Daugavpils
Daugavpils (see also other names) is a state city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city derives its name. The parts of the city to the north of the river belong to the historical Latvian region of Latgale, and those to the south lie in Selonia. It is the second-largest city in the country after the capital Riga, which is located some 230 kilometres (143 miles) northwest.
Daugavpils | |
|---|---|
State city | |
City from different points of view | |
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Flag Coat of arms | |
Daugavpils Location of Daugavpils in Latvia | |
| Coordinates: 55°52′30″N 26°32′8″E | |
| Country | Latvia |
| Established | 1275 |
| Town rights | 1582 |
| Government | |
| • Chairman of the City Council | Andrejs Elksniņš (Harmony) |
| • Number of city council members | 15 |
| Area | |
| • State city | 72.37 km2 (27.94 sq mi) |
| • Land | 63.38 km2 (24.47 sq mi) |
| • Water | 8.99 km2 (3.47 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 139 m (456 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 86 m (282 ft) |
| Population (2023) | |
| • State city | 78,850 |
| • Rank | 2 |
| • Density | 1,100/km2 (2,800/sq mi) |
| • Metro | 105,047 (with Augšdaugava Municipality) |
| GDP | |
| • State city | €0.858 billion (2021) |
| • Per capita | €10,900 (2021) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal code | LV-54(01–65) |
| Calling code | (+371) 654 |
| Climate | Dfb |
| Website | www |
Daugavpils is located relatively close to Belarus and Lithuania (distances of 33 km (21 mi) and 25 km (16 mi), respectively), and some 120 km (75 mi) from the Latvian border with Russia. Daugavpils is a major railway junction and industrial centre, and was an historically important garrison city lying approximately midway between Riga and Minsk, and between Warsaw and Saint Petersburg.
Daugavpils, then called Dyneburg, was the capital of Polish Livonia while in Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Following the first partition of Poland in 1772, the city became part of the Russian Empire. Since the Second World War, it has maintained an overwhelmingly Russian-speaking population, with Latvians and Poles being significant minorities. Historically, German and Yiddish were additional prominent native languages.