Dobeles apriņķis (German : Kreis Doblen, Russian : Добленский уезд) was a historic county of the Courland Governorate and of the Republic of Latvia. Its capital was Dobele (Doblen).
The Captaincy of Doblen (German : Hauptmannschaft Doblen) was founded in 1617 as a subdivision of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia. In 1795, the Duchy was incorporated into the Russian Empire, and in 1819 Doblen County (Kreis Doblen) became one of the ten counties of the Courland Governorate.
After the establishment of the Republic of Latvia in 1918, the Dobeles apriņķis [1] existed until 1920, when it was renamed to Jelgavas apriņķis.
At the time of the Russian Empire Census of 1897, Kreis Doblen had a population of 101,310. Of these, 76.8% spoke Latvian, 11.0% German, 4.8% Russian, 4.0% Yiddish, 1.2% Lithuanian, 0.9% Polish, 0.4% Tatar, 0.4% Belarusian, 0.2% Romani, 0.1% Estonian and 0.1% Ukrainian as their native language. [2]
Courland is one of the Historical Latvian Lands in western Latvia. Courland's largest city is Liepāja, which is the third largest city in Latvia. The regions of Semigallia and Selonia are sometimes considered as part of Courland as they were formerly held by the same duke.
Historical Latvian Lands or formerly Cultural regions of Latvia are several areas within Latvia formally recognised as distinct from the rest of the country. These are: Kurzeme (Courland), Zemgale (Semigallia), Latgale (Latgalia), Vidzeme, and Sēlija (Selonia). While some of these regions are seen purely as culturally distinct, others have historically been parts of different countries and have been used to divide the country for administrative and other purposes.
Dobele is a town in the cultural region Zemgale in Latvia, and is located near the center of Latvia on the banks of the river Bērze. It received town rights in 1917 whilst being a part of the German occupied Courland Governorate during the First World War. As of 2020, the population was 8,856.
Courland Governorate, also known as the Province of Courland or Governorate of Kurland, and known from 1795 to 1796 as the Viceroyalty of Courland, was an administrative-territorial unit (guberniya) and one of the Baltic governorates of the Russian Empire. Its area roughly corresponded to Kurzeme, Zemgale and Sēlija of modern-day Latvia.
Valka County was a historic county in the Governorate of Livonia, and in the Republic of Latvia dissolved during the administrative territorial reform of the Latvian SSR in 1949. Its capital was Valka (Walk).
Riga County was a historic county of the Duchy of Livonia, the Governorate of Livonia, and the Republic of Latvia which was dissolved during the administrative territorial reform of the Latvian SSR in 1949.
Cēsu apriņķis was a historic county in the Swedish Livonia, in the Governorate of Livonia, and in the Republic of Latvia dissolved during the administrative territorial reform of the Latvian SSR in 1949. Its capital was Cēsis (Wenden).
Valmiera County was a historic county of Latvia. Its capital was Valmiera (Wolmar).
Bauskas apriņķis was a historic county of the Courland Governorate and of the Republic of Latvia. Its capital was Bauska (Bauske).
Aizpute County was a historic county of the Courland Governorate and of the Republic of Latvia. Its capital was Aizpute (Hasenpoth).
Kuldīgas apriņķis was a historic county of the Courland Governorate and of the Republic of Latvia. Its capital was Kuldīga (Goldingen).
Grobiņas apriņķis was a historic county of the Courland Governorate and shortly of the Republic of Latvia. Its capital was Grobiņa (Grobin).
Talsu apriņķis was a historic county of the Courland Governorate and of the Republic of Latvia. Its capital was Talsi (Talsen).
Tukuma apriņķis was a historic county of the Courland Governorate and of the Republic of Latvia. Its capital was Tukums (Tuckum).
Jaunjelgavas apriņķis was a historic county of the Courland Governorate and of the Republic of Latvia. Its capital was Jaunjelgava (Friedrichstadt).
Ilūkstes apriņķis was a historic county of the Courland Governorate and of the Republic of Latvia. Its capital was Ilūkste (Illuxt), but the most populous settlement was Grīva (Griwa-Semgallen) immediately south of Daugavpils (Dünaburg).
Ventspils County was a historic county of the Courland Governorate and of the Republic of Latvia. Its capital was Ventspils (Windau).
Daugavpils apriņķis was a subdivision of the Republic of Latvia and the Latvian SSR. Its administrative centre was Daugavpils.
Ludzas apriņķis was a subdivision of the Republic of Latvia and the Latvian SSR. Its administrative centre was Ludza.
Rēzeknes apriņķis was a subdivision of the Republic of Latvia and the Latvian SSR. Its administrative centre was Rēzekne.