Cities and towns in Latvia There are 10 cities (Latvian : valstspilsēta , "state city", pl. valstspilsētas ) and 71 towns (Latvian : novada pilsēta , "municipality town", pl. novada pilsētas ) in Latvia .
By Latvian law, towns are settlements that are centers of culture and commerce with a well-developed architectural infrastructure and street grid, and have at least 2,000 residents. A settlement can still be designated a town if it has fewer residents, but fulfills all other requirements (or has been a historic town).
To become a city, a town must typically have at least 25,000 residents. Additionally, cities should have a well-developed commercial district, transport , public utilities , social infrastructure, and be a significant center of culture. However, these requirements may be disregarded if there is sufficient population.[1]
In 2020, an agreement was reached in Latvian parliament, Saeima , to rename the previous nine "republic" cities with the new title of "state city" (valstspilsēta ). It was at this time that a tenth state city, Ogre (formerly a town), was added to the list.[2]
The 7 largest state cities have their own local governance independent of any municipalities, whereas the smallest 3 (Jēkabpils , Ogre and Valmiera ) belong to their wider corresponding municipalities.[3]
State cities [ edit ] Riga Daugavpils Liepāja Jelgava Jūrmala Ventspils Rēzekne City Population (2013)[4] Population (2019)[5] Population(2023)[6] Daugavpils pronunciation ⓘ 93,312 82,604 79,299 Jelgava pronunciation ⓘ 59,511 55,972 55,384 Jēkabpils pronunciation ⓘ 24,635 22,076 21,179 Jūrmala pronunciation ⓘ 50,840 49,325 50,842 Liepāja pronunciation ⓘ 76,731 68,945 67,335 Ogre pronunciation ⓘ 26,167 24,768 22,767 Rēzekne pronunciation ⓘ 32,328 27,820 26,805 Rīga pronunciation ⓘ 658,640 632,614 614,987 Valmiera pronunciation ⓘ 25,130 23,125 22,408 Ventspils pronunciation ⓘ 38,750 34,377 33,053
Town Population (2010)[4] Population (2018)[5] Population(2023)[6] Municipality [1] Ādaži 6,173 6,898 7,403 Ādaži Municipality Ainaži pronunciation ⓘ 1,008 787 611 Limbaži Municipality Aizkraukle pronunciation ⓘ 8,709 7,489 6,850 Aizkraukle Municipality Aizpute pronunciation ⓘ 5,104 4,443 3,852 South Kurzeme Municipality Aknīste pronunciation ⓘ 1,224 1,078 937 Jēkabpils Municipality Aloja pronunciation ⓘ 1,353 1,197 1,046 Limbaži Municipality Alūksne pronunciation ⓘ 8,900 7,555 6,171 Alūksne Municipality Ape pronunciation ⓘ 1,083 907 785 Smiltene Municipality Auce pronunciation ⓘ 3,076 2,640 2,151 Dobele Municipality Baldone pronunciation ⓘ 2,399 3,966 3,708 Ķekava Municipality Baloži pronunciation ⓘ 5,665 6,529 6,874 Ķekava Municipality Balvi pronunciation ⓘ 7,906 6,696 5,623 Balvi Municipality Bauska pronunciation ⓘ 10,060 8,988 9,792 Bauska Municipality Brocēni pronunciation ⓘ 3,411 3,117 2,821 Saldus Municipality Cēsis pronunciation ⓘ 18,021 16,888 14,588 Cēsis Municipality Cesvaine pronunciation ⓘ 1,668 1,443 1,212 Madona Municipality Dagda pronunciation ⓘ 2,502 2,108 1,826 Krāslava Municipality Dobele pronunciation ⓘ 11,152 9,702 8,492 Dobele Municipality Durbe pronunciation ⓘ 620 542 492 South Kurzeme Municipality Grobiņa pronunciation ⓘ 4,218 3,861 3,551 South Kurzeme Municipality Gulbene pronunciation ⓘ 8,807 7,779 6,801 Gulbene Municipality Iecava (pronunciation ⓘ ) 5,921 5,481 5,365 Bauska Municipality Ikšķile pronunciation ⓘ 4,052 7,359 7,433 Ogre Municipality Ilūkste pronunciation ⓘ 2,856 2,502 2,157 Augšdaugava Municipality Jaunjelgava pronunciation ⓘ 2,246 1,999 1,742 Aizkraukle Municipality Kandava pronunciation ⓘ 4,225 3,831 3,256 Tukums Municipality Kārsava pronunciation ⓘ 2,420 2,105 1,834 Ludza Municipality Koknese pronunciation ⓘ 2,710 2,511 2,448 Aizkraukle Municipality Krāslava pronunciation ⓘ 10,160 8,653 6,967 Krāslava Municipality Kuldīga pronunciation ⓘ 12,755 11,275 9,921 Kuldīga Municipality Ķegums pronunciation ⓘ 2,487 2,271 2,052 Ogre Municipality Ķekava 8,048 8,103 5,118 Ķekava Municipality Lielvārde pronunciation ⓘ 6,837 6,369 5,814 Ogre Municipality Līgatne pronunciation ⓘ 1,239 1,094 1,009 Cēsis Municipality Limbaži pronunciation ⓘ 8,501 7,498 6,571 Limbaži Municipality Līvāni pronunciation ⓘ 8,934 7,939 6,871 Līvāni Municipality Lubāna pronunciation ⓘ 1,873 1,667 1,434 Madona Municipality Ludza pronunciation ⓘ 9,575 8,387 7,530 Ludza Municipality Madona pronunciation ⓘ 8,734 7,646 6,645 Madona Municipality Mazsalaca pronunciation ⓘ 1,474 1,264 1,082 Valmiera Municipality Mārupe 7,754 21,229 15,828 Mārupe Municipality Olaine pronunciation ⓘ 12,667 11,342 10,084 Olaine Municipality Pāvilosta pronunciation ⓘ 1,134 980 804 South Kurzeme Municipality Piltene pronunciation ⓘ 1,053 904 863 Ventspils Municipality Pļaviņas pronunciation ⓘ 3,692 3,248 2,830 Aizkraukle Municipality Preiļi pronunciation ⓘ 7,970 6,817 5,879 Preiļi Municipality Priekule pronunciation ⓘ 2,441 2,091 1,785 South Kurzeme Municipality Rūjiena pronunciation ⓘ 3,377 2,912 2,649 Valmiera Municipality Sabile pronunciation ⓘ 1,404 1,552 1,242 Talsi Municipality Salacgrīva pronunciation ⓘ 3,281 2,823 2,489 Limbaži Municipality Salaspils pronunciation ⓘ 18,159 18,698 17,702 Salaspils Municipality Saldus pronunciation ⓘ 12,306 10,869 9,481 Saldus Municipality Saulkrasti pronunciation ⓘ 3,299 3,176 3,118 Saulkrasti Municipality Seda pronunciation ⓘ 1,547 1,248 1,112 Valmiera Municipality Sigulda pronunciation ⓘ 11,168 11,191 14,428 Sigulda Municipality Skrunda pronunciation ⓘ 2,468 2,118 1,826 Kuldīga Municipality Smiltene pronunciation ⓘ 5,763 5,349 5,160 Smiltene Municipality Staicele pronunciation ⓘ 1,152 951 790 Limbaži Municipality Stende pronunciation ⓘ 1,868 1,743 1,544 Talsi Municipality Strenči pronunciation ⓘ 1,404 1,140 953 Valmiera Municipality Subate pronunciation ⓘ 749 663 501 Augšdaugava Municipality Talsi pronunciation ⓘ 11,201 10,070 8,653 Talsi Municipality Tukums pronunciation ⓘ 19,961 18,414 16,320 Tukums Municipality Valdemārpils pronunciation ⓘ 1,396 1,343 1,106 Talsi Municipality Valka pronunciation ⓘ 6,047 5,181 4,498 Valka Municipality Vangaži pronunciation ⓘ 3,999 3,649 3,237 Ropaži Municipality Varakļāni pronunciation ⓘ 2,106 1,897 1,670 Varakļāni Municipality Viesīte pronunciation ⓘ 1,902 1,615 1,485 Jēkabpils Municipality Viļaka pronunciation ⓘ 1,525 1,364 1,193 Balvi Municipality Viļāni pronunciation ⓘ 3,468 3,035 2,729 Rēzekne Municipality Zilupe pronunciation ⓘ 1,746 1,511 1,332 Ludza Municipality
See also [ edit ] References [ edit ] External links [ edit ]
Former counties (dissolved before 1949) Former districts (dissolved 2009)
List of places in Europe
Sovereign states States with limited recognition Dependencies and other entities
Sovereign states States with limited recognition Dependencies and other entities
Sovereign states States with limited recognition Dependencies and other entities