Rīgas pilsēta
Data
Area	307.17 km²
Population	747,200 (2004)
City Council	Rātslaukums 1 Rīga LV-1539
Homepage	http://www.riga.lv/
Riga in Latvia

Riga (Latvian: Rīga), the capital of Latvia, is situated on the Baltic Sea coast on the mouth of River Daugava, at 56°58′N 24°8′E. Riga is the largest city in the Baltic states and serves as a major cultural, educational, political, financial, commercial and industrial center in the Baltics. Coat of Riga File links The following pages link to this file: Riga ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... Riga Town Hall (Rātsnams) rebuilt from a scratch (Photo: Toms Grīnbergs) Riga City Council is the the government of the Riga City, the capital of Latvia. ... map of latvia (CIA) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Baltic Sea is located in Northern Europe, from 53 deg. ... River Daugava flowing through Riga city into the Baltic Sea The Daugava or Western Dvina (Latvian: Daugava, German Düna, Belarusan: Заходняя Дзьвіна, Russian: За́падная Двина́, Finnish Väinä) is a river rising in the Valdai Hills, flowing through Russia and Belarus, and then Latvia, draining into the Gulf of Riga, an arm of... The Baltic Sea The terms Baltic countries, Baltic Sea countries, Baltic states, and Balticum refer to slightly different combinations of countries in the general area surrounding the Baltic Sea. ... The Baltic Sea The Baltic states, or Baltic countries, is a term which usually refers to three countries to the East of the Baltic Sea: Estonia Latvia Lithuania It ought to be noted that although the present-day Baltic countries are republics, the term Baltic Republics refers to the same...

The Historic Centre of Riga has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the city is particularly notable for its extensive Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) architecture, comparable in significance only with Vienna, Prague and Barcelona. Riga is also known as "the city of one R". UNESCO logo The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, commonly known as UNESCO, is a specialized agency of the United Nations system established in 1945. ... World Heritage Site #86: Memphis and its Necropolis, including the Pyramids of Giza (Egypt). ... Alfons Mucha, lithographed poster Dancel (1898). ... Alfons Mucha, lithographed poster, 1898 Art Nouveau (French for New art) is an art and design style that peaked in popularity at the turn of the 20th century. ... Vienna (German: Wien [viːn]; Hungarian: Bécs, Czech: Vídeň, Slovak: Viedeň, Romany Vidnya; Serbian: Beč) is the capital of Austria, and also one of Austrias nine states (Land Wien). ... Prague (Czech: Praha, see also other names) is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. ... Barcelona within Barcelonès Population (2003) 1,582,738 Area 100. ...

Business and commerce

Riga is home to numerous academic institutions, including the University of Latvia (Latvijas Universitāte), Riga Technical University (Rīgas Tehniskā Universitāte), Riga Stradins University (Rīgas Stradiņa Universitāte) and the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga (Rīgas Ekonomikas Augstskola). The Latvian Parliament (Saeima) also sits in Riga, as does the President of Latvia, Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, who resides in Riga Castle. University of Latvia is the oldest university in Latvia. ... Riga Technical University (previously known as Riga Polytechnical Institute and Riga Polytechnicum) is located in Riga, Latvia. ... The Stockholm School of Economics in Riga, SSE Riga or Rigas Ekonomikas Augstskola is a business school in Riga, Latvia. ... The Saeima Plenary Chamber The Saeima is the parliament of the Republic of Latvia. ... See also: Lists of office-holders Categories: Lists of office-holders | Latvia | Presidents of Latvia ... Vaira VÄ«Ä·e-Freiberga Vaira VÄ«Ä·e-Freiberga (born December 1, 1937 in Riga, Latvia) is the current president of Latvia. ... Riga Castle Riga Castle (RÄ«gas pils in Latvian) is a 13th century castle on the banks of River Daugava in Riga, the capital of Latvia. ...

Riga Harbour (Photo by Ainars Meiers)

Business and leisure travel to Riga has increased significantly in recent years due to the improved commercial and travel infrastructure. Riga as a port city is a major transportation hub and is the center of the local road and railway system. Most tourists travel to Riga by air via the Riga International Airport, the largest airport in the Baltic states, which was renovated and modernized in 2001, coincident with Riga's 800th anniversary. Air traffic has doubled between 1993 and 2004. Baltic sea ferries connect Riga to Stockholm, Kiel and Lübeck. File links The following pages link to this file: Riga ... File links The following pages link to this file: Riga ... RÄ«ga International Airport is located about eight miles (13km) southwest from RÄ«ga, the capital of Latvia. ... Baltic states and the Baltic Sea The Baltic states or the Baltic countries is a term which nowadays refers to three countries in Northern Europe: Estonia Latvia Lithuania Prior to World War II, Finland was sometimes considered, particularly by the Soviet Union, a fourth Baltic state. ... The Old town in Stockholm from the air Stockholm â–¶(?) is the capital of Sweden, located on the east coast at the entrance of lake Mälaren. ... Statistics State: Schleswig-Holstein District: Independent city Area: 113. ... Statistics State: Schleswig-Holstein District: Independent city Area: 214. ...

Almost all important financial institutions are located in Riga, including the Bank of Latvia, which is Latvia's central bank. Foreign commercial trade through Riga has been on the increase in recent years and received a new impetus on May 1, 2004 when Latvia became a member of the European Union. Riga accounts for about half of the total industrial output of Latvia, focusing on the financial sector, public utilities, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, wood processing, printing and publishing, textiles and furniture, and communications equipment manufacturing. The port of Riga is an important cargo shipping center. The Bank of Latvia (Latvijas Banka) is the central bank of Latvia. ... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Riga is the biggest city in the Baltic States. The city's population in 2003 was 739,232. In Riga native Latvians make up about 45% of the population with about an equal percentage of Russians. By comparison, a little more than 60% of Latvia's inhabitants are native Latvians, 29.0% are Russians, 3.9% are Belarusians, 2.6% are Ukrainians, 2.5% are Polish, 1.4% are Lithuanians and the remaining 2.1% are accounted for by other nationalities (2003). Most Latvians are of the Protestant Evangelical Lutheran faith, whereas most Russians belong to the Russian Orthodox Church. Baltic states and the Baltic Sea The Baltic states or the Baltic countries is a term which nowadays refers to three countries in Northern Europe: Estonia Latvia Lithuania Prior to World War II, Finland was sometimes considered, particularly by the Soviet Union, a fourth Baltic state. ... 2003 (MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Protestantism is a movement within Christianity, representing a split from within the Roman Catholic Church during the mid-to-late Renaissance in Europe —a period known as the Protestant Reformation. ... Lutheranism is a Christian tradition committed to the main theological insights of Martin Luther. ... Christ the Redeemer, a well-known Russian Orthodox icon from Zvenigorod. ...

History

View of Klostera street in Old Riga

Riga is located at the site of an ancient settlement of the Livs, an ancient Finno-Ugric tribe, at the junction of the Daugava and Ridzene (Latvian: Rīdzene) rivers. The Ridzene was originally known as the Riga River, at one point forming a natural harbor called the Riga Lake, neither of which exist today [1]. Some believe that the name of the river gave Riga its name. Download high resolution version (800x1173, 731 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Riga ... Download high resolution version (800x1173, 731 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Riga ... The Livonians are the indigenous Finnics who since ancient times populated the shores of the Gulf of Riga adjacent to the Indo-European Balts. ... Geographical distribution of Finno-Ugric (Finno-Permic in blue, Ugric in green). ... River Daugava flowing through Riga city into the Baltic Sea The Daugava or Western Dvina (Latvian: Daugava, German Düna, Belarusan: Заходняя Дзьвіна, Russian: За́падная Двина́, Finnish Väinä) is a river rising in the Valdai Hills, flowing through Russia and Belarus, and then Latvia, draining into the Gulf of Riga, an arm of...

The modern founding of Riga is regarded by historians to begin with German traders, mercenaries and religious crusaders who arrived in Latvia in the second half of the 12th century, attracted by a sparsely populated region, potential new markets and by the missionary opportunities to convert the local population to Christianity. German merchants established an outpost for trading with the Balts near the Liv settlement at Riga in 1158. The Augustinian monk Meinhard built a monastery there ca. 1190. This article is about the medieval crusades. ... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... A missionary is a propagator of religion, often an evangelist or other representative of a religious community who works among those outside of that community. ... Religious conversion is the adoption of new religious beliefs that differ from the converts previous beliefs; in some cultures (e. ... Beliefs Though enormous diversity exists in the beliefs of those who self-identify as Christian, it is possible to venture general statements which describe the beliefs of a large majority . ... The Baltic Sea The Balts or Baltic peoples (Latvian: balti, Lithuanian: baltai), defined as speakers of one of the Baltic languages, a branch of the Indo-European language family, are descended from a group of Indo-European tribes who settled the area between lower Vistula and upper Dvina and Dneper. ... Events January 11 - Vladislav II becomes King of Bohemia End of the formal reign of Emperor Go-Shirakawa of Japan, also the beginning of his cloistered rule, which will last to his death in 1192. ... The Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo (died AD 430), are several Roman Catholic monastic orders and congregations of both men and women living according to a guide to religious life known as the Rule of Saint Augustine. ... Events March 16 - Massacre and mass-suicide of the Jews of York, England prompted by Crusaders and Richard Malebys kill 150-500 Jews in Cliffords Tower June 10 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowned in the Saleph River while leading an army to Jerusalem. ...

Bishop Albert was proclaimed Bishop of Livonia by his uncle Hartwig, Archbishop of Bremen and Hamburg in 1199. He landed in Riga in 1201 with 23 ships and more than 1500 armed crusaders, making Riga his bishopric. He established the Order of Livonian Brothers of the Sword (later a branch of the Teutonic Knights) and granted Riga city rights in that same year. Albert was successful in converting the King of the Livs, Caupo of Turaida, to Christianity, although, as related in the Chronicle of Henry of Livonia ("Hencricus Lettus"), it took him three decades to gain full control of Livonia (German Livland). Riga as well as Livonia and Prussia came under the auspices of the Holy Roman (German) Empire. It was not until much later, at the time of Martin Luther, that Riga, Livonia and Prussia converted to Protestantism. The career of Albert of Buxhoeveden (ca 1165 - Riga, January 17, 1229) and his brother Hermann exemplify the double nature of power, ecclesiastical and secular, especially on the marches of Europe, where Roman Catholicism was pushing aggressively to the East. ... Estonia, Livonia and Courland from a 1740 map Livonia (Latvian: Livonija; Estonian: Liivimaa; German: Livland; Polish: Inflanty; Russian: Лифляндия or Liflandiya) once was the land of the Finnic Livonians, but came in the Middle Ages to designate a much broader territory controlled by the Livonian Order on the eastern coasts of... The Archbishopric of Bremen was an ecclesiastical state in the Holy Roman Empire. ... Events John Lackland, becomes King of England Births Isobel of Huntingdon (d. ... // Events The town of Riga was chartered as a city. ... Emblem of Livonian Brothers The Livonian Brothers of the Sword (Latin Fratres militiae Christi, literally the brothers of the army of Christ), also known as the Christ Knights, Sword Brethren or The Militia of Christ of Livonia, was a military order started in 1202 by Albert of Buxhoeveden, bishop of... Teutonic Knights, charging into battle. ... Caupo of Turaida (year of birth unknown; died on September 21, 1217) Livonian leader in the beginning of the 13th century. ... The Chronicle of Henry of Livonia (Latvian: Indrika hronikas, Latin: Heinrici Cronicon Lyvoniae) is a historic document describing the history of Latvia and Estonia from 1180 to 1227. ... Estonia, Livonia and Courland from a 1740 map Livonia (Latvian: Livonija; Estonian: Liivimaa; German: Livland; Polish: Inflanty; Russian: Лифляндия or Liflandiya) once was the land of the Finnic Livonians, but came in the Middle Ages to designate a much broader territory controlled by the Livonian Order on the eastern coasts of... The coat of arms of the Kingdom of Prussia, 1701-1918 The word Prussia (German: Preußen, Polish: Prusy, Lithuanian: Prūsai, Latin: Borussia) has had various (often contradictory) meanings: The land of the Baltic Prussians (in what is now parts of southern Lithuania, the Kaliningrad exclave of Russia and... Coats of arms of the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire This page is about the Germanic empire. ... Luther at age 46 (Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1529) The Luther seal Martin Luther (November 10, 1483–February 18, 1546) was a German theologian, an Augustinian monk, and an ecclesiastical reformer whose teachings inspired the Reformation and deeply influenced the doctrines and culture of the Lutheran and Protestant traditions. ... Protestantism is a movement within Christianity, representing a split from within the Roman Catholic Church during the mid-to-late Renaissance in Europe —a period known as the Protestant Reformation. ...

Riga served as a gateway to trade with the Baltic tribes and with Russia. In 1282 Riga became a member of the Hanseatic League (German Hanse, English Hansa). The Hansa developed out of an association of merchants into a loose trade and political union of North German and Baltic cities and towns. Due to its economic protectionist policies which favored its German members, the League was very successful, but its exclusionist policies produced competitors. Its last Diet convened in 1669, although its powers were already weakened by the end of the 14th century, when political alliances between Lithuania and Poland and between Sweden, Denmark and Norway limited its influence. Nevertheless, the Hansa was instrumental in giving Riga economic and political stability, thus providing the city with a strong foundation which endured the political conflagrations that were to come, clear down to modern times. For broader historical context, see 1280s and 13th century. ... The Hanseatic League (German: die Hanse) was an alliance of trading cities that established and maintained a trade monopoly over the Baltic Sea and most of Northern Europe for a time in the later Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, between the 13th and 17th century. ... In politics, a Diet is a formal deliberative assembly. ... // Events Samuel Pepys stopped writing his diary. ... This 14th-century statue from south India depicts the gods Shiva (on the left) and Uma (on the right}. It is housed in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was that century which lasted from 1301 to...

Riga in 1650 (Drawing by Johann Christoph Brotze)

As the influence of the Hansa waned, Riga became the object of foreign military, political, religious and economic aspirations. Riga accepted the Reformation in 1522, ending the power of the archbishops. With the demise of the Teutonic Knights in 1561, Riga enjoyed twenty years as a free city. In 1581, Riga came under the influence of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Attempts to reinstitute Roman Catholicism in Riga and southern Livonia failed as in 1621, Riga and the outlying fortress of Daugavgriva came under the rule of Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, who intervened in the Thirty Years' War not only for political and economic gain but also in favor of German Lutheran Protestantism. Livonia remained under Swedish control until 1710 during a period in which Riga retained a great deal of self-government autonomy. In that year, in the course of Great Northern War, Russia under Tsar Peter the Great invaded Riga. Sweden's northern dominance ended, and Russia's emergence as the strongest Northern power was formalized through the Treaty of Nystad in 1721. Riga was annexed to Russia and became an industrialized port city of the Russian empire, where it remained until World War I. By 1900, Riga ranked the third in Russia after Moscow and St. Petersburg in the number of industrial workers. Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Johann Christoph Brotze (1742-1823) (or Johans Kristofs Broce in Latvian) is a famous German pedagogue and ethnographer, born in Gerlitz. ... The Protestant Reformation was a movement which began in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church, but ended in division and the establishment of new institutions, most importantly Lutheranism, Reformed churches, and Anabaptists. ... Events January 9 - Adrian Dedens becomes Pope Adrian VI. February 26 - Execution by hanging of Cuauhtémoc, Aztec ruler of Tenochtitlan under orders of conquistador Hernán Cortés. ... Teutonic Knights, charging into battle. ... // Events The Edict of Orleans suspends the persecution of the Huguenots. ... Events January 16 - English Parliament outlaws Roman Catholicism April 4 - Francis Drake completes a circumnavigation of the world and is knighted by Elizabeth I. July 26 - The Northern Netherlands proclaim their independence from Spain in the Oath of Abjuration. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Events February 9 - Gregory XV is elected pope. ... The Swedish army bombarding the fortress of Dünamünde. ... Gustav II Adolph Gustav II Adolph (December 9, 1594 - November 6, 1632) (also known as Gustav Adolph the Great, under the Latin name Gustavus Adolphus or the Swedish form Gustav II Adolf) was a King of Sweden. ... The victory of Gustavus Adolphus at the Battle of Breitenfeld (1631) The Thirty Years War was a conflict fought between the years 1618 and 1648, principally on the territory of todays Germany, but also involving most of the major continental powers. ... The Lutheran movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity by the original definition. ... // Events April 10 - The worlds first copyright legislation became effective, Britains Statute of Anne Ongoing events Great Northern War (1700-1721) War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713) Births January 3 - Richard Gridley, American Revolutionary soldier (d. ... The Great Northern War was the war fought between a coalition of Russia, Denmark-Norway and Saxony-Poland (from 1715 also Prussia and Hanover) on one side and Sweden on the other side from 1700 to 1721. ... Tsar (Bulgarian цар, Russian царь, listen â–¶(?); often spelled Czar or Tzar and sometimes Csar or Zar in English), was the title used for the autocratic rulers of the Bulgarian Empire in 913-1396/1422 and 1908-1946, in Serbia in the middle of the 14th century, and in Russia from 1547 to... Portrait of Peter by Paul Delaroche Peter I (Russian: ) (10 June 1672–8 February 1725 [30 May 1672– 28 January 1725 O.S.] ) ruled Russia from 7 May (27 April O.S.) 1682 until his death. ... The Treaty of Nystad (1721), signed at the present-day Finnish town of Uusikaupunki (Swedish Nystad), ended the Great Northern War, in which Russia received the territories of Estonia, Livonia and Ingria, as well as much of Karelia and Tsar Peter I of Russia replaced King Frederick I of Sweden... // Events Pope Innocent XIII becomes pope Johann Sebastian Bach composes the Brandenburg Concertos April 4 - Robert Walpole becomes the first prime minister of Britain September 10 - Treaty of Nystad is signed, bringing an end to the Great Northern War November 2 - Peter I is proclaimed Emperor of All the Russias... World War I was primarily a European conflict with many facets: immense human sacrifice, stalemate trench warfare, and the use of new, devastating weapons - tanks, aircraft, machine guns, and poison gas World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War, the War of the Nations and... 1900 (MCM) is a common year starting on Monday. ... Moscow (Russian: Москва́, Moskva, IPA: (?)) is the capital of Russia, located on the river Moskva. ... Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991) and Petrograd (Петрогра́д, 1914–1924), is a city located in Northwestern Russia on the delta of the river Neva at the east end of the Gulf of Finland...

During these many centuries of war and changes of power in the Baltic, the Baltic Germans in Riga, successors to Albert's merchants and crusaders, remained steadfast in their positions, and in 1900 Riga's population of 282,943 was composed approximately of 50% Baltic Germans, 25% Latvians, and 25% Russians. Riga even employed German as its official language of administration until the imposition of Russian language in 1891 as the official language in Latvia. All birth, marriage and death records were kept in German up to that year. The Baltic Germans (Baltendeutsche, Balten, and Deutschbalten respectively), were the ethnically German inhabitants of that area on the Eastern shore of the Baltic Sea which forms today the countries of Latvia. ... Russification is an adoption of the Russian language or some other Russian attribute (whether voluntarily or not) by non-Russian communities. ... Russian (Russian: русский язык, russkij jazyk, ▶(?)) is the most widely spoken language of Europe and the most widespread of the Slavic languages. ... 1891 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

A view of Riga on a postcard from around 1900.

The 20th century brought World War I and the impact of the Russian Revolution to Riga. The German army marched into Riga in 1917. In 1918 the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed giving the Baltic countries to Germany. Because of the Armistice with Germany (Compiègne) of November 11, 1918, Germany had to renounce that treaty, as did Russia, leaving Latvia and the other Baltic States in a position to claim independence. Download high resolution version (1024x762, 191 KB)The view of Riga. ... Download high resolution version (1024x762, 191 KB)The view of Riga. ... World War I was primarily a European conflict with many facets: immense human sacrifice, stalemate trench warfare, and the use of new, devastating weapons - tanks, aircraft, machine guns, and poison gas World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War, the War of the Nations and... The Revolution *The first was that of the February Revolution of 1917, which displaced the autocracy of Czar Nicholas II of Russia, the last effective czar of Russia, and sought to establish in its place a liberal republic. ... The armistice treaty between the Allies and Germany was signed in a railway carriage in woods near Compiègne on November 11th, 1918. ... November 11 is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 50 days remaining. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ...

After more than 700 years of foreign occupation, Latvia, with Riga as its capital city, thus declared its independence on November 18, 1918. For more details see History of Latvia. November 18 is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years), with 43 remaining. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... // Legendary History The Baltic forefathers of the Latvian people have lived on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea since the third millennium BC. At the beginning of this era the territory known today as Latvia became famous as a trading crossroads. ...

Between World War I and World War II (1918-1940), Riga and Latvia shifted their focus from Russia to the countries of Western Europe. A democratic, parliamentary system of government with a President was instituted. Latvian was recognized as the official language of Latvia. Latvia was admitted to the League of Nations. Driven by the economics of comparative advantage, the United Kingdom and Germany replaced Russia as Latvia's major trade partners. As a sign of the times, Latvia's first Prime Minister, Kārlis Ulmanis, had studied agriculture and worked as a lecturer at the University of Nebraska in the United States of America. Western Europe is distinguished from Eastern Europe by differences of history and culture rather than by geography. ... In economics, the theory of comparative advantage explains why it can be beneficial for two countries to trade, even though one of them may be able to produce every kind of item more cheaply than the other. ... Kārlis Ulmanis (b. ... University of Nebraska seal The University of Nebraska is the main public higher education outlet of the State of Nebraska in the United States. ...

Riga was described at this time as a vibrant, grand and imposing city and earned the title of "Paris of the North" from its visitors.

This period of rebirth was short-lived, however, as World War II soon followed with Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940, German occupation in 1941-1944 and Soviet occupation of Latvia again at the end of the war. The Baltic Germans were forcibly repatriated to Germany after 700 years in Riga. Hundreds of thousands of Latvians perished and thousands fled into exile in countries all over the world. Latvia lost one-third of its population. Soviet redirects here. ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Baltic Germans (Baltendeutsche, Balten, and Deutschbalten respectively), were the ethnically German inhabitants of that area on the Eastern shore of the Baltic Sea which forms today the countries of Latvia. ...

Soviet occupation after the war was marked by deportations to Siberia and elsewhere, forced industrialization and planned large-scale immigration of large numbers of non-Latvians from other Soviet republics into Riga, particularly Russians. By 1975 less than 40% of Riga's inhabitants were Latvians, a percentage which has risen since Latvian independence.

In 1986 the modern landmark of Riga, the Riga Radio and TV Tower, whose design is reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower was completed. 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Radio and TV Tower from below The Riga Radio and TV Tower (Rīgas radio un televīzijas tornis) is the tallest structure in Riga, Latvia. ... The Tower at sunrise The Eiffel Tower (French: Tour Eiffel) is an iron tower built on the Champ de Mars, beside the River Seine, in Paris, France. ...

The policy of economic reform introduced as Perestroika by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev led to a situation in the late 1980's in which many Soviet republics, including Latvia, were able to regain their liberty and freedom. See Latvia. Latvia declared its full de facto independence on August 21, 1991 and that independence was recognized by Russia on September 6, 1991. Latvia formally joined the United Nations as an independent country on September 17, 1991. All Russian military forces were removed from 1992 to 1994. Perestroika   listen? (Перестро́йка) is the Russian word (which passed into English) for the economic reforms introduced in June 1987 by the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. ... Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachyov (Gorbachev) listen â–¶(?) (Russian: ; pronunciation: ) (born March 2, 1931), was leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991. ... August 21 is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 6 is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years). ... 1991 (MCMXCI) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... September 17 is the 260th day of the year (261st in leap years). ... 1991 (MCMXCI) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 2001, Riga celebrated its 800th anniversary as a city. On March 29, 2004 Latvia joined NATO. On May 1, 2004 Latvia joined the European Union. March 29 is the 88th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (89th in Leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The NATO flag NATO 2002 Summit in Prague The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), sometimes called North Atlantic Alliance, Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an international organisation for defence collaboration established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, D.C., on April 4... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Sights

• The Cathedral, considered the largest church in the Baltic states. Built in the 13th century, it was modified several times along its history. It has a magnificent organ that dates from 1844.
• Riga Castle (Rīga Pils), which houses the Museum of Latvian History and the Museum of Foreign Art.
• St. Peter's Church, with its 72m high tower.
• St. John's Church, a small 13th-century chapel, behind St. Peter's Church.
• The Powder Tower (Pulvertornis), the only tower that remains from the city wall. The Latvian Museum of War is located inside.

Baltic states and the Baltic Sea The Baltic states or the Baltic countries is a term which nowadays refers to three countries in Northern Europe: Estonia Latvia Lithuania Prior to World War II, Finland was sometimes considered, particularly by the Soviet Union, a fourth Baltic state. ... An organ is the following: In anatomy, an organ is a group of tissues which perform some function. ...

Notable People

• Helmuts Balderis - ice hockey player
• Mikhail Baryshnikov - famous dancer and actor
• Isaiah Berlin - philosopher and Oxford academician
• Sergei Eisenstein - famous Russian film director
• Heinz Erhardt - German comedian
• Laila Freivalds - Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Johann Gottfried Herder - German poet, critic, theologian, and philosopher, father of ethnic nationalism
• Artūrs Irbe - ice hockey player (NHL), goalkeeper
• Jānis Lūsis - four-time Olympian, winner of Olympic gold
• Wilhelm Ostwald - chemist, Nobel prize winner (1909)
• Sandis Ozoliņš - ice hockey player, defenceman
• Arkady Raikin - legendary Soviet stand up comedian
• Mikhail Tal - the eighth world chess champion
• Friedrich Zander - pioneer of Soviet research in rocketry and spaceflight
• Sergei Zholtok - ice hockey player, center forward

A list of rulers of Riga: Archbishops of Riga who were also secular rulers until 1561. Helmuts Balderis (born July 31, 1952 in Riga, Latvia, then USSR) is a Latvian ice hockey player, a member of IIHF International Hockey Hall of Fame. ... Mikhail Nikolaevitch Baryshnikov (in Russian Михаил Николаевич Барышников) (born January 28, 1948) is a famous Russian dancer and actor. ... Sir Isaiah Berlin Sir Isaiah Berlin OM (June 6, 1909 – November 5, 1997) was a political philosopher and historian of ideas, regarded as one of the leading liberal thinkers of the 20th century. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Heinz Erhardt (born February 20, 1909 in Riga; died June 5, 1979 in Hamburg) was a German comedian, musician, entertainer, actor, and poet. ... Laila Freivalds (born June 22, 1942) is a Swedish Social Democrat politician of Latvian origin. ... Johann Gottfried Herder Johann Gottfried von Herder (August 25, 1744 – December 18, 1803), German poet, critic, theologian, and philosopher, is best known for his influence on authors such as Goethe and the role he played in the development of the larger cultural movement known as romanticism. ... Ethnic nationalism is the form of nationalism in which the state derives political legitimacy from historical cultural or hereditary groupings (ethnicities); the underlying assumption is that ethnicities should be politically distinct. ... ArtÅ«rs Irbe (born February 2, 1967 in Riga, Latvia) is a Latvian ice hockey goaltender, currently with HK Riga 2000 of the East European Hockey League. ... Jānis LÅ«sis Jānis LÅ«sis (born May 19, 1939 in Jelgava, Latvia) is a Latvian athlete who competed in javelin throw. ... Wilhelm Ostwald Friedrich Wilhelm Ostwald (commonly just Wilhelm Ostwald) (September 2, 1853 - April 4, 1932) was a German chemist. ... Sandis Ozoliņš (born August 3, 1972 in Riga, Latvia, nicknamed Ozo) is a Latvian ice hockey player, currently playing for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks of the NHL. Sandis Ozolinsh was drafted in 1991 by the San Jose Sharks, as the 30th pick in the 2nd round. ... This article needs to be wikified. ... Richard Pryor hits the money line A stand-up comedian or stand-up comic is someone that performs in comedy clubs, usually reciting a fast paced succession of amusing stories, short jokes and one-liners, typically called a monologue. ... Mikhail Tal Mikhail Nekhemievich Tal (Latvian: Mihails Tāls, Russian: Михаил Нехемьевич Таль) (November 9, 1936 - June 28, 1992), born in Riga, Latvia, was the eighth World Chess Champion. ... The 1984 World Chess Championship was between Anatoly Karpov (left) and Garry Kasparov (right). ... Friedrich Zander (August 23, 1887 - March 28, 1933), often referred to as Fridrikh Tsander (transliterated from the Russian version of his name: Фридрих Артурович Цандер) or Fridrihs Canders (the Latvian version of it) was a Soviet pioneer of rocketry and spaceflight. ... Sergei Zholtok (and signature) Sergei Zholtok (Latvian: Sergejs Žoltoks, Russian: Сергей Жолток) (Born December 2, 1972 in Riga, Latvia (then USSR); died November 3, 2004) was a Latvian (ethnic Russian) professional ice hockey player. ... The Archbishops of Riga (1202) 1255-1561 were the secular rulers of Riga, the capital of Livonia (now known as Latvia). ...

International friendship

Riga maintains sister city relationships with the following cities: This article is about partnerships between towns distant from each other; see Twin cities for the different concept of physically neighbouring cities. ...

• Aalborg, Denmark
• Almati, Kazakhstan
• Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• Astana, Kazakhstan
• Bordeaux, France
• Bremen, Germany
• Dallas, USA
• Florence, Italy
• Calais, France
• Cairns, Australia
• Kiev, Ukraine
• Kobe, Japan
• Moscow, Russia
• Minsk, Belarus
• Norrköping, Sweden
• Peking, China
• Pori, Finland
• Rostock, Germany
• Saint Petersburg, Russia
• Santiago, Chile
• Stockholm, Sweden
• Suzhou, China
• Taipei, Taiwan
• Tallinn, Estonia
• Vilnius, Lithuania
• Warsaw, Poland

Image File history File links Denmark flag 300px height unified for the national flags serie, by user:Marc Mongenet, from CIA World Factbook, borders removed, high compression ratio, some color or ratio corrections from http://www. ... View of Aalborg railroad station from J.F. Kennedys Square, 2004 Aalborg (Danish: Aalborg, alternately Ã…lborg according to new spelling rules) is a municipality (Danish, kommune) in North Jutland County on the Jutland peninsula in northern Denmark. ... Image File history File links Kazakhstan_flag_300. ... Almaty (Алматы; formerly known as Alma-Ata, also Verny, Vyernyi (Верный) in Imperial Russia) is a city in Kazakhstan, with a population of 1,168,000. ... Image File history File links Large flag of the Netherlands. ... Amsterdam Location Country The Netherlands Province North Holland Population 739,295 (1 January 2005) Coordinates 4°54´E 52°22´N Website www. ... The Netherlands (Dutch: Nederland) is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden). ... Image File history File links Kazakhstan_flag_300. ... Composite NASA landsat photo of Astana Astana (Kazakh, Russian: Астана), estimated population of 520,000 (2000 and growing fast), has been the capital of Kazakhstan since 1998. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_France. ... City motto: Lilia sola regunt lunam undas castra leonem. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The river Weser flows through Bremen to the estuary at Bremerhaven. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Aerial view of Dallas City nickname: Big D Location Location in the state of Texas Government Counties Dallas County Collin County Denton County Kaufman County Rockwall County Mayor Laura Miller Physical characteristics Area      Land      Water 385. ... Image File history File links Italy_flag_300. ... Founded 59 BC as Florentia Region Tuscany Mayor Leonardo Domenici (Democratici di Sinistra) Area  - City Proper  102 km² Population  - City (2004)  - Metropolitan  - Density (city proper) 356,000 almost 500,000 3,453/km² Time zone CET, UTC+1 Latitude Longitude 43°47 N 11°15 E www. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_France. ... The Burghers of Calais, by Rodin, with Calais Hotel de Ville behind Location within France Calais is a city in northern France, located at 50°57N 1°52E. It is in the département of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... Image File history File links Australia flag 300px height unified for the national flags serie, by user:Marc Mongenet, from CIA World Factbook, borders removed, high compression ratio, some color or ratio corrections from http://www. ... Cairns is a regional city and Local Government Area located in far north Queensland, Australia. ... Image File history File links Ukraine flag 300px height unified for the national flags serie, by user:Marc Mongenet, from CIA World Factbook, borders removed, high compression ratio, some color or ratio corrections from http://www. ... A monument to St. ... Image File history File links Please see the file description page for further information. ... Kobe (Japanese: 神戸市; kōbe-shi) is a city in Japan, located on the island of Honshu. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Moscow (Russian: Москва́, Moskva, IPA: (?)) is the capital of Russia, located on the river Moskva. ... Image File history File links Belarus_flag_300. ... Victory Square, the central place of Minsk Minsk or Miensk (Belarusian: ; Russian: ) is the capital and a major city of Belarus with a population of 1. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Norrköping [ˈˈnÉ”rʃøːpɪŋ] is a city in Östergötland County in midth-east Sweden. ... Image File history File links China_flag_300. ... Beijing (Chinese: 北京; pinyin: Běijīng; Wade-Giles: Pei-ching; Postal System Pinyin: Peking), is the capital city of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Image File history File links Finland_flag_300. ... Town hall of Pori The Juselius Mausoleum Pori or Björneborg in Swedish is a city and municipality on the west coast of Finland. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Rostock (Slavic origin: roztoka, Polish: Roztoka) is a city in northern Germany. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991) and Petrograd (Петрогра́д, 1914–1924), is a city located in Northwestern Russia on the delta of the river Neva at the east end of the Gulf of Finland... Image File history File links Chile flag 300px height unified for the national flags serie, by user:Marc Mongenet, from CIA World Factbook, borders removed, high compression ratio, some color or ratio corrections from http://www. ... Santiagos Metropolitan Cathedral Santiago (officially in Spanish, Santiago de Chile) is Chiles capital and largest city. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The Old town in Stockholm from the air Stockholm â–¶(?) is the capital of Sweden, located on the east coast at the entrance of lake Mälaren. ... Image File history File links China_flag_300. ... Suzhou (Simplified Chinese: 苏州; Traditional Chinese: 蘇州; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Su-chou; sometimes seen transliterated as Su-chow, Suchow, or Soochow) is one of the most famous cities in China. ... Image File history File links Taiwan_flag_300. ... City nickname: the City of Azaleas Capital District Xinyi Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 16 of 25 271. ... Image File history File links Estonia_flag_300. ... County Harju County Mayor Tõnis Palts Area 159. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The Three Crosses monument in Vilnius. ... Image File history File links This page or image is redundant to http://commons. ... Warsaw (Polish Warszawa, (?), in full The Capital City of Warsaw, Polish: Miasto StoÅ‚eczne Warszawa) is the capital of Poland and its largest city. ...

See also

• Latvia
• Baltic States
• Latvian language
• Latvian Parliament
• President of Latvia
• University of Latvia
• Riga Technical University
• Stockholm School of Economics in Riga
• Riga State Gymnasium No.1
• ASK Riga football club

Baltic states and the Baltic Sea The Baltic states or the Baltic countries is a term which nowadays refers to three countries in Northern Europe: Estonia Latvia Lithuania Prior to World War II, Finland was sometimes considered, particularly by the Soviet Union, a fourth Baltic state. ... Latvian (latviešu valoda), sometimes also referred to as Lettish, is the official state language of the Republic of Latvia. ... The Saeima Plenary Chamber The Saeima is the parliament of the Republic of Latvia. ... See also: Lists of office-holders Categories: Lists of office-holders | Latvia | Presidents of Latvia ... University of Latvia is the oldest university in Latvia. ... Riga Technical University (previously known as Riga Polytechnical Institute and Riga Polytechnicum) is located in Riga, Latvia. ... The Stockholm School of Economics in Riga, SSE Riga or Rigas Ekonomikas Augstskola is a business school in Riga, Latvia. ... Riga State Gymnasium No. ... ASK Rīga was the name of several sports teams based in Riga, Latvia. ...

External links

• Riga Municipality portal
• Riga City Tourism Portal
• University of Latvia
• The Latvian Institute (Latvijas Institūts)
• Riga's Own Wiki
• Johann Christoph Brotze historic drawings
• Historic images of Riga
• Satellite picture by Google Maps