Šalčininkai

Šalčininkai ( German: nod Sasse, Polish: Soleczniki ) is a city and seat of the Rajongemeinde in southeastern Lithuania. It lies on the border with Belarus in the region Dzūkija. City and surrounding areas are characterized by a multi-ethnic population that includes Poles, Russians, Lithuanians, Belarusians and Roma. More than 70 % of the population are ethnic Poles. The city is located in a wooded area.

City

The town has about 6600 inhabitants and is situated on the highway and on the railway line from Vilnius to Lida. The first known mention of the place comes from the Chronicle of Peter of Dusburg from the year 1311. The town's name derives from that of the river Salcia.

Rajongemeinde

The Rajongemeinde ( Šalčininkų rajono savivaldybė ) comprises the three cities Šalčininkai, Eišiškės ( 3765 inhabitants) and Baltoji Vokė ( 1073 inhabitants), the two towns ( miesteliai ) Dieveniškės and Jasiunai, and 450 villages.

It is divided into 13 administrative districts ( seniūnijos ):

• Akmenynė
• Baltoji Vokė
• Butrimonys
• Dainava
• Dieveniškės
• Eišiškės
• Gerviškės
• Jasiunai
• Kalesninkai
• Pabarė
• Poškonys
• Šalčininkai
• Turgeliai