Jelgava

Jelgava
State city
Aerial View of Jelgava Academia Petrina Cathedral of the Immaculate Virgin Mary St Simeon and St Anne's Cathedral Jelgava Palace
Flag Coat of arms Brandmark
Jelgava highlighted in Latvia.
Jelgava Location in Latvia
Coordinates: 56°38′54″N 23°42′50″E / 56.64833°N 23.71389°E / 56.64833; 23.71389
Country	Latvia
Town rights	1573
Government
• Mayor	Andris Rāviņš[1] (LZS)
• Number of City Council members	15
Area [2]
• Total	60.56 km2 (23.38 sq mi)
• Land	57.66 km2 (22.26 sq mi)
• Water	2.9 km2 (1.1 sq mi)
Elevation	13 m (43 ft)
Population  (2024)[3]
• Total	54,701
• Density	900/km2 (2,300/sq mi)
Demonym	Jelgavnieki (Latvian)
GDP [4]
• State city	740,034,000 Euro (2021)
• Per capita	13,462 Euro (2021)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code	LV-300(1–9); LV-3024; LV-3035
Calling code	(+371) 630
Website	www.jelgava.lv

Jelgava (pronounced [ˈjælˠɡɐvˠɐ] ^ⓘ) is a state city in central Latvia. It is located about 41 kilometres (25 miles) southwest of Riga. It is the largest town in the region of Zemgale (Semigalia). Jelgava was the capital of the united Duchy of Courland and Semigallia (1578–1795) and was the administrative center of the Courland Governorate (1795–1918).

Jelgava is situated on a fertile plain rising only 3.5 metres (11.5 feet) above mean sea level on the right bank of the river Lielupe. At high water, the plain and sometimes the town as well can be flooded. It is a railway center, and is also a host to the Jelgava Air Base. Its importance as a railway centre can be seen by the fact that it lies at the junction of over 6 railway lines connecting Riga to Lithuania, eastern and western Latvia, and Lithuania to the Baltic Sea.