# Pasvalys

> city in Lithuania

**Wikidata**: [Q945484](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q945484)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasvalys)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/pasvalys

## Summary

Pasvalys is a city in Lithuania that serves as the administrative capital of Pasvalys District Municipality. Located at coordinates 56.06°N, 24.4°E, the city covers an area of 7.22 square kilometres and sits at an elevation of 55 metres above sea level. With a population of approximately 6,411 residents as of January 2023, Pasvalys has a documented history dating back to 1497.

## Key Facts

- **Country**: Lithuania
- **Instance Type**: City, human settlement
- **Area**: 7.22 square kilometres
- **Coordinates**: Latitude 56.06111111111111, Longitude 24.4
- **Elevation**: 55 metres above sea level (also recorded as 35 metres in some sources)
- **Postal Code**: LT-39001
- **Earliest Written Record**: 1497
- **Administrative Role**: Capital of Pasvalys District Municipality
- **Located In**: Pasvalys District Municipality (since 20 June 1950)
- **Population (2023)**: 6,411 residents
- **Population (2022)**: 6,397 residents
- **Population (2021)**: 6,451 residents
- **Population (2001)**: 8,722 residents
- **Official Website**: http://www.pasvalys.lt/
- **UN/LOCODE**: LTPVS
- **Sister Cities**: Liévin, Żory
- **Wikipedia Languages**: 31 language editions including English, Lithuanian, Russian, Polish, German, French, and Hebrew
- **Commons Category**: Pasvalys

## FAQs

**What is the population of Pasvalys?**
As of January 2023, Pasvalys has a population of 6,411 residents. The city has experienced a gradual population decline over the past two decades, decreasing from 8,722 residents in 2001.

**Where is Pasvalys located?**
Pasvalys is located in northern Lithuania within Pasvalys District Municipality, at coordinates 56.06°N latitude and 24.4°E longitude. The city sits approximately 55 metres above sea level.

**When was Pasvalys first documented?**
The earliest written record of Pasvalys dates to 1497, establishing over five centuries of documented history for the settlement.

**What is the administrative function of Pasvalys?**
Pasvalys serves as the administrative capital of Pasvalys District Municipality, a role it has held since 20 June 1950.

**What international partnerships does Pasvalys have?**
Pasvalys maintains twin city relationships with Liévin and Żory, fostering international municipal cooperation.

**How is Pasvalys connected in global reference systems?**
Pasvalys is indexed in numerous international databases including GeoNames (IDs: 864501, 595997), MusicBrainz (Area ID: 0fa60a28-8c1e-4809-a942-b7258485fe5c), and the UN trade location code system (LTPVS).

## Why It Matters

Pasvalys represents a significant regional administrative centre in northern Lithuania with over five centuries of documented history. As the capital of Pasvalys District Municipality, the city functions as a governmental and civic hub for the surrounding region. The city's inclusion in major encyclopedic works—including the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary and the Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron—demonstrates its historical and cultural significance in the Baltic region.

The city's international sister city relationships with Liévin (France) and Żory (Poland) reflect its active engagement in European municipal cooperation and cross-cultural exchange. With Wikipedia editions in 31 languages and presence in global geographic and cultural databases, Pasvalys maintains international visibility and accessibility for researchers, travellers, and the Lithuanian diaspora. The city's documentation in the Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia) further cements its status as a recognised Lithuanian settlement of note.

## Notable For

- **Historical Documentation**: Earliest written records dating to 1497, providing over 525 years of documented history
- **Encyclopedic Recognition**: Described in the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary and the Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron
- **International Twin City Partnerships**: Maintains sister city relationships with Liévin, France and Żory, Poland
- **Global Database Coverage**: Indexed in over 15 international identifier systems including GeoNames, MusicBrainz, VIAF, GND, and UN/LOCODE
- **Multilingual Wikipedia Presence**: Documented in 31 language editions of Wikipedia, reflecting international interest and recognition
- **Administrative Significance**: Serves as the capital of Pasvalys District Municipality since 1950
- **Demographic Tracking**: Comprehensive population records spanning over two decades with annual demographic balance data

## Body

### Geography and Location

Pasvalys is situated in northern Lithuania at precise coordinates 56.06111111111111°N latitude and 24.4°E longitude. The city encompasses a total area of 7.22 square kilometres. Elevation data records the city at 55 metres above sea level, though some sources indicate 35 metres, suggesting varied topography within the municipal boundaries. The city's geographic identifiers include GeoNames IDs 864501 and 595997, and it carries the UN/LOCODE designation LTPVS for international trade and logistics reference.

### Administrative Status and Governance

Pasvalys functions as the administrative capital of Pasvalys District Municipality. The city was officially incorporated into this municipal structure on 20 June 1950. The official website of the municipality is accessible at http://www.pasvalys.lt/. The city's postal code is LT-39001, facilitating mail delivery and geographic identification within Lithuania's postal system.

### Demographics and Population Trends

Pasvalys has maintained comprehensive population records using the demographic balance determination method. The population data reveals a consistent decline over two decades:

| Year | Population |
|------|------------|
| 2001 | 8,722 |
| 2002 | 8,667 |
| 2003 | 8,633 |
| 2004 | 8,576 |
| 2005 | 8,408 |
| 2006 | 8,241 |
| 2007 | 8,117 |
| 2008 | 7,977 |
| 2009 | 7,848 |
| 2010 | 7,706 |
| 2011 | 7,555 |
| 2012 | 7,379 |
| 2013 | 7,261 |
| 2014 | 7,138 |
| 2015 | 7,077 |
| 2016 | 7,006 |
| 2017 | 6,767 |
| 2018 | 6,533 |
| 2019 | 6,442 |
| 2020 | 6,372 |
| 2021 | 6,451 |
| 2022 | 6,397 |
| 2023 | 6,411 |

The data indicates a population decline of approximately 26.5% between 2001 and 2023, reflecting broader demographic trends affecting Lithuanian regional centres.

### Historical Documentation

The earliest written record of Pasvalys dates to 1497, establishing the city's historical significance spanning the late medieval period through to the present day. The city has been documented in several major encyclopedic works:
- Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary
- Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron
- Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia), published by the Science and Encyclopaedia Publishing Centre

### International Relations and Twin Cities

Pasvalys maintains formal twin city relationships with two European municipalities:
- **Liévin**: A city in northern France
- **Żory**: A city in southern Poland

These partnerships facilitate cultural exchange, economic cooperation, and municipal collaboration across European borders.

### Digital and Database Presence

Pasvalys is extensively indexed in international databases and identifier systems:

| Database | Identifier |
|----------|------------|
| VIAF (Virtual International Authority File) | 155903844 |
| GND (German National Library) | 1048371131 |
| GeoNames | 864501, 595997 |
| MusicBrainz Area | 0fa60a28-8c1e-4809-a942-b7258485fe5c |
| WOEID (Yahoo Where On Earth ID) | 477347 |
| Who's On First | 101818119 |
| Facebook Location | 106281329402264 |
| National Library of Israel J9U | 987007471651205171 |
| Yale LUX | place/12393206-579d-4d07-baaa-99cc20763267 |
| Freebase | /m/0b8486 |
| UN/LOCODE | LTPVS |

### Visual Documentation and Symbolism

The city maintains official heraldic and vexillological symbols:
- **Coat of Arms**: Available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Pasvalys_COA.svg
- **Flag**: Documented at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Pasvalio_vėliava.png
- **Locator Map**: Available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/LietuvaPasvalys.png
- **Aerial Photograph**: Vista aèria de la ciutat available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Pasvalys_from_top.jpg

### Linguistic and Cultural Documentation

The native name of the city is "Pasvalys," with an audio pronunciation file available (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Pasvalys.ogg). The city is also known by the alias "Посволь" (Russian: Posvol). Pasvalys is documented in 31 language editions of Wikipedia: Samogitian (bat_smg), Belarusian, Belarusian (Taraškievica), Catalan, Cebuano, Czech, German, Dimli, English, Esperanto, Estonian, Persian, Finnish, French, Hebrew, Upper Sorbian, Hungarian, Georgian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Moksha, Māori, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, Piedmontese, Russian, Swedish, Ukrainian, Urdu, and Chinese.

### Categories and Classifications

The city is organised under several Wikimedia categories:
- Main Category: Category:Pasvalys
- Commons Category: Pasvalys
- People born in Pasvalys: Category:Births in Pasvalys
- Associated people: Category:People from Pasvalys
- People buried in Pasvalys: Q32274188 (Wikidata identifier)

The Quora topic designation for the city is "Pasvalys," and the site maintains 32 sitelinks across various Wikimedia projects.

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. MusicBrainz
4. [State Data Agency of Lithuania](https://osp-rs.stat.gov.lt/rest_xml/data/S3R167_M3010210/?startPeriod=2017&endPeriod=2017)
5. [State Data Agency of Lithuania](https://osp-rs.stat.gov.lt/rest_xml/data/S3R167_M3010210/?startPeriod=2018&endPeriod=2018)
6. Resident population by city / town at the beginning of the year
7. Flickr Shapefiles Public Dataset 2.0
8. GeoNames
9. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/lt.htm)
10. Quora
11. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File