Pierīga Region was one of the six statistical regions of

Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...

. On October 27, 2024, the region was merged with Vidzeme.

History

On March 15, 1226, the Pope Legate of Rome,

William of Modena William of Modena ( – 31 March 1251), also known as ''William of Sabina'', ''Guglielmo de Chartreaux'', ''Guglielmo de Savoy'', ''Guillelmus'', was an Italian clergyman and papal diplomat.

, granted the city of

Riga Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planni ...

its administrative area or mark (). Until 1606, the site was called the Riga Landfall, but after being included in

Swedish Livonia Swedish Livonia () was a dominion of the Swedish Empire from 1629 until 1721. The territory, which constituted the southern part of modern Estonia (including the island of Ösel ceded by Denmark after the Treaty of Brömsebro) and the northe ...

, it was renamed Riga Patrimonial district and was added to Riga County. Following the administrative reform of 1783, the southern part of Cesis County was added to the Riga district, but the northern part was added to the newly created Valmieras and

Valka County Valka county (; , ) was a historic county in the Governorate of Livonia, and in the Republic of Latvia dissolved during the administrative territorial reform of the Latvian SSR in 1949. Its capital was Valka (''Walk''). History The county of V ...

. At that time the Riga district without the city of Riga consisted of 25

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...

es: Skulte (), Allaži (''Allasch''),

Aizkraukle Aizkraukle () is a town in Aizkraukle Municipality, of which it is the administrative centre. Most of Aizkraukle is situated on the right bank of the Daugava River. As defined by Latvian law, Aizkraukle belongs partially to Vidzeme and partially ...

(''Ascheraden''), Krimulda - Peter's (''Kremon-St. Peters Capelle''), Dole (''Dahlen''),

Daugavgrīva Daugavgrīva (; ; or ''Ust`-Dvinsk'') is a neighbourhood in North West Riga, Latvia on the left bank of the Daugava river. In this neighbourhood there is a Swedish-built fortress on the Daugava River's left bank, commanding its mouth. Fortre ...

(''Dünamünde''), Jumprava (''Jungfernhof''), Jaunpils (''Jürgensburg''),

Koknese Koknese () is a town in Aizkraukle Municipality in the Vidzeme region of Latvia, on the right bank of the Daugava River. It has a population of nearly 3,000. According to the provisions of the 2021 Latvian administrative reform, Koknese gained ...

(''Kokenhusen ''), Mālpils (''Lemburg''), Lielvarde (''Lennewarden''), Lēdurga - Turaida (''Loddiger-Treiden''), Nītaure (''Nitau''),

Ādaži Ādaži () (formerly ) is a town in Pierīga, on the left bank of the Gauja river. The town is the administrative center of Ādaži Municipality, in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. It is located by the highway A1 (Latvia), A1, 21.6 km from ...

Carnikava Carnikava ( Livonian: ''Sarnikau'', , ''Zarnikau''), previously Sānkaule, is a village and the center of the Carnikava Parish of Ādaži Municipality in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. It's located 25 km north from Riga at the mouth of the ...

(''Neuermühlen-Zarnikau''),

Ropaži Ropaži () is a village in the Vidzeme region of Latvia, the administrative centre of Ropaži Municipality. The village located approximately 36 km from the capital Riga Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cit ...

(''Rodenpois''), Sloka (''Schlok''),

Sigulda Sigulda (; ; Polish Zygwold) is a town in the Vidzeme region of Latvia, from the capital city Riga. Overview Sigulda is on a picturesque stretch of the primeval Gauja river valley. Because of the reddish Devonian sandstone which forms steep r ...

(''Segewold''),

Madliena Madliena (), formerly spelt Madalena, is an area in Swieqi, in Northern Region, Malta, Northern Region, Malta, formerly part of the adjacent town of Għargħur. Etymology It takes its name from a chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, which w ...

(''Sissegal''), Suntaži (''Sunzel''), Akmeņsalas (''Steinholm''), Ikskile -

Salaspils Salaspils (; ; ) (literally: "island castle") is a town in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. It is the administrative centre of Salaspils Municipality. The town is situated on the northern bank of the Daugava river, 18 kilometers to the south-east ...

(''Uexküll-Kircholm''). On March 18, 1941,

Pļaviņas Pļaviņas (; ) is a town in Aizkraukle Municipality in Latvia. The town is located on the Daugava river. The population in 2020 was 2,974. Latvian law defines the town of Pļaviņas as belonging partly to the Vidzeme region and partly to Latgale ...

city and

Pļaviņas Municipality Pļaviņas Municipality () is a former municipality in Vidzeme, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2009 by merging Aiviekste parish, Klintaine parish, Vietalva parish and Pļaviņas town the administrative centre being Pļaviņas. The popula ...

were separated from Riga district and added to former Friedrichstadt County. On January 8, 1946, Riga's Jurmala city was added by

, but on October 16, 1947, Ogre County was separated from Riga district. On December 31, 1949, Riga County was liquidated to include

Baldone Municipality Baldone Municipality () is a former Latvian municipality situated partly in the province of Semigallia and partly in Vidzeme Vidzeme (; Old Latvian orthography: ''Widda-semme'', ) is one of the Historical Latvian Lands. The capital of Lat ...

, Riga district,

Saulkrasti Municipality Saulkrasti Municipality () is a municipality in Vidzeme, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2009 by reorganization of Saulkrasti town with its countryside territory, with the administrative centre being Saulkrasti. In 2010 Saulkrasti parish wa ...

and

Sigulda Municipality Sigulda Municipality () is a municipality in Vidzeme, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2003 by merging Sigulda town, Sigulda Parish and More Parish. In 2009 it absorbed Allaži parish, too; the administrative centre being Sigulda. The po ...

. In 1956 and 1959, parts of

and

were added to the Riga district, and in 1962 the majority of

was added. After the restoration of the Republic of Latvia in 1990, the Riga district villages has been renamed parishes. On April 28, 2004, Statistical region of Pieriga was established: Aloja county, Adazi county, Babite county, Baldone county, Carnikava county, Engure county, Garkalne county, Ikšķile county, Inčukalns county, Jaunpils county, Jurmala, Kandava novads, Krimulda novads, Ķegums novads, Ķekavas novads, Lielvarde novads, Limbažu novads, Mālpils novads, Marupes novads, Ogre novads, Olaines novads, Ropazu novads, Salacgrīvas novads, Salaspils novads, Saulkrastu novads, Stopinu municipality, Tukums municipality On October 12, 2006,

Riga Planning Region Riga Region (), officially Riga Planning Region () and shortened as RPR is one of five planning regions of Latvia, situated in the central part of Latvia, in and around the metropolis of Riga and along the shores of the Gulf of Riga. The state in ...

was established, which includes the cities of Riga and Jurmala and 27 municipalities:

Aloja Municipality Aloja Municipality () is a former municipality in Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2009 by Merger (politics), merging Aloja, Latvia, Aloja town with its countryside territory, Staicele town with its countryside territory, Braslava Parish and ...

, Adazi Municipality Babite Municipality,

, Carnikava Municipality, Engure Municipality,

Garkalne Municipality Garkalne Municipality () was a municipality in Vidzeme, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2007 by reorganization of Garkalne Parish. The seat of the council of the municipality is situated extraterritorially in Berģi, Riga. The population ...

, Ikskile Municipality,

Inčukalns Municipality Inčukalns (German: ''Hinzenberg'') is a village in Sigulda Municipality in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. Started in 1436, the parish was for centuries a part of Medieval Livonia Terra Mariana (Medieval Latin for 'Land of Mary') was the for ...

, Jaunpils Municipality, Kandava Municipality, Krimulda Municipality, Ķegums Municipality, Kekava Municipality, Lielvarde Municipality, Mālpils Municipality,

Mārupe Municipality Mārupe () () is a town in, and the administrative centre of Mārupe Municipality in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. The town is a suburb of the Latvian capital, Riga, but is a separate entity. Mārupe borders Zemgale Suburb, Riga, Zemgale Suburb ...

Ogre Municipality Ogre Municipality () is a municipality in Vidzeme, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2002 by Merger (politics), merging Ogre, Latvia, Ogre town and Ogresgals Parish. In 2009 it absorbed Krape Parish, Ķeipene Parish, Laubere Parish, Madliena ...

Olaine Municipality Olaine Municipality () is a municipality in Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2009 by Merger (politics), merging Olaine parish and Olaine town the administrative centre being Olaine. The population in 2020 was 119,667. After the 2021 adminis ...

Ropaži Municipality Ropaži Municipality () is a municipality in Vidzeme, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2005 with the reorganization of Ropaži parish. The administrative centre is Ulbroka. The population in 2020 was 6,835. On 1 July 2021, Ropaži Municipal ...

, Salacgriva Municipality, Salaspils Municipality,

, Sēja Municipality,

, Stopiņi Municipality,

Tukums Municipality Tukums Municipality () is a Latvian municipality situated partly in the region of Semigallia, partly in Courland and partly in Vidzeme. The municipality was formed in 2009 by merging Degole Parish, Džūkste Parish, Irlava Parish, Jaunsāti P ...

. Pursuant to the Law on Administrative Territorial Reform adopted in 1998 and the Law on Administrative Territorial Reform of the 2008 Law on Settlements, "Law on Administrative Territories and Settlements
/ref> on July 1, 2009, the Riga district was liquidated, and there are 16 municipalities in the territory now: Adazi Municipality, Babite Municipality, Carnikava Municipality,

, Krimulda Municipality, Kekava Municipality, Mālpils Municipality,

, Salaspils Municipality,

, Sēja Municipality,

, and Stopiņi Municipality.

References

{{coord, 57, 0, 0, N, 24, 0, 0, E, region:LV, display=title Subdivisions of Latvia