Administrative divisions of Lithuania Governorate (consisting of eleven districts) and Slonim Governorate, were established after the third partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Just a year later, on December 12, 1796, they were merged into one governorate, called Lithuania Governorate, with capital in Vilnius. In 1801 Lithuania Governorate was split into Lithuania-Vilna Governorate and Lithuania-Grodno Governorate. Forty years later the word "Lithuania" was dropped from the two names and official maps of Europe. The territory of the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania became known as the Northwestern Krai. In 1843 another administrative reform took place, creating Kovno Governorate out of seven western districts of the
National symbols of Lithuania Soviet occupation of Lithuania, the Lithuanian flag and the national anthem were replaced; the Lithuanian Coat of Arms was not shown in official capacities. On the other hand, in keeping with the Soviet policy of encouraging what were seen as harmless expressions of ethnic identity, Lithuanian national costumes were often featured on postal stamps and elsewhere. Lithuania was occupied by Soviet Union in 1940-1941, later it was controlled Nazi government during World War II and was a Soviet Socialist Republic from 1944 until 1990. The latter situation is generally seen by Lithuanians as an occupation. Public displays of both the