What is the capital of Latvia?
Riga stands on the Gulf of Riga at the mouth of the Daugava, where the river meets the Baltic Sea, on a flat sandy plain between 1 and 10 metres above sea level.
Riga is the capital and seat of government of Latvia. Latvia itself has an estimated population of 1,847,785 (2025).
Riga is also the largest city in Latvia, which is the usual arrangement, though it is far from universal: see the countries where capital and largest city differ.
Riga at a glance
| City population | 588,911 (2026) |
|---|---|
| Metropolitan area | 860,142 (2025) |
| Pronunciation | REE-gə |
| Country | 🇱🇻 Latvia |
| Founded | 1201 |
| Largest city in Latvia | Riga |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) |
| Currency | Euro (EUR) |
About Riga
Riga was first mentioned in 1201 and was granted city rights in 1225.
Riga is the largest city in Latvia and the second largest in the Baltic states, and about a third of Latvia's entire population lives there.
Its historical centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for one of the densest collections of Art Nouveau architecture in Europe and for its 19th-century wooden buildings.
The city was a member of the Hanseatic League, and was a European Capital of Culture in 2014 alongside Umea in Sweden.
City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Riga.
Frequently asked questions
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Capitals of neighbouring countries
See the full profile of Latvia on its country page, or browse every capital city.
Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.