List of cities and towns in Latvia explained
There are 10 cities (Latvian: valstspilsēta, "state city",) and 71 towns (Latvian: novada pilsēta, "municipality town",) 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
City | Population (2013)[4] | Population (2019)[5] | Population (2024)[6] |
---|
Rīga | 658,640 | 632,614 | 605,273 |
Daugavpils | 93,312 | 82,604 | 77,799 |
Liepāja | 76,731 | 68,945 | 66,680 |
Jelgava | 59,511 | 55,972 | 54,701 |
Jūrmala | 50,840 | 49,325 | 52,154 |
Ventspils | 38,750 | 34,377 | 32,634 |
Rēzekne | 32,328 | 27,820 | 26,131 |
Ogre | 26,167 | 24,768 | 22,767 |
Valmiera | 25,130 | 23,125 | 22,376 |
Jēkabpils | 24,635 | 22,076 | 21,150 | |
Towns
Town | Population (2010) | Population (2018) | Population (2024) | Municipality |
---|
Ādaži | 6,173 | 6,898 | 7,535 | Ādaži Municipality |
Ainaži | 1,008 | 787 | 644 | Limbaži Municipality |
Aizkraukle | 8,709 | 7,489 | 6,853 | |
Aizpute | 5,104 | 4,443 | 3,892 | South Kurzeme Municipality |
Aknīste | 1,224 | 1,078 | 917 | |
Aloja | 1,353 | 1,197 | 1,060 | Limbaži Municipality |
Alūksne | 8,900 | 7,555 | 6,175 | |
Ape | 1,083 | 907 | 777 | Smiltene Municipality |
Auce | 3,076 | 2,640 | 2,136 | Dobele Municipality |
Baldone | 2,399 | 3,966 | 3,711 | Ķekava Municipality |
Baloži | 5,665 | 6,529 | 6,846 | Ķekava Municipality |
Balvi | 7,906 | 6,696 | 5,584 | Balvi Municipality |
Bauska | 10,060 | 8,988 | 9,811 | Bauska Municipality |
Brocēni | 3,411 | 3,117 | 2,834 | Saldus Municipality |
Cēsis | 18,021 | 16,888 | 14,699 | Cēsis Municipality |
Cesvaine | 1,668 | 1,443 | 1,210 | Madona Municipality |
Dagda | 2,502 | 2,108 | 1,805 | Krāslava Municipality |
Dobele | 11,152 | 9,702 | 8,589 | Dobele Municipality |
Durbe | 620 | 542 | 483 | South Kurzeme Municipality |
Grobiņa | 4,218 | 3,861 | 3,593 | South Kurzeme Municipality |
Gulbene | 8,807 | 7,779 | 6,715 | |
Iecava | 5,921 | 5,481 | 5,343 | Bauska Municipality |
Ikšķile | 4,052 | 7,359 | 7,448 | Ogre Municipality |
Ilūkste | 2,856 | 2,502 | 2,082 | Augšdaugava Municipality |
Jaunjelgava | 2,246 | 1,999 | 1,713 | |
Kandava | 4,225 | 3,831 | 3,276 | Tukums Municipality |
Kārsava | 2,420 | 2,105 | 1,843 | Ludza Municipality |
Koknese | 2,710 | 2,511 | 2,427 | Aizkraukle Municipality |
Krāslava | 10,160 | 8,653 | 6,854 | Krāslava Municipality |
Kuldīga | 12,755 | 11,275 | 9,940 | Kuldīga Municipality |
Ķegums | 2,487 | 2,271 | 2,059 | Ogre Municipality |
Ķekava | 8,048 | 8,103 | 5,039 | Ķekava Municipality |
Lielvārde | 6,837 | 6,369 | 5,853 | Ogre Municipality |
Līgatne | 1,239 | 1,094 | 1,009 | Cēsis Municipality |
Limbaži | 8,501 | 7,498 | 6,613 | Limbaži Municipality |
Līvāni | 8,934 | 7,939 | 6,790 | Līvāni Municipality |
Lubāna | 1,873 | 1,667 | 1,453 | Madona Municipality |
Ludza | 9,575 | 8,387 | 7,524 | Ludza Municipality |
Madona | 8,734 | 7,646 | 6,561 | Madona Municipality |
Mazsalaca | 1,474 | 1,264 | 1,113 | Valmiera Municipality |
Mārupe | 7,754 | 21,229 | 16,544 | Mārupe Municipality |
Olaine | 12,667 | 11,342 | 9,908 | Olaine Municipality |
Pāvilosta | 1,134 | 980 | 851 | South Kurzeme Municipality |
Piltene | 1,053 | 904 | 821 | Ventspils Municipality |
Pļaviņas | 3,692 | 3,248 | 2,823 | Aizkraukle Municipality |
Preiļi | 7,970 | 6,817 | 5,841 | Preiļi Municipality |
Priekule | 2,441 | 2,091 | 1,810 | South Kurzeme Municipality |
Rūjiena | 3,377 | 2,912 | 2,650 | Valmiera Municipality |
Sabile | 1,404 | 1,552 | 1,369 | Talsi Municipality |
Salacgrīva | 3,281 | 2,823 | 2,480 | Limbaži Municipality |
Salaspils | 18,159 | 18,698 | 17,826 | Salaspils Municipality |
Saldus | 12,306 | 10,869 | 9,553 | Saldus Municipality |
Saulkrasti | 3,299 | 3,176 | 3,149 | Saulkrasti Municipality |
Seda | 1,547 | 1,248 | 1,092 | Valmiera Municipality |
Sigulda | 11,168 | 11,191 | 14,632 | Sigulda Municipality |
Skrunda | 2,468 | 2,118 | 1,767 | Kuldīga Municipality |
Smiltene | 5,763 | 5,349 | 5,129 | Smiltene Municipality |
Staicele | 1,152 | 951 | 766 | Limbaži Municipality |
Stende | 1,868 | 1,743 | 1,532 | Talsi Municipality |
Strenči | 1,404 | 1,140 | 957 | Valmiera Municipality |
Subate | 749 | 663 | 549 | Augšdaugava Municipality |
Talsi | 11,201 | 10,070 | 8,649 | Talsi Municipality |
Tukums | 19,961 | 18,414 | 16,318 | Tukums Municipality |
Valdemārpils | 1,396 | 1,343 | 1,135 | Talsi Municipality |
Valka | 6,047 | 5,181 | 4,564 | Valka Municipality |
Vangaži | 3,999 | 3,649 | 3,192 | Ropaži Municipality |
Varakļāni | 2,106 | 1,897 | 1,653 | Varakļāni Municipality |
Viesīte | 1,902 | 1,615 | 1,510 | Jēkabpils Municipality |
Viļaka | 1,525 | 1,364 | 1,172 | Balvi Municipality |
Viļāni | 3,468 | 3,035 | 2,749 | Rēzekne Municipality |
Zilupe | 1,746 | 1,511 | 1,271 | Ludza Municipality | |
See also
External links
Notes and References
- https://web.archive.org/web/20120724172403/http://www.ttc.lv/export/sites/default/docs/LRTA/Likumi/Law_On_Administrative_Territories_and_Populated_Areas.doc Law On Administrative Territories and Populated Areas
- Web site: Vienojas par desmit valstspilsētām . 2023-10-07 . LA.LV . lv.
- Web site: 2020-06-22 . Levits izsludina Administratīvi teritoriālās reformas likumu . 2023-10-07 . Sabiedrība un politika . lv.
- Web site: Latvijas iedzīvotāju skaits pašvaldībās. Centrālās statistikas pārvaldes datubāzes. lv. 2019-10-25.
- Web site: Iedzīvotāju skaits un tā izmaiņas statistiskajos reģionos, republikas pilsētās, novadu pilsētās un novados. Centrālās statistikas pārvaldes datubāzes. lv. 2019-06-16.
- Web site: Population in cities, towns and counties . Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia . 2024-07-08.