Riga is the capital, the primate, and the largest city of Latvia. Home to 605,273 inhabitants, the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga metropolitan area, which stretches beyond the city limits, is estimated at 860,142. The city lies on the Gulf of Riga at the mouth of the Daugava river where it meets the Baltic Sea. Riga's territory covers 307.17 km2 (118.60 sq mi) and lies 1–10 m (3–33 ft) above sea level on a flat and sandy plain.
Sportin Latvia includes basketball, football, ice hockey, athletics (track), rugby, tennis, cycling, and others. Ice hockey is the most popular of the Latvian sports and is closely followed by basketball. Some of Latvia's most notable athletes include hockey player Sandis Ozoliņš, football player Māris Verpakovskis, Olympic javelin thrower Jānis Lūsis, two-time Olympic BMX champion Maris Strombergs, and basketball player Kristaps Porziņģis. The national sport of Latvia is ice hockey.
The Latvian men's national ice hockey team represents Latvia in international ice hockey. The team is ranked 10th in the world by IIHF as of 2023. The team is controlled by the Latvian Ice Hockey Federation. Their best ever finish at the World Championships was in 2023, when they won the bronze medal. Latvia reached the quarterfinals at the 2014 Winter Olympics, losing 2–1 to Canada. Latvia has 7,898 registered players.
Jānis Sprukts is a retired Latvian professional ice hockey forward.
Arvīds Reķis is a Latvian former professional ice hockey defenceman who most notably played for the Augsburger Panther in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).
Pēteris "Peter" Skudra is a Latvian former professional ice hockey goaltender and head coach. During a playing career that lasted from 1994 to 2007 he played for several teams in Latvia, Russia and North America. After starting his career in Latvia, Skudra moved to the North American minor leagues in 1994. He signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL) in 1997 and made his debut that year. Over the next six seasons, Skudra played for the Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, and Vancouver Canucks. In 2003, he moved to Russia, playing the last four seasons of his career. Playing in the NHL primarily as a back-up goalie, Skudra appeared in 146 games during his career.
Dinamo Riga is a professional ice hockey team based in Riga, Latvia. It most recently was a member of the Latvian Hockey Higher League. The club is affiliated with HK Zemgale/LBTU.
Roberts Bukarts is a Latvian professional ice hockey forward for HC Vítkovice Ridera of the Czech Extraliga (ELH).
Ronalds Ķēniņš is a Latvian professional ice hockey forward for SC Bern of the National League (NL). He previously played for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL).
The Ukraine women's national ice hockey team is the women's national ice hockey team of Ukraine. The team is controlled by the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine, a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. They made their World Championship debut in 2019 winning all four games to gain promotion to Division II B.
Zemgus Girgensons is a Latvian professional ice hockey forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the first round, 14th overall, in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Buffalo Sabres. With this selection, Girgensons became the highest-drafted Latvian in NHL history, 16 spots higher than previous highest selection, Sandis Ozoliņš, in 1991. In the previous year, Girgensons was selected in the second round, 28th overall, in the 2011 KHL Junior Draft by CSKA Moscow. Girgensons was voted to the NHL All-Star Game in 2015.
Elvis Merzļikins is a Latvian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Jānis Jaks is a Latvian professional ice hockey defenceman currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played for HC Sochi of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
Teodors Bļugers is a Latvian professional ice hockey centre for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 52nd overall in the 2012 NHL entry draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, making him the third-highest selected Latvian player in the NHL entry draft, behind Zemgus Girgensons and Sandis Ozoliņš.
The 2021 IIHF World Championship took place from 21 May to 6 June 2021. It was originally to be co-hosted by Minsk, Belarus and Riga, Latvia, as the IIHF announced on 19 May 2017 in Cologne, Germany. Their joint bid won by a very tight margin against the Finnish bid with the cities of Tampere and Helsinki. On 18 January 2021 the IIHF decided to remove Belarus as a co-host due to the rising political unrest and COVID-19 concerns there. On 2 February, the IIHF voted to confirm Latvia as the sole host for the 2021 IIHF World Championship.
Rūdolfs Balcers is a Latvian professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing with the ZSC Lions of the National League (NL). He was selected by the San Jose Sharks, 142nd overall, in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Balcers played three seasons for the Stavanger Oilers before moving to North America in 2016, where he spent one season with the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL). After one season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Sharks minor league affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda, Balcers was traded to the Ottawa Senators in 2018, and made his NHL debut with the team in 2019. He rejoined the Sharks in 2021. Playing with the Latvian national team, Balcers played a central role in the country's first-ever medal at Ice Hockey World Championships in 2023.
Kristiāns Rubīns is a Latvian professional ice hockey defenceman for Modo Hockey of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). Playing with the Latvian national team, Rubīns played a central role in the country's first-ever medal at Ice Hockey World Championships in 2023.
Jørgen Alfred Hviid was a Danish and Latvian multi-sport athlete, and an officer in the Royal Danish Navy. He was primarily an ice hockey player, but also competed in speed skating and sailing.
Mārtiņš Dzierkals is a Latvian professional ice hockey forward who plays for HC Škoda Plzeň in the Czech Extraliga (ELH).
Ice hockey in Latvia is the most popular sport in the country. The first hockey match on Latvian soil took place on February 15, 1909, with two teams facing Union and Strēlnieka Dārzs. However, it took another 20 years to supplant the popular sport of Bandy.
Latvia 