South Kurzeme, Latvia

🇱🇻 South Kurzeme Municipality (Dienvidkurzemes novads) is one of the 35 municipalities established in Latvia in 2021. It surrounds Liepāja, Latvia's third largest city. Its first elected municipal council will take office on 1 July 2021. Its seat is at Grobiņa.

South Kurzeme is Latvia's largest municipality, covering an area of 3,591 square km (1,386 sq mi). It is located in the south-western part of the Courland region in western Latvia, on the coast of the Baltic Sea. It borders Ventspils Municipality to the north, Kuldīga Municipality to the north-east, and Saldus Municipality to the east. It surrounds the port city of Liepāja in the west. It also borders the Lithuanian counties of Klaipėda and Telšiai to the south and south-east respectively. The westernmost point of Latvia is located at Cape Bernāti in Nīca Parish south of Liepāja.

The coastline of South Kurzeme Municipality is over 100 km (62 mi) long. Erosion of the coast north of Liepāja has been accelerated because breakwaters at Liepāja's seaport intercept sand drifting northward along the coast. The coast south of Liepāja features sandy beaches and dunes, behind which are lagoons and marshy plains. The largest of the lagoons are Lake Liepāja and Lake Tosmare  on the municipality's border with Liepāja, and Lake Pape near the Lithuanian border. The Rietumkursa Upland  rises east of the coastal lowlands, its highest point being Krievukalns [lv] at 190 metres (620 ft) in Embūte Parish.

Rivers in the municipality include the Bārta which flows from its headwaters in Lithuania into Lake Liepāja; and the Durbe  and Tebra, which join to form the Saka [lv] at the village of the same name. The Saka drains into the Baltic Sea at Pāvilosta.

Pape Nature Reserve covers 10,853 hectares (26,820 acres) and protects Lake Pape and the surrounding land areas. It forms the terrestrial component of the Pape Wetland Complex Ramsar site, which also covers the adjacent marine area and has a total area of 51,725 hectares (127,820 acres). Bernāti Nature Park  protects Cape Bernāti and Pūsēnu Hill, Latvia's highest sand dune at 37 metres (121 ft). Grīņu Nature Reserve is located in the northern part of the municipality.

History South Kurzeme Municipality corresponds in extent to the former Liepāja District as it existed from 1991 to 2009. In the 2009 territorial reforms, Liepāja District was divided into the municipalities of Aizpute, Durbe, Grobiņa, Nīca, Pāvilosta, Priekule, Rucava, and Vaiņode. In 2020, the Saeima approved reducing the number of administrative divisions at the municipal level from 119 to 42, including rejoining the aforementioned municipalities to form South Kurzeme Municipality. Elections for Latvia's new municipal councils were held on 5 June 2021, and the new municipalities including South Kurzeme will go into effect on 1 July 2021.

Administration The municipal council of South Kurzeme currently comprises 19 councillors. The municipality is to form joint authorities with the city of Liepāja for the administration of civil protection, education, and waste management.

The municipality is subdivided into five towns and 26 parishes: Towns • Aizpute • Durbe • Grobiņa • Pāvilosta • Priekule.

Parishes: • Aizpute Parish • Bārta Parish • Bunka Parish • Cīrava Parish • Dunalka Parish • Dunika Parish • Durbe Parish • Embūte Parish • Gavieze Parish • Gramzda Parish • Grobiņa Parish • Kalēti Parish • Kalvene Parish • Kazdanga Parish • Laža Parish • Medze Parish • Nīca Parish • Otaņķi Parish • Priekule Parish • Rucava Parish • Saka Parish • Tadaiķi Parish • Vaiņode Parish • Vecpils Parish • Vērgale Parish • Virga Parish.

Economy Significant economic activities in South Kurzeme Municipality include tourism, agriculture, forestry and fishing. The municipality is served by national roads A9, which connects Liepāja to Riga, and A11, which runs from Liepāja to the Lithuanian border crossing near Rucava. The Jelgava–Liepāja Railway runs east to west through the municipality. Liepāja International Airport is located in South Kurzeme Municipality at Cimdenieki just east of Liepāja.