Olaine

Olaine
Town
Flag Coat of arms
Olaine Location in Latvia
Coordinates:
Country	Latvia
District	Riga District
Town rights	1967
Government
• Mayor	Jānis Pavlovičs
Area
• Total	6.824 km2 (2.635 sq mi)
Population
• Total	12 719
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal code	LV-2114
Calling code	+371 67
Number of city council members	11

Olaine (<phonos file="Lv-Olaine.ogg">pronunciation</phonos>; German: Olai) is a town in Latvia that gained town rights in 1967. The history of Olaine is closely connected to a nearby peat bog that was first taken into use in 1940. Thereafter, more production facilities were built, the increasing numbers of workers needed accommodation and the first dwellings were built in Olaine. Previously, Olaine was the name of a village just two kilometers away. This village now has the name of Jaunolaine (New Olaine).

Olaine is home of Olainfarm, the second largest pharmaceuticals company in Latvia.

Fellowship towns

Through the years Olaine has gained several fellowship towns ("Sister cities) for collaboration in social, educational and cultural matters:

• Ödeshög, Sweden
• Karlskoga, Sweden
• Riihimäki, Finland
• Nowa Sarzyna, Poland

Notable people

• Gunta Baško - Latvian basketball player
• Rustams Begovs - Latvian hockey player
• Žaneta Jaunzeme-Grende - Latvian politician
• Dmitrijs Miļkevičs - Latvian athlete
• Jānis Kuzmins - World champion in slalom skateboarding

Literature

Vilīte, Valda: Olaines pagasts (2008)

See also

• List of cities in Latvia