Rīgas rajons
The Rīgas rajons (German: District Riga ) was an administrative unit in Latvia around the capital Riga until 2009 .
The Rajon bordered in the north on the Riga Bay and in the counterclockwise direction on the districts of Tukums , Jelgava , Bauska , Ogre , Cēsis and Limbazi as well as the cities of Riga and Jūrmala , which were administratively independent of the surrounding district as independent cities . The area covers 3,474 km² (including the urban area of Rīga with 307 km² and that of Jūrmala City with 100 km²) and has a population of 904,440 (of which Rīga 735,670 and Jūrmala 55,250); about half of the population of Latvia. Rīga County is one of the largest in Latvia, is of central and strategic importance, is the largest economic power in the country and has the best-developed infrastructure. It links ten major motorways and six railway lines.
history
On December 31, 1949, the district of Riga (Rīgas apriņķis) became the districts (Rajoni) Baldone, Riga, Saulkrasti, and Sigulda. In 1956 and 1959, the Saulkrasti district and parts of the Baldone district were re-incorporated. In 1962, most of the Sigulda district was added. Due to the laws of 1998 and 2008, there are now the districts (Novadi) on the territory of the former district: Ādaži, Babīte, Carnikava, Garkalne, Inčukalns, Krimulda, Ķekava, Mālpils, Mārupe, Olaine, Ropaži, Salaspils, Saulkrasti, Sēja , Sigulda and Stopiņi.
nature
The greater part of the district area lay on the flat sandy soils around Riga, which are characterized by coniferous forests, low shrubbery, and marshes , as they are typical for coastal flatlands. The north is hilly with embedded lakes. There are 132 lakes in the Riga area, the largest of which are Babītes ezers , Lielais Baltezers , Mazais Baltezers , Dūņu ezers and Lilastes ezers . The area is traversed by the three largest Latvian rivers Daugava , Lielupe and Gauja . The southwestern part of the Gauja National Park is located in the former Rīga district. The north-eastern part of the area is covered by the largest deciduous forests in Latvia.
structure
In addition to Riga and Jūrmala, there were seven cities in the Rīgas rajons: Baldone , Baloži , Olaine , Salaspils , Saulkrasti , Sigulda , Vangaži ; the largest are Salaspils near Riga with numerous research facilities, Olaine, a center of the chemical industry and Sigulda, a tourist attraction with a castle from the 13th century.
There were also 16 parishes ( pagasti ): Ādaži, Allaži, Babīte, Carnikava, Daugmale , Garkalne, Inčukalns, Krimulda, Ķekava, Mālpils, Mārupe, Olaine, Ropaži, Salas, Sigulda, Stopiņi.