Administrative divisions of Latvia before 2009

On 1 July 2009, the 26 districts of Latvia (Latvian: rajoni, sg.

rajons), introduced in 1949 by the Soviet occupation authorities to supersede counties (apriņķi, sg.

novads), 24 rural territories (Latvian: lauku teritorijas, sg.

lauku teritorija) and 475 parishes (Latvian: pagasti, sg.

The previous administrative reform had been enacted in 1990 upon the restoration of the independence of Latvia, when parishes, which had been abolished from 1945 to 1949 during the Soviet occupation in favour of village councils (ciemu padomes, sg.