Daugavpils in Brief

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Daugavpils is the second largest city of national significance in Latvia, the largest city in Latgale region. Daugavpils is located on the eastern border of Latvia and is an important center of socio-economic development in the Baltics. It was first mentioned in historical chronicles in 1275.


Daugavpils is located approximately 232 km south-east of the capital of Latvia, Riga, on the banks of the Daugava River which is over 1000 km in length and which flows from its source in Russia, through Belarus and Latvia before entering the Baltic Sea via the Gulf of Riga. The length of the river in the city area is 16 km.

The total area of the city is 72.48 km2. According to the spatial plan of the city, the administrative territory of the city is divided into several districts or residential areas. There are 13 residential areas on the right bank of the Daugava (including the historical center and the Fortress).

The territory of the city of Daugavpils borders with Daugavpils district.

Railway station Daugavpils is located 218 km from Riga (lines Riga – Daugavpils, Daugavpils – Rēzekne, Daugavpils – Indra, Daugavpils – Vilnius).

The distance to Riga is 232 km (A6 motorway).
The distance to the border of Lithuania is 25 km.
The distance to the border of Belarus is 35 km.
The distance to the Russian border is 120 km.

By population, Daugavpils is the second largest city in Latvia. According to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, there were 90 399 inhabitants in Daugavpils in 2018.


Today Daugavpils is an important centre of culture, education, sports and leisure. Daugavpils University, several branches of Riga higher education institutions, 7 vocational education institutions, and 18 comprehensive schools are located in Daugavpils.

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1 Dec 2021