Riga

Also known as Rīga, Ryga, Rige, Riia, Rija, Rīgõ

Riga ( ) is the capital, primate, and largest city of Latvia and the second largest in the Baltics. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga metropolitan area, which stretches beyond the city limits, is estimated at 847,162 (as of 2025). The city lies on the Gulf of Riga at the mouth of the Daugava river where it meets the Baltic Sea. Riga's territory covers and lies above sea level on a flat and sandy plain.

AI overview

Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia, located on the Gulf of Riga where the Daugava river meets the Baltic Sea, with a population of nearly 592,000 people who make up about a third of Latvia's total population. As the second-largest city in the Baltic region, Riga serves as the primary economic and political center of Latvia.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Key facts

Settlement.name: Riga
Settlement.settlement_type: Capital city and state city
Settlement.image_flag: Flag of Riga.svg
Settlement.image_shield: Coat of Arms of Riga.svg
Settlement.image_blank_emblem: Logo of Riga.svg
Settlement.blank_emblem_type: Brandmark
Settlement.pushpin_map_caption: Location within Latvia##Location within Europe
Settlement.pushpin_map: Latvia#Europe
Settlement.pushpin_relief: 1
Settlement.subdivision_type: Country
Settlement.subdivision_name: Latvia
Settlement.government_type: City Council
Settlement.leader_title: Mayor
Settlement.leader_name: Viesturs Kleinbergs (P)
Settlement.area_water_percent: 15.8
Settlement.area_metro_km2: 3359
Settlement.population_total: 591882
Settlement.population_as_of: 2025

via Wikipedia infobox

Official website

Sākumlapa | Rīgas valstspilsētas pašvaldība

riga.lv →

Link to the official site · 12,038 chars · not written by Vinony

Wikidata facts

Official name: Rīga
Demonym: Rižanka
Population: 595053
Area: 253.05
Elevation: 6
Official website: www.riga.lv
Image: Vistas desde la iglesia de San Pedro, Riga, Letonia, 2012-08-07, DD 12.JPG
Nominal GDP: 17647619000
GDP per capita: 28943
Dialing code: 66-67
Licence plate code: LV

Show 11 more facts

Commons category: Riga
postal code: LV-1000
Commons gallery: Rīga
inception: 1201-00-00
native label: Rīga
P6482: Riga
streaming media URL: balticlivecam.com/cameras/latvia/riga/panorama-of-riga
P8168: Chamaeleon
P11012: Club-Mate
P12749: Piran
number of viewers/listeners: 653991

Sources (15)

via Wikidata · CC0

~51 min read

Article

42 sections

Contents

Etymology
History
Founding
Under Bishop Albert
Hanseatic League
Holy Roman Empire, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Swedish and Russian Empires
World War I
World War II and Soviet era
21st century
Geography
Administrative divisions
Climate
Government
Demographics
Economy
Tourism
Culture
Theatres
Mežaparks Great Bandstand
World Choir Games
Food
Music and nightlife
Architecture
Art Nouveau
Sports
Sports clubs
Sports facilities
Sports events
Transport
Universities
Notable people
Public service
Arts
Science
Sport
Twin towns – sister cities
See also
Other capitals of the Baltic states
Notes
References
Bibliography
External links

Riga was founded in 1201, and is a former Hanseatic League member. Riga's historical centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, noted for its Art Nouveau/Jugendstil architecture and 19th century wooden architecture. Riga was the European Capital of Culture in 2014, along with Umeå in Sweden. Riga hosted the 2006 NATO Summit, the Eurovision Song Contest 2003, the 2013 World Women's Curling Championship, and the IIHF Men's World Ice Hockey Championships in 2006, 2021, and 2023. It is home to the European Union's office of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC). In 2017, it was named as the European Region of Gastronomy.