The town of Aloja and its rural territory.
Territory-181.67 km²,
urban territory 1.25%,
rural territory-98.75%;
including agricultural lands- 36%,
forests-50%.
population-2692,
in the urban territory-1844,
in the rural territory-848.
Density-14.8/km2

Chairman: Aloizs Koļesņikovs,
address: Jūras 3, Aloja,
Limbažu rajons, LV-4064,Tel.:6 40 31549,Fax:6 40 31406

The name of North Vidzeme town is widely known to many people in Latvia. The life of present day Aloja is like that of any provincial town.

The history of Aloja goes back very far into history. ”Ale” is the name which means „a cave” (in the liivs language)-a valley, a lowland, an ancient lowland. Ale was known as an old settlement of farmers – a hamlet. In historical documents the name „Aloja” was mentioned for the first time already in 1449.

The present day Aloja started its formation around 1903 as a centre of a civil parish. In 1950 it got the status of a town and during the period of 1950-1957 it was a district centre. Since 1992 Aloja is a town with its rural territory, and since 1998 the town of Aloja has its flag and the coats of arms.

The town of Aloja and its rural territory is situated in the north-eastern part of the Limbaži district and it borders on the civil parish of Skaņkalne (the Valmiera district), on 4 civil parishes of the Limbaži district – Braslava, Brīvzemnieki, Pāle and Salacgrīva as well as on the rural territory of the town of Staicele. The distance from Aloja to Limbaži is 32km. The state highway Ainaži-Aloja- Valmiera crosses the territory.

The countryside near Aloja is flat and not very rich in water resources. Such small rivers as the Īģe and the Jogla flow through the rural territory. The Ungurpils mill-pond with several floating islands in it is a unique nature phenomenon in Latvia.

There are 4 parks in the town- the Aloja town park in the centre of the town, Maria’s park, the Aloja Ausekļa Secondary school park and the Ungurpils park in Ungurpils, which together with the pond form a state protected area.

In the town there is a secondary school- it is Aloja Ausekļa Secondary school, a music and art school, a kindergarten and 3 libraries. The Aloja Ausekļa Secondary school has successful cooperation with Auguste Pattern school in Mosbach, Germany. In order to investigate how people influence environment both schools work on the project ”The Morning Star”- the teachers as well as the pupils who study the German language participate in it. The project is being supported by BOSH fund.

In the territory of Aloja there are 8 archeological and 9 architectural monuments. Both churches-the Aloja Lutheran church and the Aloja Orthodox church are architectural monuments of national significance.

ENTREPREUNERSHIP

 Processing agricultural produce

The Latvian - Swedish joint venture Ltd "Aloja -Starkelsen" (www.luckeby.lv) was founded in 1991 as the first private company with a foreign investment in the food industry of Latvia. At present it is the biggest and the most up-to date potato starch producing enterprise in the Baltic countries. The company cooperates with more than 200 farmers in Northern Vidzeme, purchasing from them potatoes for producing starch. There is also a daughter company, Ltd "Aloja-Agro". The company employs 78 workers. Net turnover in 2000 – 2.7mil. Ls.

Agriculture

"Tēraudiņi"- the biggest farm-stead in the in the vicinity of Aloja belongs to Valdis Možvillo. The total area of the land is 1215ha; from that 1117ha is agricultural land. The farmer grows cereals, buckwheat, potatoes and he was the winner of the competition "Sējējs" in 2000. 

"Līcīši"- the farm-stead belongs to Modris Minalto, the total area of the land is 300ha, from that 280ha is agricultural land. The farmer grows cereals and potatoes, offers the service of the drying camera in "Stābeģi". He was a winner "Sējējs" in 1998.

"Sunīši"- the farm-stead belongs to Normunds Minalto. The total area of the land is 260ha; from that 250ha is agricultural land. The farmer grows cereals and potatoes. No

"Dālderi"- the farm-stead belongs to Aldis Neimanis. The total area of the agricultural land is 150ha. The farmer grows cereals, buckwheat and is occupied with dairy-cattle farming.

Wood-processing 

Ltd „Balts” is a wood-processing company, which produces (KVH) in tallness cultivated building structure wood pulp from white wood. The company is the only one of such a kind in Latvia, the building structure wood pulp of which has been certified by two independent German wood pulp testing institutes: Otto -Graf FMPA, Stuttgart and MPA BS, Braunschweig. In accordance with the German standard the wedge-tooth shaped couplings of the wood pulp are made on the manufactured in Germany and Italy equipment. In 2000 the company got a prize of the German national economy. Ltd "Balts" produces:

·  in tallness cultivated timber covering and roof constructions
·  parts of the timber houses
·  wooden floors for sport halls, etc.