# Vilkija

> city in Aukštaitija, Lithuania

**Wikidata**: [Q1994818](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1994818)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilkija)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/vilkija

## Key Facts
- **Country:** Lithuania
- **Administrative Location:** Kaunas District Municipality
- **Classification:** City
- **Earliest Written Record:** 1364
- **Population (2023):** 1,730
- **Coordinates:** 55.0417°N, 23.5861°E
- **Elevation:** 78 meters above sea level
- **Timezone:** UTC+02:00
- **Postal Code:** LT-54015
- **Native Name:** Vilkija
- **Heritage Registry Code:** 17123 (Lithuania)
- **External Identifiers:** SNARC ID 1508; GeoNames ID 593144; GNS Unique Feature ID -2620634; Who's on First ID 101817975; National Library of Latvia ID 000291956; National Library of Israel J9U ID 987009440886805171; Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija ID `vilkija-1`; Yale Lux ID `place/a465648b-5dd9-4757-8173-1610ede0b8a6`; Freebase ID `/m/0g8_r4`.

## FAQs
**Where is Vilkija located?**
Vilkija is situated in the Aukštaitija region of Lithuania, within the Kaunas District Municipality.

**What is the population of Vilkija?**
As of January 1, 2023, the population of Vilkija was 1,730, as determined by demographic balance.

**What is the historical significance of Vilkija?**
The earliest written record of Vilkija dates back to 1364. It is documented in the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary as well as the Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron.

## Why It Matters
Vilkija serves as an example of a regional Lithuanian city with a documented history stretching back to the medieval period. Its inclusion in major encyclopedic works like the Brockhaus and Efron dictionaries underscores its historical relevance. As a settlement in the Aukštaitija region, it contributes to the demographic and cultural landscape of the Kaunas District Municipality. The consistent tracking of its population since 2001 provides clear data on local demographic trends in Lithuania.

## Notable For
- **Historical Documentation:** Possesses a written record dating back to the 14th century (1364).
- **Encyclopedic Coverage:** Recognized in the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary and the Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron.
- **Multilingual Presence:** Has Wikipedia articles in over 25 languages, including English, German, Russian, and Japanese.
- **Heritage Status:** Listed in the Lithuanian Heritage Registry with the code 17123.

## Body

### Geography and Administration
Vilkija is classified as a city and is located in the Aukštaitija region of Lithuania. It falls administratively under the Kaunas District Municipality. Geographically, the city is positioned at a latitude of 55.041667 and a longitude of 23.586111. It sits at an elevation of 78 meters above sea level and operates within the UTC+02:00 timezone. The city's postal code is LT-54015.

### Demographics
The population of Vilkija has been tracked via demographic balance methods from 2001 to 2023. After reaching a high of 2,349 residents in 2003, the population has seen a general decline.

- **2001:** 2,329
- **2005:** 2,310
- **2010:** 2,197
- **2015:** 2,030
- **2020:** 1,848
- **2023:** 1,730 (most recent preferred data point)

Full dataset points include:
2001 (2329), 2002 (2332), 2003 (2349), 2004 (2340), 2005 (2310), 2006 (2315), 2007 (2283), 2008 (2251), 2009 (2228), 2010 (2197), 2011 (2126), 2012 (2104), 2013 (2101), 2014 (2061), 2015 (2030), 2016 (1991), 2017 (1957), 2018 (1906), 2019 (1888), 2020 (1848), 2021 (1762), 2022 (1724), 2023 (1730).

### History and Heritage
The city's earliest mention in written records occurred in 1364. It holds a code of 17123 in the Lithuanian Heritage Registry. Vilkija is described and referenced in two significant encyclopedic sources: the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary and the Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron. An image of the city, "Vista de la ciutat de Vilkija" (view of the city of Vilkija seen from the Nemunas), is available via Wikimedia Commons.

### External Identifiers and Media
Vilkija is represented across numerous international databases and knowledge graphs. Its Wikidata description is "city in Aukštaitija, Lithuania," and it has a sitelink count of 29 across different language editions of Wikipedia, including Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Lithuanian, Polish, Russian, and Chinese.

The city has a dedicated coat of arms, available as an image file (`Vilkija_COA.gif`). The main category for Vilkija on Wikimedia Commons is "Category:Vilkija". Other identifiers include a SNARC ID of 1508 and a Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija ID of `vilkija-1`, published by the Science and Encyclopaedia Publishing Centre.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
2. [State Data Agency of Lithuania](https://osp-rs.stat.gov.lt/rest_xml/data/S3R167_M3010210/?startPeriod=2017&endPeriod=2017)
3. Resident population by city / town at the beginning of the year
4. GeoNames
5. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File