Riga

www.riga.lv
www.investinriga.com

Size:

• City – 303 km2
• Areas of  SEZ / Free Port – 6348 ha
• Inhabitants in the city – 717 300
• Inhabitants in the region – 157 700

Distance to:

• Estonian border – 120 km
• Lithuanian border – 75 km
• Belarusian border – 300 km
• Russian border – 300 km
• Moscow – 842 km
• Stockholm – 550 km
• Rotterdam – 2000 km

Main road/railway intersections:

Motorway:

• Ventspils – Riga – Jekabpils – Rezekne – Moscow (Russia) (E22)
• Via Baltica“ Kaunas (Lithuania) – Riga – Tallin (Estonia) (E67)
• Kaliningrad (Russia) – Siauliai (Lithuania) – Jelgava – Riga – Pskov(Russia) (E77)

Railway:

• Riga – Valga (Estonia) – Pskov (Russia)
• Riga – Rezekne – Moscow (Russia)
• Riga – Daugavpils – Vitebsk (Belorussia) – Smolensk (Russia)
• Riga – Jelgava – Siauliai (Lithuania) – Vilnius (Lithuania)

Largest Latvian enterprises operating in Riga:

• JSC Grindeks is a pharmaceutical company employing more than 660 professionals.
• JSC Air Baltic Corporation is the largest airline in the Baltic States with over 70 direct destinations and 600 employees. 
• JSC Laima produces chocolate engaging more than 480 people.
• JSC Latvijas Finieris has been producing plywood for more than 85 years and currently employs over 2100 employees.

Largest foreign enterprises operating in Riga:

• JSC Swedbank (Sweden) is the largest bank in Latvia with more than 2500 employees.
• Latvija Statoil Ltd. (Norway) is a subsidiary company of StatoilHydro ASA, which is the largest oil and gas retailer in the Baltic Sea Region and one of the largest investors in Latvia providing more than 800 workplaces.
• JSC Exigen Services Latvia (USA) is the largest IT service provider in the Baltic States employing more than 650 specialists.
• DSV Transport Ltd. (Denmark) is a subsidiary company of DSV Road Holding A/S, which is a global supplier of transport and logistics solutions. Company engages more than 100 people in Latvia.

Major innovative companies in Riga:

• JSC Energofirma “Jauda” (Latvia) produces electric equipment including compact substations, low and medium voltage equipment, metal constructions and metal ware engaging more than 250 employees.
• JSC SAF Tehnika (Latvia) is a producer and distributor of digital microwave data transmission equipment. Its products provide wireless backhaul solutions for digital voice and data transmission to mobile and fixed network operators, data service providers, governments and private companies. Company employs over 150 specialists. 
• JSC Sidrabe (UK) has been manufacturing vacuum deposition equipment and developing unique technological processes for production, pilot and R&D coaters already since 1962. The company engages more than 150 people.
• Biosan Ltd. (Latvian – British joint venture) produces laboratory equipment developing modern personal products for sample preparation in the field of genomics, proteomics and cellomics. Company has over 70 employees.

Labour skills and education:

There were 390 000 economically active residents in Riga in 2008  Leading sector in terms of the number of employed is trade, engaging approximately 21%, followed by real estate and business activities. 12% of all employed are engaged in manufacturing. With 52 higher education institutions in Riga, the labour market is supplied with variety of competent and motivated specialists, oftentimes having gained their first employment experience already during the first two years of studies. Riga is also home to several research institutions, majority of which are associated with the University of Latvia and Riga Technical University. 

Incentives and developments:

Riga Free Port offers Corporate Income Tax and Real Estate Tax allowances. Several industrial parks are available in Riga and Riga region that can be used for rapid business development. City’s infrastructure is continuously developing with such important project underway as highway connecting Riga Free Port to Via Baltica. Riga International Airport is also further developing its infrastructure in order to achieve the target of 20 million passengers by 2025. “Rail Baltic” line project is being designed in order to connect all three Baltic States with European railway network.

Municipality can offer:

• Benefits of living and working in Latvia’s political, economic and cultural centre
• Special Economic Zone (tax allowances)
• Finance centre of the Baltic States
• Industrial and logistics parks
• Large pool of educated, experienced and diverse workforce 
• State administrative centre

Contact information:
Ms. Agnese Buša
Acting Head of Investment Promotion Division
Investment and Development Agency of Latvia
E-mail: agnese.busa@liaa.gov.lv 
Phone: + (371) 6 7039 473
Fax: (+371) 67039401
www.liaa.gov.lv

See some potential Real Estate offers for your project:

• Magnat Brownfield (330 000 m2)
• Office “Valdemara arcade” (4880 m2)

For more information see full profile of Riga

If you have selected Riga as best potential location for your investment project, please fill out our Investment Project Assessment Form, and our Investment Promotion Team will be glad to help you with your business development.