Riga

Riga is the capital, <a href="/facts/Primate_city/aRpJTCcu">primate</a>, and <a href="/facts/List_of_cities_and_towns_in_Latvia/Wunzbxkv">largest city</a> of <a href="/facts/Latvia/y2PSa8lx">Latvia</a>. Home to 605,273 inhabitants, the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of <a href="/facts/Riga_Planning_Region/fQ5lm1sx">Riga metropolitan area</a>, which stretches beyond the city limits, is estimated at 860,142 (as of 2023). The city lies on the <a href="/facts/Gulf_of_Riga/epSXDnaG">Gulf of Riga</a> at the mouth of the <a href="/facts/Daugava_(river)/dXRILBH3">Daugava</a> river where it meets the <a href="/facts/Baltic_Sea/jbQJGLQX">Baltic Sea</a>. Riga's territory covers 307.17 km2 (118.60 sq mi) and lies 1–10 m (3–33 ft) <a href="/facts/Above_sea_level/Aqv1HLP2">above sea level</a> on a flat and sandy plain.
Riga was founded in 1201, and is a former <a href="/facts/Hanseatic_League/oA756xvs">Hanseatic League</a> member. Riga's historical centre is a <a href="/facts/UNESCO_World_Heritage_Site/6AbWWKV4">UNESCO World Heritage Site</a>, noted for its <a href="/facts/Art_Nouveau/e2Ahfp05">Art Nouveau</a>/Jugendstil architecture and 19th century wooden architecture. Riga was the <a href="/facts/European_Capital_of_Culture/I4Y5RdP0">European Capital of Culture</a> in 2014, along with <a href="/facts/Ume%25C3%25A5/UMJPT4Dz">Umeå</a> in Sweden. Riga hosted the <a href="/facts/2006_Riga_summit/kb6AR40h">2006 NATO Summit</a>, the <a href="/facts/Eurovision_Song_Contest_2003/gV9YhuNu">Eurovision Song Contest 2003</a>, the <a href="/facts/2013_World_Women%2527s_Curling_Championship/XjYn0y0s">2013 World Women's Curling Championship</a>, and the <a href="/facts/2006_IIHF_World_Championship/6lE2XWDA">IIHF Men's World Ice Hockey Championships in 2006</a>, <a href="/facts/2021_IIHF_World_Championship/xYhnzJoP">2021</a>, and <a href="/facts/2023_IIHF_World_Championship/VpRMIRWx">2023</a>. It is home to the <a href="/facts/European_Union/6GYcR8qM">European Union</a>'s office of <a href="/facts/Body_of_European_Regulators_of_Electronic_Communications/Inet7Doj">European Regulators for Electronic Communications</a> (BEREC). In 2017, it was named as the <a href="/facts/European_Region_of_Gastronomy/vo8tpAAY">European Region of Gastronomy</a>.
In 2019, Riga received over 1.4 million foreign visitors. The city is served by <a href="/facts/Riga_International_Airport/rdLwoxo7">Riga International Airport</a>, the largest and busiest airport in the Baltic States. Riga is a member of <a href="/facts/Eurocities/sHpF0yDH">Eurocities</a>, the <a href="/facts/Union_of_the_Baltic_Cities/dp6LQUH2">Union of the Baltic Cities</a> (UBC), and Union of Capitals of the European Union (UCEU).

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Riga