# Šilutė

> city in Lithuania

**Wikidata**: [Q391626](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q391626)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Šilutė)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/silute

## Summary
Šilutė is a city in Lithuania that serves as the capital of the Šilutė District Municipality and the Šilutė Eldership. Located in the western part of the country, it has a population of 16,200 as of January 1, 2023.

## Key Facts
- **Official Name:** Šilutė
- **Country:** Lithuania
- **Instance of:** City
- **Population:** 16,200 (2023-01-01); historical population reached 21,473 in 2001.
- **Coordinates:** 55.35°N, 21.483333333333°E
- **Elevation:** 8 to 10 metres above sea level
- **Capital of:** Šilutė District Municipality, Šilutė Eldership
- **Postal Code:** LT-99001
- **Earliest Written Record:** 1300
- **Time Zone:** Europe/Vilnius (implied by location in Lithuania)
- **Image:** Šilutės evangelikų liuteronų bažnyčia (Lutheran Church) photographed in 2010.

## FAQs
**What is the population of Šilutė?**
The city has a population of 16,200 residents as of January 1, 2023. Population figures have fluctuated over the years, with a recorded high of 21,473 residents in 2001 and a low of 14,980 in 2020 during the observed period.

**Where is Šilutė located?**
Šilutė is situated in Lithuania at coordinates 55.35°N, 21.483333333333°E. It is the administrative center for both the Šilutė District Municipality and the Šilutė Eldership.

**What are the historical names and aliases for Šilutė?**
The city is known by various names including Silute, Šilute, Silutė, Siluté, and its historical German name Heydekrug. Other variants include Schilute, Szylokarczma, Großheidekrug, Хейдекруг, Шилокарчема, Шило карчама, and Шилокарчма.

**Which cities is Šilutė twinned with?**
Šilutė maintains town twinning relationships with Emmerich am Rhein (since 1990), Ljungby Municipality, Nakskov, Ostróda, Alanya, and Saldus.

## Why It Matters
As the capital of the Šilutė District Municipality, the city functions as a significant administrative hub in the region. Its history dates back to at least the year 1300, marking it as a location with deep historical roots in Lithuania Minor. The city's demographic tracking shows a consistent population presence, serving as a cultural and economic center for the surrounding eldership.

## Notable For
- **Historical Record:** Features an earliest written record dating back to 1300.
- **Demographic Trends:** Maintains a population above 15,000 residents, with detailed demographic records spanning from 2001 to 2023.
- **International Relations:** Established twinning with Emmerich am Rhein in 1990, indicating a long history of international cooperation.
- **Cultural Heritage:** Home to a notable Lutheran church (evangelikų liuteronų bažnyčia), reflecting the region's religious history.

## Body

### Geography and Administration
Šilutė is geographically positioned at latitude 55.35 and longitude 21.483333333333. The city sits at a low elevation, recorded between 8 and 10 metres above sea level. Administratively, it has served as the capital of the Šilutė Eldership since July 7, 1994. Prior to that date, it was located within the Šilutė District Municipality starting from June 20, 1950. The city utilizes the postal code LT-99001.

### Demographics
The population of Šilutė has been extensively tracked via demographic balance methods. The data reveals a trend of population decline followed by stabilization:
- **2001–2009:** Population decreased from 21,473 to 19,221.
- **2010–2020:** Continued decline to 14,980.
- **2021–2023:** Recovery to 15,952 in 2021, dipping slightly in 2022 to 15,816, before reaching 16,200 in 2023.

Specific annual figures include 21,276 (2002), 21,158 (2003), 21,011 (2004), 20,616 (2005), 20,043 (2006), 19,735 (2007), 19,427 (2008), 18,988 (2010), 17,858 (2011), 17,360 (2012), 17,152 (2013), 17,002 (2014), 16,812 (2015), 16,521 (2016), 15,856 (2017), 15,419 (2018), and 15,111 (2019).

### Cultural and External Identifiers
The city is documented across numerous international knowledge bases. It holds a GND ID (4242004-0), a VIAF ID (142096123), and a GeoNames ID (594656). The Library of Congress Authority ID is n2003107358. It is referenced in the Brockhaus Enzyklopädie Online (silute), the Enzyklopädie des europäischen Ostens (b0ff), and the Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (silute). The native label is "Šilutė," with an audio pronunciation available via Wikimedia Commons.

### Media and Online Presence
Šilutė has a substantial presence across Wikipedia languages, with versions in arz, bat_smg, be, bg, ca, ceb, cs, da, de, en, es, et, fa, fi, fr, he, hu, it, ka, ko, kw, lt, lv, nl, no, pl, ru, sv, tr, uk, vi, zh, and others. It has a sitelink count of 48. The Quora topic for the city is "Silute," and it has a Freebase ID (/m/05xpqy) and a Who's on First ID (101818029).

### Symbols and Imagery
Official symbols include a coat of arms and a flag. Images of the city available on Wikimedia Commons include the Lutheran church (Šilutės evangelikų liuteronų bažnyčia) and a locator map (LietuvaSilute.png). The city is categorized under "Category:Šilutė" for media files.

### Twin Towns and Sister Cities
Šilutė maintains active partnerships with several municipalities:
- **Emmerich am Rhein** (partnership started in 1990)
- **Ljungby Municipality**
- **Nakskov**
- **Ostróda**
- **Alanya**
- **Saldus**

## 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. GeoNames
7. Quora