Carnikava becomes Latvia's newest city

Carnikava, formerly Latvia’s largest village located in the Ādažu municipality, has officially transitioned to city status. This change follows amendments to the Law on Administrative Territories and Populated Areas that came into effect on August 22, 2026.

Carnikava met the legal requirement for city status by having a permanent population of more than 5,000 residents. The settlement was noted for possessing urban characteristics, including developed public infrastructure and access to municipal, educational, sports, cultural, and health services.

One of the initiators of the legislative amendment, Saeima Speaker Daiga Mieriņa, noted that the desire for city status had been a long-standing goal for the community, discussed in strategic documents and public consultations for over a decade. The amendments were also intended to simplify the previously complex and costly procedure for granting city status to settlements.