Riga, Riga region, Latvia

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GENERAL INFORMATION

Region name: Riga and Riga region

Inhabitants:

Riga

There are 747,2 thousand inhabitants residing in Riga, 333,3 - males, 413,9 (55.4%) - females. The density of the population is 2434 per 1 km²

Riga region:

There are 47% of all inhabitants of Latvia living in Riga region – 1,2 million people.

The Symbols of Riga city

The current coat of arms of Riga was approved on 31 October 1925 and the approval was renewed in 1988. Riga has a large and small coat of arms. 

Riga region is situated in the central part of Latvia and its metropolis is the capital city of Latvia – Rīga. The territory of the region covers Rīga, Rīga district, Jūrmala, as well as the districts of Tukums, Ogre and Limbaži. Being in the centre of the Baltic countries, on the border between the European and Eastern cultures has constituted to Rīga region becoming a bridge between the different countries and their inhabitants.

From ancient times Daugava River has been sailed by trade caravans - everyone from the Varangians to the Greeks. Later Christian missionaries, traders of the Hanseatic Union, and people from Germany, Russia, Holland, Sweden, England and other countries came to stay in this land.

Size: The area of Riga is 307.17 km2 

Education:

Riga is the largest educational centre in Latvia. 235.9 thousand students attend 171 comprehensive schools, 152 pre-school establishments, 36 vocational schools, 9 colleges and 28 higher educational establishments. Apart from the comprehensive Latvian and Russian language schools, the following multi-cultural schools operate in Riga: 1 Polish, 1 Ukrainian and 1 Byelorussian language schools.

Riga is the largest educational centre in Latvia. 153.4 thousand attend 152 general education schools, 146 nursery schools, 28 vocational schools and 14 higher educational establishments. Apart from general education schools with the Latvian and Russian language, there are also 2 Polish schools, 1 Ukrainian school, 1 Belorussian school, 1 Hebrew school, 1 Lithuanian school and 1 Estonian school.

The Rīga region has a well developed network of schools. Children who have specific talents in life can attend a variety of specialized institutions such as the Emīls Dārziņš School of Music. One of its graduates is the globally known violinist Gideon Kramer. Another is the young violinist Baiba Skride, who won the Queen Elisabeth violin competition in Belgium in 2001. The Murjāņi Sports School has trained a number of medal winners at the Olympic Games.

Economy

Riga accounts for 54.1% of the total industrial produce in Latvia. The total industrial produce was Ls 854.6 million.

The major industries are:

-          transit,
-          financing,
-          energy,
-          food processing,
-          pharmacy,
-          wood products,
-          publishing and printing,
-          furniture,
-          textiles,
-          communication equipment.

Deposits of such mineral resources as dolomite, gypsum, clay, grit and peat are found in the district. There are considerable underground sources of drinking water. The district is rich in mineral water deposits.

The most higly developed sectors of the economy in Rīga district are:

agricultural and fish processing;

wood processing and manufacture of wood products;

manufacture of construction materials;

pharmaceuticals.

There are large electricity and heat  production facilities, as well as energy storage facilities in the district, including the Rīga Hydroelectric Station and Thermoelectric Station TEC-2.  The Inčukalns natural gas storage facility is unique.

Transport is the basic means for successful economy, safe and healthy environment and high living standart.

Rīga district is crossed by major transportation arteries:

six railway lines, four of them are using electric trains for regional passenger.