Municipalities of Latvia

Buy data    Donate

Updates: 

On 2009-07-01, Latvia reorganized its territory, replacing the 26 districts and 7 cities with 109 municipalities and 9 cities. Valentin Arzoumanian provided most of the data for the new divisions, with additional information from Sorin Cosoveanu and Tom Kirk. The Geohive  website has some of the same data, attributed to the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia and the Central Election Commission of Latvia.

Erratum: In "Administrative Divisions of Countries", page 214, the ISO codes for two districts were inadvertently switched. The correct codes appear in the table under Change history.

Country overview: 

Short nameLATVIA
ISO codeLV
FIPS codeLG
LanguageLatvian (lv)
Time zone+2 ~
CapitalRiga

 

Latvia in 1900 was part of the Russian Empire. On 1918-11-18, it declared its independence, with essentially its present borders. Latvia was occupied by the army of the Soviet Union in 1940, and became a constituent republic of the U.S.S.R. - the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic - on 1940-08-05. The United States never recognized the annexation. Latvia declared independence again, this time from a crumbling Soviet Union, on 1991-08-21.

Other names of country: 

  1. Danish: Lettland, Letland
  2. Dutch: Letland, Republiek Letland (formal)
  3. English: Republic of Latvia (formal)
  4. Finnish: Latvia
  5. French: Lettonie f
  6. German: Lettland n
  7. Icelandic: Lettland
  8. Italian: Lettonia f
  9. Latvian: Latvija, Latvijas Republika (formal)
  10. Norwegian: Latvia, Republikken Latvia (formal)
  11. Portuguese: Letónia, Letônia (Brazil), República f da Letónia f (formal)
  12. Spanish: Letonia
  13. Swedish: Lettland

Origin of name: 

from ethnic name, possibly from Latve River near Vilnius

Primary subdivisions: 

Latvia is divided into 109 novadi (sing. novads: amalgamated municipalities) and 9 pilsēti (sing. pilsēta: republican cities).

MunicipalityTypHASCNUTSPopulationArea(km.²)Area(mi.²)CapitalFormer
ĀdažinLV.ADLV0079,34216363ĀdažiLV.RG
AglonanLV.AGLV0054,561393152AglonaLV.PR
AizkrauklenLV.AKLV00910,08010239AizkraukleLV.AI
AizputenLV.AZLV00310,517640247AizputeLV.LP
AknīstenLV.ANLV0093,303285110AknīsteLV.JK
AlojanLV.AJLV0076,152631244AlojaLV.LM
AlsunganLV.ASLV0031,68819073AlsungaLV.KU
AlūksnenLV.AELV00819,5581,700656AlūksnēLV.AL
AmatanLV.AMLV0086,369742286DrabešiLV.CE
ApenLV.APLV0084,379545210ApeLV.AL
AucenLV.AULV0098,772518200AuceLV.DO
BabītenLV.BBLV0078,86524293PiņķiLV.RG
BaldonenLV.BDLV0075,50217969BaldoneLV.RG
BaltinavanLV.BALV0051,38718571BaltinavaLV.BL
BalvinLV.BVLV00515,8341,045403BalviLV.BL
BauskanLV.BKLV00928,421785303BauskaLV.BU
BeverīnanLV.BELV0083,567302117KauguriLV.VM
BrocēninLV.BRLV0037,215499192BrocēniLV.SA
BurtniekinLV.BTLV0088,657710274MatīšiLV.VM
CarnikavanLV.CRLV0076,2618031CarnikavaLV.RG
CēsisnLV.CSLV00819,97717266CēsisLV.CE
CesvainenLV.CVLV0083,17219174CesvaineLV.MA
CiblanLV.CILV0053,410509197CiblaLV.LU
DagdanLV.DDLV0059,559949366DagdaLV.KR
DaugavpilsrLV.DVLV005104,8097228DaugavpilsLV.DV
DaugavpilsnLV.DPLV00528,7331,878725DaugavpilsLV.DG
DobelenLV.DBLV00924,521890344DobeleLV.DO
DundaganLV.DNLV0034,878676261DundagaLV.TA
DurbenLV.DRLV0033,484321124TadaiķiLV.LP
EngurenLV.ENLV0078,058398154SmārdeLV.TU
ĒrgļinLV.ERLV0083,570380147ĒrgļiLV.MA
GarkalnenLV.GALV0076,72215158RīgaLV.RG
GrobiņanLV.GRLV00310,154490189GrobiņaLV.LP
GulbenenLV.GULV00825,5461,876724GulbeneLV.GU
IecavanLV.IELV0099,845312120IecavaLV.BU
IkšķilenLV.IKLV0078,34613251IkšķileLV.OG
IlūkstenLV.ILLV0059,231648250IlūkstēLV.DG
InčukalnsnLV.INLV0078,50411243InčukalnsLV.RG
JaunjelgavanLV.JJLV0096,543685264JaunjelgavaLV.AI
JaunpiebalganLV.JALV0082,72125197JaunpiebalgaLV.CE
JaunpilsnLV.JULV0072,81421081JaunpilsLV.TU
JēkabpilsnLV.JPLV0095,866906350JēkabpilsLV.JK
JēkabpilsrLV.JBLV00926,5732610JēkabpilsLV.JK
JelgavanLV.JLLV00927,2761,319509JelgavaLV.JG
JelgavarLV.JELV00965,5976023JelgavaLV.JE
JūrmalarLV.JMLV00756,05410039JūrmalaLV.JM
KandavanLV.KNLV00710,057651251KandavaLV.TU
KārsavanLV.KALV0057,128628243KārsavaLV.LU
ĶegumsnLV.KGLV0076,386492190ĶegumsLV.OG
ĶekavanLV.KKLV00720,945270104ĶekavaLV.RG
KoknesenLV.KOLV0096,091361139KokneseLV.AI
KrāslavanLV.KSLV00520,2171,078416KrāslavaLV.KR
KrimuldanLV.KMLV0075,803339131RaganaLV.RG
KrustpilsnLV.KTLV0096,827812314JēkabpilsLV.JK
KuldīganLV.KDLV00327,4301,757678KuldīgaLV.KU
LielvārdenLV.LLLV00711,46622687LielvārdeLV.OG
LiepājarLV.LJLV00385,1216023LiepājaLV.LJ
LīgatnenLV.LGLV0084,06316865LīgatneLV.CE
LimbažinLV.LILV00719,7281,171452LimbažiLV.LM
LīvāninLV.LVLV00514,292625241LīvāniLV.PR
LubānanLV.LBLV0082,881347134LubānaLV.MA
LudzanLV.LZLV00515,986965373LudzaLV.LU
MadonanLV.MDLV00828,1102,153831MadonaLV.MA
MālpilsnLV.MLLV0074,10322185MālpilsLV.RG
MārupenLV.MRLV00713,95810440MārupeLV.RG
MazsalacanLV.MZLV0084,042418161MazsalacaLV.VM
NaukšēninLV.NALV0082,316281108NaukšēniLV.VM
NeretanLV.NELV0094,425646249NeretaLV.AI
NīcanLV.NILV0033,886351135NīcaLV.LP
OgrenLV.ORLV00739,117993384OgreLV.OG
OlainenLV.OLLV00720,085296114OlaineLV.RG
OzolniekinLV.OZLV00910,237286111OzolniekiLV.JG
PārgaujanLV.PGLV0084,502488188StalbeLV.CE
PāvilostanLV.PTLV0033,256515199PāvilostaLV.LP
PļaviņasnLV.PLLV0096,447377145PļaviņasLV.AI
PreiļinLV.PILV00511,973365141PreiļiLV.PR
PriekulenLV.PKLV0036,687520201PriekuleLV.LP
PriekuļinLV.PULV0089,550302117PriekuļiLV.CE
RaunanLV.RNLV0084,112309119RaunaLV.CE
RēzeknenLV.RELV00532,1302,524975RēzekneLV.RZ
RēzeknerLV.RKLV00535,568177RēzekneLV.RK
RiebiņinLV.RBLV0056,331631244RiebiņiLV.PR
RīgarLV.RALV006715,606307119RīgaLV.RA
RojanLV.ROLV0036,271310119RojaLV.TA
RopažinLV.RPLV0076,832322124RopažiLV.RG
RucavanLV.RCLV0032,013449173RucavaLV.LP
RugājinLV.RJLV0052,679512198RugājiLV.BL
RūjienanLV.RULV0086,252352136RūjienaLV.VM
RundālenLV.RDLV0094,38423189PilsrundāleLV.BU
SalanLV.SLLV0094,415318123SalaLV.JK
SalacgrīvanLV.SCLV0079,581638246SalacgrīvaLV.LM
SalaspilsnLV.SSLV00722,81012749SalaspilsLV.RG
SaldusnLV.SDLV00328,9151,683650SaldusLV.SA
SaulkrastinLV.SULV0076,0824818SaulkrastiLV.RG
SējanLV.SELV0072,46422888MurjāņiLV.RG
SiguldanLV.SILV00717,579360139SiguldaLV.RG
SkrīverinLV.SRLV0094,11710541SkrīveriLV.AI
SkrundanLV.SKLV0036,057553214SkrundaLV.KU
SmiltenenLV.SMLV00814,376949366SmilteneLV.VK
StopiņinLV.SPLV0079,5775421UlbrokaLV.RG
StrenčinLV.STLV0084,277376145StrenčiLV.VK
TalsinLV.TLLV00334,8711,763681TalsiLV.TA
TērvetenLV.TELV0094,17322486TērveteLV.DO
TukumsnLV.TKLV00733,6081,198463TukumsLV.TU
VaiņodenLV.VDLV0032,976307119VaiņodeLV.LP
ValkanLV.VALV00810,678910351ValkaLV.VK
ValmierarLV.VELV00827,440187ValmieraLV.VM
ValmieranLV.VRLV0087,031498192KocēniLV.VM
VarakļāninLV.VXLV0083,941279108VarakļāniLV.MA
VārkavanLV.VVLV0052,412289112VecvārkavaLV.PR
VecpiebalganLV.VBLV0084,776543209VecpiebalgaLV.CE
VecumniekinLV.VCLV0099,910844326VecumniekiLV.BU
VentspilsnLV.VNLV00313,7862,462951VentspilsLV.VN
VentspilsrLV.VSLV00343,0875521VentspilsLV.VS
ViesītenLV.VTLV0094,705651251ViesīteLV.JK
ViļakanLV.VLLV0056,545640247ViļakaLV.BL
ViļāninLV.VILV0057,243285110ViļāniLV.RZ
ZilupenLV.ZILV0053,799309119ZilupeLV.LU
118 divisions2,266,91764,58824,938
  • Typ: n = municipality, r = republican city.
  • HASC: Hierarchical administrative subdivision codes.
  • NUTS: See Further subdivisions.
  • Population: 2009-07-01 estimate.
  • Former: HASC code of old district containing this division (see Change history).

Further subdivisions:

There are five planning regions, roughly corresponding to the old provinces (shown under Change history). The coverage areas are a bit different. Daugavpils district and city (now in Latgale planning region) were in Zemgale province; Dobele district (now in Zemgale) and Tukums (now in Riga) were in Kurzeme province; and Limbaži and Ogre districts (now in Riga) were in Vidzeme. There are also six NUTS regions (Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics), defined by Eurostat. They are the same as the planning regions, except that Riga planning region is split into Riga (the city) and Pieriga (the remainder) for NUTS:

NUTSRegion
LV003Kurzeme
LV005Latgale
LV006Riga
LV007Pieriga
LV008Vidzeme
LV009Zemgale

Origins of names: 

  1. Daugavpils: Latvian Daugava: Western Dvina (river), pils: palace
  2. Riga: possibly Old Lithuanian ringi: curve (in the river)

Change history: 

  1. 1900: Present-day Latvia was in three Russian governments (guberniy): the southern part of Livonia, almost all of Courland (Kurland, Kurzeme), and the western part of Vitebsk.
  2. 1918: Latvia was subdivided into provinces corresponding to its traditional regions.
ProvincePopulationArea(mi.²)
Kurzeme292,6595,099
Latgale567,1646,052
Riga385,06381
Vidzeme406,2478,905
Zemgale299,3695,258
5 provinces1,950,50225,395
  • Population: 1935 census
  1. 1991-08-21: Latvia became independent of the Soviet Union. At some point after this date, status of apriņķis changed to rajoni. Latvia then consisted of 26 rajoni (districts) and seven lielpilsēti (cities), as shown below. (FIPS translated those types as counties and municipalities, respectively.) The seven independent cities were geographically in the districts, but administratively separate. In the book "Administrative Subdivisions of Countries" I considered the cities as belonging to their districts. Here, following the standards, I list them separately.
  2. FIPS uses different names for the types of primary subdivision: county instead of district, and municipality instead of city.
DistrictTypHASCISOFIPSPopulationArea(km.²)Area(mi.²)PostPlan
AizkraukledLV.AIAILG0141,9682,56599051Z
AlūksnedLV.ALALLG0226,4222,24386643V
BalvidLV.BLBLLG0330,6242,38692145L
BauskadLV.BUBULG0453,1971,88272739Z
CēsisdLV.CECELG0560,6203,0671,18441V
DaugavpilscLV.DVDGVLG06115,265722854L
DaugavpilsdLV.DGDALG0742,7582,52597554L
DobeledLV.DODOLG0840,2461,63363137Z
GulbenedLV.GUGULG0928,1941,87772544V
JēkabpilsdLV.JKJKLG1056,3482,9981,15852Z
JelgavacLV.JEJELLG1163,652602329Z
JelgavadLV.JGJLLG1237,3711,60461930Z
JūrmalacLV.JMJURLG1355,7181003920R
KrāslavadLV.KRKRLG1436,8362,28588256L
KuldīgadLV.KUKULG1538,1692,50296633K
LiepājacLV.LJLPXLG1689,448602334K
LiepājadLV.LPLELG1746,8173,5941,38834K
LimbažidLV.LMLMLG1840,1642,6021,00540R
LudzadLV.LULULG1935,1252,41293157L
MadonadLV.MAMALG2046,4593,3461,29248V
OgredLV.OGOGLG2163,0641,84071050R
PreiļidLV.PRPRLG2241,7352,04178853L
RēzeknecLV.RKREZLG2339,23317746L
RēzeknedLV.RZRELG2443,0902,8121,08646L
RigacLV.RARIXLG25764,32930711900R
RigadLV.RGRILG26144,3463,0591,18120R
SaldusdLV.SASALG2738,9162,18284238K
TalsidLV.TATALG2849,8142,7511,06232K
TukumsdLV.TUTULG2954,2002,44794531R
ValkadLV.VKVKLG3034,3172,43794147V
ValmieradLV.VMVMLG3160,3902,36591342V
VentspilscLV.VSVENLG3243,928461836K
VentspilsdLV.VNVELG3314,6202,47295436K
33 divisions2,377,38364,58924,938
  • Typ: c = city, d = district.
  • HASC: Hierarchical administrative subdivision codes.
  • ISO: Codes from ISO 3166-2.
  • FIPS: Codes from FIPS PUB 10-4.
  • Population: 2000-03-31 census (source [1]).
  • Post: Postal code (see note).
  • Plan: Planning region (first letter of name).
  1. Note: Latvia uses four-digit postal codes. The numbers given represent the first two digits of the lowest postal code in the range for each division. "LV-" is prefixed to the postal code on correspondence from other countries.
  2. The cities are all geographically situated in the districts of the same name, except for Jūrmala, which is in Riga district.
  3. According to source [3], Latvia's local government consisted of seven cities (which we count as primary subdivisions in the table above), 72 towns, seven novads (amalgamated territories or amalgamated municipalities), and 475 pagasts (rural municipalities). Source [4] says there are 496 parishes, probably meaning the pagasts. Source [5] says, "the administrative subdivisions of the Republic of Latvia are the regions and municipalities: the great agglomerations, the towns and the pagasts (rural districts). There are in all 26 regions and 560 municipalities: seven great agglomerations, seventy towns and 483 pagasts." (My translation from the French.)
  4. 2004-05-01: Latvia joined the European Union.
  5. 2009-07-01: Latvia reorganized its local government, resulting in the divisions shown in the main table (yellow). Comparing before and after maps and areas, I conclude that part of Krāslava district was annexed to Aglona municipality (about 260 km.²); part of Valka district was annexed to Beverīna (about 210 km.²); part of Limbaži district was annexed to Krimulda (about 200 km.²); and part of Aizkraukle district was annexed to Vecumnieki (about 290 km.²). There were probably other smaller areas transferred.

Other names of subdivisions: 

  1. Aizkraukle: Stuchka (Russian-obsolete)
  2. Cēsis: Wenden (German)
  3. Daugavpils: Dünaburg (German); Dvinsk (Russian-obsolete)
  4. Jelgava: Mitau (German)
  5. Jēkabpils: Jakobstadt (German)
  6. Kuldīga: Goldingen (German)
  7. Liepāja: Libau (German)
  8. Ludza: Ludsen (German)
  9. Rēzekne: Rositten (German); Ryezhitsa (Russian-obsolete)
  10. Riga: Riia (variant)
  11. Talsi: Talsen (German)
  12. Tukums: Tukkum (German)
  13. Valmiera: Wolmar (German)
  14. Ventspils: Windau (German)

Sources:

  1. [1] Geohive website (retrieved 2004-12-18 at http://212.204.253.230/cd/link.php?xml=lv&xsl=neo1&par1=1, now a dead link): population data attributed to the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia.
  2. [2] The U.N. Economic Commission for Europe issued a study which says, "At present, Latvia is divided into 26 counties and seven municipalities.... However, the administrative structure at local and regional level is undergoing extensive restructuring and there are plans for a further decentralization." (Retrieved 2004-12-18 at http://www.unece.org/env/epr/studies/latvia/chapter00.pdf, now a dead link.)
  3. [3] Baltic Sea States Subregional Co-operation (retrieved 2004-12-18 at http://www.bsssc.com/pages/subregions/latvia.htm, now a dead link).
  4. [4] Latvia Tourism (retrieved 2004-12-18 at http://www.latviatourism.lv/celv/karte.php?chsmall=1, now a dead link).
  5. [5] Structure and working of local and regional democracy: Latvia: Situation in 1998. European Council, 1998 (retrieved 2004-12-18 at http://www.coe.int/T/F/Affaires_juridiques/D%E9mocratie_locale_et_r%E9gionale/Comit%E9_directeur_(CDLR)/Publications/Structure_et_fonctionnement/Lettonie.pdf, now a dead link).
  6. [6] The Ministry of Regional Development and Local Government of the Republic of Latvia  (retrieved 2009-11-16)
  7. [7] The Central Election Commission of Latvia  (Latvian; retrieved 2009-11-16)
  8. [8] Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia  (retrieved 2009-11-16)
  9. [9] History and progress of territorial reform in Latvia  (retrieved 2009-09-28; has numerous maps)
Back to main statoids page Last updated: 2010-02-01
Copyright © 1999, 2003-2005, 2010 by Gwillim Law. All rights reserved.