Visaginas

History

Before World War II, from 1922 to 1939, the area of modern Visaginas lay within the boundaries of the in the of the Wilno Voivodeship in Poland.

In 1975 on the shores of Lake Visaginas a satellite settlement was founded for workers of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, in place of four villages that were demolished, the largest of which was named Visaginas. The new settlement was named Sniečkus after Antanas Sniečkus, a former first secretary of the Lithuanian Communist Party. In 1977 it was granted the status of urban-type settlement. Following the restoration of independence, the settlement was renamed to Visaginas in 1992 and received municipal rights in 1995. It is governed by a city council, which elects the mayor. In 1996, the city's coat of arms was confirmed by a decree of the President of Lithuania.

The settlement was developed in complexes, with construction designed to create an infrastructure for the cultural and everyday life of the residents. Efforts were made to preserve the natural surroundings as much as possible.

Population

In 1996, the population was 33,100, of which 55.68% were Russians, 15.88% Lithuanians, 10.29% Belarusians, 9.13% Poles, 5.69% Ukrainians and 0.95% Tatars. Orthodox Christians made up 40.42% of the total population, Roman Catholics 27.29%, the Non-affiliated 27.29%, Old Believers 2.89% and Muslims 0.46%. In 2001, the population was 52.43% Russian, 14.96% Lithuanian and 32.61% other. In 2011, the population was 22,361. Russians accounted for 52.16% (11,664) of the inhabitants, Lithuanians – 18.27% (4,086), Belarusians – 9.89% (2,211), Poles – 9.32% (2,084), and Ukrainians – 5.16% (1,154). In 2021, the population was 19,633. Russians accounted for 47.36% (9,299) of the inhabitants, Lithuanians – 20.13% (3,953), Belarusians – 9.60% (1,884), Poles – 10.23% (2,009), and Ukrainians – 5.23% (1,027).

|1931|30 |1979|6212 |1989|32438 |2001|29554 |2011|22361 |2021|19446

Industry

Power was the main branch of industry: the country's only nuclear power plant, one of the world's most powerful, is situated near Visaginas. It ceased operations in December 2009 over safety concerns and is currently being decommissioned. Over 5,000 people were employed in the plant. There are opportunities to developing the construction industry in order to utilize the existing industrial potential (concrete, ferroconcrete, and wood), and also the electronics industry, polish and paint, and clothing. There are over 1,500 companies in the city active in light industry, trade and services.

Education, culture, and sports

The city has a polytechnic school, six secondary schools, an elementary school, eight nursery schools, music and acrobatics colleges, a sports centre and other institutions engaged in organizing educational and leisure activities, including 11 sports clubs with more than 1,600 members. Professional training is available in soccer, Greco-Roman wrestling, and skiing. An annual country music festival "Visaginas Country" is held in the city .

Twin city – sister cities

Visaginas is twinned with:

• LVA Dagda, Latvia
• LVA Daugavpils, Latvia
• POL Lidzbark Warmiński, Poland
• UKR Slavutych, Ukraine
• POL Zambrów, Poland

References

References

1. (12 June 2012). "Visagino elektrinė: atominis miestas remia, bet netiki".
2. {{in lang. lt [https://www.visaginas.lt/savivaldybe/istorija/21 Brief history of the Visaginas municipality] visaginas.lt
3. {{in lang. lt [https://www.lrvalstybe.lt/savivaldybes/visagino-savivaldybe Visaginas municipality] lrvalstybe.lt
4. Rekasiute, Neringa. (12 June 2019). "In a Soviet-era nuclear town, I brought Lithuania's forgotten side to light". The Guardian.
5. Rasa Baločkaitė. "[http://www.tlu.ee/stss/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Balo%C4%8Dkait%C4%97.pdf Post-Soviet Transitions of the Planned Socialist Towns: Visaginas, Lithuania] {{Webarchive. link. (2017-12-02 ." ''Studies of Transition States and Societies''. Vol. 2/Issue 2 (November 2010). p. 68.)
6. "Miestų gyventojai pagal tautybę 2011".
7. "Official Statistics Portal".
8. "Tarptautinis bendradarbiavimas". Visagino savivaldybė.