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]
Riga
Daugavpils
Liepāja
Jelgava
Jūrmala
Ventspils
Rēzekne
City
Population (2013)[4]
Population (2019)[5]
Population (2024)[6]
Rīga pronunciation ⓘ
658,640
632,614
605,273
Daugavpils pronunciation ⓘ
93,312
82,604
77,799
Liepāja pronunciation ⓘ
76,731
68,945
66,680
Jelgava pronunciation ⓘ
59,511
55,972
54,701
Jūrmala pronunciation ⓘ
50,840
49,325
52,154
Ventspils pronunciation ⓘ
38,750
34,377
32,634
Rēzekne pronunciation ⓘ
32,328
27,820
26,131
Ogre pronunciation ⓘ
26,167
24,768
22,767
Valmiera pronunciation ⓘ
25,130
23,125
22,376
Jēkabpils pronunciation ⓘ
24,635
22,076
21,150
Town
Population (2010)[4]
Population (2018)[5]
Population (2024)[6]
Municipality [1]
Ādaži
6,173
6,898
7,535
Ādaži Municipality
Ainaži pronunciation ⓘ
1,008
787
644
Limbaži Municipality
Aizkraukle pronunciation ⓘ
8,709
7,489
6,853
Aizkraukle Municipality
Aizpute pronunciation ⓘ
5,104
4,443
3,892
South Kurzeme Municipality
Aknīste pronunciation ⓘ
1,224
1,078
917
Jēkabpils Municipality
Aloja pronunciation ⓘ
1,353
1,197
1,060
Limbaži Municipality
Alūksne pronunciation ⓘ
8,900
7,555
6,175
Alūksne Municipality
Ape pronunciation ⓘ
1,083
907
777
Smiltene Municipality
Auce pronunciation ⓘ
3,076
2,640
2,136
Dobele Municipality
Baldone pronunciation ⓘ
2,399
3,966
3,711
Ķekava Municipality
Baloži pronunciation ⓘ
5,665
6,529
6,846
Ķekava Municipality
Balvi pronunciation ⓘ
7,906
6,696
5,584
Balvi Municipality
Bauska pronunciation ⓘ
10,060
8,988
9,811
Bauska Municipality
Brocēni pronunciation ⓘ
3,411
3,117
2,834
Saldus Municipality
Cēsis pronunciation ⓘ
18,021
16,888
14,699
Cēsis Municipality
Cesvaine pronunciation ⓘ
1,668
1,443
1,210
Madona Municipality
Dagda pronunciation ⓘ
2,502
2,108
1,805
Krāslava Municipality
Dobele pronunciation ⓘ
11,152
9,702
8,589
Dobele Municipality
Durbe pronunciation ⓘ
620
542
483
South Kurzeme Municipality
Grobiņa pronunciation ⓘ
4,218
3,861
3,593
South Kurzeme Municipality
Gulbene pronunciation ⓘ
8,807
7,779
6,715
Gulbene Municipality
Iecava (pronunciation ⓘ )
5,921
5,481
5,343
Bauska Municipality
Ikšķile pronunciation ⓘ
4,052
7,359
7,448
Ogre Municipality
Ilūkste pronunciation ⓘ
2,856
2,502
2,082
Augšdaugava Municipality
Jaunjelgava pronunciation ⓘ
2,246
1,999
1,713
Aizkraukle Municipality
Kandava pronunciation ⓘ
4,225
3,831
3,276
Tukums Municipality
Kārsava pronunciation ⓘ
2,420
2,105
1,843
Ludza Municipality
Koknese pronunciation ⓘ
2,710
2,511
2,427
Aizkraukle Municipality
Krāslava pronunciation ⓘ
10,160
8,653
6,854
Krāslava Municipality
Kuldīga pronunciation ⓘ
12,755
11,275
9,940
Kuldīga Municipality
Ķegums pronunciation ⓘ
2,487
2,271
2,059
Ogre Municipality
Ķekava
8,048
8,103
5,039
Ķekava Municipality
Lielvārde pronunciation ⓘ
6,837
6,369
5,853
Ogre Municipality
Līgatne pronunciation ⓘ
1,239
1,094
1,009
Cēsis Municipality
Limbaži pronunciation ⓘ
8,501
7,498
6,613
Limbaži Municipality
Līvāni pronunciation ⓘ
8,934
7,939
6,790
Līvāni Municipality
Lubāna pronunciation ⓘ
1,873
1,667
1,453
Madona Municipality
Ludza pronunciation ⓘ
9,575
8,387
7,524
Ludza Municipality
Madona pronunciation ⓘ
8,734
7,646
6,561
Madona Municipality
Mazsalaca pronunciation ⓘ
1,474
1,264
1,113
Valmiera Municipality
Mārupe
7,754
21,229
16,544
Mārupe Municipality
Olaine pronunciation ⓘ
12,667
11,342
9,908
Olaine Municipality
Pāvilosta pronunciation ⓘ
1,134
980
851
South Kurzeme Municipality
Piltene pronunciation ⓘ
1,053
904
821
Ventspils Municipality
Pļaviņas pronunciation ⓘ
3,692
3,248
2,823
Aizkraukle Municipality
Preiļi pronunciation ⓘ
7,970
6,817
5,841
Preiļi Municipality
Priekule pronunciation ⓘ
2,441
2,091
1,810
South Kurzeme Municipality
Rūjiena pronunciation ⓘ
3,377
2,912
2,650
Valmiera Municipality
Sabile pronunciation ⓘ
1,404
1,552
1,369
Talsi Municipality
Salacgrīva pronunciation ⓘ
3,281
2,823
2,480
Limbaži Municipality
Salaspils pronunciation ⓘ
18,159
18,698
17,826
Salaspils Municipality
Saldus pronunciation ⓘ
12,306
10,869
9,553
Saldus Municipality
Saulkrasti pronunciation ⓘ
3,299
3,176
3,149
Saulkrasti Municipality
Seda pronunciation ⓘ
1,547
1,248
1,092
Valmiera Municipality
Sigulda pronunciation ⓘ
11,168
11,191
14,632
Sigulda Municipality
Skrunda pronunciation ⓘ
2,468
2,118
1,767
Kuldīga Municipality
Smiltene pronunciation ⓘ
5,763
5,349
5,129
Smiltene Municipality
Staicele pronunciation ⓘ
1,152
951
766
Limbaži Municipality
Stende pronunciation ⓘ
1,868
1,743
1,532
Talsi Municipality
Strenči pronunciation ⓘ
1,404
1,140
957
Valmiera Municipality
Subate pronunciation ⓘ
749
663
549
Augšdaugava Municipality
Talsi pronunciation ⓘ
11,201
10,070
8,649
Talsi Municipality
Tukums pronunciation ⓘ
19,961
18,414
16,318
Tukums Municipality
Valdemārpils pronunciation ⓘ
1,396
1,343
1,135
Talsi Municipality
Valka pronunciation ⓘ
6,047
5,181
4,564
Valka Municipality
Vangaži pronunciation ⓘ
3,999
3,649
3,192
Ropaži Municipality
Varakļāni pronunciation ⓘ
2,106
1,897
1,653
Varakļāni Municipality
Viesīte pronunciation ⓘ
1,902
1,615
1,510
Jēkabpils Municipality
Viļaka pronunciation ⓘ
1,525
1,364
1,172
Balvi Municipality
Viļāni pronunciation ⓘ
3,468
3,035
2,749
Rēzekne Municipality
Zilupe pronunciation ⓘ
1,746
1,511
1,271
Ludza Municipality
Former counties (dissolved before 1949) Former districts (dissolved 2009)
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