Zemgale Planning Region (Latvian: Zemgales plānošanas reģions) is a planning region of Latvia located within the south-center of the country.[4] Established in 2002, the planning region contains 22 municipalities: 20 local governments and two major cities, the largest being Jelgava.[5][6] As of 2020, the region's population was 228,409.[7]
Geography
Zemgale is located within the historical region of Semigallia, which encompasses the southern-central portion of the country. The planning region has a total area of 10,742 km2 (4,148 sq mi), making up 16% of the nation's total territory.[8] Zemgale shares a 270 km (170 mi) border with the Republic of Lithuania, which sits directly to its south.[9]
With a population of 62,800, Jelgava is the largest city in the planning region
Zemgale is noted for its rich soil, unpolluted resources, and natural areas; 40% of the region is forested.[9][8]
As of 2010, the region has a population of 280,494, which makes up 12.5% of Latvia's total population.[9] About half of Zemgale's population lives in the region's two largest cities: Jelgava and Jēkabpils.
