Riga is the capital city of Latvia. It’s situated in the central part of the country, on the shores of the Baltic Sea. Riga is among the oldest of the European cities and one of the most cosmopolitan. It is the country’s economic, transportation, and cultural centre. Since the Middle Ages, Riga is renowned for influencing other cities around the Baltic region. It is famous for its astounding medieval buildings and modern structures that stand side by side to complement each other. Some of the places that make it famous include the amazing ancient buildings, Freedom Monument, Riga Castle, Art Nouveau architecture, and the Riga Cathedral.

As of 2021, Riga had a population of approximately 627,487. Compared to other cities in Latvia, Riga is considered to be more diverse. When it comes to religious beliefs, Riga is known to be diverse as most people identify themselves as Christian, with a small minority identifying as Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist. As one of the most diverse cities in Latvia, Riga houses over 600,000 residents, who collectively speak various languages, including Latvian, Russian, English and others. The Freedom Monument in Riga is a symbol of Latvia’s independence and sovereignty. It is said that the monument is made up of around 50,000 people’s voluntary donations. Riga has an official smallest statue. Located on J??a Street, the statue of the Bremen Town Musicians is a popular tourist spot.

There are two tiers under local government in Riga. They are citywide and local tier. Citywide administration is coordinated by the Riga City Council, while local administration is carried out by various administrative districts. The Riga City Council consists of 60 councilors who are elected every four years. The council is responsible for municipal services, urban planning, education, culture, social welfare, public transport, and other local affairs. The mayor of Riga is elected by the city council and represents the city government. The mayor also leads the work of the executive directorate.

Riga has always been a commercial city and today enjoys the status of having the largest economy in Latvia. The city thrives in trade and commerce and has a vibrant culture seeped in commerce. It has a GDP of over €15 billion, which is about 50 percent of Latvia's total GDP. The size of its economy is larger than that of various other cities in the Baltic region. The Port of Riga handles over 32 million tons of cargo every year.

The Riga City Council has taken positive steps with its Riga Development Plan 2030. The Mayor of Riga took a big step forward in planning for growth with the publication of the Riga Development Plan 2030. It identifies a range of infrastructure priorities for Riga, from new energy, water and sewerage infrastructure, to enhanced digital connectivity and new transport schemes. Some of the investment is provided by the private sector, through the privatized utilities. This has generally worked well in Riga, although business is particularly concerned at the lack of capacity in digital infrastructure. The take-up of high-speed broadband by business is growing, with Riga being one of the leading cities in Latvia in terms of digital connectivity.