Riga, the capital of Latvia, was officially founded in 1201. Riga is divided into six administrative districts: Centra, Kurzeme, Ziemedu, Latgale, Vidzeme and Zemgale districts.
Riga is located along the Baltic Sea at the southern coast of the Gulf of Riga, on the Rigava coastal plain. The historical core of Riga is situated on the right bank of the Daugava River, about 10 kilometers from where the Daugava flows into the Gulf of Riga. The natural terrain of this area is a flat and sandy plain, about 1 to 10 meters above the sea level.
Riga is the biggest city in the Baltic States. The city's population in 2003 was 739,232. In Riga native Latvians make up about 45% of the population with about an equal percentage of Russians. By comparison, a little more than 60% of Latvia's inhabitan
ts are native Latvians, 29.0% are Russians, 3.9% are Belarusians, 2.6% are Ukrainians, 2.5% are Polish, 1.4% are Lithuanians and the remaining 2.1% are accounted for by other nationalities (2003). Most Latvians are of the Protestant Evangelical Lutheran faith, whereas most Russians belong to the Russian Orthodox Church.
Climate in Riga is influenced by its proximity to the sea; therefore it is moderately warm and humid. Summers are comparatively cool and cloudy (average temperature in July +16.9 C; average precipitation (rainfall) – 85 mm). Winters are comparatively warm with frequent thaws (average temperature in January – 4,7 C, thaw days are about 10 days a month). Snow cover forms in the middle of December and remain through the middle of March. About 40% of the days in a year are cloudy (overcast), average precipitation – 700-720 mm a year.
Symbols :
The current coat of arms of Riga was approved on 31 October 1925 and the approval was renewed in 1988. Riga has a large and small coat of arms.
The shield of the coat of arms depicts a silver field with opened gates and two towers that symbolise the city’s rights to autonomy. Under the raised grate of the gates is a golden lion’s head. Above the gates are two crossed black keys symbolising the patronage of the Pope, and above the keys is a golden cross and a golden crown, indicating subservience to the bishop. The holders of the large coat of arms are two golden lions on a grey plinth. The small coat of arms is contained within the shield of the large version.
The current flag of Riga was approved on 4 May 1937, using the white and blue colours of the 17th century flag as a foundation. To these are added the city’s coats of arms.
The flag of Riga is a square with two horizontal bands of equal width. The upper band is light blue and the lower one is white. In the middle of the flag is a large, coloured coat of arms whose height is 2/5 of the flag’s width. Two crossed keys are displayed on the flagstaff.
Sights :
- The Dome Cathedral, considered the largest church in the Baltic states. Built in the 13th century, it was modified several times along its history. It has a magnificent organ that dates from 1844.
- Riga Castle (Rīgas Pils), which houses the Museum of Latvian History and the Museum of Foreign Art.
- St. Peter's Church, with its 123m high tower.
- St. John's Church, a small 13th-century chapel, behind St. Peter's Church.
- The Powder Tower (Pulvertornis), the only tower that remains from the city wall.
- The Latvian Museum of War is located inside.
Famous People :
Helmuts Balderis - ice hockey player
Mikhail Baryshnikov - famous dancer and actor
Isaiah Berlin - philosopher and Oxford academician
Andris Biedrins - professional basketball player
Sergei Eisenstein - famous Russian film director
Heinz Erhardt - German comedian
Laila Freivalds - Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs
Johann Gottfried Herder - German poet, critic, theologian, and philosopher
Arturs Irbe - ice hockey player (NHL), goalkeeper
Janis Lusis - four-time Olympian, winner of Olympic gold
Wilhelm Ostwald - chemist, Nobel prize winner (1909)
Sandis Ozolins - ice hockey player, defenceman
Arkady Raikin - legendary Soviet stand up comedian
Mikhail Tal - the eighth world chess champion
Friedrich Zander - pioneer of Soviet research in rocketry and spaceflight
Sergei Zholtok - ice hockey player, center forward
International Relationship With Other Cities :
Aalborg, Denmark
Florence, Italy
Slough, UK
Almati, Kazakhstan
Calais, France
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Cairns, Australia
Astana, Kazakhstan
Kiev, Ukraine
Bordeaux, France
Kobe, Japan
Bremen, Germany
Moscow, Russia
Dallas, USA
Minsk, Belarus
Norrköping, Sweden
Beijing, China
Pori, Finland
Rostock, Germany
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Santiago, Chile
Stockholm, Sweden
Suzhou, China
Taipei, Taiwan
Tallinn, Estonia
Vilnius, Lithuania
Warsaw, Poland This article is licensed under the [GNU Free Documentation License]. It uses material from Wikipedia
Riga, the capital of Latvia, was officially founded in 1201. Riga is divided into six administrative districts: Centra, Kurzeme, Ziemedu, Latgale, Vidzeme and Zemgale districts.