Latgale
Sign in to saveLatgale (; ; ; ; ; ; Belarusian Latin: Łathalija; ), also known as Latgalia or Latgallia, is one of the Historical Latvian Lands. It is the easternmost region of the country and lies north of the Daugava River. While most of Latvia is historically Lutheran, Latgale is predominantly Catholic: 65.3% according to a 2011 survey. After the Counter-Reformation it was the northernmost predominantly Catholic province or region in Europe. There is a considerable Eastern Orthodox minority (23.8%), of which 13.8% are Russian Orthodox Christians and 10.0% are Old Believers. As of 2020, the region's popula
AI overview
Latgale is the easternmost region of Latvia, historically distinguished by its predominantly Catholic population (65.3% as of 2011), which sets it apart from the rest of Lutheran Latvia and made it Europe's northernmost Catholic region after the Counter-Reformation. The region also has a significant Eastern Orthodox minority and maintains a distinct cultural and religious identity within the country.
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Key facts
- Settlement.name
- Latgale
- Settlement.native_name
- Latgola
- Settlement.image_map
- Latgale location Latvia.svg
- Settlement.map_caption
- Location of Latgale in Latvia
- Settlement.image_flag
- Flag of Latgale.svg
- Settlement.image_shield
- Coat of Arms of Latgale.svg
- Settlement.subdivision_type
- Country
- Settlement.subdivision_name
- Latvia
- Settlement.seat
- Daugavpils
- Settlement.seat_type
- Largest city
- Settlement.area_total_km2
- 14,547
- Settlement.population_as_of
- 2020
Article
15 sectionsContents
- History
- Name
- Early history
- Latgale as part of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
- Latgale as part of Russian Empire
- Latgale as part of independent Latvia
- Latgale during and after World War II
- Geography
- Culture
- Religion
- Latgalian pottery
- Notable people
- See also
- References
- External links
Latgale (; ; ; ; ; ; Belarusian Latin: Łathalija; ), also known as Latgalia or Latgallia, is one of the Historical Latvian Lands. It is the easternmost region of the country and lies north of the Daugava River. While most of Latvia is historically Lutheran, Latgale is predominantly Catholic: 65.3% according to a 2011 survey. After the Counter-Reformation it was the northernmost predominantly Catholic province or region in Europe. There is a considerable Eastern Orthodox minority (23.8%), of which 13.8% are Russian Orthodox Christians and 10.0% are Old Believers. As of 2020, the region's population was 255,968.
The region has a large population of ethnic Russians, especially in Daugavpils, the largest city in the region and the location of the region's only public university, the University of Daugavpils. Many of the Russians who lived in Latgale before Soviet rule are Old Believers. Rēzekne, often called the heart of Latgale, Krāslava, and Ludza are other large towns in the region, which also has a Belarusian minority. There is also a significant Polish minority. As part of the Polotsk and Vitebsk guberniyas, the region was part of the Pale of Settlement and had a very large Jewish population – but many of the Jews were killed in WW2 and most of the remainder emigrated. Other than in Daugavpils, the Baltic German presence in Latgale was less sizable than in other regions of Latvia. According to the Latvian Official Statistics portal, Latgale is the only region of Latvia where the number of Slavs surpasses the number of ethnic Latvians.