Latvia is located in Easter Europe. The country has an area of 24,938 square miles (64,589 square km). Latvia lies across the Baltic sea from Sweden, South of Finland and Estonia, North of Poland, Lithuania, and Belarus and west of Russia.
The physiography of Latvia and its neighboring areas was formed, to a large degree, during the Quaternary period and the Pleistocene ice age, when soil and debris were pushed by glaciers into mounds and hills. Latvia is a very flat country with a few rolling hills. Undulating plains cover 75% of Latvia’s territory and provide the main areas for farming; 25% of the territory lies in uplands of moderate-sized hills. About 27% of the total territory is cultivable, with the central Zemgale Plain, south of Riga being the most fertile and profitable. (1)
Latvia has the fifth highest proportion of land covered by forests in the European Union, after Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Slovenia. Forests account for 3,497,000 ha (8,640,000 acres) or 56% of the total land area. (1)
Geographical Regions of Latvia
Latvia can be divided into five major regions: Zemgale, Kurzeme, Vidzeme, Latgale and the capital area of Riga. (2)
The Zemgale Region
The Zemgale region is in the south. The plain is a depository of sandy clay and is the most fertile grain-producing area in the country. (1) Agriculture (45%) dominates land use, followed by pine and spruce stands and broad-leaved forests (39.8%). The rest of the region’s territory is covered in approximately equal parts by bogs, water, roads and brushwood. (3) Hills can be found to the west close to the Daugave river. This is the main reiver of Latvia.
The western part of the region is located in the flat and fertile Zemgale Plain with generally well-drained loamy soils. Localized poor drainage, where slopes are too shallow, results in the formation of bogs and a dense network of rivers. Floods are frequent in the valleys of the Daugava and Lielupe rivers. There are not many lakes in the region and the largest, Lake Engure near the coast, is only partly located in this region.
The Kurzeme Region
This region in the west of Latvia is even more undulating tan Zemgale. Forests occupy more than half of the region’s territory. The northern part is characterised by pine stands while spruce and birch trees tend to predominate in the South. While just over one third of the region is given over to agricultural cultivation, in relation to the total agricultural area of Latvia this represents less than one fifth. (3)
Most of Kurzeme’s rivers have flat valleys, the width of the Venta valley reaches 2 km and the primeval valley of its largest tributary, the Abava, is up to 1.5 km wide. The most well known Latvian waterfalls are in Kurzeme – the waterfall on the Venta called Ventas Rumba (at a width of 110m it is the widest waterfall in Europe) and Abavas Rumba. Lakes are concentrated in the Usma area, and Lake Usma itself is the largest in the region (38.9 km2). There are several lagoon-type lakes along the seashore that are popular migratory destinations for waterfowl. (3)
Here is a video of the widest waterfall in Europe: Ventas Rumba. Imagine that you can walk along its top!
The Vidzeme Region
Vidzeme is one of the Historical Latvian Lands. It is the largest and most ethnically Latvian (~85%) region. The capital of Latvia, Riga, is situated in the southwestern part of the region. Literally meaning “the Middle Land”, it is situated in north-central Latvia north of the Daugava River.
Vidzeme is the largest region of Latvia covering an area of 19,791.6 km or 30.6% of the total territory of the country. The narrow coastal lowland stretches along the coast of the Gulf of Riga. The seashore varies from sandy beaches and steep sandstone banks to coastal meadows near the frontier zone with Estonia. The rest of the territory is an elevated and undulating plain.
Valmiera is the largest city of the historical Vidzeme region, Latvia, with a total area of 7 square miles (19.35 square kilometers). As of 2002, Valmiera had a population of 27,323, and in 2020 – 24,879. It looks so beautiful:
In the centre of the region there is the hilly Vidzeme Upland, the highest elevated area in Latvia where lakes and small bogs abound. The highest hill, Gaiziņkalns, 1,020 feet (311.94 m) above sea level, is situated nearby. In the northeastern corner of the region there is the Aluksne Upland, which, though not large, has a varied relief and a great number of lakes.
Here is a 360 view of Gaiziņkalns in the summer. The coming photo and video are from the fall.
They mention the Daugava river a lot so I decided to look at it a bit closer.
The Daugava or Western Dvina is a large river rising in the Valdai Hills of Russia that flows through Belarus and Latvia into the Gulf of Riga of the Baltic Sea. It rises close to the source of the Volga. It is 1,020 km (630 mi) in length, of which 352 km (219 mi) are in Latvia and 325 km (202 mi) are in Russia. It is a westward-flowing river, tracing out a great south-bending curve as it passes through northern Belarus. Here it is:
This is a great segway to the capital region of Riga.
The Region of Riga
The Riga Region was created in 2006, covering the territory and using the administrative boundaries of the now defunct districts of Latvia: Limbaži, Ogre, Riga and Tukums as well as the cities of Riga and Jūrmala. As of 2017 the region consists of 28 municipalities and 2 republican cities with an area of 10,430.1 km². (1)
Riga, the capital was founded in 1201. Riga’s historical centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, noted for its Art Nouveau/Jugendstil architecture and 19th century wooden architecture. I will cover more about this incredible city in another post but here are some images for now:
The Latgale Region
This region has the highest concentration of lakes in Latvia and the Latgale Upland, with its more than 1200 lakes! Lake Lubāns is 31.4 square miles (81.32 km2) and Lake Razna (57.6 km2) are the two largest and most important lakes in Latvia for the fishing industry. Lake Lubans is also well known as a migration destination for European birds and for its good hunting. The Daugava, Latvia’s longest river, flows through Latgale. (3)
This lake and its surrounding area is a National Park since 2001.
Its unpolluted environment, beautiful landscapes and numerous lakes distinguish Latgale from other regions of Latvia. The opportunities to fish and hunt here could lead to the development of tourism, especially rural tourism. (3)
The region’s infrastructure is rather underdeveloped in terms of social provisions and services. Furthermore, the region’s relief and poor soil hinder the development of agricultural production.
The biggest city in this region is Daugavpils with about 111,564 people. This southeastern Latvian city that is located on the banks of the Daugava River. It is the second biggest city in Latvia. The city borders Lithuania and Belarus and is also only 120 km away from the Russian border. The strategic position of Daugavpils thus enhances its importance in Latvia. It is a beautiful and well-visited city that is dotted with many nature parks and lakes. This age-old city that was established in 1275 has a number of cultural institutions and historical monuments. The Daugavpils fortress, completed in 1878, is most prominent among them. The city is also famous for its numerous red brick buildings.
Here is a video:
This is the end of this virtual travel through the beautiful landscape of Latvia. Thanks so much for coming along!
My Virtual World Trip 