Nemunėlis

Nemunėlis (Latvian: Mēmele) is a river in northern Lithuania and southern Latvia. It originates 6 km south of Rokiškis. It is 191 kilometres long (75 km in Lithuania, 76 km on the Latvia–Lithuania border and 40 km in Latvia) before its confluence with the Mūša, near Bauska, forming the Lielupe.

Nemunėlis, Mēmele
Mēmele in Bauska city
Location
CountryLithuania and Latvia
Physical characteristics
Source 
 ⁃ locationLūšna lake in Rokiškis district
 ⁃ elevation73 m (240 ft)
MouthLielupe
 ⁃ location
Bauska
 ⁃ coordinates
56°24′09″N 24°09′25″E
Length191 km (119 mi)
Basin size4,048 km2 (1,563 sq mi)
Discharge 
 ⁃ average95 m3/s (3,400 cu ft/s)
Basin features
ProgressionLielupe→ Baltic Sea
Tributaries 
 ⁃ leftBėnupė, Apaščia
 ⁃ rightNereta, Dienvidsusēja, Viesīte

Names

This river does not belong to the basin of the larger river Neman, but the two rivers' names are related in several languages:

  • in Lithuanian, "Nemunėlis" is a diminutive form of "Nemunas" (Neman)
  • in German, "Memel" is used for both the Neman River and the city of Klaipėda, and "Memele" is its diminutive form
  • in Latvian, the river is called "Mēmele", possibly derived from German, or directly from Old Prussian in which it is thought to mean "surrounded by water"
  • in Estonian, it is called "Memele jõgi"

Tourist development

The European Union gave 100,000 euros to establish tourist routes along the Nemunėlis. It is expected that the Latvian and Lithuanian initiative will be completed in 2007, as new kayak and boat rental businesses open and new campsites, tourist guides, and information signs are prepared.[1]

References
  1. (in Lithuanian) Kęstutis Slavinskas, Nemunėlis pritaikomas turizmui, Šiaurės rytai, May 17, 2006. Hosted on Turistas.lt portal. Accessed August 1, 2006.


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