# Kaunas District Municipality

Kaunas District Municipality (Kauno rajono savivaldybė) is one of 60 municipalities in Lithuania. The seat of the municipality is the city of Kaunas, which does not belong to the municipality but is a separate administrative unit. It surrounds the Kaunas City Municipality from the north, west and south, while in the east Kaunas district municipality borders Kaišiadorys District Municipality. Kaunas District Municipality has the second largest international airport in Lithuania (Kaunas International Airport), and is well connected by major roads (A1 highway and Via Baltica), as well as railways with other cities of Lithuania.

## Elderships

Kaunas District Municipality is divided into 25 elderships:
| Eldership | Area | Population (2021) | Density per km$^2$ |
| Akademija | 4.6 km$^2$ (1,136.68 acres; 1.78 sq mi) | 2,928 | 637 |
| Alšėnai Eldership | 57 km$^2$ (14,085.01 acres; 22.01 sq mi) | 3,957 | 69 |
| Babtai Eldership | 143 km$^2$ (35,336.07 acres; 55.21 sq mi) | 3,851 | 27 |
| Batniava Eldership | 42.8 km$^2$ (10,576.11 acres; 16.53 sq mi) | 1,168 | 27 |
| Čekiškė Eldership | 83 km$^2$ (20,509.75 acres; 32.05 sq mi) | 1,417 | 17 |
| Domeikava Eldership | 58 km$^2$ (14,332.11 acres; 22.39 sq mi) | 9,134 | 157 |
| Ežerėlis | 2.3 km$^2$ (568.34 acres; 0.89 sq mi) | 1,640 | 713 |
| Garliava Eldership (rural) | 84 km$^2$ (20,756.85 acres; 32.43 sq mi) | 7,751 | 92 |
| Garliava | 3.7 km$^2$ (914.29 acres; 1.43 sq mi) | 10,366 | 2,802 |
| Kačerginė | 1.5 km$^2$ (370.66 acres; 0.58 sq mi) | 739 | 493 |
| Karmėlava Eldership | 40 km$^2$ (9,884.22 acres; 15.44 sq mi) | 6,265 | 157 |
| Kulautuva | 2.8 km$^2$ (691.90 acres; 1.08 sq mi) | 1,393 | 498 |
| Lapės Eldership | 62 km$^2$ (15,320.53 acres; 23.94 sq mi) | 3,547 | 57 |
| Linksmakalnis | 2.9 km$^2$ (716.61 acres; 1.12 sq mi) | 634 | 219 |
| Neveronys | 13 km$^2$ (3,212.37 acres; 5.02 sq mi) | 3,094 | 238 |
| Raudondvaris Eldership | 105 km$^2$ (25,946.07 acres; 40.54 sq mi) | 5,642 | 54 |
| Ringaudai Eldership | 59 km$^2$ (14,579.22 acres; 22.78 sq mi) | 7,892 | 134 |
| Rokai Eldership | 42 km$^2$ (10,378.43 acres; 16.22 sq mi) | 894 | 21 |
| Samylai Eldership | 76 km$^2$ (18,780.01 acres; 29.34 sq mi) | 4,452 | 59 |
| Taurakiemis Eldership | 53 km$^2$ (13,096.59 acres; 20.46 sq mi) | 1,661 | 31 |
| Užliedžiai Eldership | 34 km$^2$ (8,401.58 acres; 13.13 sq mi) | 6,481 | 191 |
| Vandžiogala Eldership | 126 km$^2$ (31,135.28 acres; 48.65 sq mi) | 1,335 | 11 |
| Vilkija Eldership (rural) | 149 km$^2$ (36,818.70 acres; 57.53 sq mi) | 1,968 | 13 |
| Vilkija | 2.7 km$^2$ (667.18 acres; 1.04 sq mi) | 1,762 | 653 |
| Zapyškis Eldership | 149 km$^2$ (36,818.70 acres; 57.53 sq mi) | 2,429 | 16 |

## Geography
### Nature

The rivers Neman (Lithuanian: Nemunas), Neris, Nevėžis, Jiesia and Dubysa pass through the Kaunas District area. Kaunas Reservoir borders the east side of the district. It also has 7 lakes and 14 ponds in the area.
The largest forests are: Dubrava, Padauguva, Varluva, Zapyškis. Girionys Park is home to some rare and exotic plant life. Žalgiris memorial park is located at Cinkiškė village.

### Mounds

There are a total of 20 nationally recognized mounds located in Kaunas District Municipality area. More notable mounds are:
* Piepaliai mound
* Lantainiai mound
* Bernatoniai mound
* Pypliai mound
* Samylai mound
* Pakalniškiai mound
* Guogai mound
* Ringovė mound
* Jaučakiai mound
* Altoniškiai mound
* Jadagoniai mound

### Preserves

Kaunas District has a large number of nature reserves. Including:
* Arlaviškės botanical preserve
* Dubrava reserve area
* Kamša botanical-zoological preserve
* Kaunas Reservoir Regional Park
* Nevėžis landscape preserve

## Settlements

Kaunas District Municipality consists of:
* 3 cities - Ežerėlis, Garliava, Vilkija
* 10 towns - Akademija, Babtai, Čekiškė, Domeikava, Kačerginė, Kulautuva, Garliava, Domeikava and Vandžiogala
* 370 villages

## Culture

An ethnic culture and crafts museum can be found in Vilkija, Babtai has a museum of ethnography and in Saliai [lt] there is an underground press museum [lt]. Among other noteworthy places are a racing circuit in Kačerginė called Nemuno žiedas, also a total of 19 surviving manors (the most famous are Raudondvaris, and Babtynas [lt] located in Žemaitkiemis [lt]), the old church of Zapyškis (Church of St. John the Baptist) and Monastery of Discalced Carmelites [lt] in Paštuva [lt].