Dzūkija
Dzūkija
Dainava | |
|---|---|
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| Motto: Ex gente bellicosissima populus laboriosus | |
Location of Dzūkija within Lithuania | |
| Country | Lithuania |
| Capital and largest city | Alytus |
| Area | |
• Total | 12,114 km2 (4,677 sq mi) |
| Population (2021) | |
• Total | 889,800 |
| Demonyms |
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| Time zone | UTC2 (CET (GMT +2)) |
Dzūkija (Lithuanian: [dzuːkʲˈjɐ]) or Dainava is one of five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. Dzūkija is a cultural region defined by traditional lifestyles and dialects of the local Lithuanian population (mostly rural farmers) and has never been defined as a political or administrative unit. Traditionally, Alytus is regarded as the capital of the region and largest city. Although Vilnius is surrounded by Dzūkija, the city itself is not considered as a part of any ethnographic region in most cases.