has a coat of arms and flag, with images available on Wikimedia Commons (Coat of arms of Ariogala.svg and Ariogalos vėliava.svg). The city falls under the commons category "Ariogala" on Wikimedia Commons.

### International Identification and References

Ariogala is catalogued in numerous international authority databases, facilitating research and cross-referencing:

- **VIAF (Virtual International Authority File)**: 308770244
- **Freebase**: /m/0b7gt5
- **Geonames**: 600962
- **GNS (GEONAMES®) Unique Feature ID**: -2612768
- **Library of Congress Authority ID**: no2014076352
- **National Library of Latvia ID**: 000291977
- **National Library of Israel J9U ID**: 987007413534305171
- **Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names ID**: 1052280
- **Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija ID**: ariogala
- **Online PWN Encyclopedia ID**: 3896929
- **Who's On First ID**: 101818041
- **Factgrid Item ID**: Siamoadapis maemohensis (note: this appears to be a taxonomic reference possibly connected to research about the region)

### Wikipedia and Multilingual Coverage

Ariogala has Wikipedia articles in 29 different languages, indicating international interest and recognition. The languages include: Arabic (ar), Arabic Egyptian (arz), Belarusian (be), Belarusian (Old) (be_x_old), Catalan (ceb), German (de), Zazaki (diq), English (en), Esperanto (eo), Spanish (es), Estonian (et), Persian (fa), Finnish (fi), French (fr), Hebrew (he), Upper Sorbian (hsb), Italian (it), Lithuanian (lt), Latvian (lv), Moksha (mdf), Dutch (nl), Polish (pl), Piedmontese (pms), Russian (ru), Swedish (sv), Ukrainian (uk), and Chinese (zh). The sitelink count is 29, indicating cross-wikipedia references.

### Related Entities and Administrative Connections

Ariogala is connected to several administrative and geographic entities:

- **Raseiniai District Municipality**: The higher-level administrative unit in which Ariogala is located
- **Ariogala Eldership**: The local administrative division that Ariogala serves as capital
- **Ariogala raion (historical)**: The former district that existed from 1950-1962, documented in the Lithuanian Wikipedia with article title "Ariogalos rajonas" and Wikidata property P7666: ariogalos-rajonas

### Physical Characteristics

The city covers 4.82 square kilometres of territory in Lithuania. Its elevation of 92 metres places it in the gently rolling terrain characteristic of the Samogitian region. The precise geographic coordinates allow for accurate mapping and location services, with the OpenWeatherMap city ID matching the Geonames ID at 600962.

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. [State Data Agency of Lithuania](https://osp-rs.stat.gov.lt/rest_xml/data/S3R167_M3010210/?startPeriod=2017&endPeriod=2017)
4. [State Data Agency of Lithuania](https://osp-rs.stat.gov.lt/rest_xml/data/S3R167_M3010210/?startPeriod=2018&endPeriod=2018)
5. Resident population by city / town at the beginning of the year
6. Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija Online
7. GeoNames
8. Quora