What You Need To Know

Šiauliai is the fourth largest city in Lithuania, with a population of 133,900. From 1994 to 2010 it was the capital of Šiauliai County. Unofficially, the city is the capital of Northern Lithuania.

Population: 103,775 (2015)

Currency

Geography

Šiauliai Žemaičių located in eastern part of the northern plateau, Mūša, Dubysa and Venta River divide. Distance of 210 kilometres (130 miles) to Vilnius, Kaunas – 142 km (88 mi), Klaipėda – 161 km (100 mi), Riga – 128 km (80 mi), Kaliningrad – 250 km (155 mi). The total city area 81.13 square kilometres (31.32 sq mi), from the green areas 18.87 square kilometres (7.29 sq mi), water – 12.78 square kilometres (4.93 sq mi). Urban land outside perimeter of the administrative 70,317 kilometres (43,693 miles).

Altitude: Rėkyvos the lake water level – 129.8 m (425.85 ft) above sea level, Talsos lake level – 103.0 m (337.93 ft) in the city center – 128.4 m (421.26 ft), Salduvės Hill – 149.7 m (491.14 ft) above sea level.

Climate

The average temperature in January; −3 °C (27 °F) in July; +18 °C (64 °F). The amount of precipitation in a year – 620 mm (24.4 in).

In 1942, the city recorded the lowest Lithuania year mean temperature (+3.6 °C).

Economy

Beginning in the 19th century, Šiauliai become an industrial center. During the Russian Empire period, the city had the largest leather factory in the whole empire, owned by Chaim Frenkel. Šiauliai contributed to around 85{6a1962bd276252e2d126cc11411139769396ba59bf4b87715a46b5f72bb896a3} of all leather production in Lithuania, 60{6a1962bd276252e2d126cc11411139769396ba59bf4b87715a46b5f72bb896a3} of the footwear industry, 75{6a1962bd276252e2d126cc11411139769396ba59bf4b87715a46b5f72bb896a3} of the flax fiber industry, and 35{6a1962bd276252e2d126cc11411139769396ba59bf4b87715a46b5f72bb896a3} of the sweets industry.

During the Soviet years, the city produced electronics, mechanical engineering, wood processing, construction industry. Most of the industrial enterprises were concentrated in urban areas.

Transport

Šiauliai has always been a major intersection. The famous Saulės battle took place near a trade route from Riga to Bubiai and Tauragė.In 1836–1858 Riga–Sovetsk highway was built near it.[citation needed] About 1912, first cars appeared on city's streets.[citation needed]

Highways passing through Šiauliai :

A9 / E272 Šiauliai – Panevėžys (79 km)

A11 / E272 Šiauliai – Palanga (147 km)

A12 / E77 Riga – Šiauliai – Sovetsk (186 km).

City has is western bypass A18.

In 2006 Šiauliai had 297 km (185 mi) of roads, of which 32{6a1962bd276252e2d126cc11411139769396ba59bf4b87715a46b5f72bb896a3} had a gravel surface. The longest streets are Tilžės street – 9.72 km (6.04 mi) and Vilnius street – 5.67 km (3.52 mi) with 1.28 km (0.80 mi) of it being a pedestrian boulevard.

In 1871 the Liepaja-Romny railway was built. The Tilžė–Riga and Šiauliai–Klaipeda railways were built in 1916 and 1931, respectively. The city has a railway station.

In 1930, an air strip was developed. It was expanded in 1961 during the Soviet period and developed into a large VVS base. It is now a military base for NATO, and home to the Šiauliai International Airport.

The first passenger transport company in Šiauliai was founded in 1940.[citation needed] It was autotrestas, which had 29 buses. In 1944 a motor firm replaced autotresto. In 1947 the first taxi company, Šiauliai cars, appeared. Subsequently, to meet the needs of an increasing population, bus and taksomotorų autoūkis were added in 1955. In 2006, a modern bus station with a trade center was constructed. The city has 27 city routes, the maximum number is 29.