Samogitia constitutes one of the regions in Lithuania. In the past, Samogitia was one of the administrative units within the erstwhile Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Samogitia covers an area of 21,000 square kilometers.
There are a number of districts in the region including Telsiai, Taurage, Kaunas, Klaipeda and Mazeikiai. The majority of the population of the region uses the Samogitian dialect. The inhabitants of the region still adhere to their traditional lifestyles. They are one of the several ethnic groups in Lithuania and they strive to retain their indigenous language and culture. The region uses three variations of local dialect. On the basis of these variations, the region can be demarcated into three main divisions. The people of Samogitia who inhabit the districts like Akmene, Kretinga, Skuodas, Palanga, Mazeikiai, Telsiai and Plunge are known as northern Samogitians. The southern Samogitians comprise of the inhabitants of Silale, Kursenai, Taurage, Raseiniai, Varniai and Kelme. The people of the districts of Priekule, Silute, Klaipeda are known as the western Samogitians. The history of the region of Samogitia can be traced back to as early as the 13th century. The Samogitians are believed to be the descendants of the Baltic tribe. With the formation of the region the people of the Lithuania living at the banks of the River Nevezis came to be known as the Samogitians.
