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.
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.
The seven largest state cities have their own local governance independent of any municipalities, whereas the smallest three (Jēkabpils, Ogre and Valmiera) belong to their wider corresponding municipalities.
State cities
| City | Population (2013) | Population (2019) | Population (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rīga | 658,640 | 632,614 | 591,882 |
| Daugavpils | 93,312 | 82,604 | 78,112 |
| Liepāja | 76,731 | 68,945 | 67,398 |
| Jelgava | 59,511 | 55,972 | 54,821 |
| Jūrmala | 50,840 | 49,325 | 51,933 |
| Ventspils | 38,750 | 34,377 | 32,719 |
| Rēzekne | 32,328 | 27,820 | 26,425 |
| Valmiera | 25,130 | 23,125 | 22,811 |
| Ogre | 26,167 | 24,768 | 22,753 |
| Jēkabpils | 24,635 | 22,076 | 21,014 |
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 | Aizkraukle Municipality |
| Aizpute | 5,104 | 4,443 | 3,892 | South Kurzeme Municipality |
| Aknīste | 1,224 | 1,078 | 917 | Jēkabpils Municipality |
| Aloja | 1,353 | 1,197 | 1,060 | Limbaži Municipality |
| Alūksne | 8,900 | 7,555 | 6,175 | Alūksne Municipality |
| 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 | Gulbene Municipality |
| 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 | Aizkraukle Municipality |
| 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 | Madona 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
- 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
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