Palanga city municipality
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Palangos miesto savivaldybė | |||||
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| Location | |||||
| Ethnographic region | Samogitia | ||||
| County | Klaipėda | ||||
| General information | |||||
| Capital | Palanga | ||||
| Major settlements | Palanga (pop. ?) Šventoji (pop. ?) Būtingė (pop. ?) |
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| Number of elderates | 1 | ||||
| Area (rank) | 79 km² (57th) | ||||
| Population (rank) | 17,700 (54th) | ||||
| Pop. density (rank) | 223.0/km² (8th) | ||||
| Telephone code | 460 | ||||
| Official website | http://www.palanga.lt | ||||
| Population sizes are given according to the 2001 census data | |||||
| Politics | |||||
| Ruling party | Homeland Union | ||||
| Mayor | Pranas Žeimys | ||||
| Size of the council | 21 members | ||||
| Map of Palanga city municipality | |||||
| Image:Palanga city mun map.png | |||||
Palanga city municipality is a coastal Lithuanian municipality consisting of the small towns of Būtingė, Nemirseta, Palanga and Šventoji, and some villages. Most of the localities are resorts.
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[edit] History
Since New Stone Age (IV - II c. BC.) the sea influences mental and material culture, trading relations with other nations of people who lived in this area.
Palanga name may be derived from the legend about fisherman houses and the wind which was covering them with sand them up to windowsill (lith. palangė). More likely is that it is derived from hydroim Alanga - this is how Rąžė river used to be called in past and Palanga means "On the Alanga".
The first mention of Palanga's name reminiscent the legendary story about landing to Palanga in 1161 of army of Danish king Valdemaras I. Only in 1253 Palanga was mentioned in chronicle of German Order. In the development of history here were a lot of conquerors. Vikings of Normans coveted these lands, and in 13th - 14th centuries a lot of time crusaders devastated it. Only after the Battle of Grunwald (in 1410) the peace contract of Meln, concluded in 1422, stopped an invasion of the Order to Lithuania and in accordance with the peace contract of Brest (in 1435-12-31) Palanga felt to Lithuania.
More detailed history of the city can be found in Official site or Tourism Info Center
Palanga is called "city municipality" because of Soviet policy that only larger territories could be called "district municipalities", while smaller areas used to be declared cities even if there was no city in the area, as was the case with Neringa. While Neringa's name was changed to just "municipality", Palanga officially remained to be known as a "city municipality".
[edit] Geography
Palanga city municipality territory occupies 79 km². This makes 1,5 % of Klaipėda County or 0,12% of Lithuanian territory.
The municipality is comprised of 4 towns: Palanga, Šventoji, Nemirseta and Būtingė, also some smaller settlements. It has an international airport situated in about the center of municipality, in a half way between largest towns Palanga and Šventoji.
The municipality borders with the Republic of Latvia, with Kretinga and Klaipeda districts and the Baltic Sea.
[edit] Economics
The municipality is heavily dependent on tourism as all towns are on the sea coast and most are touristic. Also a big oil terminal is in Būtingė.
[edit] Demographics
[edit] Transportation
Municipality is accessed by roads from Klaipėda and Šiauliai. There are no railroads in the municipality (closest station being in Kretinga, capital of the Kretinga district municipality) although there is a plan to build light rail connecting towns of the municipality (Palanga, Šventoji) to Klaipėda and possibly to the towns in Neringa municipality. Palanga international airport, second largest in Lithuania, offers good connections to Scandinavian and German cities. Airport is between Palanga and Šventoji, and it offers more flights in summer than winter due to the resort nature of the municipality. It also has rare flights to Vilnius, although due to good roads (A1 highway) it is more viable to travel by car or bus.
[edit] Elderships
Šventoji eldership
[edit] Culture
[edit] Council
Palanga city municipality council overally has 21 seats. In the last elections, the following parties won seats:
- Homeland union - 7 seats
- Lithuanian liberal union - 4 seats
- Lithuanian socialdemocrat party - 3 seats
- New union (Socialliberals) - 2 seats
- Lithuanian center union - 2 seats
- Lithuanian Christian democrat party - 1 seat
- Moderate conservative party - 1 seat
- Liberal Democratic Party - 1 seat
[edit] Foreign relations
[edit] Union of the Baltic Cities
On 1993-02-26 Palanga Town Council passed the decision to apply to the UBC for membership in this organisation. On 1993-03-02, Bronius Martinkus, Chairman of Palanga Town Council, addressed the UBC with the request to grant admission for Palanga in the Union of the Baltic Cities.
At the meeting of the UBC Executive Board held in Kaliningrad on 6-7 June 1993, Palanga Town was admitted as a member of the UBC.
Palanga Town Council is involved in the work of the UBC Commissions on Tourism, Business Cooperation and Education.
[edit] Close Contacts
- On 1990-09-14 a quadripartite treaty for cooperation between Palanga, Pärnu, Neringa and Jūrmala municipalities. Cooperation in culture and recreation realms is pursued.
- Palanga and Jūrmala municipalities have maintained cooperation since 1990.
- On 2003-10-15 a revised cooperation treaty was signed. Palanga and Jūrmala municipalities pursue active cooperation in tourism, culture and other spheres.
- On 1991-05-10 the mutual friendship and cooperation treaty between the councils of Simrishamn and Palanga was signed in Simrishamn.
- Cooperation includes care for the disabled, non-governmental organisations activities, culture and education.
- On 1993-05-27 a treaty between Palanga Town Council and Frederiksberg Town Council was signed in Frederiksberg. Under the treaty the parties undertook to support the common provision regarding agreement between the community, organisations, authorities and private businesses of both towns. The signatories pledged to promote mutually beneficial and optimal cooperation in economic and tourism fields.
- Palanga Town Municipality maintains friendly relations with Liepāja City Municipality. Cooperation covers culture and tourism spheres, experience exchange.
- At the forum of Lithuania and Poland municipalities held 31 March - 3 April 1998 in Poland, a treaty between the Association of Lithuanian Municipalities and organisation representing local governments of Poland was signed. Cooperation includes cultural and tourism spheres
[edit] External links
| Municipalities of Lithuania | |
|---|---|
| District municipalities: | Akmenė | Alytus | Anykščiai | Biržai | Ignalina | Jonava | Joniškis | Jurbarkas | Kaišiadorys | Kaunas | Kėdainiai | Kelmė | Klaipėda | Kretinga | Kupiškis | Lazdijai | Mažeikiai | Molėtai | Pakruojis | Panevėžys | Pasvalys | Plungė | Prienai | Radviliškis | Raseiniai | Rokiškis | Skuodas | Šakiai | Šalčininkai | Šiauliai | Šilalė | Šilutė | Širvintos | Švenčionys | Tauragė | Telšiai | Trakai | Ukmergė | Utena | Varėna | Vilkaviškis | Vilnius | Zarasai |
| City municipalities: | Alytus | Kaunas | Klaipėda | Palanga | Panevėžys | Šiauliai | Vilnius | Visaginas |
| Municipalities: | Birštonas | Druskininkai | Elektrėnai | Kalvarija | Kazlų Rūda | Marijampolė | Neringa | Pagėgiai | Rietavas |
