Geography of Klaipeda
Klaipeda, Lithuania, the nation's third largest city. Throughout most of its history it was known as Memel. Klaipeda is a commercial and industrial city and a port on the Baltic Sea, about 180 miles (290 km) west-northwest of Vilnius, the capital. The city has shipyards and produces textiles and wood products. The fishing industry is also important.
The city was founded in 1252 by the Teutonic Knights, a German military and religious order. During nearly all of its subsequent history it remained a German possession. After Germany's defeat in World War I the city and an adjoining area were administered by the League of Nations until seized in 1923 by Lithuania. The Lithuanians changed the city's name to Klaipeda. Germany regained the city in 1939 but lost it to the Soviet Union near the end of World War II. It was part of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic from 1945 to 1991.
Population: 201,000.