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; however, a settlement can 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 agreement was reached in the 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 largest 7 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(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

Towns

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

References

  1. 1 2 Law On Administrative Territories and Populated Areas
  2. "Vienojas par desmit valstspilsētām". LA.LV (in Latvian). Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  3. "Levits izsludina Administratīvi teritoriālās reformas likumu". Sabiedrība un politika (in Latvian). 2020-06-22. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  4. 1 2 "Latvijas iedzīvotāju skaits pašvaldībās" (PDF). Centrālās statistikas pārvaldes datubāzes (in Latvian). Retrieved 2019-10-25.
  5. 1 2 "Iedzīvotāju skaits un tā izmaiņas statistiskajos reģionos, republikas pilsētās, novadu pilsētās un novados". Centrālās statistikas pārvaldes datubāzes (in Latvian). Retrieved 2019-06-16.
  6. 1 2 "Population in regions, cities, municipalities, towns, rural territories, neighbourhoods and densely populated areas by ethnicity". National Statistical System of Latvia. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
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