User:SvareJM/Sandbox/Latvia Jurisdictions 1924-1945

Jurisdictional Changes
Over the centuries Latvia has undergone several administrative changes which have significance for researchers. Knowing which jurisdiction a place was in at what time will allow researchers to identify the correct set of records to examine. Latvijas administratīvais iedalījums

1924-1945
This table lists 575 parishes and cities in Latvia from 1824-1945, sorted by County (Apriņķa). The table identifies if the place is a city (pilsēta) or parish (pagasts). The Region identifies the historical Latvian lands associated with each place. These lands were Kurzeme (Courland), Latgale (Latgallia), Vidzeme (Livonia), Zemgale (Semigallia), and Sēlje (Selonia or Augšzeme). During this period Zemgale and Sēlje were consolidated as one region.

This information is helpful in identifying places in the 1935 census and 1941 census published on FamilySearch Historical Records.

Kurzeme
Note that Saldus is both a city (pilsēta) and parish (pagasts).

1945-2009
From 1945 to 2009 Latvia was divided into 26 districts (administratīvais rajons) and 7 Republican cities (republikas pilsētas) which operate as a separate administrative authority. The seven cities are Daugavpils, Jelgava, Jūrmala, Liepāja, Rēzekne, Riga and Ventspils.



2010-2020
The Administrative Territorial Reform of 2009 (2009. gada administratīvi teritoriālā reforma) reduced the number of administrative entities by abolishing the districts (rajons) and uniting cities and parishes in counties (novado) and designating two additional Republican cities, Jēkabpils and Valmiera.

2021
On 1 July, 2021 Latvia was reorganized into 36 counties. The seven 7 Republican cities were designated "state cities" (Valstspilsētas) with the municipality of Ogre being added to them.