Latvia » Riga

Riga (Latvian: Riga), the capital of Latvia, is situated on the Baltic Sea coast on the mouth of the River Daugava, at 56°58'N 24°8'E. Riga is the largest city in the Baltic states and serves as a major cultural, educational, political, financial, commercial and industrial centre in the Baltics. The Historic Centre of Riga has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the city is particularly notable for its extensive Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) architecture, comparable in significance only with Vienna, Saint Petersburg and Barcelona.

Riga is home to numerous academic institutions, including the University of Latvia (Latvijas Universitate), Riga Technical University (Rigas Tehniska Universitate) and Riga Stradins University (Rigas Stradina Universitate).

The Latvian Parliament (Saeima) also sits in Riga, as does the President of Latvia, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, who resides in Riga Castle. Business and leisure travel to Riga has increased significantly in recent years due to the improved commercial and travel infrastructure. Riga as a city-port is a major transportation hub and is the centre of the local road and railway system.

Most tourists travel to Riga by air via the Riga International Airport, the largest airport in the Baltic states, which was renovated and modernised in 2001, coincident with Riga's 800th anniversary.

Air traffic has doubled between 1993 and 2004. Baltic sea ferries connect Riga to Stockholm, Kiel and Lübeck. Almost all important financial institutions are located in Riga, including the Bank of Latvia, which is Latvia's central bank. Foreign commercial trade through Riga has been on the increase in recent years and received a new impetus on May 1, 2004 when Latvia became a member of the European Union.

Riga accounts for about half of the total industrial output of Latvia, focusing on the financial sector, public utilities, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, wood processing, printing and publishing, textiles and furniture, and communications equipment manufacturing. The port of Riga is an important cargo shipping centre.