View source for Riga

{{Short description|Capital and largest city of Latvia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2020}}
{{About|the Latvian capital}}
{{Page numbers needed|date=November 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Riga
| native_name        = {{native name|lv|Rīga}}<br />{{native name|ltg|Reiga}}<br />{{native name|liv|Rīgõ}}
| settlement_type    = Capital city and [[Administrative divisions of Latvia|state city]]
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image
 |border                = infobox
 |total_width           = 280
 |image_style           = border:1;
 |caption_align         = center
 |perrow                = 1/2/2/2/1
 |image1                = Riga (33844464828).jpg
 |caption1              = Skyline of the [[Vecrīga|Riga Old Town]] alongside [[Daugava]] from the Spire of the [[St. Peter's Church, Riga|St. Peter's Church]]
 |image2                = Old Riga Vecrīga Town Hall.jpg
 |caption2              = [[Riga City Council|Riga City Hall]]
 |image3                = Riga Cathedral (23676812426).jpg
 |caption3              = [[Riga Cathedral]]
 |image4                = Plaza del Ayuntamiento, Riga, Letonia, 2012-08-07, DD 10.JPG
 |caption4              = [[House of the Blackheads (Riga)|House of the Blackheads]]
 |image5                = Opera Nacional, Riga, Letonia, 2012-08-07, DD 04.JPG
 |caption5              = [[Latvian National Opera]]
 |image6                = National Bibliothek Lettlands 1.jpg
 |caption6              = [[National Library of Latvia]]
 |image7                = Immeuble art nouveau (Riga) (7582914046).jpg
 |caption7              = [[Albert Street, Riga|Albert Street]] 8
}}
| image_alt          = 
| image_flag         = Flag of Riga.svg
| image_shield       = Coat of Arms of Riga.svg
| image_blank_emblem = Logo of Riga.svg
| blank_emblem_type  = [[Brandmark]]
| map_alt            = 
| mapsize            = 
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within Latvia##Location within Europe
| pushpin_map        = Latvia#Europe
| pushpin_relief     = 1
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = [[Latvia]]
| government_footnotes = <ref name="council">{{cite web |url=http://www.riga.lv/EN/Channels/Riga_Municipality/Riga_City_Council/default.htm |title=Riga City Council |publisher=Riga City Council |access-date=22 July 2009 |archive-date=25 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225141932/https://www.riga.lv/lv }}</ref>
| government_type    = [[Riga City Council|City Council]]
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Viesturs Kleinbergs ([[The Progressives (Latvia)|P]])
| area_footnotes     = {{wikidata|reference|best||P2046|P518=Q16868672}}
| area_total_km2     = {{#invoke:wd|properties|raw|qualifiers|best|raw||P2046|P518=Q16868672}}
| area_land_km2      = {{#invoke:wd|properties|raw|qualifiers|best|raw||P2046|P518=Q11081619}}
| area_water_km2     = {{#expr:{{#invoke:wd|properties|raw|qualifiers|best|raw||P2046|P518=Q16868672}}-{{#invoke:wd|properties|raw|qualifiers|best|raw||P2046|P518=Q11081619}}}}
| area_water_percent = 15.8
| area_metro_km2     = 3359
| population_footnotes = <ref name="c439">{{cite web | title=Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location | website=Rīga (City, Latvia) | date=2025-01-01 | url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/latvia/admin/r%C4%ABga/LV0001000__r%C4%ABga/ | access-date=2025-08-08}}</ref>
| population_total   = 591882
| population_as_of   = 2025
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_urban   = 615,764
| population_urban_footnotes = <ref name="t978">{{cite web | title=Riga Population 2025 | website=World Population Review | date=1918-11-18 | url=https://worldpopulationreview.com/cities/latvia/riga| access-date=2025-08-08}}</ref>
| population_metro   = 860,142
| population_metro_footnotes = 
| population_density_metro_km2 = auto
| population_blank1_title = [[Demonym]]
| population_blank1  = Rigan (''Rīdzinieks'')
| timezone1          = EET
| utc_offset1        = +2
| timezone1_DST      = EEST
| utc_offset1_DST    = +3
<!-- GDP  --------------->| demographics_type2 = GDP
| demographics2_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://data.stat.gov.lv/pxweb/en/OSP_PUB/START__VEK__IK__IKR/IKR060/table/tableViewLayout1/|title=Gross domestic product and gross value added by planning region, State city and municipality at current prices (after administrative-territorial reform in 2022), (thousand euro) – Territorial unit, Time period and Indicator|website=www.data.stat.gov.lv}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.stat.gov.lv/pxweb/en/OSP_PUB/START__VEK__IK__IKR/IKR010/|title=Gross domestic product by region and city (at current prices) 2000–2023|work=stat.gov.lv}}</ref>
| demographics2_title1 = Capital city and [[Administrative divisions of Latvia|state city]]
| demographics2_info1 = 20,791,431,000 Euro (2023)
| demographics2_title2 = Per capita
| demographics2_info2 = 34,401 Euro (2023)
| blank3_name        = [[City budget]]
| blank3_info        = €1.7 billion (2025)<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.riga.lv/en/article/riga-approves-eu17-billion-budget-city-development-and-public-safety |title=Riga approves €1.7 billion budget for city development and public safety|website=www.riga.lv}}</ref>
| blank4_name        = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] (2022)
| blank4_info        = 0.937<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://globaldatalab.org/shdi/table/shdi/LVA/?levels=1+4&years=2021&interpolation=0&extrapolation=0|title=Sub-national HDI – Subnational HDI – Global Data Lab|website=globaldatalab.org|access-date=15 April 2023|archive-date=15 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415162436/https://globaldatalab.org/shdi/table/shdi/LVA/?levels=1+4&years=2022&interpolation=0&extrapolation=0|url-status=live}}</ref> – <span style="color:#090">very high</span>
| coordinates        = {{coord|56|56|56|N|24|6|23|E | display = inline,title}}
| area_code_type     = [[Telephone numbers in Latvia|Calling codes]]
| area_code          = 66 and 67
| website            = {{URL|http://www.riga.lv/|riga.lv}}
| footnotes          = {{designation list | embed = yes
 | designation1             = WHS
 | designation1_offname     = [[Vecrīga|Historic Centre of Riga]]
 | designation1_criteria    = ii, i
 | designation1_number      = <ref>{{cite web |website=[[UNESCO]] World Heritage Centre |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/852 |title=Historic Centre of Riga |access-date=13 May 2022 |publisher=[[UNESCO]] |archive-date=22 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622180500/http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/852/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
 | designation1_date        = 1997
 | designation1_type        = Cultural
 | designation1_free1name   = UNESCO region
 | designation1_free1value  = [[List of World Heritage Sites in Europe|Europe]]
}}
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-zoom = 9
| mapframe-wikidata = yes
| image_map          = Latvija Rīga 2021.svg
| map_caption        = Riga highlighted in red inside of Latvia
}}

'''Riga''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|r|iː|g|ə|audio=LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-Riga.wav}} {{respell|REE|gə}}){{efn|{{langx|lv|Rīga}} {{IPA|lv|ˈrʲiːɡɐ||Lv-Rīga.ogg}}; {{langx|la|Reiga}} {{IPA|la|ˈrɛɪ̯gɐ|}} {{langx|liv|Rīgõ}} {{IPA|liv|ˈriːɡə|}}; {{langx|de|Riga}} {{IPA|de|ˈʁiːɡaː|}}; {{Langx|ru|link=no|Рига}} {{IPA|ru|ˈrʲigə|}}}} is the capital, [[Primate city|primate]], and [[List of cities and towns in Latvia|largest city]] of [[Latvia]] and the [[List of cities in the Baltic states by population|second largest in the Baltics]]. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025),<ref name=2025data>{{cite web |url=https://data.stat.gov.lv/pxweb/en/OSP_PUB/START__POP__IR__IRE/IRE071/ |title=Population by ethnicity in regions, cities, municipalities, towns, neighbourhoods and densely populated areas at the beginning of year 2012 - 2025|website=data stat.gov.lv}}</ref> the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of [[Riga Planning Region|Riga metropolitan area]], which stretches beyond the city limits, is estimated at 847,162 (as of 2025).<ref name="2025data"/> The city lies on the [[Gulf of Riga]] at the mouth of the [[Daugava (river)|Daugava]] river where it meets the [[Baltic Sea]]. Riga's territory covers {{cvt|307.17|km2}} and lies {{cvt|1|-|10|m|ft|0}} [[above sea level]]<ref name="RigaMunicipality">{{cite web|url=http://www.riga.lv/EN/Channels/About_Riga/default.htm|title=Riga Municipality Portal|publisher=Copyright 2003–2009, www.riga.lv/LV/Channels/ Riga Municipality|access-date=27 July 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110828172049/http://www.riga.lv/EN/Channels/About_Riga/default.htm|archive-date=28 August 2011}}</ref> on a flat and sandy plain.<ref name="RigaMunicipality"/>

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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/852|title=Historic Centre of Riga – UNESCO World Heritage Centre|year=1997|publisher=UNESCO|access-date=18 December 2012|archive-date=22 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622180500/http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/852/|url-status=live}}</ref> Riga was the [[European Capital of Culture]] in 2014, along with [[Umeå]] in Sweden. Riga hosted the [[2006 Riga summit|2006 NATO Summit]], the [[Eurovision Song Contest 2003]], the [[2013 World Women's Curling Championship]], and the [[2006 IIHF World Championship|IIHF Men's World Ice Hockey Championships in 2006]], [[2021 IIHF World Championship|2021]], and [[2023 IIHF World Championship|2023]]. It is home to the [[European Union]]'s office of [[Body of European Regulators of Electronic Communications|European Regulators for Electronic Communications]] (BEREC). In 2017, it was named as the [[European Region of Gastronomy]].

In 2019, Riga received over 1.4&nbsp;million foreign visitors.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tourist numbers in Riga expected to reach 80% of pre-pandemic figure this year – LiveRiga |url=https://www.baltictimes.com/tourist_numbers_in_riga_expected_to_reach_80__of_pre-pandemic_figure_this_year_-_liveriga/ |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=[[baltictimes.com]]}}</ref> The city is served by [[Riga International Airport]], the largest and busiest airport in the [[Baltic States]]. Riga is a member of [[Eurocities]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurocities.eu/|title=EUROCITIES – the network of major European cities|publisher=Eurocities|access-date=8 November 2011|archive-date=24 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200824052544/http://www.eurocities.eu/|url-status=live}}</ref> the [[Union of the Baltic Cities]] (UBC),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ubc.net/|title=Union of the Baltic Cities|publisher=Union of the Baltic Cities (UBC)|access-date=8 November 2011|archive-date=15 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015044702/http://www.ubc.net/|url-status=live}}</ref> and Union of Capitals of the European Union (UCEU).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uceu.org|title=Union of Capitals of the European Union|publisher=Union of Capitals of the European Union (UCEU)|access-date=8 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111020113843/http://www.uceu.org/|archive-date=20 October 2011}}</ref>

== Etymology ==
The precise origin of the name is unknown; however, there are numerous and speculative theories for the origin of the name ''Riga'':

* It could be derived from Riege, the German name for the River Rīdzene, a former tributary of the Daugava.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.riga.lv/EN/Channels/About_Riga/History_of_Riga/Stories/Udeni/Ridzina.htm |title=Riga municipality portal |website=riga.lv |access-date=10 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223130131/http://www.riga.lv/EN/Channels/About_Riga/History_of_Riga/Stories/Udeni/Ridzina.htm |archive-date=23 February 2012}}</ref>
* [[Albert of Riga|Bishop Albert]] claimed credit from his campaign to conquer and convert the local populace, as coming from the Latin {{Lang|la|rigata}} ("irrigated"), symbolising an "irrigation of dry pagan souls by Christianity".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.riga.lv/EN/Channels/About_Riga/History_of_Riga/Stories/Udeni/Ridzina.htm |title=Coat of arms of Riga|website=riga.lv |access-date=26 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070711114153/http://www.ngw.nl/int/lat/riga.htm|archive-date=11 July 2007}}</ref>

Nonetheless, the most reliably documented explanation is the affirmation by German historian Dionysius Fabricius (1610) that Riga's name comes from its already established role in trade:<ref>{{Cite book |title=Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages |publisher=[[Routledge]] |year=2001 |isbn=9781579582821 |editor-last=Vauchez |editor-first=André}}</ref> "Riga obtained its name from the buildings or warehouses found in great number along the banks of the [[Daugava|Duna]], which the [[Livonians|Livs]] in their own language are accustomed to call Riae".<ref>Fabrius, D. Livonicae Historiae Compendiosa Series, 1610</ref>{{Efn|Latin original: "{{lang|la|Riga nomen sortita est suum ab aedificiis vel horreis quorum a litus Dunae magna fuit copia, quas livones sua lingua Rias vocare soliti|italic=no}}".}} The "j" in Latvian {{Lang|lv|rīja}} hardened to a "g" in German. English geographer [[Richard Hakluyt]] (1589) corroborates this account, calling Riga as ''Rie'', as pronounced in Old Latvian.<ref>Bilmanis, A. ''Latvia as an Independent State''. Latvian Legation. 1947.</ref> This is further supported by the fact that Riga is called ''Riia'' in [[Estonian language|Estonian]] (a language closely related to [[Livonian language|Livonian]]).

== History ==
{{Main|History of Riga}}
{{For timeline}}

{{Quote box |width=26em |align=left |bgcolor=#EBEBFF
|title=Historical affiliations
|fontsize=90% |quote=
{{flagicon image|Banner of the Holy Roman Emperor (after 1400).svg}} [[Archbishopric of Riga]] (vassal state of the [[Holy Roman Empire]]) 1201–1561<br />{{flagicon image|Banner of the Holy Roman Emperor (after 1400).svg}} [[Free imperial city|Imperial Free City]] 1561–1582<br />{{nowrap|{{flagicon image|Chorągiew królewska króla Zygmunta III Wazy.svg|border=no}} [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]] 1582–1629}}<br />{{flagicon image|Flag of Sweden.svg}} [[Swedish Empire]] 1629–1721<br />{{flag icon|Russian Empire}}{{flag icon|Russian Empire|1858}} [[Russian Empire]] 1721–1917<br />{{flagdeco|German Empire}} [[Ober Ost|German Empire]] 1917–1918<br />{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Latvia|Republic of Latvia]] 1918–1940<br />{{flag|Latvian SSR|1940}} 1940–1941<br />{{flagdeco|Nazi Germany}} [[Reichskommissariat Ostland|Nazi Germany]] 1941–1944<br />{{flagicon|Latvian SSR|1940}} {{flag|Latvian SSR|}} 1944–1990<br />{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Latvia|Republic of Latvia]] 1990–present
}}

=== Founding ===
The river [[Daugava]] has been a [[trade route]] since antiquity, part of the [[Varangians|Vikings']] [[Route from the Varangians to the Greeks|Dvina–Dnieper navigation route]] to Byzantium.<ref name="BilmanisLIS">Bilmanis, A. Latvia as an Independent State. Latvian Legation. 1947.</ref> A sheltered [[natural harbour|natural harbor]] {{cvt|15|km}} upriver from the mouth of the Daugava—the site of today's Riga—has been recorded, as ''Duna Urbs'', as early as the 2nd century.<ref name="BilmanisLIS"/> It was settled by the [[Livonians|Livs]], a [[Baltic Finnic peoples|Finnic]] tribe.<!-- Requires new citation. -->
Riga began to develop as a centre of [[Viking Age|Viking trade during the early Middle Ages]].<ref name="BilmanisLIS"/> Riga's inhabitants engaged mainly in fishing, [[animal husbandry]], and trading, later developing crafts, including bone, wood, amber, and iron.<ref name="BilmanisLIS"/>

The ''[[Livonian Chronicle of Henry]]'' testifies to Riga having long been a trading centre by the 12th century, referring to it as {{lang|la|portus antiquus}} (ancient port), and describes dwellings and warehouses used to store mostly flax, and hides.<ref name="BilmanisLIS"/> German traders began visiting Riga, establishing a nearby outpost in 1158.

Along with German traders, the monk [[Saint Meinhard|Meinhard of Segeberg]]<ref name="EMA">Vauchez et al. Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages. Routledge, 2001</ref> arrived to convert the Livonian pagans to Christianity. [[Catholic]] and [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox Christianity]] had already arrived in Latvia more than a century earlier, and many Latvians had been baptized.<ref name="BilmanisLIS"/><ref name="EMA"/> Meinhard settled among the Livs, building a castle and church at Uexküll (now known as [[Ikšķile]]), upstream from Riga, and established his bishopric there.<ref name="EMA"/> The Livs, however, continued to practice [[paganism]] and Meinhard died in Uexküll in 1196, having failed in his mission.<ref name="Saga">Germanis, U. The Latvian Saga. 10th ed. 1998. Memento, Stockholm.</ref> In 1198, the [[Berthold of Hanover|Bishop Berthold]] arrived with a contingent of [[Crusades|crusaders]]<ref name="Saga"/> and commenced a campaign of forced [[Christianisation|Christianization]].<ref name="BilmanisLIS"/><ref name="EMA"/> Berthold died soon afterwards and his forces were defeated.<ref name="Saga"/>

The Church mobilized to avenge this defeat. [[Pope Innocent III]] issued a bull declaring a crusade against the [[Livonians]].<ref name="Saga"/> [[Albert of Riga|Bishop Albert]] was proclaimed [[Bishop of Livonia]] by his uncle [[Hartwig of Uthlede]], [[Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen|Prince-Archbishop of Bremen and Hamburg]] in 1199. Albert landed in Riga in 1200<ref name="BilmanisLIS"/><ref name="Saga"/> with 23 ships<ref name="CathE">Laffort, R. (censor), ''Catholic Encyclopedia'', Robert Appleton Co., 1907</ref> and 500 Westphalian crusaders.<ref name="ReferenceA">Tolstoy-Miloslavsky, D. ''The Tolstoys: Genealogy and Origin''. A2Z, 1991</ref> In 1201, he transferred the seat of the Livonian bishopric from Uexküll to Riga, extorting agreement to do this from the elders of Riga by force.<ref name="BilmanisLIS"/><!-- FA pass done through here/pjv -->

=== Under Bishop Albert ===
[[File:METTIG(1897) p046 URKUNDE VON 1226 DES BISCHOFS VON MODENA.jpg|thumb|left|185px|Document with the seals of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword and the city of Riga, 1226]]
[[File:Riga Dome Cathedral - Statues of Albrecht von Buxthoeven 02.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Statue of Bishop [[Albert of Riga]] on the exterior of the Riga Cathedral]]
The year 1201 also marked the first arrival of German merchants in Novgorod, via the Dvina.<ref name="PDIntBus">Dollinger, P. ''The Emergence of International Business 1200–1800'', 1964; translated Macmillan and Co edition, 1970</ref> To defend territory<ref name="RRiga">Reiner et al. ''Riga''. Lorenzo Pigni. 1999.</ref> and trade, Albert established the [[Livonian Brothers of the Sword|Order of Livonian Brothers of the Sword]] in 1202, which was open to nobles and merchants.<ref name=PDIntBus/>

The Christianisation of the Livs continued. In 1207, Albert started to fortify the town.<ref name=PDIntBus/><ref name="ORZarina">Zarina, D. ''Old Riga: Tourist Guide'', Spriditis, 1992</ref> [[Philip of Swabia|King Philip]] invested Albert with Livonia as a fief<ref name="HistChristCh">Moeller et al. History of the Christian Church. MacMillan & Co. 1893.</ref> and principality of the [[Holy Roman Empire]].<ref name=BilmanisLIS/> To promote a permanent military presence, territorial ownership was divided between the Church and the ''Order'', with the Church taking Riga and two-thirds of all lands conquered and granting the ''Order'' a third.<ref name="ACQRxlvi">Palmieri, A. ''Catholic Origin of Latvia'', ed. Cororan, J.A. et al. ''The American Catholic Quarterly Review'', Volume XLVI, January–October 1921. Philadelphia.</ref> Until then, it had been customary for crusaders to serve for a year and then return home.<ref name=ACQRxlvi/>

Albert had ensured Riga's commercial future by obtaining papal bulls which decreed that all German merchants had to carry on their Baltic trade through Riga.<ref name=ACQRxlvi/> In 1211, Riga minted its first coinage,<ref name=BilmanisLIS/> and Albert laid the cornerstone for the [[Riga Cathedral|Riga Dom]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.doms.lv/info/?mnu_id=50|title= Doma vēsture (history)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100705161605/http://www.doms.lv/info/?mnu_id=50 |archive-date=5 July 2010|access-date= 29 July 2009}}</ref> Riga was not yet secure as an alliance of tribes failed to take Riga.<ref name=ACQRxlvi/> In 1212, Albert led a campaign to compel [[Polotsk]] to grant German merchants free river passage.<ref name=PDIntBus/> Polotsk conceded Kukenois ([[Koknese]]) and [[Principality of Jersika|Jersika]] to Albert, also ending the Livs' tribute to Polotsk.<ref name="MedChronV">Kooper, E. ''The Medieval Chronicle'' V. Radopi, 2008.</ref>

Riga's merchant citizenry chafed and sought greater autonomy from the Church. In 1221, they acquired the right to independently self-administer Riga<ref name=RRiga/> and adopted a city constitution.<ref name="CTHW">Wright, C.T.H. ''The Edinburgh Review'', ''The Letts'', 1917</ref>

That same year Albert was compelled to recognise Danish rule over lands they had conquered in Estonia and Livonia.<ref name="CCBF">Murray, A., ''Crusade and Conversion on the Baltic Frontier, 1150–1500''. Ashgate, London. 2001.</ref> Albert had sought the aid of [[Valdemar II of Denmark|King Valdemar of Denmark]] to protect Riga and Livonian lands against Liv insurrection when reinforcements could not reach Riga. The Danes landed in Livonia, built a fortress at Reval ([[Tallinn]]) and set about conquering Estonian and Livonian lands. The Germans attempted, but failed, to assassinate Valdemar.<ref name="EccRevLVI">"The Ecclesiastical Review", Vol. LVI. ''American Ecclesiastical Review''. Dolphin Press. 1917.</ref> Albert was able to reach accommodation with them a year later, however, and in 1222 Valdemar returned all Livonian lands and possessions to Albert's control.<ref name="PandBC">Fonnesberg-Schmidt, I. ''The Popes and the Baltic Crusades, 1147–1254''. Brill. 2006.</ref>

Albert's difficulties with Riga's citizenry continued; with papal intervention, a settlement was reached in 1225 whereby they no longer had to pay tax to the Bishop of Riga,<ref name="LatEnc">Švābe, A., ed. Latvju Enciklopēdija. Trīs Zvaigznes, Stockholm. 1953–1955 (in Latvian)</ref> and Riga's citizens acquired the right to elect their magistrates and town councillors.<ref name=LatEnc/> In 1226, Albert consecrated the Dom Cathedral,<ref name=BilmanisLIS/> built [[St. James's Cathedral, Riga|St. James's Church]],<ref name=BilmanisLIS/> (now a cathedral) and founded a parochial school at the Church of St. George.<ref name=EMA/>

In 1227, Albert conquered Oesel<ref name="FletcherCoEPC">Fletcher, R.A., ''The Conversion of Europe: From Paganism to Christianity, 371–1386AD''. Harper Collins. 1991.</ref> and the city of Riga concluded a treaty with the [[Principality of Smolensk]] giving Polotsk to Riga.<ref name="HfT1888">Michell, Thomas. ''Handbook for Travelers in Russia, Poland, and Finland''. London, John Murray, 1888.</ref>

Albert died in January 1229.<ref name="FonnesbergPaBC">Fonnesberg-Schmidt, I., ''The Popes and the Baltic Crusades, 1147–1254''. Brill, 2007</ref> He failed in his aspiration to be anointed archbishop<ref name=HistChristCh/> but the German hegemony he established over the Livonia would last for seven centuries.<ref name=ACQRxlvi/>

=== Hanseatic League ===
In 1282, Riga became a member of the [[Hanseatic League]]. 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, down to modern times.

=== Holy Roman Empire, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Swedish and Russian Empires ===
[[File:House of Blackheads at Dusk 1, Riga, Latvia - Diliff.jpg|thumb|left|The [[House of the Blackheads (Riga)|building of the Brotherhood of Blackheads]] is one of the most iconic buildings of Old Riga ([[Vecrīga]]).]]
[[File:Riga 1612 panorama by Heinrich Thum.jpg|thumb|left|View of Riga from 1612, printed by [[Nikolaus Mollyn]], the first [[Printer (publishing)|book printer]] of the city.]]
[[File:Riga 1650.jpg|thumb|left|Riga in 1650. Drawing by [[Johann Christoph Brotze]].]]
[[File:Map of Riga (around 1710).tif|thumb|Map of Riga (around 1710)]]
As the influence of the Hanseatic League 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. In 1524, [[iconoclast]]s during [[Iconoclastic riots in Livonia|iconoclast riots]] targeted a statue of the [[Virgin Mary]] in the cathedral to make a statement against religious icons. It was accused of being a witch, and given a [[Trial by ordeal|trial by water]] in the [[Daugava]] river. The statue floated, so it was denounced as a witch and burnt at Kubsberg.<ref name="fn_1">{{cite book|last=MacCulloch|first=Diarmaid|author-link=Diarmaid MacCulloch|title=The Reformation: A History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rE7uAAAAMAAJ|year=2003|publisher=Penguin|page = 150|isbn=978-0-670-03296-9|access-date=10 February 2016}}</ref> With the demise of the [[Livonian Order]] (1561) during the [[Livonian War]], Riga for twenty years had the status of a [[free imperial city]] of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] before it came under the influence of the [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]] by the [[Treaty of Drohiczyn]], which ended the war for Riga in 1581. In 1621, during the [[Polish–Swedish War (1621–1625)]], Riga and the outlying fortress of [[Daugavgrīva]] 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 favour of German [[Lutheran]] [[Protestantism]]. During the [[Russo-Swedish War (1656–1658)]], Riga withstood a siege by Russian forces.

Riga remained one of the largest cities under the Swedish crown until 1710,<ref>The Dynamics of Economic Culture in the North Sea and Baltic Region. Uitgeverij Verloren, 2007. {{ISBN|9789065508829}}. P. 242.</ref> a period during which the city retained a great deal of autonomous self-government. In July 1701, during the opening phase of the [[Great Northern War]], the ''[[Crossing of the Düna]]'' took place nearby, resulting in a victory for king [[Charles XII of Sweden]]. Between November 1709 and June 1710, however, the Russians under [[Tsar]] [[Peter the Great]] [[Capitulation of Estonia and Livonia|besieged and captured Riga]], which was at the time [[The plague during the Great Northern War#Lithuania, Livonia, Estonia|struck by a plague]]. Along with the other Livonian towns and gentry, [[Capitulation of Estonia and Livonia|Riga capitulated to Russia]], but largely retained their privileges. Riga was made the capital of the [[Governorate of Livonia|Governorate of Riga (later, Livonia)]]. [[Swedish Empire|Sweden's northern dominance]] had ended, and Russia's [[Russian Empire|emergence as the strongest Northern power]] was formalised through the [[Treaty of Nystad]] in 1721. At the beginning of the 20th century, Riga was the largest{{Dubious|date=December 2020}} timber export port in the Russian Empire and ranked the 3rd{{When|date=December 2020}} according to the external trade volume.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Port Riga over nine Centuries|url=http://rop.lv/en/about-port/history.html?showall=1&limitstart=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408153815/http://rop.lv/en/about-port/history.html?showall=1&limitstart=|archive-date=8 April 2016|publisher=Freeport of Riga Authority}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Riga {{!}} History, Population, & Facts|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Riga|access-date=2021-01-05|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en|archive-date=25 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125023447/https://www.britannica.com/place/Riga|url-status=live}}</ref>

During these many centuries of war and changes of power in the Baltic, and despite demographic changes, the [[Baltic Germans]] in Riga had maintained a dominant position. By 1867, Riga's population was 42.9% German.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.history-museum.lv/english/pages/par-mums/muzeja-vesture.php|title=National History Museum of Latvia|work=history-museum.lv|access-date=10 February 2016|archive-date=24 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924030429/http://www.history-museum.lv/english/pages/par-mums/muzeja-vesture.php|url-status=live}}</ref> Riga employed German as its [[official language]] of administration until the installation of Russian in 1891 as the official language in the [[Baltic provinces]], as part of the policy of [[Russification]] of the non-Russian-speaking territories of the Russian Empire, including [[Congress Poland]], Finland and the Baltics, undertaken by [[Tsar Alexander III]]. More and more Latvians started moving to the city during the mid-19th century. The rise of a Latvian [[bourgeoisie]] made Riga a centre of the [[Latvian National Awakening]] with the founding of the Riga Latvian Association in 1868 and the organisation of the first national song festival in 1873. In 1897, Riga was the sixth largest city in the Russian Empire.<ref name=beable1919>{{Citation |publisher = Russian Outlook |author=William Henry Beable |date = 1919 |location = London |title = Russian Gazetteer and Guide |via=HathiTrust |chapter= Governments or Provinces of the Former Russian Empire |hdl=2027/uc2.ark:/13960/t56d5rp04?urlappend=%3Bseq=26 |chapter-url= http://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc2.ark:/13960/t56d5rp04?urlappend=%3Bseq=26 }}</ref> The nationalist movement of the [[Young Latvians|Neo-Latvians]] was followed by the socialist [[New Current]] during the city's rapid industrialisation, culminating in the [[1905 Russian Revolution|1905 Revolution]] led by the [[Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party]].

=== World War I ===
[[File:Baltische Post 25 October 1908.jpg|thumb|right|''Baltische Post'' (written with [[long s]]) was a German language newspaper in Riga during the early 20th century.]]
[[File:German troops Riga 1917.jpg|thumb|German troops entering Riga during World War I]]
The 20th century brought [[World War I]] and the impact of the [[Russian Revolution]] of 1917 to Riga. As a result of the [[battle of Jugla]], the [[Imperial German Army|German army]] marched into Riga on 3 September 1917.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.greatwardifferent.com/Great_War/Russian_Battery/Retirement_01.htm |title=Russian Retreat 1917 |publisher=Greatwardifferent.com |access-date=16 September 2011 |archive-date=18 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110618041140/http://www.greatwardifferent.com/Great_War/Russian_Battery/Retirement_01.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> On 3 March 1918, the [[Treaty of Brest-Litovsk]] was signed, giving the [[Baltic countries]] to Germany. Because of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918|armistice with Germany]] of 11 November 1918, Germany had to renounce that treaty, as did Russia, leaving Latvia and the other Baltic States in a position to claim independence. Latvia, with Riga as its capital city, thus declared its independence on 18 November 1918. Between World War I and World War II (1918–1940), Riga and Latvia shifted their focus from Russia to the countries of Western Europe. The United Kingdom and Germany replaced Russia as Latvia's major trade partners. The majority of the Baltic Germans [[Nazi–Soviet population transfers|were resettled in late 1939]], prior to the occupation of Estonia and Latvia by the Soviet Union in June 1940.

=== World War II and Soviet era ===
{{more citations needed section|date=September 2025}}
[[File:Damaged buildings of the Riga Old Town and St. Peter's Church during the World War II, 1939-1945.jpg|thumb|Damaged [[House of the Blackheads (Riga)|House of the Blackheads]] and [[St. Peter's Church, Riga|St. Peter's Church]] during World War II]]
During [[World War II]], Latvia was occupied by the [[Soviet Union]] in June 1940 and then was occupied by [[German occupation of Latvia during World War II|Nazi Germany in 1941–1944]]. On 17 June 1940, the Soviet forces invaded Latvia occupying bridges, post/telephone, telegraph, and broadcasting offices. Three days later, Latvian president [[Kārlis Ulmanis]] was forced to approve a pro-Soviet government which had taken office.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lumans |first=Valdis O. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IPv1gjLhtZ4C |title=Latvia in World War II |date=2006 |publisher=Fordham Univ Press |isbn=978-0-8232-2627-6 |language=en}}</ref> On 14–15 July, rigged elections were held in Latvia and the other Baltic states, The ballots held the following instructions: "Only the list of the [[Latvian Working People's Bloc]] must be deposited in the ballot box. The ballot must be deposited without any changes."<ref>{{cite journal |last=Zelmenis |first=Gints |date=2023-12-31 |title=How Soviet "Legitimacy" Was Made: 1940 "Elections" in Occupied Latvia |url=https://czasopisma.ipn.gov.pl/index.php/inrr/article/view/2463 |journal=Institute of National Remembrance Review |issue=5 |pages=169–184 |doi=10.48261/INRR230507 |access-date=2026-03-23}}</ref> The alleged voter activity index was 97.6%. Most notably, the complete election results were published in Moscow 12 hours before the election closed. Soviet electoral documents found later substantiated that the results were completely fabricated. The Soviet authorities, having regained control over Riga and Latvia imposed a regime of terror, opening the headquarters of the [[KGB]], massive deportations started. Hundreds of men were arrested, including leaders of the former Latvian government. The most notorious deportation, the [[June deportation]], took place on 13 and 14 June 1941, estimated at 15,600 men, women, and children, and including 20% of Latvia's last legal government. Similar deportations were repeated after the end of World War II. The building of the KGB located at 61 [[Brīvības iela]], known as 'the corner house', is now a museum. Stalin's deportations also included thousands of [[Latvian Jews]]. The mass deportation totalled 131,500 across the Baltics.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Smith |first=David James |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YaYbzQQN97EC |title=The Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania |date=2002 |publisher=Psychology Press |isbn=978-0-415-28580-3 |language=en}}</ref>

During the Nazi occupation, the [[History of the Jews in Latvia|Jewish community]] was forced into the [[Riga Ghetto]] and a [[Nazi concentration camp]] was constructed in [[Kaiserwald concentration camp|Kaiserwald]]. On 25 October 1941, the Nazis relocated all Jews from Riga and the vicinity to the ghetto. Most of Latvia's Jews (about 24,000) were killed on 30 November and 8 December 1941 in the [[Rumbula massacre]].<ref>Ezergailis, ''The Holocaust in Latvia'', p. 348</ref> By the end of the war, the remaining [[Baltic Germans]] were [[Flight and expulsion of Germans (1944–1950)#Soviet Union|expelled to Germany]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ezergailis |first=Andrew |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wpttAAAAMAAJ&q=The%20Holocaust%20in%20Latvia |title=The Holocaust in Latvia, 1941-1944: The Missing Center |date=1996 |publisher=Historical Institute of Latvia |isbn=978-9984-9054-3-3 |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:Red Army soldiers in Riga. October 1944.jpg|thumb|Soldiers of the [[Soviet re-occupation of the Baltic states (1944)|Soviet]] [[Red Army]] in front of the [[Freedom Monument]] in Riga in 1944]]
The Soviet Red Army reconquered Riga on 13 October 1944. In the following years the massive influx of labourers, administrators, military personnel, and their dependents from Russia and other Soviet republics started. [[Microdistrict]]s of the large multi-storied housing blocks were built to house immigrant workers.

By the end of World War II, [[Vecrīga|Riga's historical centre]] was heavily damaged from constant bombing. After the war, huge efforts were made to reconstruct and renovate most of the famous buildings that had been part of the skyline of the city before the war. Such buildings were, amongst others, [[St. Peter's Church, Riga|St. Peter's Church]] which lost its wooden tower after a fire caused by the [[Wehrmacht]] (renovated in 1954). Another example is the [[House of the Blackheads (Riga)|House of the Blackheads]], completely destroyed, its ruins subsequently demolished; a [[facsimile]] was constructed in 1995.

In 1989, the percentage of Latvians in Riga had fallen to 36.5%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.csb.gov.lv/en/statistikas-temas/population-database-30625.html|title=Population – Database|work=csb.gov.lv|access-date=10 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120221072849/http://www.csb.gov.lv/en/statistikas-temas/population-database-30625.html|archive-date=21 February 2012}}</ref>

=== 21st century ===
[[File:Ministru prezidents Valdis Dombrovskis noliek ziedus pie Brīvības pieminekļa (7141677177).jpg|thumb|Flower laying ceremony at the [[Freedom Monument]] in 2012]]
In 2004, the arrival of [[low-cost airline]]s resulted in cheaper flights from other European cities such as London and Berlin, and consequently a substantial increase in numbers of tourists.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/crossing_continents/4633647.stm|work=BBC News|title=Latvia prepares for a tourist invasion|first=Jonathan|last=Charles|access-date=2 August 2007|date=30 June 2005|archive-date=8 April 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080408135100/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/crossing_continents/4633647.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 21 November 2013, the [[Zolitūde shopping centre roof collapse|roof of a supermarket collapsed]] in [[Zolitūde]], one of the neighbourhoods of the city, possibly as a result of the weight of materials used in the construction of a garden on the roof. Fifty-four people were killed. Latvian President [[Andris Bērziņš (Latvian President)|Andris Bērziņš]] described the disaster as "a large-scale murder of many defenceless people".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-europe-25069947|title=Remaining Riga mall roof caves in|work=BBC News|access-date=22 June 2018|archive-date=1 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101113813/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25069947|url-status=live}}</ref>

Riga was the [[European Capital of Culture]] in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.riga.com/|title=Riga, Latvia|work=riga.com|access-date=10 February 2016|archive-date=8 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160208085353/http://riga.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> During Latvia's [[Presidency of the Council of the European Union]] in 2015, the 4th [[Eastern Partnership]] Summit took place in Riga.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-summit/2015/05/21-22/|title=Eastern Partnership summit, Riga, 21-22/05/2015|work=European Council|date=27 April 2015 |access-date=10 February 2016|archive-date=15 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160215154659/http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-summit/2015/05/21-22/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Following the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]], the [[Saeima]] voted to suspend the functioning of a section of an agreement between Latvia and Russia regarding the preservation of memorial structures on 12 May,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/politics/saeima/saeima-decides-to-legally-allow-soviet-monument-demolition.a456417/ |title=Saeima decides to legally allow Soviet monument demolition |date=12 May 2022 |publisher=[[Public Broadcasting of Latvia]] |accessdate=12 May 2022 |archive-date=12 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220512093818/https://eng.lsm.lv/article/politics/saeima/saeima-decides-to-legally-allow-soviet-monument-demolition.a456417/ |url-status=live }}</ref> in the next day the [[Riga City Council]] also voted to demolish the [[Monument to the Liberators of Soviet Latvia and Riga from the German Fascist Invaders]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://bnn-news.com/riga-city-council-votes-in-favour-of-demolition-of-occupation-monument-234717 |title=Riga City Council votes in favour of demolition of "Occupation monument" |date=13 May 2022 |publisher=[[Baltic News Network]] |agency=[[LETA]] |accessdate=26 August 2022 |archive-date=4 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004141539/https://bnn-news.com/riga-city-council-votes-in-favour-of-demolition-of-occupation-monument-234717 |url-status=live }}</ref> On 20 May, a rally called "Getting Rid of Soviet Heritage" took place in Riga to call for removing Soviet monuments in Latvia, it was attended by approximately 5,000 people.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/society/thousands-turn-out-to-support-removal-of-soviet-relics.a457795/ |title=Thousands turn out to support removal of Soviet relics |date=20 May 2022 |publisher=[[Public Broadcasting of Latvia]] |agency=[[LETA]] |access-date=9 April 2023 |archive-date=6 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006221037/https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/society/thousands-turn-out-to-support-removal-of-soviet-relics.a457795/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The demolition began 22 August 2022 and on 25 August 2022, the obelisk was toppled.<ref name="Demolition">{{cite news |url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/environment/demolition-of-soviet-victory-monument-in-riga.a470869 |title=Demolition of Soviet Victory monument in Rīga |date=25 August 2022 |publisher=[[Public Broadcasting of Latvia]] |accessdate=25 August 2022 |archive-date=25 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220825163700/https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/environment/demolition-of-soviet-victory-monument-in-riga.a470869/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Demolition (2)">{{cite news |url=https://bnn-news.com/video-79-m-tall-obelisk-of-soviet-victory-monument-toppled-in-pardaugava-237651 |title=79 m tall obelisk of Soviet Victory Monument toppled in Pārdaugava |date=26 August 2022 |publisher=[[Baltic News Network]] |accessdate=26 August 2022 |archive-date=26 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220826074105/https://bnn-news.com/video-79-m-tall-obelisk-of-soviet-victory-monument-toppled-in-pardaugava-237651 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Demolition (3)">{{cite news |url=https://www.baltictimes.com/largest_soviet_monument_in_baltics_dismantled_in_riga/ |title=Largest Soviet monument in Baltics dismantled in Riga |date=26 August 2022 |newspaper=[[The Baltic Times]] |accessdate=26 August 2022 |archive-date=27 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827233708/https://www.baltictimes.com/largest_soviet_monument_in_baltics_dismantled_in_riga/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2022, after the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]], the street on which the Embassy of the Russian Federation is located was renamed "Independent Ukraine Street".<ref>{{Cite news |agency=Agence France-Presse |date=2022-03-10 |title=Lithuania names road leading to Russian embassy 'Ukrainian Heroes' Street' |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/10/lithuania-names-road-leading-to-russian-embassy-ukrainian-heroes-street |access-date=2023-04-15 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=10 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710185212/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/10/lithuania-names-road-leading-to-russian-embassy-ukrainian-heroes-street |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Embassy of Russia · Antonijas iela 2, Centra rajons, Rīga, LV-1010, Latvia |url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Embassy+of+Russia/@56.9571165,24.1072606,17z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x46eecfc54442965f:0x50bbd3520f77aab!8m2!3d56.9566441!4d24.1084703!16s/g/11f0wp_dpj?hl=en |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=Embassy of Russia · Antonijas iela 2, Centra rajons, Rīga, LV-1010, Latvia |language=en |archive-date=15 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415050756/https://www.google.com/maps/place/Embassy+of+Russia/@56.9571165,24.1072606,17z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x46eecfc54442965f:0x50bbd3520f77aab!8m2!3d56.9566441!4d24.1084703!16s/g/11f0wp_dpj?hl=en |url-status=live }}</ref>

Despite legal changes, problems have arisen in the city in relation to large construction and reconstruction projects with developers increasingly looking for opportunities to use underground spaces. While this opens up the possibility for new archaeological research to be undertaken, it is decreasing in situ archaeological preservation.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Zirne|first1=S|last2=Lūsēna|first2=E|title=Archaeological Heritage in the Historic Centre of Riga: Status, Management, Development|journal=Internet Archaeology|date=2025|issue=70|doi=10.11141/ia.70.4|doi-access=free|url=https://intarch.ac.uk/journal/issue70/4/index.html}}</ref>

== Geography ==

{{See also|Neighbourhoods in Riga|List of tourist attractions in Riga}}<!--Riga is [[List of cities in the Baltic states by population|one of the most populous cities]] in the [[Baltic States]]-->
Riga is one of the [[List of cities in the Baltic states by population|largest cities]] in the three [[Baltic states]]: (Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiOTE2Mzk5MjEtZGU5Yi00MTU1LWFkOGEtYmQ2M2ZiM2RmYzQxIiwidCI6ImFmZjM2MzMxLTNlNWUtNDdlOC1hZjkzLTE4NTFkNmQxZmUzYiIsImMiOjh9 |title=Statistics of Vilnius; municipality of Vilnius |access-date=3 October 2022 |archive-date=30 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220930161658/https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiOTE2Mzk5MjEtZGU5Yi00MTU1LWFkOGEtYmQ2M2ZiM2RmYzQxIiwidCI6ImFmZjM2MzMxLTNlNWUtNDdlOC1hZjkzLTE4NTFkNmQxZmUzYiIsImMiOjh9 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/tai-ivyko-vilnius-tapo-didziausiu-miestu-baltijos-salyse.d?id=91151075 |title=It happened: Vilnius became the largest city in the Baltic States |access-date=4 October 2022 |archive-date=4 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004105019/https://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/tai-ivyko-vilnius-tapo-didziausiu-miestu-baltijos-salyse.d?id=91151075 |url-status=live }}</ref> Riga is home to approximately one tenth of the three Baltic countries' combined population.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.li.lv/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=1060|title=Latvia in Brief|year=2011|publisher=Latvian Institute|access-date=5 November 2011|archive-date=26 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226035413/http://www.li.lv/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=1060|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Administrative divisions ===
{{Main|Administrative divisions of Riga}}
*[[Central District, Riga|Central District]] ({{cvt|3|km2|disp=or}})
*[[Kurzeme District, Riga|Kurzeme District]] ({{cvt|79|km2|disp=or}})
*[[Zemgale Suburb, Riga|Zemgale Suburb]] ({{cvt|41|km2|disp=or}})
*[[Northern District, Riga|Northern District]] ({{cvt|77|km2|disp=or}})
*[[Vidzeme Suburb, Riga|Vidzeme Suburb]] ({{cvt|57|km2|disp=or}})
*[[Latgale Suburb, Riga|Latgale Suburb]] ({{cvt|50|km2|disp=or}})

Riga's administrative divisions consist of six administrative entities: [[Central District, Riga|Central]], [[Kurzeme District, Riga|Kurzeme]] and [[Northern District, Riga|Northern]] districts and the [[Latgale Suburb, Riga|Latgale]], [[Vidzeme Suburb, Riga|Vidzeme]] and [[Zemgale Suburb, Riga|Zemgale]] suburbs. Three entities were established on 1 September 1941, and the other three were established in October 1969.<ref name="halduskultur">{{cite web |url=http://www.halduskultuur.eu/Mikk_Lohmus_and_Illar_Tonisson.pdf |title=Evolvement of Administrative Division of Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius |pages=55, 77 |author1=Mikk Lõhmus |author2=Illar Tõnisson |name-list-style=amp |publisher=[[Tallinn University of Technology]] |access-date=29 June 2010 |archive-date=20 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720162708/http://www.halduskultuur.eu/Mikk_Lohmus_and_Illar_Tonisson.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> There are no official lower-level administrative units, but the Riga City Council Development Agency is working on a plan, which officially makes Riga consist of [[Neighbourhoods in Riga|58 neighbourhoods]].<ref name="rdpad">{{cite web |url=http://www.rdpad.lv/apkaimes/ |title=Apkaimju projekts |publisher=Riga City Council Development Agency |language=lv |access-date=29 June 2010 |archive-date=25 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525164020/http://www.rdpad.lv/apkaimes/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The current names were confirmed on 28 December 1990.<ref name="CEROI2">{{cite web |url=http://www.ceroi.net/reports/riga/background_things/teritory.htm |title=Changes in the Administrative Division of the Territory of Riga after the Loss of Independence (1940–1991) |publisher=Riga City Environment Centre "Agenda 21" |access-date=29 June 2010 |archive-date=23 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723041251/http://www.ceroi.net/reports/riga/background_things/teritory.htm }}</ref>

{{wide image|Riga Skyline Panorama, Latvia - Diliff.jpg|1200px|Panorama over Riga from [[St. Peter's Church, Riga|St. Peter's Church]]}}

=== Climate ===
The climate of Riga is [[humid continental climate|humid continental]] (Köppen ''Dfb'').<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.renewit-tool.eu/Content/File/1-Meteorological%20data.pdf|title=Hypothesis for modelling: Meteorological data|date=2015|publisher=[[European Union]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324155542/http://www.renewit-tool.eu/Content/File/1-Meteorological%20data.pdf|archive-date=24 March 2020|access-date=24 March 2020}}</ref> The coldest months are January and February, when the average temperature is {{cvt|-2.1|C|0|lk=on}} but temperatures as low as {{cvt|-20|to|-25|C|0}} can be observed almost every year on the coldest days. The proximity of the sea causes frequent autumn rains and fogs. Continuous snow cover may last eighty days. The summers in Riga are mild and rainy with an average temperature of {{cvt|18|C|0}}, while the temperature on the hottest days can exceed {{cvt|30|C|0}}.

{{Clear}}{{Weather box
| location = Riga (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1885–present)
| metric first = Y
| single line = Y
|collapsed = 
| Jan record high C = 10.2
| Feb record high C = 13.6
| Mar record high C = 21.7
| Apr record high C = 28.0
| May record high C = 30.5
| Jun record high C = 34.0
| Jul record high C = 34.5
| Aug record high C = 33.9
| Sep record high C = 29.4
| Oct record high C = 23.4
| Nov record high C = 17.2
| Dec record high C = 11.8
| year record high C = 34.5
| Jan avg record high C = 5.9
| Feb avg record high C = 6.1
| Mar avg record high C = 12.7
| Apr avg record high C = 21.5
| May avg record high C = 26.3
| Jun avg record high C = 28.4
| Jul avg record high C = 30.1
| Aug avg record high C = 29.4
| Sep avg record high C = 23.9
| Oct avg record high C = 17.3
| Nov avg record high C = 10.9
| Dec avg record high C = 6.7
| year avg record high C = 31.4
| Jan high C = -0.1
| Feb high C = 0.3
| Mar high C = 4.8
| Apr high C = 11.9
| May high C = 17.8
| Jun high C = 21.3
| Jul high C = 23.8
| Aug high C = 22.7
| Sep high C = 17.3
| Oct high C = 10.5
| Nov high C = 4.8
| Dec high C = 1.4
| Jan mean C = -2.1
| Feb mean C = -2.0
| Mar mean C = 1.5
| Apr mean C = 7.4
| May mean C = 13.0
| Jun mean C = 16.7
| Jul mean C = 19.3
| Aug mean C = 18.3
| Sep mean C = 13.4
| Oct mean C = 7.5
| Nov mean C = 3.0
| Dec mean C = -0.3
| Jan low C = -4.5
| Feb low C = -4.6
| Mar low C = -1.7
| Apr low C = 2.9
| May low C = 8.2
| Jun low C = 12.4
| Jul low C = 14.9
| Aug low C = 14.1
| Sep low C = 9.8
| Oct low C = 4.9
| Nov low C = 1.1
| Dec low C = -2.4
| Jan avg record low C = -16.4
| Feb avg record low C = -15.8
| Mar avg record low C = -10.4
| Apr avg record low C = -3.9
| May avg record low C = 0.2
| Jun avg record low C = 5.3
| Jul avg record low C = 9.3
| Aug avg record low C = 8.0
| Sep avg record low C = 3.0
| Oct avg record low C = -2.4
| Nov avg record low C = -6.5
| Dec avg record low C = -11.4
| year avg record low C = -20.3
| Jan record low C = −33.7
| Feb record low C = −34.9
| Mar record low C = −30.3
| Apr record low C = −13.1
| May record low C = −5.5
| Jun record low C = −2.3
| Jul record low C = 4.0
| Aug record low C = 0.0
| Sep record low C = −4.1
| Oct record low C = −9.5
| Nov record low C = −20.5
| Dec record low C = −31.9
| year record low C = −34.9
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 46.5
| Feb precipitation mm = 40.1
| Mar precipitation mm = 34.1
| Apr precipitation mm = 35.0
| May precipitation mm = 47.5
| Jun precipitation mm = 65.0
| Jul precipitation mm = 79.5
| Aug precipitation mm = 77.9
| Sep precipitation mm = 67.1
| Oct precipitation mm = 75.6
| Nov precipitation mm = 56.3
| Dec precipitation mm = 50.2
| year precipitation mm = 
| Jan snow cm = 25.0
| Feb snow cm = 23.6
| Mar snow cm = 15.7
| Apr snow cm = 5.2
| May snow cm = 0.0
| Jun snow cm = 0.0
| Jul snow cm = 0.0
| Aug snow cm = 0.0
| Sep snow cm = 0.0
| Oct snow cm = 1.2
| Nov snow cm = 7.0
| Dec snow cm = 22.0
| year snow cm = 
| unit precipitation days = 1.0mm
| Jan precipitation days = 11
| Feb precipitation days = 9
| Mar precipitation days = 8
| Apr precipitation days = 7
| May precipitation days = 8
| Jun precipitation days = 10
| Jul precipitation days = 9
| Aug precipitation days = 10
| Sep precipitation days = 9
| Oct precipitation days = 12
| Nov precipitation days = 11
| Dec precipitation days = 11
| year precipitation days = 
| Jan humidity = 85.9
| Feb humidity = 82.4
| Mar humidity = 76.0
| Apr humidity = 68.2
| May humidity = 66.3
| Jun humidity = 69.1
| Jul humidity = 71.0
| Aug humidity = 73.2
| Sep humidity = 78.5
| Oct humidity = 83.1
| Nov humidity = 87.2
| Dec humidity = 87.4
| year humidity = 77.4
| Jan sun = 36.6
| Feb sun = 64.2
| Mar sun = 141.2
| Apr sun = 203.6
| May sun = 286.7
| Jun sun = 282.2
| Jul sun = 291.2
| Aug sun = 250.4
| Sep sun = 166.7
| Oct sun = 95.5
| Nov sun = 36.1
| Dec sun = 24.4
| year sun = 
| Jan uv = 0
| Feb uv = 1
| Mar uv = 2
| Apr uv = 3
| May uv = 5
| Jun uv = 6
| Jul uv = 5
| Aug uv = 5
| Sep uv = 3
| Oct uv = 1
| Nov uv = 0
| Dec uv = 0
| source 1 = [[Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre|Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Agency]] (temperature, precipitation and sunshine)<ref name = 9120average>{{cite web
| url = https://data.gov.lv/dati/dataset/klimatisko-normu-dati/resource/4ef4a2ac-b439-478a-83b3-cdd39b1eff77
| title = Klimatisko normu dati
| language = lv
| publisher = [[Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre]]
| accessdate = March 17, 2023
| archive-date = 13 January 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230113024913/https://data.gov.lv/dati/dataset/klimatisko-normu-dati/resource/4ef4a2ac-b439-478a-83b3-cdd39b1eff77
| url-status = live
}}</ref><ref name = extremes>{{cite web
| url = https://klimats.meteo.lv/klimats/rekordi/
| title = Gaisa temperatūras rekordi
| language = lv
| publisher = [[Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre]]
| accessdate = March 17, 2023
| archive-date = 13 January 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230113024910/https://klimats.meteo.lv/klimats/rekordi/
| url-status = live
}}</ref>
| source 2 = [[NOAA]] (precipitation days, humidity 1991–2020),<ref name=NOAA>{{cite web
|url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Latvia/CSV/RigaLu_26422.csv
|title = Riga Climate Normals 1991–2020
|publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
|access-date = 2 February 2024
|archive-date = 31 March 2023
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230331000000/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Latvia/CSV/RigaLu_26422.csv
|url-status = live
}} [https://www.delfi.lv/laika-zinas/42384664/raksti/120007877/latvija-labots-menesa-siltuma-rekords Alt URL]</ref> Weather Atlas,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/latvia/riga-climate|title=Riga, Latvia – Detailed climate information and monthly weather forecast|publisher=Yu Media Group|website=Weather Atlas|language=en|access-date=6 July 2019|archive-date=6 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190706140053/https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/latvia/riga-climate|url-status=live}}</ref> and World Weather Online (snowfall)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.worldweatheronline.com/riga-weather-averages/riga/lv.aspx|title=Riga Climate Weather Averages|last=d.o.o|website=Weather Weather Online|language=en|access-date=29 August 2022|archive-date=29 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220829210456/https://www.worldweatheronline.com/riga-weather-averages/riga/lv.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
{|style="width:100%;text-align:center;line-height:1.2em;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto" class="wikitable"
|-
!Colspan=14|Coastal temperature data for Riga ([[Daugavgrīva]])
|-
!Month
!Jan
!Feb
!Mar
!Apr
!May
!Jun
!Jul
!Aug
!Sep
!Oct
!Nov
!Dec
!style="border-left-width:medium"|Year
|-
!Average sea temperature °C (°F)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|-20.0}}"|1.0<br />(33.80)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|-21.0}}"|0.7<br />(33.26)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|-21.6}}"|0.5<br />(32.90)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|-13.3}}"|3.0<br />(37.40)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|7.0}}"|9.1<br />(48.38)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|19.0}}"|15.5<br />(59.90)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|25.7}}"|19.6<br />(67.28)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|25.4}}"|19.4<br />(66.92)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|20.3}}"|16.3<br />(61.34)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|12.1}}"|11.3<br />(52.34)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|1.3}}"|7.4<br />(45.32)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|-9.0}}"|4.3<br />(39.74)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|6.7}}"|9.0<br />(48.21)
|-
!Colspan=14 style="background:#ffffff;font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;"|Source 1: Seatemperature.org<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://live.seatemperature.org/europe/latvia/daugavgriva.htm|title=Riga Sea Temperature|access-date=7 April 2023|archive-date=7 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407033612/https://live.seatemperature.org/europe/latvia/daugavgriva.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
|}

== Government ==
{{Main|Riga City Council}}
[[File:Riga - City Hall.jpg|thumb|[[Riga City Council]]]]

The head of the city government in Riga is the mayor, or officially the Chairman of the Riga City Council. The mayor is elected by the city council. The mayor is assisted by one or more Vice Mayors (deputy mayors).

The current mayor is [[Vilnis Ķirsis]], who was elected on 17 August 2023 from [[New Unity]], with support from "Coalition for Cooperation", consisting of [[New Unity]], [[National Alliance (Latvia)|National Alliance/Latvian Regional Alliance (NA/LRA)]], Code for Riga, [[Honor to serve Riga|Honor to server Riga]] and [[For Latvia's Development]] factions.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}

The city council is a democratically elected institution and is the final decision-making authority in the city. The Council consists of 60 members or deputies who are elected every four years. The Presidium of the Riga City Council consists of the Chairman of the Riga City Council and the representatives delegated by the political parties or party blocks elected to the City Council. From February to October 2020, the offices of the Mayor and Vice Mayors were suspended and the council itself had been dissolved and replaced by an interim administration of representatives from three [[Government of Latvia|governmental]] ministries until snap [[2020 Riga City Council election|elections]] were held in 2020.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}

== Demographics ==
[[File:Riga population pyramid in 2022.svg|thumb|Riga population pyramid in 2022]]{{historical populations|1897|282230|1920|185137|1925|337699|1930|377917|1935|385063|1959|580423|1970|731831|1979|835475|1989|915106|2000|764329|2011|658640|2021|614618|align=right|cols=1|source=<ref name="Cities of Latvia">{{cite web |title=Cities of Latvia|url=http://pop-stat.mashke.org/latvia-cities.htm}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Population and Housing Census 2000: Population of Latvia in cities and rural municipalities by age and sex
|url=https://data.stat.gov.lv/pxweb/en/OSP_OD/OSP_OD__tautassk__demogr__tsk2000/TSK00-05.px/table/tableViewLayout1/|publisher=Central Statistics Office of Latvia}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Population and Housing Census 2011: Resident population on 1 March 2011 by territorial unit and sex
|url=https://data.stat.gov.lv/pxweb/en/OSP_OD/OSP_OD__tautassk__demogr__tsk2011/TSG11-01.px/table/tableViewLayout1/|publisher=Central Statistics Office of Latvia}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Population by ethnicity in regions, cities, municipalities, towns, neighbourhoods and densely populated areas at the beginning of year 2012-2025|url=https://data.stat.gov.lv/pxweb/en/OSP_PUB/START__POP__IR__IRE/IRE071/table/tableViewLayout1/|publisher=Central Statistics Office of Latvia}}</ref>}}
With 591,882 inhabitants in 2025, Riga is one of the largest cities in the [[Baltic states]], though its population has decreased from just over 900,000 in 1991<ref name="population">{{cite web |url=https://data.stat.gov.lv/pxweb/en/OSP_PUB/START__POP__IR__IRS/IRD060/table/tableViewLayout1/|title=Population by sex in regions, cities, municipalities, towns and rural territories at the beginning of year|publisher=Central Statistical Bureau, official statistics of Latvia|access-date=3 October 2022}}</ref> and the population of [[Vilnius]] has just outnumbered that of Riga. Notable causes include emigration and [[Ageing of Europe|low birth rates]]. According to 2017 data, ethnic Latvians made up 44.03% of the population of Riga. [[Russians in Latvia|Russians]] formed 37.88%, [[Belarusians]] 3.72%, [[Ukrainians]] 3.66%, [[Polish people|Poles]] 1.83%, other ethnicities consisted 8.10%.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-12-12 |title=Riga Population 2025 |url=https://worldpopulationreview.com/cities/latvia/riga |access-date=2025-12-17 |website=World Population Review |language=en}}</ref> By comparison, 62.7% of Latvia's total population was ethnically Latvian, 24.5% Russian, 3.1% Belarusian, 2.2% Ukrainian, 2.0% Polish, 5.5% are of other origins.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tautas skaitīšanas gada grāmata |url=https://stat.gov.lv/lv/statistikas-temas/iedzivotaji/iedzivotaju-skaits/publikacijas-un-infografikas/15008-tautas |access-date=2025-12-17 |website=stat.gov.lv |language=lv}}</ref>

In contrast, just five years before the [[Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940|Soviet occupation of Latvia]], according to the 1935 Census, when the population of Riga was 385,063 inhabitants, ethnic Latvians made up 63% of the city's population. In addition, Jews formed 11.3%, Germans 10%, Russians 7.4% and Poles 4.1%, other ethnicities consisted 4.2%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ethnic composition of Latvia 1935 |url=http://pop-stat.mashke.org/latvia-ethnic1935.htm |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=pop-stat.mashke.org}}</ref>

Upon the [[History of Latvia#Restoration of independence|restoration of Latvia's independence in 1991]], [[Soviet-era]] immigrants (and any of their offspring born before 1991) were not automatically granted Latvian citizenship because they had migrated to the territory of Latvia during the years of [[Soviet occupation of Baltic states|Soviet occupation]]. The proportion of ethnic Latvians in Riga increased from 36.5% in 1989 to 47.4% in 2022.{{cn|date=August 2025}} In contrast, the percentage of Russians fell from 47.3% to 35.7% in the same time period. In 2022 citizens of Latvia made up 79.0%, [[non-citizens (Latvia)|non-citizens]] 15.3% and citizens of other countries 5.6% of the population of Riga.{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

== Economy ==
Riga is one of the key economic and financial centres of the [[Baltic states]]. Roughly half of all the jobs in Latvia are in Riga and the city generates more than 50% of Latvia's GDP as well as around half of Latvia's exports. The city boasts a diversified economy with strengths in information and communication technologies, global business services, manufacturing and a dynamic startup ecosystem.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.liveriga.com/userfiles/files/REP_25_eng_apskatei-compressed(2).pdf | title=The Economic Profile of Riga 2025 | website=www.liveriga.com}}</ref> The biggest exporters are in wood products, IT, food and beverage manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transport and metallurgy.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bizness.lv/prognozes-rezultati/id/10476/nosaukti-desmit-lielakie-eksportejosie-uznemumi-riga-un-rigas-regiona |title=/ Uzņēmējdarbība / Nosaukti desmit lielākie eksportējošie uzņēmumi Rīgā un Rīgas reģionā |publisher=Bizness.lv |access-date=12 March 2013 |archive-date=29 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629235358/http://www.bizness.lv/prognozes-rezultati/id/10476/nosaukti-desmit-lielakie-eksportejosie-uznemumi-riga-un-rigas-regiona |url-status=live }}</ref> Tourism is also a large industry in Riga and after a slowdown during the [[Great Recession|global economic recessions of the late 2000s]], grew 22% in 2011 alone.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tūristu skaits Latvijā pērn pieaudzis par 21%, Rīgā – par 22% – Izklaide |url=http://nra.lv/izklaide/turisms/67049-turistu-skaits-latvija-pern-pieaudzis-par-21-riga-par-22.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913232136/http://nra.lv/izklaide/turisms/67049-turistu-skaits-latvija-pern-pieaudzis-par-21-riga-par-22.htm |archive-date=13 September 2017 |access-date=12 March 2013 |publisher=nra.lv}}</ref>

The city benefits from strong transport links, including [[Riga International Airport]], and an active seaport. The forthcoming [[Rail Baltica]] project is expected to further enhance Riga's connectivity and integration into the European transport network, with the potential to reinforce its position as a strategic centre for trade in [[Northern Europe]].<ref>{{Cite web| title=The economic profile of the city of Riga 2024 | url=https://www.liveriga.com/userfiles/files/Invest_in_Riga/Priority%20Sectors/Economic_profile_24.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240515001835/https://www.liveriga.com/userfiles/files/Invest_in_Riga/Priority%20Sectors/Economic_profile_24.pdf | archive-date=2024-05-15}}</ref>

The Freeport of Riga is one of the largest in the Baltics. It handled a record 41.8 million tons of cargo in 2014<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-01-14 |title=Riga port finishes the year with the historically best results {{!}} Freeport of Riga Authority |url=https://rop.lv/en/news/riga-port-finishes-year-historically-best-results |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=rop.lv |language=en}}</ref> and completed a new development on Krievu Sala in 2018, with the aim of moving the port away from the central parts of the city.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rīgans should soon be able to breathe again |url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/economy/economy/riga-freeport-official-coal-dust-issue-has-been-solved.a312278/ |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=eng.lsm.lv |language=en}}</ref> However, its cargo turnover had been reduced by a half by 2024,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Port Statistics {{!}} Freeport of Riga Authority |url=https://rop.lv/en/port-statistics |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=rop.lv |language=en}}</ref> in large part due to decreased trade with Russia after the outbreak of [[Russo-Ukrainian War]] and the [[International sanctions during the Russo-Ukrainian War|sanctions]] imposed in response to it.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Latvian port cargo turnover saw sharp drop in 2023 |url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/economy/transport/22.01.2024-latvian-port-cargo-turnover-saw-sharp-drop-in-2023.a539832/ |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=eng.lsm.lv |language=en}}</ref>

Riga was intended to become the global financial centre in the former Soviet Union. [[Parex|One bank]], which provided high levels of secrecy for its customers, promoted itself as "We are closer than Switzerland!" ({{langx|ru|link=no|«Мы ближе, чем Швейцария!»}}).<ref>{{cite news |last=Caruana Galizia |first=Paul |url=https://members.tortoisemedia.com/2019/06/01/martins-bunkus/content.html |title=Dirty money, bloody murder |language=en |date=1 June 2019 |access-date=27 November 2020 |archive-date=16 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616073645/https://members.tortoisemedia.com/2019/06/01/martins-bunkus/content.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.compromat.ru/page_40559.htm |title=Кровь на счетах: Как связаны "латвийская прачечная" и расстрел адвоката, мешавшего банку ABLV Эрнеста Берниса и Олега Филя самоликвидироваться |trans-title=Blood on the bills: How are the "Latvian laundry" and the shooting of the lawyer who prevented the ABLV bank Ernest Bernis and Oleg Filya from self-liquidation? |language=ru |work=www.compromat.ru |date=10 July 2019 |access-date=27 November 2020 |archive-date=29 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129110654/http://www.compromat.ru/page_40559.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="PalmerTestimony">{{cite web |last=Palmer |first=Richard L. |url=https://archives-financialservices.house.gov/banking/92199pal.shtml |title=Statement of Richard L. Palmer, president of Cachet International, Inc. on the Infiltration of the Western Financial System by Elements of Russian Organized Crime before the House Committee on Banking and Financial Services |work=[[United States House of Representatives|House]] Committee on Banking and Financial Services |date=September 21, 1999 |access-date=December 7, 2020 |archive-date=July 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190729221747/https://archives-financialservices.house.gov/banking/92199pal.shtml}}</ref>{{efn|Richard L. Palmer, president of Cachet International, Inc., was the [[CIA]] [[station chief]] at the [[Embassy of the United States, Moscow|United States Embassy in Moscow]] from 1992 to 1994.<ref name=PalmerTestimony/><ref>{{cite news |last=Foer |first=Franklin |author-link=Franklin Foer |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/03/how-kleptocracy-came-to-america/580471/ |title=Russian-Style Kleptocracy Is Infiltrating America: When the U.S.S.R. collapsed, Washington bet on the global spread of democratic capitalist values—and lost. |work=[[The Atlantic]] |date=March 1, 2019 |access-date=December 7, 2020 |archive-date=8 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208004338/https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/03/how-kleptocracy-came-to-america/580471/}}</ref>}} On 28 July 1995, twenty Latvian banks with assistance of persons from the [[Paris Stock Exchange]] organised the [[Riga Stock Exchange]] which was the first Latvian stock exchange in Riga.<ref>{{cite news|last=Семенов|first=Александр (Cememov, Alexander)|url=https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/114428|title=В Латвии создана фондовая биржа. Латвийские банки организовали себе фондовую биржу: В Риге состоялось торжественное открытие Рижской фондовой биржи, на котором присутствовало около 200 представителей финансового мира Балтии, а также стран Западной и Восточной Европы. Учредителями биржи стали 20 латвийских банков.|trans-title=Stock exchange established in Latvia. Latvian banks have organized a stock exchange for themselves: The grand opening of the Riga Stock Exchange took place in Riga, which was attended by about 200 representatives of the Baltic financial world, as well as Western and Eastern European countries. The founders of the exchange were 20 Latvian banks.|language=ru|work=[[Kommersant]]|date=28 July 1995|access-date=15 December 2020|archive-date=16 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201216044149/https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/114428}}</ref>

<gallery mode="packed">
File:Bank of Latvia 01.jpg|Bank of Latvia
File:Riga stock exchange.jpg|Riga Stock Exchange early 20th century. Now the Art Museum Riga Bourse.
</gallery>

=== Tourism ===
{{Main|Tourism in Riga}}

Riga is one of the leading travel destinations in the [[Baltic region]] in terms of overnight stays by foreign visitors.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-05 |title=Riga has lost its leading position among the Baltic capitals in number of overnight stays of foreign guests {{!}} Baltic News |url=https://balticnews.com/riga-has-lost-its-leading-position-among-the-baltic-capitals-in-number-of-overnight-stays-of-foreign-guests/ |access-date=2025-05-28 |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2024, the city welcomed over 1.1 million international tourists.

Summer remains the peak season for tourism in Riga, however, it's also seeing a growing influx of visitors in December,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Riga's Tourism in 2024 – Best Year Since 2019; Taking 2nd Place in a Prestigious European Ranking {{!}} Rīgas valstspilsētas pašvaldība |url=https://www.riga.lv/en/article/rigas-tourism-2024-best-year-2019-taking-2nd-place-prestigious-european-ranking |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=www.riga.lv |language=en}}</ref> largely due to the city's transformation into a festive destination during the holiday season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A first-time guide to Rīga, Latvia |url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/guide-to-riga |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=Lonely Planet |language=en}}</ref> The [[Riga Christmas Market]], located in the Old Town of Riga, serves as a key attraction during the Christmas period.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-05-28 |title=A winter guide to Riga, Latvia's petite, snow-dusted capital |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/winter-guide-to-riga-latvia |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=Travel |language=en}}</ref>

The most popular attractions include the [[Riga Zoo]], [[House of the Blackheads (Riga)|House of the Blackheads]], [[Riga Central Market]], the [[Latvian National Museum of Art]] and the [[Latvian Museum of Natural History|Latvian National Museum of Natural History]], as well as its historic [[Vecrīga|Old Town]] and the [[Art Nouveau architecture in Riga|Art Nouveau architecture]] found in high concentration the centre of the city.

In addition to leisure tourism, Riga serves as a significant venue for international trade fairs and exhibitions. The city hosts a variety of annual events across sectors such as technology, agriculture, and business.

== Culture ==
[[File:Opera Nacional, Riga, Letonia, 2012-08-07, DD 15.JPG|thumb|right|The [[Latvian National Opera]]]]

=== Theatres ===
* The [[Latvian National Opera]] was founded in 1918. The repertoire of the theatre embraces all opera masterpieces. Housed in a neoclassical building completed in 1863, it has become one of RIga's landmarks. The Latvian National Opera is famous not only for its operas, but for its ballet troupe as well.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.opera.lv/opera.php?lang=2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071226023239/http://www.opera.lv/opera.php?lang=2 |archive-date=26 December 2007 |title=Latvian National Opera |publisher=Opera.lv |access-date=6 May 2009 }}</ref>
* The [[Latvian National Theatre]], founded in 1919, is renowned for preserving the traditions of Latvian drama. It is one of the biggest theatres in Latvia and is also notable as the site where [[People's Council of Latvia|Latvia declared its independence in 1918]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.teatris.lv/|title=Home » Latvijas Nacionālais teātris|work=teatris.lv|access-date=10 February 2016|archive-date=31 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031234111/http://www.teatris.lv/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* The [[Mikhail Chekhov Riga Russian Theatre]] is the oldest professional drama theatre in Latvia, established in 1883. The repertoire of the theatre includes classical plays and experimental performances of Russian and other foreign playwrights.
* The [[Daile Theatre]] was opened for the first time in 1920. It is one of the most successful theatres in Latvia and is distinguished by its frequent productions of modern foreign plays.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailesteatris.lv/index.php?&268|title=The Daile Theatre – Repertory |publisher=Dailesteatris.lv |access-date=25 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090429143725/http://www.dailesteatris.lv/index.php?&268|archive-date=29 April 2009}}</ref> It's also known for the building it's housed in, which is considered as one of the most important examples of modernist architecture in Riga.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Daile Theatre, 1959–1976, by Architect Marta Staņa (1913–1972) {{!}} Latvijas Kultūras kanons | url=https://kulturaskanons.lv/en/archive/dailes-teatris/ | access-date=2025-05-28 | website=kulturaskanons.lv}}</ref>
* Latvian State Puppet Theatre was founded in 1944 and presents shows for children and adults.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.puppet.lv/|title=Latvijas Leļļu teātris|work=puppet.lv|access-date=25 July 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100310074902/http://www.puppet.lv/|archive-date=10 March 2010}}</ref>
* The [[New Riga Theatre]] was opened in 1992 and has since become one of the most popular theatres in Latvia, also attracting audiences abroad.<ref>{{Cite web | title=The New Riga Theatre, since 1993, Under the Leadership of Director Alvis Hermanis (1965) {{!}} Latvijas Kultūras kanons | url=https://kulturaskanons.lv/en/archive/alvja-hermana-jaunais-rigas-teatris/ | access-date=2025-05-28 | website=kulturaskanons.lv}}</ref>

===Mežaparks Great Bandstand===
[[File:Mežaparka estrāde detail.jpg|thumb|The Mežaparks Great Bandstand]]
{{main|Mežaparks Great Bandstand}}

The Mežaparks Great Bandstand (Latvian: Mežaparka Lielā estrāde) is an open-air bandstand in [[Mežaparks (park)|Mežaparks park]]. The Bandstand is the place where the [[Latvian Song and Dance Festival]], one of the largest amateur choral and dancing events in the world and part of [[UNESCO]] [[Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Baltic song and dance celebrations |url=https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/baltic-song-and-dance-celebrations-00087 |publisher=[[UNESCO]] |accessdate=20 August 2009}}</ref> list, takes places every five years.

=== World Choir Games ===
Riga hosted the biannual 2014 [[World Choir Games]] from 9 to 19 July 2014 which coincided with the city being named [[European Capital of Culture]] for 2014.<ref name="interkultur.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.interkultur.com/fileadmin/pdf_data/latvia/Riga%202014/information/Event_Calendar_-_WCG_Riga_2014.pdf |title=Event Calendar of the 8th World Choir Games 2014, Rīga, Latvia |access-date=5 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130206070255/http://www.interkultur.com/fileadmin/pdf_data/latvia/Riga%202014/information/Event_Calendar_-_WCG_Riga_2014.pdf |archive-date=6 February 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.liveriga.com/en/5727 |title=Riga – European Capital of Culture 2014 :: LIVE RīGA |publisher=Liveriga.com |access-date=12 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121207104047/http://www.liveriga.com/en/5727 |archive-date=7 December 2012}}</ref> The event, organised by the choral foundation, [[Interkultur]], takes place at various host cities every two years and was originally known as the "Choir Olympics".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interkultur.com/world-choir-games/history/ |title=History – World Choir Games |publisher=interkultur.com |access-date=12 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130206070308/http://www.interkultur.com/world-choir-games/history/ |archive-date=6 February 2013}}</ref> The event regularly sees over 15,000 choristers in over 300 choirs from over 60 nations compete for gold, silver and bronze medals in over 20 categories. The competition is further divided into a Champions Competition and an Open Competition to allow choirs from all backgrounds to enter.<ref name="interkultur.com"/> Choral workshops and festivals are also witnessed in the host cities and are usually open to the public.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interkultur.com/competitions-festivals/world-choir-games/riga-2014/workshops/ |title=Workshops – World Choir Games Riga 2014 |publisher=interkultur.com |access-date=12 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130206070304/http://www.interkultur.com/competitions-festivals/world-choir-games/riga-2014/workshops/ |archive-date=6 February 2013}}</ref>

=== Food ===
As a modern European capital, Riga offers a diverse selection of restaurants, from traditional [[Latvian cuisine]] to various international influences.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The 50 best restaurants to have dinner in Riga |url=https://wanderlog.com/list/geoCategory/29629/best-restaurants-to-have-dinner-in-riga |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=Wanderlog |language=en}}</ref> Its fine dining establishments also include two [[Michelin Guide|Michelin-starred]] restaurants.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The MICHELIN Guide Latvia 2025: All The Winners |url=https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/michelin-guide-ceremony/the-michelin-guide-latvia-riga-2025-winners-michelin-guide-ceremony |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=MICHELIN Guide |language=en-US}}</ref> Additionally, the city organizes Riga Restaurant Weeks in both spring and autumn,<ref>{{Cite web |title=The number of tourists in Riga sees a stable rise, reaching 1.2 million in 2023 |url=https://www.liveriga.com/lv/13185-turistu-skaits-riga-stabili-atjaunojas-2023-gada-sasniedzot-1-2-miljonu |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=www.liveriga.com |language=en}}</ref> during which participating restaurants offer specially curated menus.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Riga Restaurant Week begins |url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/culture/food-drink/01.04.2025-riga-restaurant-week-begins.a593700/ |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=eng.lsm.lv |language=en}}</ref>

=== Music and nightlife ===
[[Positivus Festival]], the largest music festival in the Baltics, takes place in [[Lucavsala]], after relocating from the coastal town of [[Salacgrīva]] in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Positivus festival will stay in Rīga next year |url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/culture/music/positivus-festival-will-stay-in-riga-next-year.a483548/ |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=eng.lsm.lv |language=en}}</ref> Since then, it has featured performances by local and international artists like [[ASAP Rocky|A$AP Rocky]], [[Megan Thee Stallion]], [[Sam Smith]] and [[Jamie xx|Jamie XX]].<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Interviews |first1=Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & |last2=ClashMusic |date=2022-07-26 |title=Live Report: Positivus Festival 2022 {{!}} Live |url=https://www.clashmusic.com/live/live-report-positivus-festival-2022/ |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=ERR |first=ERR News {{!}} |date=2023-06-10 |title=LSM lists summer festivals taking place across all three Baltic states |url=https://news.err.ee/1609003775/lsm-lists-summer-festivals-taking-place-across-all-three-baltic-states |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=ERR |language=en}}</ref>

The nightlife in Riga is scattered around various locations – the biggest concentration of bars and nightclubs, mostly oriented on tourists, can be found in the Old Town, but many popular establishments can be found in various parts of Central Riga and beyond, in areas such as [[Avoti]], [[Teika, Riga|Teika]], [[Āgenskalns]] and others, as well as in creative quarters, for example Tallinas Kvartāls or Briāna Kvartāls.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nightlife in Riga |url=https://www.liveriga.com/lv/12557-rigas-naktsdzive |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=www.liveriga.com |language=en}}</ref>

== Architecture ==
[[File:Riga Castle seen across the river Daugava .jpg|thumb|right|[[Riga Castle]]]]

The [[Riga Radio and TV Tower|radio and TV tower]] of Riga is the tallest structure in Latvia and the Baltic States, and one of the tallest in the European Union, reaching {{cvt|368.5|m|0}}. Riga centre also has many great examples of Gothic revival architecture, such as the [[Kalpaka Boulevard Library]], and a bevy of [[Art Nouveau]] architecture, as well as a medieval old town.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=@NatGeoUK|date=2020-02-17|title=A city guide to Riga, Latvia's thriving capital|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/2020/02/city-guide-riga-latvias-thriving-capital|access-date=2021-01-05|website=National Geographic|language=en-gb|archive-date=19 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119030854/https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/2020/02/city-guide-riga-latvias-thriving-capital|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Art Nouveau ===
{{Main|Art Nouveau architecture in Riga}}

Riga has one of the largest collections of [[Art Nouveau]] buildings in the world, with at least 800 buildings.<ref name=":0"/> This is due to the fact that at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, when Art Nouveau was at the height of its popularity, Riga experienced an unprecedented financial and demographic boom.<ref name=grosa>{{cite book |last= Grosa|first= Silvija|date= 2003|title= Art Nouveau in Riga|publisher= Jumava|page= 3|isbn=9984-05-601-5}}</ref> In the period from 1857 its population grew from 282,000 (256,200 in Riga itself and another 26,200 inhabitants beyond the city limits in the [[Pierīga|patrimonial district]] and [[military townlet]] of [[Ust-Dvinsk]]) to 472,100 in 1913.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.russkije.lv/files/images/text/RL_0004X.jpg| title = НАЦИОНАЛЬНЫЙ СОСТАВ НАСЕЛЕНИЯ ЛАТВИИ ЗА 110 ЛЕТ В ЗЕРКАЛЕ СТАТИСТИКИ, Федотов А.Н| access-date = 18 July 2021| archive-date = 18 July 2021| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210718181515/https://www.russkije.lv/files/images/text/RL_0004X.jpg| url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://en.calameo.com/read/0020559683290f86e374f| title = Перепись населения в городе Риге и Рижском патримониальном округе от 5 декабря 1913 г.| access-date = 18 July 2021| archive-date = 18 July 2021| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210718190550/https://en.calameo.com/read/0020559683290f86e374f| url-status = live}}</ref> The middle class of Riga used their acquired wealth to build imposing apartment blocks outside the former [[city walls]]. Local architects, mostly graduates of [[Riga Technical University]], adopted current European movements and in particular Art Nouveau.<ref name=krastinsjournal>{{cite journal |last= Krastins|first= Janis|date= 2006|title= Architecture and Urban Development of Art Nouveau – Metropolis Riga|journal= International Review of Sociology|publisher= [[Routledge]]|volume=16 |issue= 2|pages= 395–425|doi=10.1080/03906700600709327|s2cid= 146754212}}</ref> Between 1910 and 1913, between 300 and 500 new buildings were built each year in Riga, many of them in Art Nouveau style and most of them outside the old town.<ref name=krastinsjournal/>
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Edificio modernista en Alberta iela 13, Riga, Letonia, 2012-08-07, DD 01.jpg|[[Albert Street, Riga|Alberta iela]] 13
File:Edificio modernista en Alberta iela 2a, Riga, Letonia, 2012-08-07, DD 02.JPG|Alberta iela 2a
File:Alberta ielā 12 20120728-05.JPG|Staircase of Alberta iela 12
File:A. Čaka iela 26 Rīga 03.jpg|Aleksandra Čaka iela 26
File:La salle à manger (musée dart nouveau, Riga) (7562659988).jpg|Riga Art Nouveau Museum
File:Edificio modernista en Strelnieku Iela 4a, Riga, Letonia, 2012-08-07, DD 01.JPG|Strēlnieku iela 4a
File:0871 LVA Riga art noveau relief meistaru iela 10.jpg|Meistaru iela 10 relief
File:0872 LVA Riga art noveau relief.jpg|Strelnieku iela relief
File:Alberta-6.jpg|alt=Facade of the Art Nouveau building at Alberta iela 6, Riga, Latvia|Alberta iela 6
</gallery>

== Sports ==
Riga has a rich [[basketball]] history. In 1937, as the defending champions, in hosted the [[EuroBasket 1937|second edition]] of the [[EuroBasket]] tournament. In the 1950s, [[Rīgas ASK]] became the best club in the Soviet Union and also in Europe, winning the first three editions of the [[EuroLeague|European Cup for Men's Champions Clubs]] from 1958 to 1960.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.fibaeurope.com/cid_7b0E4jiIIfk6gZwtQpkB30.coid_GCcu4PUDGXsHamzPQmY7e1.articleMode_on.html|title= Federation Focus: Latvia – 10 years FIBA Europe |publisher= FIBA Europe |date= 24 September 2012|access-date= 23 December 2014|archive-date= 1 January 2016|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160101113813/http://www.fibaeurope.com/cid_7b0E4jiIIfk6gZwtQpkB30.coid_GCcu4PUDGXsHamzPQmY7e1.articleMode_on.html|url-status= live}}</ref>

In 1960, ASK was not the only team from Riga to take the European crown. [[TTT Riga]] clinched their first title in the [[EuroLeague Women|European Cup for Women's Champion Clubs]], turning Riga into the capital city of European basketball because for the first and, to date, only time in the history of European basketball, clubs from the same city were concurrent European men's and women's club champions.<ref>{{cite web |url-status=usurped |url=http://www.eurobasket2015.org/en/cid_FaTi64YyIbQDnvc3JDbil1.pageID_ncqLsNDmIWkdSLfIjNoxT1.compID_qMRZdYCZI6EoANOrUf9le2.season_2015.html |title=Riga: A Closer Look |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150607072708/http://www.eurobasket2015.org/en/cid_FaTi64YyIbQDnvc3JDbil1.pageID_ncqLsNDmIWkdSLfIjNoxT1.compID_qMRZdYCZI6EoANOrUf9le2.season_2015.html |archive-date=7 June 2015 |website=EuroBasket 2015 }}</ref>

Riga hosted one of the groups for [[EuroBasket 2015]], and will host again for the third time in [[EuroBasket 2025|2025]], this time also hosting the knockout phase and the final. It also hosted the women's Eurobasket tournament in [[EuroBasket Women 2009|2009]].

The city also hosted the Men's Ice Hockey World Championships in [[2006 IIHF World Championship|2006]], [[2021 IIHF World Championship|2021]] and [[2023 IIHF World Championship|2023]].

=== Sports clubs ===
[[File:Arēna Rīga.jpg|thumb|[[Xiaomi Arena]], home to multiple sports clubs of Riga]]
* Basketball
** [[BK VEF Rīga]] – a professional basketball team that is a twelve-time [[Latvijas Basketbola līga|Latvian champion]]. VEF also participates in high-level international competition such as [[Eurocup Basketball|Eurocup]] and [[Basketball Champions League]].
** [[Barons LMT|BK Barons]] – a men's basketball team, two-time [[Latvijas Basketbola līga|Latvian champion]], as well as the [[2007–08 FIBA EuroCup|2008]] [[FIBA EuroCup]] winner. Ceased to exist in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bronzas medaļnieki «Barons kvartāls» basketbolisti jaunajā sezonā LBL nespēlēs |url=https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/sports/basketbols/bronzas-medalnieki-barons-kvartals-basketbolisti-jaunaja-sezona-lbl-nespeles.a250809/ |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=www.lsm.lv |language=lv}}</ref> 
** [[TTT Riga]] – a women's basketball team, which between 1960 and 1982 won eighteen [[FIBA EuroLeague Women]] titles
** [[Rīgas Zeļļi]] – a men's basketball club established in 2023. They managed to reach the final of the [[Latvijas Basketbola līga|Latvian Basketball League]] in their first season, and the final of the [[Latvian–Estonian Basketball League|Latvian–Estonian League]] in their second season.
* [[Ice hockey]]
** [[Dinamo Riga]] – a professional ice hockey club established in 2008. It played in the [[Kontinental Hockey League]] until 2022. Dinamo was established as a successor to the [[Dinamo Riga (original)|former hockey team with the same name]], which was founded in 1946 but ceased to exist in 1995. However, the revived team also went defunct in 2023.
** [[HK Riga]] – the junior team of Dinamo Riga, which used to play in the [[Junior Hockey League (Russia)|MHL]] until withdrawing after the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Oficiāli: Rīgas 'Dinamo' nestartēs nākamajā KHL čempionāta sezonā |url=https://www.delfi.lv/sports/33271443/news/54217704/oficiali-rigas-dinamo-nestartes-nakamaja-khl-cempionata-sezona |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=www.delfi.lv |date=5 April 2022 |language=lv}}</ref>
* [[Association football|Football]]
**[[Riga FC]] – Riga Football Club, commonly referred to as Riga FC, were established in 2015 after a merger of two Riga based teams – FC Caramba Riga and Dinamo Rīga. After winnthing the top-division [[Latvian Higher League|Virslīga]] for the first time in [[2018 Latvian Higher League|2018]], they also won championships in [[2019 Latvian Higher League|2019]] and [[2020 Latvian Higher League|2020]].
** [[FK RFS|RFS]] – even though the club's name is derived from the city-owned Riga Football School (RFS), the professional club currently has no relation to it. After debuting in Virslīga in [[2016 Latvian Higher League|2016]], they have won 3 Latvian championships and also qualified for [[UEFA Conference League]] group stage in [[2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League group stage|2022]] and [[UEFA Europa League]] league phase in [[2024–25 UEFA Europa League league phase|2024]].
** [[FS Metta-LU]] – founded in 2006. Metta play their home games at [[Daugava Stadium (Riga)|Daugava Stadium]].
** [[JDFS Alberts]] – Jura Docenko Futbola Skola Alberts, commonly referred to as JDFS Alberts was founded as a football school in 2008 and subsequently became a professional Latvian football league team.
**[[Riga United FC]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rigaunited.com/en/|title=Riga United FC |website=Riga United FC|access-date=14 May 2019|archive-date=14 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514094944/http://www.rigaunited.com/en/|url-status=live}}</ref>
::'''Dissolved Football Clubs'''
:* [[Skonto FC]] – Skonto FC was a football club established in 1991. The club won fourteen successive [[Latvian Higher League]] titles. For a long time it provided the core of the [[Latvian national football team]]. Following financial problems, the club was demoted to the Latvian First League in 2016 and went bankrupt in December of that year and subsequently dissolved.
:* [[JFK Olimps]] – JFK Olimps played in the top division of Latvian football. The club was founded in 2005 and dissolved in 2012. According to a study from January 2011, the club was the youngest team in Europe, with an average age of 19.02 years.

=== Sports facilities ===
[[File:Skonto Stadions.jpg|right|thumb|[[Skonto Stadium]] ]]
* [[Arena Riga]] – a multi-purpose arena built in 2006 as the main venue for the [[2006 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships]]. It can hold up to 14,500 people and has hosted [[ice hockey]], basketball and volleyball events, as well as [[Red Bull X-Fighters]]
* [[Skonto Stadium]] – a football stadium, built in 2000. It is the main stadium used for games of the [[Latvian national football team]] and the home stadium of Riga FC. The stadium was previously the home stadium of Skonto FC prior to the team's dissolution.
* [[Daugava Stadium (Riga)|Daugava Stadium]] – a stadium built in 1958, used for both [[Association football|football]] and [[Sport of athletics|athletics]]
* [[Biķernieki Complex Sports Base]] – Latvia's leading [[motorsport]] complex. It used to host a round in the [[FIA World Rallycross Championship]] from 2016 to 2022 and also served as a stage for the [[World Rally Championship]] event in [[2024 World Rally Championship|2024]], the Tet Rally Latvia.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tet Rally Latvia |url=https://www.lvrally.com/en/news/at-the-bikernieki-track-the-historically-first-tet-rally-latvia-stage-and-spectator-activities-even-before-the-start |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=www.lvrally.com}}</ref>

=== Sports events ===
The [[Riga Marathon]], held annually in May, is one of the biggest sporting events in the country. In 2025 it recorded 40,122 participants from 109 countries around the world. The city has also hosted many notable one-off sports events, listed below.
* [[EuroBasket 1937]]
* [[1999 European Athletics Junior Championships]]
* [[EuroBasket Women 2009]]
* [[2006 IIHF World Championship|2006 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships]]
* [[Riga Marathon]]
* [[2013 World Women's Curling Championship]]
* [[EuroBasket 2015]]
* [[2016 Men's World Floorball Championships]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.floorball.org/default.asp?sivu=5&alasivu=26|title=IFF Events 2012–2018 Organisers/Interested organisers |work=IFF |access-date=4 September 2013|archive-date=23 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223012743/http://www.floorball.org/default.asp?sivu=5&alasivu=26|url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[2021 IIHF World Championship]]
* [[FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2021]]
* [[2023 World Athletics Road Running Championships]]
* [[2023 IIHF World Championship]]
* [[EuroBasket 2025]]

== Transport ==
[[File:16-08-31-Škoda 24Tr Irisbus Riga-RR2 4505.jpg|thumb|One of the several trolleybus types in Riga]]
[[File:Riga tram 57201 2020-03.jpg|thumb|A [[Škoda 15 T]] tram in Riga]]
[[File:Latvia railways frequency of commuter trains 2016.svg|thumb|upright=1.4|Riga is a large hub in the [[Pasažieru vilciens|Passenger Train]] network: commuter train frequency in 2016.]]
Riga, with its central geographic position and concentration of population, has always been the infrastructural hub of Latvia. Several [[List of national roads in Latvia|national roads]] begin in Riga, and [[European route E22]] crosses Riga from the east and west, while the [[European route E67|Via Baltica]] crosses Riga from the south and north.

As a city situated by a river, Riga also has several bridges. The oldest-standing bridge is the [[Railway Bridge, Riga|Railway Bridge]], which is also the only railroad-carrying bridge in Riga. The [[Stone Bridge, Riga|Stone Bridge]] (''Akmens tilts'') connects [[Old Riga]] and [[Pārdaugava]]; the [[Island Bridge, Riga|Island Bridge]] (''Salu tilts'') connects [[Maskavas Forštate]] and Pārdaugava via [[Zaķusala]]; and the [[Vanšu Bridge|Shroud Bridge]] (''Vanšu tilts'') connects Old Riga and Pārdaugava via [[Ķīpsala]]. In 2008, the first stage of the new [[Southern Bridge]] (''Dienvidu tilts'') route across the Daugava was completed, and was opened to traffic on 17 November.<ref name="rdpad1">{{cite web|url=http://www.rdpad.lv/en/south_bridge/|title=Explanatory Note on Planning and Building of the Southern Bridge Route|publisher=Riga City Council City Development Department|access-date=21 August 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928091749/http://www.rdpad.lv/en/south_bridge/|archive-date=28 September 2007}}</ref>

The Southern Bridge was the biggest{{Dubious|date=July 2024}} construction project in the Baltic states in 20 years, and its purpose was to reduce [[traffic congestion]] in the city centre.<ref name="dienvidu">{{cite web|url=http://www.dienvidutilts.lv/index.php?lang_id=2&menu_id=18|title=Introduction |access-date=21 August 2007|publisher=Dienvidu Tilts |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070915162206/http://www.dienvidutilts.lv/index.php?lang_id=2&menu_id=18|archive-date=15 September 2007}}</ref><ref name="rdsd">{{cite web|url=http://www.rdsd.lv/?ct=dienvidu_tilts|title=Dienvidu tilta maģistrālie pievedceļi|language=lv|publisher=rdsd.lv|access-date=27 July 2009|archive-date=4 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904113143/http://www.rdsd.lv/?ct=dienvidu_tilts|url-status=live}}</ref> Another major construction project is the planned Riga Northern [[transport corridor]];<ref name="zkoridors">{{cite web|url=http://www.ziemelukoridors.lv/pages/main.php?l=en&tema=2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806213831/http://www.ziemelukoridors.lv/pages/main.php?l=en&tema=2 |archive-date=6 August 2020 |title=Northern Corridor; About project |access-date=21 August 2007 |publisher=ziemelukoridors.lv}}</ref> its first segment detailed project was completed in 2015.<ref name="rdpad2">{{cite web|url=http://www.rdpad.lv/izstradats-rigas-ziemelu-transporta-koridora-1-posma-tehniskais-projekts-buvprojekts/|title=Izstrādāts Rīgas Ziemeļu transporta koridora 1.posma tehniskais projekts / būvprojekts|date=29 December 2015 |publisher=Riga City Council City Development Department|language=lv|access-date=8 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160216034547/http://www.rdpad.lv/izstradats-rigas-ziemelu-transporta-koridora-1-posma-tehniskais-projekts-buvprojekts/|archive-date=16 February 2016}}</ref>

The [[Freeport of Riga]] facilitates cargo and passenger traffic by sea. Sea ferries connect [[Riga Passenger Terminal]] to [[Stockholm]] operated by [[Tallink]].<ref name="tallink">{{cite web|url=http://www.tallinksilja.com/lv/web/lv/riga-stokholma|title=Kursēšanas grafiki|language=lv|publisher=[[Tallink]]|access-date=27 January 2015|archive-date=1 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201060917/http://www.tallinksilja.com/lv/web/lv/riga-stokholma|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Riga has one active airport that serves commercial airlines—the [[Riga International Airport]] (RIX), built in 1973. It is the primary hub of [[AirBaltic]] and a base for [[Ryanair|RyanAir]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vaivade |first=Samanta |date=2023-04-12 |title=Latvia Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know |url=https://travelspill.com/guides/comprehensive-guide-to-latvia-3096/ |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=Travel Spill |language=en-US}}</ref> Renovation and modernisation of the airport was completed in 2001, coinciding with the 800th anniversary of the city. In 2006, a new terminal extension was opened. Extension of the runway was completed in October 2008, and the airport is now able to accommodate large aircraft such as the Airbus A340, Boeing 747, 757, 767 and 777. Another terminal extension is under construction {{As of|2014|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.riga-airport.com/lv/main/zinas/medijiem/preses-relizes-2014/lidosta-riga-svinigi-atklaj-jaunas-piestatnes-ekas-buvniecibas-saksanu|title=Lidostā "Rīga" svinīgi atklāj jaunās piestātnes ēkas būvniecības sākšanu|publisher=Starptautiskā lidosta "Rīga"|language=lv|access-date=27 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150209065412/http://www.riga-airport.com/lv/main/zinas/medijiem/preses-relizes-2014/lidosta-riga-svinigi-atklaj-jaunas-piestatnes-ekas-buvniecibas-saksanu|archive-date=9 February 2015}}</ref> The annual number of passengers has grown from 310,000 in 1993 to 4.7&nbsp;million in 2014, making Riga International Airport the largest in the Baltic States. A new multi-modal hub is planned around the airport with a [[Rail Baltica]] station and airport city development planned.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Riga Airport: Investments in future development and competitiveness |url=https://www.internationalairportreview.com/article/174375/riga-airport-investments-in-future-development-and-competitiveness/ |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=International Airport Review |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ellichipuram |first=Umesh |date=2022-02-10 |title=Riga Airport announces medium-term development plan |url=https://www.airport-technology.com/news/riga-airport-medium-term-development-plan/ |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=Airport Technology |language=en-US}}</ref>

The former international airport of Riga, [[Spilve Airport]], located {{cvt|5|km|0}} from Riga city centre, is used for small aircraft, pilot training and recreational aviation. Riga was also home to a military air base during the [[Cold War]]—[[Rumbula Air Base]].

Public transport in the city is provided by [[Rīgas Satiksme]] which operates a large number of trams, buses and [[trolleybus]]es on an extensive network of routes across the city. In addition, up until 2012 many private owners operated [[minibus]] services, after which the City Council established the unified transport company ''Rīgas mikroautobusu satiksme'', establishing a monopoly over the service.

[[Riga International Coach Terminal]] provides domestic and international connections by [[Coach (bus)|coach]].

As the population of Riga city started to approach 1 million people in the 1980s, the city became eligible (under the Soviet standards of the time) for the construction of a subway system [[Riga Metro]], which would have been paid for by the Soviet government. However, the widespread protests from the public put an end to this plan,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-06-28 |title=The Unbuilt Soviet Metro System that Haunts Latvia's Capital: Struggle |url=https://deepbaltic.com/2019/06/28/the-unbuilt-soviet-metro-system-that-haunts-latvias-capital-struggle/ |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=Deep Baltic |language=en-US}}</ref> and the population decline from the 1990s onwards has made it irrelevant.

Riga is connected to the rest of Latvia by [[Latvian Railways#Domestic routes|domestic trains]] operated by the national carrier [[Pasažieru vilciens|Passenger Train]], whose headquarters are in Riga. The main railway station is the [[Riga Central Station]]. It has stops for public transport along the streets Satekles iela, 13. janvāra iela Marijas iela, and Merķeļa iela. There are also [[Latvian Railways#International routes|international rail services]] to [[Lithuania]] and [[Estonia]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Baltic train link now has one transfer instead of two |url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/economy/transport/10.02.2025-baltic-train-link-now-has-one-transfer-instead-of-two.a587142/ |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=eng.lsm.lv |language=en}}</ref> A [[TEN-T]] project called [[Rail Baltica]] envisages building a [[high-speed rail]]way line via Riga connecting [[Tallinn]] to [[Warsaw]] using [[standard gauge]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/infrastructure/ten-t-policy/linking_en.htm|title=The trans-European transport network policy connecting East and West|access-date=27 January 2015|archive-date=23 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150123121057/http://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/infrastructure/ten-t-policy/linking_en.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> is expected to be put into operation in 2030.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Latvia announces start of Rail Baltica mainline construction |url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/economy/transport/22.05.2024-latvia-announces-start-of-rail-baltica-mainline-construction.a555013/ |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=eng.lsm.lv |language=en}}</ref> [[Latvian Railways]] ({{langx|lv|Latvijas dzelzceļš}} or ''LDz'') operates the Latvian Rail History Museum in Riga.

== Universities ==
{{Div col}}
*[[University of Latvia]] (LU)
*[[Art Academy of Latvia]] (LMA)
*[[Riga Technical University]] (RTU)
*[[Riga Stradiņš University]] (RSU)
*[[Riga Graduate School of Law]] (RGSL)
*[[Stockholm School of Economics in Riga]] (SSE Riga)
*[[BA School of Business and Finance]] (BA)
*[[Transport and Telecommunication Institute]] (TTI)
*[[Riga International School of Economics and Business Administration]] (RISEBA)
*[[Turība University]]
*[[Riga Aeronautical Institute]] (RAI)
{{Div col end}}

== Notable people ==
{{Split section|date=January 2026}}
{{alumni|people|date=January 2026}}
{{Dynamic list |date=January 2026}}
=== Public service ===
[[File:IsaiahBerlin1983.jpg|thumb|upright=.65|[[Isaiah Berlin]], 1983]]
[[File:Sergei Eisenstein 03.jpg|thumb|upright=.65|[[Sergei Eisenstein]], early 1920s]]
[[File:Elina Garanca (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright=.65|[[Elīna Garanča]], 2012]]
[[File:Johann Gottfried Herder 2.jpg|thumb|upright=.65|[[Johann Gottfried Herder]], painted in 1785]]
[[File:KauffmannKruedener.jpg|thumb|upright=.65|[[Barbara von Krüdener|Baroness von Krüdener]] and her son Paul, painted in 1786]]
[[File:Nesterov-Mukhina.jpg|thumb|upright=.65|[[Vera Mukhina]], 1937]]
[[File:Ostapenko RG22 (4) (52144317609).jpg|thumb|upright=.65|[[Jeļena Ostapenko]], 2022]]
[[File:Wilhelm Ostwald by Nicola Perscheid.jpg|thumb|upright=.65|[[Wilhelm Ostwald]], 1913]]
[[File:Mikhail Tal 1962.jpg|thumb|upright=.65|[[Mikhail Tal]], 1962]]
[[File:Gints Zilbalodis in January 2025 (cropped).jpeg|thumb|187x187px|[[Gints Zilbalodis]], 2025]]

*[[Isaiah Berlin|Sir Isaiah Berlin]] (1909–1997), British social and political theorist, philosopher and historian of ideas
*[[Emil Friedrich von Boetticher]] (1836–1907), politician, [[burgomaster]] of Riga
*[[Ottilie von Bistram]] (1859–1931), pioneer in the struggle for female access to education.
*[[Friedrich Heinrich von Boetticher]] (1826–1902), German publisher, bookseller, scholar and art historian
*[[Deniss Čalovskis]] (born 1985), Latvian computer hacker who created the Gozi virus
*[[Valdis Dombrovskis]] (born 1971), Latvian politician and EU Commissioner
*[[Laila Freivalds]] (born 1942), former Swedish Minister for Justice and [[Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden]]
*[[Juris Hartmanis]] (1928–2022), Latvian–American computer scientist who won the 1993 [[Turing Award]]
*[[Nicolai Hartmann]] (1882–1950), [[Baltic Germans|Baltic German]] philosopher and important [[Metaphysics|metaphysician]]
*[[Johann Gottfried Herder]] (1744–1803), German philosopher, theologian, poet and literary critic
*[[David Hilchen]] (1561–1610), [[Renaissance humanism|Renaissance humanist]] and politician
*[[Albert Woldemar Hollander]] (1796–1868), German educator and pedagog
*[[Yeshayahu Leibowitz]] (1903–1994), Israeli public intellectual and polymath
*[[Yosef Mendelevich]] (born 1947), Jewish [[refusenik]] from the Soviet Union, known as a ''"Prisoner of Zion"'' 
*[[Ernst Munzinger]] (1887–1945), German [[Abwehr]] (Army intelligence) officer, later anti-Nazi
*[[Valters Nollendorfs]] (born 1931), chairman of the board of the [[Museum of the Occupation of Latvia]]
*[[Alfred Rosenberg]] (1892–1946), [[Baltic Germans|Baltic German]] theorist and ideologue of the Nazi Party 
*[[Johann Steinhauer]] (1705–1779), Latvian entrepreneur, social reformer and landowner
*[[Charlotte Wahl]] (1817–1899), Latvian-born philanthropist
*[[Tatiana Warsher]] (1880–1960), Russian archaeologist known for her studies of [[Pompeii]]

=== Arts ===
*[[Rutanya Alda]] (born 1942), Latvian–American actress
*[[Mikhail Baryshnikov]] (born 1948), classical ballet dancer, choreographer and actor
*[[Léopold Bernhard Bernstamm]] (1859–1939), Russian sculptor
*[[Lilita Bērziņa]] (1903–1983), Latvian actress
*[[Gunnar Birkerts]] (1925–2017), Latvian-American architect
*[[Mārtiņš Brauns]] (1951–2021), Latvian composer and musician
*[[Leonīds Breikšs]] (1908–1942), Latvian poet, author and newspaper editor
*[[Jacob W. Davis]] (born ''Jākobs Jufess'', 1831–1908), American tailor who invented modern [[jeans]]
*[[Mikhail Eisenstein]] (1867–1920), Latvian civil engineer and architect
*[[Sergei Eisenstein]] (1898–1948), Soviet Russian film director who filmed ''[[Battleship Potemkin]]''
*[[Heinz Erhardt]] (1909–1979), Baltic German comedian, musician and entertainer
*[[Artur Fonvizin]] (1883–1973), Soviet painter of watercolours
*[[Elīna Garanča]] (born 1976), Latvian operatic mezzo-soprano
*[[Philippe Halsman]] (1906–1979), American portrait photographer
*[[Nora Ikstena]] (1969–2026), Latvian writer and cultural manager
*[[Don Jaffe]] (born 1933), composer
*[[Mariss Jansons]] (1943–2019), Latvian conductor
*[[Aivars Kalējs]] (born 1951), Latvian composer, organist and pianist
*[[Marats Kasems]] (born 1990), journalist and former editor-in-chief of [[Sputnik (news agency)|Sputnik Lithuania]]
*[[Gidon Kremer]] (born 1947), Latvian classical violinist and conductor
*[[Barbara von Krüdener]] (1764–1824), Baltic German author, religious mystic and Pietist Lutheran theologian<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Krüdener, Barbara Juliana, Baroness von |volume= 15 |last= Phillips |first=  Walter Alison |author-link= Walter Alison Phillips | pages = 929&ndash;930 |short= 1}}</ref>
*[[Ivan Krylov]] (1769–1844), Russian fable writer
*[[DJ Lethal]] (born ''Leor Dimant'' in 1972), American music producer
*[[Captain Disillusion|Alan Melikdjanian]] (born 1980), Latvian–American independent filmmaker known as ''[[Captain Disillusion]]''
*[[Armands Melnbārdis]], musician and recording artist
*[[Vera Mukhina]] (1889–1953), Soviet sculptor and painter
*[[Raimonds Pauls]] (born 1936), Latvian composer and piano player
*[[Kristjan Jaak Peterson]] (1801–1822), Estonian poet
*[[Valentin Pikul]] (1928–1990), Soviet historical novelist
*[[Michael Polakovs]] (1923–2009), American circus clown and actor
*[[Rosa von Praunheim]] (1942–2025), German filmmaker and gay rights activist
*[[Lauma Reinholde]] (1906–1986), composer, pianist and teacher
*[[Marie Seebach]] (1829–1897), German actress<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Seebach, Marie |volume= 24 | page = 580 |short= 1}}</ref>
*[[Ksenia Solo]] (born 1987), Latvian–Canadian actress and activist
*[[Gints Zilbalodis]] (born 1994), Latvian Academy Award-winning filmmaker, animator and composer

=== Science ===
*[[Ernst von Bergmann]] (1836–1907), [[Baltic Germans|Baltic German]] surgeon, pioneer of [[aseptic surgery]]
*[[Walter von Boetticher]] (1853–1945), German historian, genealogist and physician
*[[Jakob Benjamin Fischer]] (1731–1793), [[Baltic Germans|Baltic German]] naturalist and [[apothecary]]
*[[Lola Hoffmann]] (1904–1988), physiologist and psychiatrist
*[[Charles Kalme]] (1939–2002), American mathematician and international master of chess
*[[Karlis Kaufmanis]] (1910–2003), astronomer who lectured that the [[Star of Bethlehem]] was a conjunction in 7 BC of the planets [[Jupiter]] and [[Saturn]]
*[[Mstislav Keldysh]] (1911–1978), Soviet mathematician who worked on the first [[Soviet space program|artificial satellite]]
*[[George Nagobads]] (1921–2023), American physician and recipient of the [[Paul Loicq Award]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ushockeyhalloffame.com/page/show/833453-dr-v-george-nagobads|title=Dr. V. George Nagobads|website=[[United States Hockey Hall of Fame]]|access-date=July 8, 2021|archive-date=9 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184422/https://www.ushockeyhalloffame.com/page/show/833453-dr-v-george-nagobads|url-status=live}}; {{cite web|url=https://www.ushockeyhall.com/drgeorgenagobads|title=Dr. V. George Nagobads|website=[[United States Hockey Hall of Fame]]|access-date=July 8, 2021|archive-date=12 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712112620/https://www.ushockeyhall.com/drgeorgenagobads|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Wilhelm Ostwald]] (1853–1932), [[Baltic Germans|Baltic German]] chemist and winner of the [[Nobel Prize in Chemistry]] in 1909
*[[Eliyahu Rips]] (1948-2024) Israeli mathematician, winner of [[Erdős Prize]] (1979)
*[[Georg August Schweinfurth]] (1836–1925), [[Baltic Germans|Baltic German]] botanist and ethnologist who explored East Central Africa.<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Schweinfurth, Georg August |volume= 24 | page = |short= 1}}</ref>
*[[Georg von Tiesenhausen]] (1914–2018), [[Baltic Germans|Baltic German]] American [[Aerospace engineering|rocket scientist]]
*[[Juris Upatnieks]] (born 1936), Latvian–American physicist, inventor, and pioneer in the field of [[holography]]
*[[Friedrich Zander]] (1887–1933), [[Baltic Germans|Baltic German]] engineer who designed the first Soviet liquid-fuelled rocket
*[[Walter Zapp]] (1905–2003), [[Baltic Germans|Baltic German]] inventor who created the Minox [[Subminiature photography|subminiature camera]]
*[[Nathan A. Zepell]] (1915–1982), inventor and engineer

=== Sport ===

*[[Helmuts Balderis]] (born 1952), Latvian former ice hockey player
*[[Dāvis Bertāns]] (born 1992), professional basketball player
*[[Jānis Beinarovičs]] (1907–1967), wrestler
*[[Andris Biedriņš]] (born 1986), former basketball player
*[[Sergejs Boldaveško]] (born 1970), retired ice hockey player
*[[Teddy Blueger]] (born 1994), ice hockey player for the [[Vancouver Canucks]]
*[[Tanhum Cohen-Mintz]] (1939–2014), Israeli basketball player
*[[Elīna Dikaioulaku]] (born 1989), basketball player for Israeli team [[Elitzur Ramla (women's basketball)|Elitzur Ramla]]
*[[Kaspars Dubra]] (born 1990), footballer with 50 caps for [[Latvia national football team|Latvia]]
*[[Zemgus Girgensons]] (born 1994), ice hockey player who was the highest-ever drafted Latvian in the [[NHL entry draft]]
*[[Jørgen Hviid]] (1916–2001), Danish and Latvian athlete in ice hockey, speed skating, and sailing
*[[Artūrs Irbe]] (born 1967), Latvian professional [[ice hockey]] coach and former [[goaltender]]
*[[Raitis Ivanāns]] (born 1979), ice hockey player
*[[Miervaldis Jurševskis]] (1921–2014), [[Latvian Canadian|Latvian–Canadian]] chess master and professional artist
*[[Matīss Kivlenieks]] (1996–2021), ice hockey goaltender for the [[Columbus Blue Jackets]]
*[[Rūdolfs Kundrāts]] (1907–1954), footballer and referee with 19 caps for Latvia
*[[Kitija Laksa]] (born 1996), basketball player for [[Women's National Basketball Association|WNBA]] team, [[Toronto Tempo]]
*[[Elvis Merzļikins]] (born 1994), ice hockey goaltender for the [[Columbus Blue Jackets]]
*[[Anete Muižniece-Brice]] (born 1962), former basketball player
*[[Aron Nimzowitsch]] (1886–1935), [[Latvia]]n chess master and writer who wrote the book [[My System]]
*[[Jeļena Ostapenko]] (born 1997), women's tennis player and [[2017 French Open – Women's singles]] winner
*[[Sandis Ozoliņš]] (born 1972), ice hockey player, seven-time NHL All-Star, and [[Stanley Cup]] champion
*[[Marians Pahars]] (born 1976), footballer with 75 caps for [[Latvia national football team|Latvia]]
*[[Harald Schlegelmilch]] (born 1987), racing driver
*[[Alexei Shirov]] (born 1972), Latvian–Spanish chess grandmaster who was ranked world No. 2 in 1994
*[[Pēteris Skudra|Pēteris "Peter" Skudra]] (born April 24, 1973), [[Latvia|Latvian]] former professional [[ice hockey]] [[goaltender]] and [[head coach]]
*[[Karlīne Štāla]] (born 1986), racing driver
*[[Patricija Stalidzane]] (born 2002), racing driver
*[[Mikhail Tal]] (1936–1992), Soviet–Latvian chess grandmaster and 8th [[World Chess Champion]]
*[[Valdis Valters]] (born 1957) retired basketball player
'''Others'''

* [[Margaret Romans]] (1912–2025), [[supercentenarian]] and oldest Latvian-born person in history<ref>{{Cite web |last=Trim |first=Oliver |title=Margaret Romans, Canada's oldest person, dies at 113 {{!}} Gerontology Research Group |url=https://www.grg-supercentenarians.org/2025/10/31/margaret-romans-1912-2025/ |access-date=2026-01-01 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Latvia}}

Riga is [[twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:<!--For all cities in except Kaunas--><ref>{{cite web|title=Rīgas Sadraudzības pilsētas|url=https://www.riga.lv/lv/rigas-sadraudzibas-pilsetas|website=riga.lv|publisher=Rīga|language=lv|access-date=16 March 2022|archive-date=28 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221028093612/https://www.riga.lv/lv/rigas-sadraudzibas-pilsetas|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
*{{flagicon|DEN}} [[Aalborg]], Denmark
*{{flagicon|KAZ}} [[Almaty]], Kazakhstan
*{{flagicon|KAZ}} [[Astana]], Kazakhstan
*{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Beijing]], China
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Bordeaux]], France
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Bremen]], Germany
*{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Cairns]], Australia
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Dallas]], United States
*{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Florence]], Italy
*{{flagicon|LTU}} [[Kaunas]], Lithuania<ref>{{cite web|title=Miesto partneriai|url=http://www.kaunas.lt/apie-kauna/miesto-partneriai/|website=kaunas.lt|publisher=Kaunas|language=lt|access-date=5 October 2022|archive-date=24 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190724141315/http://www.kaunas.lt/apie-kauna/miesto-partneriai/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|UKR}} [[Kyiv]], Ukraine
*{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kobe]], Japan
*{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Norrköping]], Sweden
*{{flagicon|FIN}} [[Pori]], Finland
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Rostock]], Germany
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Santiago]], Chile
*{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Stockholm]], Sweden
*{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Suzhou, Jiangsu|Suzhou]], China
*{{flagicon|TWN}} [[Taipei]], Taiwan
*{{flagicon|GB}} [[Slough]], England
*{{flagicon|EST}} [[Tallinn]], Estonia
*{{flagicon|EST}} [[Tartu]], Estonia
*{{flagicon|UZB}} [[Tashkent]], Uzbekistan
*{{flagicon|GEO}} [[Tbilisi]], Georgia
*{{flagicon|LTU}} [[Vilnius]], Lithuania
*{{flagicon|POL}} [[Warsaw]], Poland
*{{flagicon|ARM}} [[Yerevan]], Armenia
{{div col end}}
Riga also cooperates with:
*{{flagicon|AUS}} [[City of Brisbane|Brisbane]], Australia
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Seattle]], United States

== See also ==
{{Portal|Latvia|EU}}
*[[Riga Charter]], on cultural heritage conservation, adopted here in 2000
*[[Riga Region]]
*[[Riga Salsa Festival]]

=== Other capitals of the Baltic states ===
*[[Tallinn]]
*[[Vilnius]]

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

=== References ===
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{See also|Timeline of Riga#Bibliography|l1=Bibliography of the history of Riga}}
* Grava, Sigurd. "The Urban Heritage of the Soviet Regime The Case of Riga, Latvia". ''Journal of the American Planning Association'' 59.1 (1993): 9–30.
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Riga | volume= 23 |last1= Kropotkin |first1= Peter Alexeivitch |author1-link= Peter Kropotkin| last2= Bealby |first2= John Thomas| page = 337 }}
* Šolks, Guntis, Gita Dejus, and Krists Legzdiņš. "Transformation of Historic Industrial Areas in Riga". ''Book of Proceedings''. (2012) [http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.661.4434&rep=rep1&type=pdf#page=214 online].

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Riga}}
{{Wikivoyage|Riga}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110828172049/http://www.riga.lv/EN/Channels/About_Riga/default.htm Riga Municipality portal] {{in lang|lv}} (archived 28 August 2011)
*{{JewishGen-LocalityPage|3212216|Rīga, Latvia}}
*[http://historic-cities.huji.ac.il/latvia/riga/riga.html Old maps of Riga] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116221606/http://historic-cities.huji.ac.il/latvia/riga/riga.html |date=16 January 2021 }} in [http://historic-cities.huji.ac.il/historic_cities.html Historic Cities site]

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[[Category:Capital cities in Europe]]
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[[Category:Members of the Hanseatic League]]
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[[Category:NUTS 3 statistical regions of the European Union]]
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