Madona Municipality

Madona Municipality (Latvian: Madonas novads) is a municipality in Vidzeme, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2009 by merging Arona parish, Barkava parish, Bērzaune parish, Dzelzava parish, Kalsnava parish, Lazdona parish, Liezēre parish, Ļaudona parish, Mārciena parish, Mētriena parish, Ošupe parish, Prauliena parish, Sarkaņi parish, Vestiena parish and Madona town the administrative centre being Madona.

• Total area is 2,153.4 square kilometres (831.4 sq mi).
• Municipality's population is 26,953 people (01.01.2013.).[2]
• Economically active people ~ 15800 in Madona county and 32,000 economically active people in the closest region.

Saieta square, Madona

Skola street, Madona

Main street, Madona in 1918

Madona Municipality Madonas novads
Municipality
Coat of arms
Country	Latvia
Formed	2009
Centre	Madona
Government
• Council Chair	Agris Lungevičs (ZZS)
Area [1]
• Total	2,153.4 km2 (831.4 sq mi)
Population  (2013)[2]
• Total	26,953
• Density	13/km2 (32/sq mi)
Website	www.madona.lv

On January 1, 2013 in Madona county were registered 2032 business units, from those 4,3% were sole proprietorships, 0,2% joint-stock companies, 35,8% limited liability companies, 0,4% affiliates, 0,2% general partnerships, 9,4% individual businesses, 48,6% farms and 1,1% cooperative societies.[3] In 2012 the number of enterprises per 1000 population reached 78 enterprises, that is relatively higher than the average of Vidzeme region (71) and Latvia (69). During the period from 2009 the number of enterprises per 1000 population in Madona county has increased by 22%. On January 1, 2012 the majority – 94,7% of all economically active enterprises – are micro enterprises, 4,7% small and 6% medium- sized companies.[4] The registered equity capital of enterprises registered in Madona county in January 2013 reached LVL 17'317'302,00, ranking Madona county in 92nd place out of 120.[3]

Forests are one of the most important natural resources in the county. They take up about 45% (97'526,9 hectares) of county territory and 91,5% of the total forest land of county. In general, forest land covers 49% (106'572,1 hectares) of the county area. By the type of ownership, 60% are the private forest land, 38,8% are national forest land and 1,2% are local government forest land. The largest proportion of forests in Madona county is in Lazdona, Sarkaņi, Mārciena, Ļaudona and Liezēre parishes.[5] Agricultural land covers about 39% of the county area. Most of the agricultural lands takes arable lands (63%), pastures (22%), grasslands (14%), fruit orchards (1%). The largest agricultural areas are located Ošupe, Barkava, Prauliena, Ļaudona un Liezēre parishes.[6] Madona county is rich in mineral resources: peat, dolomite, clay, sand and sand-gravel, freshwater limestone, sapropel.

The available agricultural land and forest resource is the determining factor for main lines of business. The largest number of enterprises working in the agricultural and forestry sector (49%), trade and auto repair sectors (11%), manufacturing (6%), professional and technical services (6%).[4] An important business sector in Madona county is tourism. The largest companies by turnover in 2011 are Ltd."Latvāņi", agricultural cooperative company "Barkavas arodi", Ltd. "Henis", JSC "Lazdonas Piensaimnieks", Ltd. "Baltic Eko Park", Ltd. "IMA Signāls", Ltd. "Turbo AK".[3]
Madona county is proud of ecological and natural food producers: JSC "Lazdonas Piensaimnieks", farms "Līvi", "Sveķi", "Kalna Maruškas", "Aizupes", "Jāņkalni", Ltd. "Madonas Patērētāju biedrība" production unit "Madonas Maiznieks", sole trader "55 Mārītes", who in December 2012 set up the joint offer under the brand "Made in Madona county".

Madona county with a branched road network provides needs of the county population and the cargo transport of good through the county. Five national first-class roads, which intersect at the center of the county − in Madona, provides good connections to other regional centers − Cesvaine, Ērgļi, Cēsis, Gulbene, Varakļāni, Pļaviņas, and provides access to the main motorways A6 (Rīga -Daugavpils), A12 (Rīga-Rēzekne), A2 (Rīga - Pskov). Madona county is located in the hearth of East Latvia, there is the same distance to the neighbouring borders and the International Airport (RIX) and Port of Riga. Municipality location provides a solid base for logistics connections with the rest of the Baltic States in Europe as well as with Russia and other markets of CIS countries:

• Riga (Capital of Latvia, Port of Riga, Riga International Airport) − 160 km
• Estonia − 130 km
• Russia − 120 km
• Lithuania − 150 km

The Rīga−Madona−Gulbene railway line crosses Madona county.

Madona municipality has nine foreign cooperation partners in Germany, France, Sweden, Lithuania, Estonia, Russia and Belarus.

Following the total foreign direct investments in capital during the period from 01.01.1991. to 22.11.2012. Madona municipality is in the 38th place between the Latvian municipalities. Foreign direct investments draw up to 12.08% of the total authorized capital amount of companies registered in Madona county. Since 1991, 40 foreign investors invested in enterprises registered in Madona county. Approximately 50% of foreign investments are from European countries. States with the largest number of investors are Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and Italy. In terms of business activities, the largest foreign direct investments have been in farming, forestry, printing, and wholesale of food products. Countries with the largest amount of investments: Germany, Finland, Denmark, Netherlands, Italy.[3]

The registered unemployment rate in Madona county on July 31, 2012 was 12,8% (2011 unemployed persons), of them 56% (1118) were women and 44% (893) men.[7]