There are 10 state cities (, ) and 72 towns (, "municipality city/town", ) in Latvia.
Under the Latvian Law on Administrative Territories and Populated Areas of 2020, cities and towns (in the Latvian language both use the same word - pilsēta) are settlements that are centers of culture and commerce with a well-developed architectural infrastructure and street grid, and have at least 5,000 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). After the adoption of the 2020 law, new towns that gain town rights afterwards can technically lose their status if their population drops below 2,000 residents. Existing towns were given an exemption.
To become a state city, towns 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. The 2012 law stipulated that a (republic) city must typically have at least 25,000 residents, but this was not retained in the 2020 law.Law On Administrative Territories and Populated Areas of 2012on the Internet Archive
In 2020, an agreement was reached in Latvian parliament, Saeima, to rename the previous nine "republic cities" (, republikas pilsēta) to "state cities". It was at this time that a tenth state city, Ogre (formerly a town), was added to the list. The seven largest state cities, have their own municipal administrations and councils (e.g. Riga City Council), whereas the smallest three (Jēkabpils, Ogre and Valmiera) belong to their wider corresponding municipalities.
State cities
CityPopulation (2013)Population (2019)Population (2025)Rīga 658,640632,614591,882Daugavpils 93,31282,60478,112Liepāja 76,73168,94567,398Jelgava 59,51155,97254,821Jūrmala 50,84049,32551,933Ventspils 38,75034,37732,719Rēzekne 32,32827,82026,425Valmiera 25,13023,12522,811Ogre 26,16724,76822,753Jēkabpils 24,63522,07621,014
Towns TownPopulation (2010)Population (2018)Population (2024)MunicipalityĀdaži ~5,7736,8178,332Ādaži MunicipalityAinaži 1,008787644Limbaži MunicipalityAizkraukle 8,7097,4896,853Aizkraukle Municipality Aizpute 5,1044,4433,892South Kurzeme MunicipalityAknīste 1,2241,078917Jēkabpils Municipality Aloja 1,3531,1971,060Limbaži MunicipalityAlūksne 8,9007,5556,175Alūksne Municipality Ape 1,083907777Smiltene MunicipalityAuce 3,0762,6402,136Dobele MunicipalityBaldone 2,3993,9663,711Ķekava MunicipalityBaloži 5,6656,5296,846Ķekava MunicipalityBalvi 7,9066,6965,584Balvi MunicipalityBauska 10,0608,9889,811Bauska MunicipalityBrocēni 3,4113,1172,834Saldus MunicipalityCarnikava~3,8925,5146,343Ādaži MunicipalityCēsis 18,02116,88814,699Cēsis MunicipalityCesvaine 1,6681,4431,210Madona MunicipalityDagda 2,5022,1081,805Krāslava MunicipalityDobele 11,1529,7028,589Dobele MunicipalityDurbe 620542483South Kurzeme MunicipalityGrobiņa 4,2183,8613,593South Kurzeme MunicipalityGulbene 8,8077,7796,715Gulbene Municipality Iecava () 5,9215,4815,343Bauska MunicipalityIkšķile 4,0527,3597,448Ogre MunicipalityIlūkste 2,8562,5022,082Augšdaugava MunicipalityJaunjelgava 2,2461,9991,713Aizkraukle Municipality Kandava 4,2253,8313,276Tukums MunicipalityKārsava 2,4202,1051,843Ludza MunicipalityKoknese 2,7102,5112,427Aizkraukle MunicipalityKrāslava 10,1608,6536,854Krāslava MunicipalityKuldīga 12,75511,2759,940Kuldīga MunicipalityĶegums 2,4872,2712,059Ogre MunicipalityĶekava 8,0488,1035,039Ķekava MunicipalityLielvārde 6,8376,3695,853Ogre MunicipalityLīgatne 1,2391,0941,009Cēsis MunicipalityLimbaži 8,5017,4986,613Limbaži MunicipalityLīvāni 8,9347,9396,790Līvāni MunicipalityLubāna 1,8731,6671,453Madona MunicipalityLudza 9,5758,3877,524Ludza MunicipalityMadona 8,7347,6466,561Madona MunicipalityMazsalaca 1,4741,2641,113Valmiera MunicipalityMārupe 7,75421,22916,544Mārupe MunicipalityOlaine 12,66711,3429,908Olaine MunicipalityPāvilosta 1,134980851South Kurzeme MunicipalityPiltene 1,053904821Ventspils MunicipalityPļaviņas 3,6923,2482,823Aizkraukle MunicipalityPreiļi 7,9706,8175,841Preiļi MunicipalityPriekule 2,4412,0911,810South Kurzeme MunicipalityRūjiena 3,3772,9122,650Valmiera MunicipalitySabile 1,4041,5521,369Talsi MunicipalitySalacgrīva 3,2812,8232,480Limbaži MunicipalitySalaspils 18,15918,69817,826Salaspils MunicipalitySaldus 12,30610,8699,553Saldus MunicipalitySaulkrasti 3,2993,1763,149Saulkrasti MunicipalitySeda 1,5471,2481,092Valmiera MunicipalitySigulda 11,16811,19114,632Sigulda MunicipalitySkrunda 2,4682,1181,767Kuldīga MunicipalitySmiltene 5,7635,3495,129Smiltene MunicipalityStaicele 1,152951766Limbaži MunicipalityStende 1,8681,7431,532Talsi MunicipalityStrenči 1,4041,140957Valmiera MunicipalitySubate 749663549Augšdaugava MunicipalityTalsi 11,20110,0708,649Talsi MunicipalityTukums 19,96118,41416,318Tukums MunicipalityValdemārpils 1,3961,3431,135Talsi MunicipalityValka 6,0475,1814,564Valka MunicipalityVangaži 3,9993,6493,192Ropaži MunicipalityVarakļāni 2,1061,8971,653Madona MunicipalityViesīte 1,9021,6151,510Jēkabpils MunicipalityViļaka 1,5251,3641,172Balvi MunicipalityViļāni 3,4683,0352,749Rēzekne MunicipalityZilupe 1,7461,5111,271Ludza Municipality
See also Administrative divisions of Latvia Districts of Latvia Cultural regions of Latvia List of former cities of Latvia List of the most populated municipalities in the Nordic countries
References
External links
Vietas.lv - Map and information of cities and districts MillionMetersAroundLatvia.Com - Map, information and photos of cities
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