Riga

Riga, capital city of Latvia. Located on the Daugava River, near its mouth on the Gulf of Riga (an arm of the Baltic Sea), the city is a major seaport and a cultural and industrial centre. Industries here include shipbuilding and the manufacture of electrical equipment, pharmaceuticals, processed food, and wood products. The old section of Riga is surrounded by a moat, and contains several medieval buildings, including a 13th-century cathedral and guild halls from the 14th century. The city is the seat of a university and of the Latvian Academy of Sciences. It also has a symphony orchestra, several theatres and museums, and a zoological garden.

Probably founded in the 12th century, Riga was made the seat of the bishop of Livonia in 1201. The city developed into a commercial and craft centre, joining the Hanseatic League in 1282. It subsequently achieved a measure of independence but passed to Poland in 1581. Riga was taken by Sweden in 1621 and granted self-government. In 1721 it was ceded to Russia after Sweden was defeated in the Great Northern War. By the end of the 19th century Riga was one of Russia's most industrialized cities. During World War I it was occupied by the Germans from 1917 to 1918, when it became the capital of independent Latvia. During World War II it was annexed in 1940 by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and then taken by the Germans before being returned to Soviet control. The city was the capital of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) until 1991, when Latvia again became independent. The historic centre of Riga was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Population 735,241 (2004 estimate).