{
  "place_id": "valha#8209_11446",
  "wikidata": "Q193905",
  "country": "EE",
  "local_name": "Valga",
  "names": {
    "en": {
      "main": "Valga",
      "why": "Current official Estonian Latin-script name, retained in English with its local spelling; no Cyrillic romanization is needed.",
      "alternatives": [
        {
          "name": "Walk",
          "why": "Historical German name of the formerly undivided town; used in English Baltic history."
        },
        {
          "name": "Valka",
          "why": "Latvian name of the formerly undivided town; today also the distinct Latvian town across the border."
        }
      ]
    },
    "fr": {
      "main": "Valga",
      "why": "Same form as in English; selected for French source matching. An established distinct French exonym or press preference was not verified.",
      "alternatives": [
        {
          "name": "Walk",
          "why": "German historical name used in French Baltic history; once covered the undivided town."
        },
        {
          "name": "Valka",
          "why": "Name of the Latvian twin town; French sources may discuss both together, but it is not simply the current Estonian name."
        }
      ]
    }
  },
  "about_en": "Valga is a town in southern Estonia on the Latvian border. It and neighbouring Valka were divided between the two countries in 1920, leaving an unusual pair of closely connected border towns.",
  "about_fr": "",
  "certainty": "high",
  "notes": "Valga and Valka are separate municipalities on opposite sides of the border since 1920. Walk can denote the earlier undivided town.",
  "rank": 809,
  "slug": "valga"
}