Demography

1897 Russian census revealed the following ethnic composition in the city (by mother tongue, out of 70,920):^[69]

1. Jews 25,052 – 35%
2. Russians 18,308 – 26%
3. Poles 16,112 – 23%
4. Lithuanians 4,092 – 6%
5. Germans 3,340 – 4.5%
6. Tatar 1,084 – 1.5%
7. Other 2932 – 4%

In 1926 the total population of the city was 98,918 with

1. Jews 29,427 – 31.8%
2. Poles 29,104 – 31.48%
3. Lithuanians 27,669 – 29.92%
4. Germans 4,164 – 4.51%
5. Russians 2,082 – 2.26%.^[70]

Today, with almost 94% of its citizens being ethnic Lithuanians, Kaunas is one of the most Lithuanian cities in the country.

Ethnic composition in 2011, out of a total of 315,933:^[71]

1. Lithuanians – 93.6%
2. Russians – 3.8%
3. Ukrainians – 0.4%
4. Poles – 0.4%
5. Belarusians – 0.2%
6. Other – 1.6%

Municipality council[edit]

Kaunas city municipality main building

Kaunas city municipality council is the governing body of the Kaunas city municipality. It is responsible for municipality laws. The council is composed of 41 member elected for four-year terms.

The council is the member of The Association of Local Authorities in Lithuania.

Mayors[edit]

Litas commemorative coindedicated to Kaunas city

• 1921–1931 – Jonas Vileišis
• 1931 – Juozas Vokietaitis
• 1932–1933 – Antanas Gravrogkas
• 1933–1939 – Antanas Merkys
• 1940 – Antanas Garmus
• 1990–1991 – Vidmantas Adomonis
• 1991–1992 – Vilimas Čiurinskas
• 1992–1995 – Arimantas Račkauskas
• 1995 – Rimantas Tumosa
• 1995–1997 – Vladas Katkevičius
• 1997 – Alfonsas Andriuškevičius
• 1997–2000 – Henrikas Tamulis
• 2000 – Vytautas Šustauskas
• 2000 – Gediminas Budnikas
• 2001–2002 – Erikas Tamašauskas
• 2002–2003 – Giedrius Donatas Ašmys
• 2003–2007 – Arvydas Garbaravičius
• 2007–2011 – Andrius Kupčinskas
• 2011 – Rimantas Mikaitis
• 2011 – 2015 Andrius Kupčinskas
• 2015- Visvaldas Matijošaitis