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Valga, Estonia

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Valga
Valga Town Hall, Jaani (St. John´s) Church and Railway Station
Valga Town Hall, Jaani (St. John´s) Church and Railway Station
Motto(s): 
1 linn, 2 riiki (1 city, 2 countries)
Valga is located in Estonia
Valga
Valga
Location in Estonia
Coordinates: 57°47′N 26°02′E / 57.783°N 26.033°E / 57.783; 26.033Coordinates: 57°47′N 26°02′E / 57.783°N 26.033°E / 57.783; 26.033
CountryEstonia
CountyValga County
MunicipalityValga Parish
First mention1286
Area
 • Total16.54 km2 (6.39 sq mi)
Elevation
65 m (213 ft)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Total11,792
 • Rank11th
 • Density710/km2 (1,800/sq mi)
Ethnicity
 • Estonians64.3%
 • Russians26.3%
 • other9.1%
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code
68230
Area code(+372) 76
Vehicle registrationG

Valga (German: Walk) is a town in southern Estonia and the capital of Valga County and Valga Parish. Until their separation in 1920, Valga and the town of Valka in northern Latvia were one town. They are now twin-towns. The area of Valga is 16.5 square kilometres (6.4 square miles) and that of Valka is 14.2 km2 (5.5 sq mi). Their populations are respectively 12,261 and 6,164. On 21 December 2007 all border-crossing points were removed and roads and fences opened between the two countries with both countries joining the Schengen Agreement.

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German language

German language

German, or more precisely High German, is a West Germanic language mainly spoken in Western Europe and Central Europe. It is the most widely spoken and official or co-official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the Italian province of South Tyrol. It is also a co-official language of Luxembourg and Belgium, as well as a recognized national language in Namibia. Outside Germany, it is also spoken by German communities in France (Bas-Rhin), Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary (Sopron).

Estonia

Estonia

Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Lake Peipus and Russia. The territory of Estonia consists of the mainland, the larger islands of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, and over 2,200 other islands and islets on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea, covering a total area of 45,339 square kilometres (17,505 sq mi). The capital city Tallinn and Tartu are the two largest urban areas of the country. The Estonian language is the autochthonous and the official language of Estonia; it is the first language of the majority of its population, as well as the world's second most spoken Finnic language.

Valga County

Valga County

Valga County is a first-level administrative unit and one of 15 counties of Estonia. It comprises the former area of Valga District. The present-day county was created on 1 January 1990. The capital and largest town of Valga County is Valga, followed by Tõrva and Otepää. It is situated in the southern part of the country and borders Põlva and Võru County to the east, Latvia to the south and west, and Viljandi and Tartu County to the north. 27,650 people live in Valga County as of 2022.

Valga Parish

Valga Parish

Valga Parish is a rural municipality in Valga County. It includes the town of Valga.

Valka

Valka

Valka is a town and municipality in northern Latvia, on the border with Estonia along both banks of the river Pedele.

Latvia

Latvia

Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the Baltic states; and is bordered by Estonia to the north, Lithuania to the south, Russia to the east, Belarus to the southeast, and shares a maritime border with Sweden to the west. Latvia covers an area of 64,589 km2 (24,938 sq mi), with a population of 1.9 million. The country has a temperate seasonal climate. Its capital and largest city is Riga. Latvians belong to the ethno-linguistic group of the Balts and speak Latvian, one of the only two surviving Baltic languages. Russians are the most prominent minority in the country, at almost a quarter of the population.

Schengen Agreement

Schengen Agreement

The Schengen Agreement is a treaty which led to the creation of Europe's Schengen Area, in which internal border checks have largely been abolished. It was signed on 14 June 1985, near the town of Schengen, Luxembourg, by five of the ten member states of the then European Economic Community. It proposed measures intended to gradually abolish border checks at the signatories' common borders, including reduced-speed vehicle checks which allowed vehicles to cross borders without stopping, allowing residents in border areas freedom to cross borders away from fixed checkpoints, and the harmonisation of visa policies.

Location and transport

The distance to Tartu is 89 km (55 mi), Pärnu 144 km (89 mi), Tallinn 245 km (152 mi), Riga 175 km (109 mi) and Pskov 170 km (106 mi).

Valga is situated at the junction of roads and railways.

The HummuliTartuRiga railway is connected via Tapa with the Tallinn–NarvaSt Petersburg main line. After closing April 2008 for extensive repair work Edelaraudtee railway services from other parts of Estonia to Valga re-opened in January 2010.[2][3] From 1 January 2014 all domestic train services in Estonia are operated by Elron who runs three services a day from Valga to Tartu. The journeys either operate as through services to Tallinn or have a connection available at Tartu. The journey to Tartu takes around one hour and 15 minutes.[4]

Valga is also an international railway junction; since April 2008 three daily trains operated by Pasažieru Vilciens from Riga which previously terminated at Lugaži have been extended across the border to Valga. The journey time to Riga is between 3h12m and 3h30m.[5]

With the expansion of the Schengen Agreement and the abolition of systematic border controls between Estonia and Latvia, it was announced that common public bus transport would be launched between Valga and Valka.[6]

During the Cold War, Valga was home to Valga air base.

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Tartu

Tartu

Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia after Tallinn. Tartu has a population of 91,407. It is 186 kilometres southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres northeast of Riga, Latvia. Tartu lies on the Emajõgi river, which connects the two largest lakes in Estonia, Lake Võrtsjärv and Lake Peipus. From the 13th century until the end of the 19th century, Tartu was known in most of the world by variants of its historical name Dorpat.

Pärnu

Pärnu

Pärnu is the fourth largest city in Estonia. Situated in southwest Estonia, Pärnu is located 128 kilometres (80 mi) south of the Estonian capital, Tallinn, and 176 kilometres (109 mi) west of Estonia's second largest city, Tartu. The city sits off the coast of Pärnu Bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Riga, which is a part of the Baltic Sea. In the city, the Pärnu River drains into the Gulf of Riga.

Pskov

Pskov

Pskov is a city in northwestern Russia and the administrative center of Pskov Oblast, located about 20 kilometers (12 mi) east of the Estonian border, on the Velikaya River. Population: 193,082 (2021 Census); 203,279 (2010 Census); 202,780 (2002 Census); 203,789 (1989 Census).

Hummuli

Hummuli

Hummuli is a small borough in Valga County, in southern Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Hummuli Parish. Hummuli has a population of 379.

Riga

Riga

Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia and is home to 605,802 inhabitants which is a third of Latvia's population. 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 (3.3–32.8 ft) above sea level, on a flat and sandy plain.

Tapa, Estonia

Tapa, Estonia

Tapa is a town in Tapa Parish, Lääne-Viru County, Estonia, located at the junction of the country's Tallinn–Narva (west–east) and Tallinn–Tartu–Valga (north–south) railway lines.It is an important centre of transit for freight as well as rail passengers, a home to soldiers since the 1930s. Tapa also plays an important role in training young men and women in the Estonian Defense Forces, being nearby to Keskpolügoon. The Valgejõgi River passes Tapa on its northeastern side.

Narva

Narva

Narva is a municipality and city in Estonia. It is located in Ida-Viru county, at the eastern extreme point of Estonia and European Union, on the west bank of the Narva river which forms the Estonia–Russia international border. With 54,409 inhabitants Narva is Estonia's third largest city after capital Tallinn and Tartu.

Edelaraudtee

Edelaraudtee

Edelaraudtee is an Estonian railway operator founded in 1997. AS Edelaraudtee operates freight services on lines from Tallinn to Rapla, Pärnu & Viljandi owned by Edelaraudtee Infrastruktuuri AS.

Estonia

Estonia

Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Lake Peipus and Russia. The territory of Estonia consists of the mainland, the larger islands of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, and over 2,200 other islands and islets on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea, covering a total area of 45,339 square kilometres (17,505 sq mi). The capital city Tallinn and Tartu are the two largest urban areas of the country. The Estonian language is the autochthonous and the official language of Estonia; it is the first language of the majority of its population, as well as the world's second most spoken Finnic language.

Elron (rail transit)

Elron (rail transit)

AS Eesti Liinirongid, operating as Elron, is a government-owned passenger train operator in Estonia.

Tallinn

Tallinn

Tallinn is the capital and most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, Tallinn has a population of about 454,000 and administratively lies in the Harju maakond (county). Tallinn is the main financial, industrial, and cultural centre of Estonia. It is located 187 km (116 mi) northwest of the country's second largest city Tartu, however only 80 km (50 mi) south of Helsinki, Finland, also 320 km (200 mi) west of Saint Petersburg, Russia, 300 km (190 mi) north of Riga, Latvia, and 380 km (240 mi) east of Stockholm, Sweden. From the 13th century until the first half of the 20th century, Tallinn was known in most of the world by variants of its other historical name Reval.

Lugaži

Lugaži

Lugaži is a small town in the Valka Parish of Valka municipality in Latvia.

Districts of Valga

There are six districts of Valga:

  • Kesklinn
  • Laatsi
  • Pilpaküla
  • Puraküla
  • Kapsamõisa (Raudteetaguse)
  • Tambre.[7]

Activity

Since 1944, a local newspaper, Valgamaalane, has been published (3 times a week). Since 2003, there has also been a local newspaper "Walk" (in the Russian language). There also is a local correspondence office of Estonian Television (Eesti Televisioon) and a local radio – "Raadio Ruut".

The former municipality of Valga concluded several cooperation agreements. The nearest was an agreement (from the year 1995) with the neighbouring town of Valka. There were also cooperation agreements with Oakland, Maryland[8] (US) and Östhammar Municipality (Sweden). There were long-term friendly relations with Hallsberg Municipality in Sweden and the towns of Lübz in Germany and Tornio in Finland.

Valga is developing quickly. Since 1996, the populace's quality of life has improved due to the renovation of several buildings, including the Central Library, Valga Stadium, the Museum, Valga Hospital, and the Culture and Hobby Centre. Step by step, the schools and kindergartens are also being modernized. Since 2003, a new water treatment plant has improved the quality of water in the town.

In the private sector, there have been extensive investments in trade, light industry, and forestry.

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Russian language

Russian language

Russian is an East Slavic language mainly spoken in Russia. It is the native language of the Russians and belongs to the Indo-European language family. It is one of four living East Slavic languages, and is also a part of the larger Balto-Slavic languages. Besides Russia itself, Russian is an official language in Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, and is used widely as a lingua franca throughout Ukraine, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and to some extent in the Baltic states. It was the de facto language of the former Soviet Union.

Oakland, Maryland

Oakland, Maryland

Oakland is a town in and the county seat of Garrett County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,851 at the 2020 census. It is situated only miles from the source of the Potomac River, which flows directly into Chesapeake Bay. It is also near the Wisp Resort at Deep Creek Lake, a major ski resort for many Marylanders and other visitors. Oakland is part of the Pittsburgh DMA.

United States

United States

The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territories, nine Minor Outlying Islands, and 326 Indian reservations. The United States is also in free association with three Pacific Island sovereign states: the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. It is the world's third-largest country by both land and total area. It shares land borders with Canada to its north and with Mexico to its south and has maritime borders with the Bahamas, Cuba, Russia, and other nations. With a population of over 333 million, it is the most populous country in the Americas and the third most populous in the world. The national capital of the United States is Washington, D.C. and its most populous city and principal financial center is New York City.

Östhammar Municipality

Östhammar Municipality

Östhammar Municipality is a municipality in Uppsala County in east central Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Östhammar.

Sweden

Sweden

Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, Finland to the east, and is connected to Denmark in the southwest by a bridge–tunnel across the Öresund. At 447,425 square kilometres (172,752 sq mi), Sweden is the largest Nordic country, the third-largest country in the European Union, and the fifth-largest country in Europe. The capital and largest city is Stockholm. Sweden has a total population of 10.5 million, and a low population density of 25.5 inhabitants per square kilometre (66/sq mi), with around 87% of Swedes residing in urban areas, which cover 1.5% of the entire land area, in the central and southern half of the country.

Hallsberg Municipality

Hallsberg Municipality

Hallsberg Municipality is a municipality in Örebro County in central Sweden. Its seat is located in the town of Hallsberg.

Lübz

Lübz

Lübz is a town in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated on the river Elde, 12 km northeast of Parchim. It is home to the Mecklenburgische Brauerei Lübz, the largest local employer and one of the larger regional breweries. The former municipality Gischow was merged into Lübz in May 2019.

Germany

Germany

Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second-most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated between the Baltic and North seas to the north, and the Alps to the south; it covers an area of 357,022 square kilometres (137,847 sq mi), with a population of over 84 million within its 16 constituent states. Germany borders Denmark to the north, Poland and the Czech Republic to the east, Austria and Switzerland to the south, and France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands to the west. The nation's capital and most populous city is Berlin and its main financial centre is Frankfurt; the largest urban area is the Ruhr.

Tornio

Tornio

Tornio is a city and municipality in Lapland, Finland. The city forms a cross-border twin city together with Haparanda on the Swedish side. The municipality covers an area of 1,348.83 square kilometres (520.79 sq mi), of which 161.59 km2 (62.39 sq mi) is water. The population density is 17.97 inhabitants per square kilometre (46.5/sq mi), with a total population of 21,326.

Finland

Finland

Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, across from Estonia. Finland covers an area of 338,455 square kilometres (130,678 sq mi) with a population of 5.6 million. Helsinki is the capital and largest city. The vast majority of the population are ethnic Finns. Finnish and Swedish are the official languages, Swedish is the native language of 5.2% of the population. Finland's climate varies from humid continental in the south to the boreal in the north. The land cover is primarily a boreal forest biome, with more than 180,000 recorded lakes.

Population

Population change

Year 1881 1897 1922 1934 1959 1970 1979 1989 2000 2011 2017 2021
Population 4,200 10,900 9,500 10,800 13,300 17,000 18,500 17,700 14,323 12,261 12,452 12,010

Ethnic groups

Population of Valga by nationality
Nationality 2000 census 2011 census[9] 2021 census[10]
Number % Number % Number %
Estonians 8,970 62.63 7,886 64.32 7,110 59.20
Russians 3,913 27.32 3,224 26.30 3,160 26.31
Ukrainians 421 2.94 386 3.15 363 3.02
Latvians 334 2.33 262 2.14 679 5.65
Belarusians 211 1.47 156 1.27 159 1.32
Total 14,323 12,261 12,010

Languages

Population of Valga by first language
Language 2000 census[11] 2011 census[9] 2021 census[10]
Number % Number % Number %
Estonian 8,772 61.24 7,573 61.77 6,818 56.76
Russian 4,744 33.12 4,113 33.55 4,095 34.09
Latvian 259 1.81 191 1.56 531 4.42
Ukrainian 192 1.34 159 1.30 134 1.12
Belarusian 75 0.52 23 0.19 24 0.20
Total 14,323 12,261 12,010

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Estonians

Estonians

Estonians or Estonian people are a Finnic ethnic group native to Estonia who speak the Estonian language.

Russians

Russians

The Russians are an East Slavic ethnic group indigenous to Eastern Europe, who share a common Russian ancestry, culture, and history. Russian, the most spoken Slavic language, is the shared mother tongue of the Russians; Orthodox Christianity has been their historical religion since 988 AD. They are the largest Slavic nation and the largest European nation.

Ukrainians

Ukrainians

Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine. The native language of the Ukrainians is Ukrainian. The majority of Ukrainians are Eastern Orthodox Christians.

Latvians

Latvians

Latvians are a Baltic ethnic group and nation native to Latvia and the immediate geographical region, the Baltics. They are occasionally also referred to as Letts, especially in older bibliography. Latvians share a common Latvian language, culture and history.

Belarusians

Belarusians

Belarusians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Belarus. Over 9.5 million people proclaim Belarusian ethnicity worldwide. Nearly 8 million Belarusians reside in Belarus, with the United States and Russia being home to more than half a million Belarusians each.

Estonian language

Estonian language

Estonian is a Finnic language and the official language of Estonia. It is written in the Latin script, and is the first language of the majority of the country's population; it is also an official language of the European Union. Estonian is spoken natively by about 1.1 million people; 922,000 people in Estonia, and 160,000 elsewhere.

Russian language

Russian language

Russian is an East Slavic language mainly spoken in Russia. It is the native language of the Russians and belongs to the Indo-European language family. It is one of four living East Slavic languages, and is also a part of the larger Balto-Slavic languages. Besides Russia itself, Russian is an official language in Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, and is used widely as a lingua franca throughout Ukraine, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and to some extent in the Baltic states. It was the de facto language of the former Soviet Union.

Latvian language

Latvian language

Latvian, also known as Lettish, is an Eastern Baltic language belonging to the Baltic branch of the Indo-European language family, spoken in the Baltic region. It is the language of Latvians and the official language of Latvia as well as one of the official languages of the European Union. There are about 1.2 million native Latvian speakers in Latvia and 100,000 abroad. Altogether, 2 million, or 80% of the population of Latvia, spoke Latvian in the 2000s, before the total number of inhabitants of Latvia slipped to less than 1.9 million in 2022. Of those, around 1.16 million or 62% of Latvia's population used it as their primary language at home, though excluding the Latgale region it is spoken as a native language in villages and towns by over 90% of the population.

Ukrainian language

Ukrainian language

Ukrainian is an East Slavic language of the Indo-European language family, spoken primarily in Ukraine. It is the native language of the Ukrainians.

Belarusian language

Belarusian language

Belarusian is an East Slavic language. It is the native language of the Belarusians and one of the two official state languages in Belarus, alongside Russian. Additionally, it is spoken in some parts of Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, and Ukraine by Belarusian minorities in those countries.

Sports

Valga is home to several notable Estonian sports teams.

Warrior Valga, is a football club that currently plays in the III liiga. Warrior Valga played in the Meistriliiga from 2003 to 2006.

Valga, is a basketball club that currently plays in the Estonian top-tier Korvpalli Meistriliiga and the Baltic Basketball League.

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FC Warrior Valga

FC Warrior Valga

FC Valga Warrior is a football club based in Valga, Estonia.

Association football

Association football

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel a ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is to score more goals than the opposite team by moving the ball beyond the goal line into a rectangular-framed goal defended by the opposing side. Traditionally, the game has been played over two 45-minute halves, for a total match time of 90 minutes. With an estimated 250 million players active in over 200 countries and territories, it is considered the world's most popular sport.

III liiga

III liiga

III liiga is the fifth-highest football league arranged by the Estonian Football Association. It consists of 48 teams, divided geographically into four divisions with 12 teams in each group north, east, west and south. The season starts around April and lasts until October.

Meistriliiga

Meistriliiga

Meistriliiga is the highest division of the Estonian Football Association annual football championship. The league was founded in 1992, and was initially semi-professional with amateur clubs allowed to compete. With the help of solidarity mechanisms, the league is fully professional since the 2020 season.

Basketball

Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball through the defender's hoop, while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own hoop. A field goal is worth two points, unless made from behind the three-point line, when it is worth three. After a foul, timed play stops and the player fouled or designated to shoot a technical foul is given one, two or three one-point free throws. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but if regulation play expires with the score tied, an additional period of play (overtime) is mandated.

Korvpalli Meistriliiga

Korvpalli Meistriliiga

The Korvpalli Meistriliiga, known as the Paf Korvpalli Meistriliiga for sponsorship reasons, is the highest tier of professional basketball league in Estonia. It is controlled by the Estonian Basketball Association.

Baltic Basketball League

Baltic Basketball League

Baltic Basketball League (BBL) was the Baltic states basketball league founded in 2004. The league mainly focused on teams from the Baltic states, but teams from Sweden, Russia, Kazakhstan, Finland, and Belarus have participated in the Baltic League. After the 2017–18 season, the league announced that it was suspending its operations.

Climate

Valga lies within the temperate humid continental climate zone.

Climate data for Valga (normals 1991–2020, extremes 1925–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 10.1
(50.2)
10.9
(51.6)
18.4
(65.1)
27.4
(81.3)
30.7
(87.3)
33.2
(91.8)
34.4
(93.9)
34.3
(93.7)
29.5
(85.1)
21.7
(71.1)
15.2
(59.4)
11.9
(53.4)
34.4
(93.9)
Average high °C (°F) −1.6
(29.1)
−1.1
(30.0)
3.8
(38.8)
11.6
(52.9)
17.7
(63.9)
21.2
(70.2)
23.6
(74.5)
22.2
(72.0)
16.6
(61.9)
9.5
(49.1)
3.5
(38.3)
0.1
(32.2)
10.6
(51.1)
Daily mean °C (°F) −4.0
(24.8)
−4.3
(24.3)
−0.4
(31.3)
6.0
(42.8)
11.6
(52.9)
15.6
(60.1)
18.0
(64.4)
16.5
(61.7)
11.6
(52.9)
5.9
(42.6)
1.3
(34.3)
−2.0
(28.4)
6.3
(43.3)
Average low °C (°F) −6.6
(20.1)
−7.4
(18.7)
−4.2
(24.4)
0.9
(33.6)
5.5
(41.9)
10.0
(50.0)
12.6
(54.7)
11.5
(52.7)
7.3
(45.1)
2.8
(37.0)
−0.9
(30.4)
−4.2
(24.4)
2.3
(36.1)
Record low °C (°F) −38.5
(−37.3)
−38.2
(−36.8)
−30.1
(−22.2)
−17.8
(0.0)
−5.6
(21.9)
−1.6
(29.1)
2.5
(36.5)
1.5
(34.7)
−6.5
(20.3)
−14.4
(6.1)
−21.9
(−7.4)
−40.5
(−40.9)
−40.5
(−40.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 52
(2.0)
42
(1.7)
38
(1.5)
37
(1.5)
52
(2.0)
82
(3.2)
67
(2.6)
78
(3.1)
53
(2.1)
71
(2.8)
56
(2.2)
50
(2.0)
675
(26.6)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 12 9 9 8 9 11 10 11 11 12 13 14 128
Average relative humidity (%) 89 86 78 70 68 73 76 79 84 87 90 90 81
Source: Estonian Weather Service (precipitation days 1971–2000)[12][13][14][15][16]

History

  • 1286: Valga (under German name Walk) appears for the first time in the credit register of the city of Riga.
  • 1298, 1329, 1345: Walk suffers from looting raids made by Lithuanians who are led by Grand Duke Gediminas and Algirdas on the second and third occasions.
  • 1419: Walk becomes the seat of the Landtag of the Livonian Confederation.
  • 1481: A raid by Russians; the settlement burns down for the fourth time.
  • 1500: Walk, a settlement in the heart of Old Livonia that is not fortified, is chosen as the location for town assembly days 36 times up to 1500.
  • 1501: During another raid by Russians the settlement gets burnt down for the fifth time.
  • 1558: During the Livonian War the medieval settlement of Walk is completely destroyed.
  • 1584 11 June: Valga is granted the same charter and byelaws as Riga by Stefan Batory, the King of Poland.
  • 1590 17 April: The King of Poland, Sigismund III Vasa, ratifies the charter for the second time. Valga is granted its city arms.
  • 1600: The first town map, showing 42 house properties. The town is 7 km (4 mi) long and between 0.25 to 0.5 km (0.2 to 0.3 mi) wide.
  • 1626: After the Polish-Swedish War Valga becomes the subject of Sweden. On 6 March, King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden confirms the existing privileges.
  • 1657: On 9 July, a Swedish army under Friedrich von Löwen defeats a Russian army under Scheremetchev in the Battle of Walk.
  • 1721: As the result of the Great Northern War, Valga is subjected to Russian rule together with the rest of Estonia.
  • 1764 5 October: Empress Catherine II confirms the town's privileges.
  • 1783: During the Regency of Catherine II the Valga County (Kreis Walk) is formed.
  • 1780: The first stone buildings are erected: a church, a school and county offices.
  • 1789: Land surveyor O.S. Engell drafts the map of Valga showing 76 plots with houses.
  • 1816: The building of St. John's Church is finished.
  • 1876: Walkscher Anzeiger, the first newspaper in Valga, in German, is issued.
  • 1889: Valga Railway Station is opened. On 22 July the Tartu-Valga railway line is officially opened.
  • 1890 16 December: The Valga Temperance Society is founded.
  • 1896: The Pärnu-Valga narrow-gauge railway is opened.
  • 1901 7 December: Together with Latvians, Estonians succeed in winning the elections over Baltic Germans in Valga – the first occasion on Estonian territory. The chemist Johannes Märtson is elected mayor.
  • 1902: In the building of the Temperance Society the social society Säde is founded; Andres Alver, the county medical officer, is elected chairman. The Valga-Marienburg narrow-gauge railway is opened.
  • 1904 22 May: Estonian poet and writer Paul Viiding is born in Valga.
  • 1908 24 June: Estonian military commander Alfons Rebane is born in Valga.
  • 1908: The Girls' Progymnasium is changed into the Gymnasium with Marta Pärna as principal.
  • 1909: The construction of the Säde building is begun (architect Georg Hellat).
  • 1917: A German zeppelin flies over the town and drops forty high-explosive bombs without hitting the main target, the railway station.
  • 1918 11 January: The Council of Delegates of Valga County Workers, Soldiers and Landless Men gains power in the town. On 12 February the German Army occupies Valga.
  • 1919 11 January: The Valga Estonian Gymnasium is opened at 22 Kesk Street. For the first time in the history of secondary education in Valga the teaching language is Estonian instead of German. At the end of January, 107 victims of Bolshevik acts of terror are found in five mass graves around Valga; 67 people are taken away as hostages. On 31 January the Battle of Paju takes place and consequently Valga is freed from the Bolsheviks.
  • 1920 1 July: The British envoy Colonel S. G. Tallents conclusively establishes the border between Estonia and Latvia, putting an end to their disputes. Valga proper, as far as Konnaoja and Luke graveyard, remains intact under Estonian rule.
  • 1921 11 February: The decree of the Estonian government establishes the territory of Valga county. Valga becomes a county centre.
  • 1940 17 August: The Soviet occupation begins and with it the mass deportations of Estonians and Latvians from Valga/Valka
  • 1941 9 July: Valga is occupied by German troops.
  • 1944 19 September: In the course of heavy fighting Valga is liberated from the German occupation of Estonia. It is immediately replaced by the Soviet occupation of Estonia.
  • 1988. The Valga Society for the Protection of Antiquities is founded. On 27 November, on the initiative of the Society, the beginning of the War of Liberation is commemorated at the memorial for those killed in the war.
  • 1989 24 February: The first Estonian flag of the re-established independence period is hoisted on the flagpole of 12 Aia Street.
  • 1992 24 May: The Russian army base in Valga is taken over, and later on becomes the border guard's post.
  • 1993 17 October: The first free elections of the municipal council after the restoration of independence take place.
  • 1994 31 January: On the 75th anniversary of the battle of Paju a memorial to it is opened. On 21–25 June, worldwide days of Valga county people take place.

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Riga

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Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia and is home to 605,802 inhabitants which is a third of Latvia's population. 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 (3.3–32.8 ft) above sea level, on a flat and sandy plain.

Lithuanians

Lithuanians

Lithuanians are a Baltic ethnic group. They are native to Lithuania, where they number around 2,378,118 people. Another two millions make up the Lithuanian diaspora, largely found in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Brazil, Russia, and Canada. Their native language is Lithuanian, one of only two surviving members of the Baltic language family along with Latvian. According to the census conducted in 2021, 84.6% of the population of Lithuania identified themselves as Lithuanians, 6.5% as Poles, 5.0% as Russians, 1.0% as Belarusians, and 1.1% as members of other ethnic groups. Most Lithuanians belong to the Catholic Church, while the Lietuvininkai who lived in the northern part of East Prussia prior to World War II, were mostly Lutherans.

Gediminas

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Algirdas

Algirdas

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Landtag

Landtag

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Russia

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Livonia

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Poland

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Sweden

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International relations

Twin towns – Sister cities

There former municipality of Valga, Estonia was twinned with:[17]

City Twins Association

The former municipality of Valga was a founding member of City Twins Association that was founded in Imatra, Finland on 13 December 2006. In addition to sister towns, Valga had a cooperation through the association with following cities:[18]

Cooperation without any formal agreement

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List of twin towns and sister cities in Estonia

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This is a list of places in Estonia which have standing links to local communities in other countries known as "town twinning" or "sister cities".

Belgium

Belgium

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Hallsberg

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Haparanda

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Slovakia

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Poland

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Kobylnica, Pomeranian Voivodeship

Kobylnica, Pomeranian Voivodeship

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Kościelisko

Kościelisko

Kościelisko is a village in Tatra County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland, close to the border with Slovakia. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Kościelisko. It lies approximately 5 kilometres (3 mi) west of Zakopane and 86 km (53 mi) south of the regional capital Kraków.

Germany

Germany

Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second-most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated between the Baltic and North seas to the north, and the Alps to the south; it covers an area of 357,022 square kilometres (137,847 sq mi), with a population of over 84 million within its 16 constituent states. Germany borders Denmark to the north, Poland and the Czech Republic to the east, Austria and Switzerland to the south, and France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands to the west. The nation's capital and most populous city is Berlin and its main financial centre is Frankfurt; the largest urban area is the Ruhr.

Lübz

Lübz

Lübz is a town in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated on the river Elde, 12 km northeast of Parchim. It is home to the Mecklenburgische Brauerei Lübz, the largest local employer and one of the larger regional breweries. The former municipality Gischow was merged into Lübz in May 2019.

Oakland, Maryland

Oakland, Maryland

Oakland is a town in and the county seat of Garrett County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,851 at the 2020 census. It is situated only miles from the source of the Potomac River, which flows directly into Chesapeake Bay. It is also near the Wisp Resort at Deep Creek Lake, a major ski resort for many Marylanders and other visitors. Oakland is part of the Pittsburgh DMA.

Notable residents

Kazimierz Świątek (Belarusian: Казімір Свёнтак, 1914 – 2011), first cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church in independent Belarus[19][20]

Gallery

Source: "Valga, Estonia", Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, (2023, March 14th), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valga,_Estonia.

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References
Notes
  1. ^ Population by sex, age and place of residence after the 2017 administrative reform, 1 January. Statistics Estonia.
  2. ^ "Taasavatud Tartu-Valga rongiliini esimene sõit osutus ülipopulaarseks" (in Estonian). tartupostimees.ee. 30 December 2009. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  3. ^ Juhan Tere (15 December 2009). "Tartu-Valga train connection to get relaunched from January". The Baltic Course. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  4. ^ "Sõiduplaan – Elron". pilet.elron.ee. Archived from the original on 18 April 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  5. ^ "Latvijas Dzelzceļš". Archived from the original on 28 June 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  6. ^ "Establishment of common public bus transport (Presentation)" (PDF). euregio-heltal.org. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  7. ^ "LINNAOSADE JA -JAGUDE LÜHENDID". www.eki.ee (in Estonian). Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  8. ^ "Partner Cities Program". Estonia.usembassy.gov. Archived from the original on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
  9. ^ a b "Ethnic nationality. Mother tongue and command of foreign languages. Dialects". pub.stat.ee. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  10. ^ a b "Population by ethnic nationality, sex, age group and place of residence (administrative unit)". andmed.stat.ee. 31 December 2021.
  11. ^ "Ethnic nationality. Mother tongue. Command of foreign languages". pub.stat.ee. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  12. ^ "Climate normals-Temperature". Estonian Weather Service. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  13. ^ "Climate normals-Precipitation". Estonian Weather Service. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  14. ^ "Climate normals-Humidity". Estonian Weather Service. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  15. ^ "Rekordid" (in Estonian). Estonian Weather Service. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  16. ^ "Kliimanormid-Sademed, õhuniiskus" (in Estonian). Estonian Weather Service. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  17. ^ "Valga". Valga. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  18. ^ "Valga". Valga. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  19. ^ "Кардынал Казімір Свёнтэк (пам. 2011 г.) (Cardinal Kazimierz Cardinal Świątek)(died 2011)(in Belarusian)". Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  20. ^ "Cardinal Kazimierz Swiatek obituary". TheGuardian.com. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
External links
  • Valga/Valka Illustrations and detailed descriptions of the border, in the period before Schengen

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