# Statistical regions of Latvia

There are five statistical regions in Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas statistiskie reģioni) are Kurzeme, Latgale, Rīga, Vidzeme and Zemgale.
Statistical regions were established according to the main principles set out in the Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 May 2003 on the establishment of a common classification of territorial units for statistics (NUTS) (hereinafter NUTS Regulation), further amended. This NUTS Regulation directly concerns all Member States of the European Union and from 1 May 2004 it is also binding upon Latvia.
The statistical regions of Latvia are not administrative regions, as they have been formed for statistical purposes. Therefore, they are not mentioned in the law that determines the administrative divisions of Latvia.
The structure of Statistical Regions is approved by order No. 911 of the Cabinet of Ministers dated 7 December 2021 "On the Statistical Regions of the Republic of Latvia and Administrative Units Therein", further amended.

## Structure

* Kurzeme (Latvian: Kurzemes statistiskais reģions):
* Kuldīga Municipality, Liepāja, Saldus Municipality, South Kurzeme Municipality, Talsi Municipality, Tukums Municipality, Ventspils, Ventspils Municipality
* Latgale (Latvian: Latgales statistiskais reģions):
* Augšdaugava Municipality, Balvi municipality, Daugavpils, Krāslava municipality, Līvāni municipality, Ludza municipality, Preiļi municipality, Rēzekne, Rēzekne municipality
* Riga (Latvian: Rīgas statistiskais reģions):
* Riga, Jūrmala, Sigulda Municipality, Ķekava Municipality, Salaspils Municipality, Ādaži Municipality, Mārupe Municipality, Olaine Municipality, Ropaži Municipality
* Vidzeme (Latvian: Vidzemes statistiskais reģions):
* Alūksne municipality, Cēsis municipality, Gulbene municipality, Madona municipality, Smiltene municipality, Valka municipality, Valmiera Municipality, Varakļāni municipality
* Zemgale (Latvian: Zemgales statistiskais reģions):
* Aizkraukle municipality, Bauska municipality, Dobele municipality, Jelgava, Jelgava municipality, Jēkabpils municipality.

## Statistics

| NUTS Code | Regions | Largest City | Area | Population* – (per km²) | GDP (billion €) | GDP per capita (€) |
| LV006 | Rīga | Rīga | 304 km$^2$ | 632,614 - (2,081/km$^2$) | 19.261 | 31,600 |
| LV007 | Pierīga | Jūrmala | 10,134 km$^2$ | 370,589 – (37/km$^2$) | - | - |
| LV003 | Kurzeme | Liepāja | 13,606 km$^2$ | 240,113 – (18/km$^2$) | 3.764 | 13,600 |
| LV005 | Latgale | Daugavpils | 14,550 km$^2$ | 260,226 – (18/km$^2$) | 2.404 | 9,700 |
| LV009 | Zemgale | Jelgava | 10,732 km$^2$ | 230,331 – (21/km$^2$) | 2.904 | 12,900 |
| LV008 | Vidzeme | Valmiera | 15,245 km$^2$ | 186,095 – (12/km$^2$) | 3.291 | 11,900 |
| LV00 | Latvija | Rīga | 64,572 km$^2$ | 1,919,968 – (30/km$^2$) | 36.104 | 19,100 |
| * Data as of 30 December 2021, GDP data as of 2022 |||||||

## History

NUTS Regulation was established to divide economic territory of EU into similar territorial units for the purpose of collection, compilation and dissemination of harmonised regional statistics in the EU. Shortly before accession to EU, Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development and representatives of the planning regions came to an agreement about the structure of statistical regions (order No.271 of the Cabinet of Ministers dated 28 April 2004 "On the Statistical Regions of the Republic of Latvia and Administrative Units Therein", further amended.)
Statistical regions of Latvia were approved by Regulation (EC) No 1888/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 October 2005 amending Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 on the establishment of a common classification of territorial units for statistics (NUTS) by reason of the accession of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia to the European Union.
The four statistical regions Kurzeme, Latgale, Vidzeme and Zemgale aligned with the planning regions of Latvia (Regulation No.391 of the Cabinet of Ministers dated 5 May 2009 "On the territories of the Planning Regions.", further amended), but Rīga and Pierīga statistical regions comprise the territory of the Rīga planning region. After new planning regions were introduced in 2021, the borders no longer align.