Alike any other territories, economic growth of Madona district cannot be imagined without active people and further business development. There are no large industrial enterprises in the district and that is why it has preserved its ecologically clean and uncontaminated environment. Even though Madona district is the second largest in Latvia (after Liepāja district), its opportunities for economic activity are defined by terrain peculiarities. Woods take up 48,4% of its territory. The great farmland proportion specifies this district’s agricultural character. There are 27 protected nature objects which take up almost 5% of district’s territory.

2515 enterprises of various spheres are registered in Madona district as of 1 January 2008, inter alia 800 economically active enterprises and 310 municipal, state and local municipality enterprises. Approximately hundred new companies are registered each year; these mainly are limited liability companies.

Most popular forms of business activity are as follows:

·                       Farms – 1694 (67,36 % of all registered enterprises);

·                       Limited liability companies – 701 (13,44 %);

·                       Individual merchants – 127 (5%).

Mainly small and medium enterprises are registered in Madona district: only one enterprise employs over 300 people; number of employees exceeds 100 in 6 entities; the amount of employed personnel is between 50 and 100 in 14 enterprises; 51 companies employ 20 to 49 people; 77 companies – 10 to 19. 284 companies employ only one person.

Main spheres of activity in active enterprises:

·                       Agriculture, cattle-breeding – 445;

·                       Retail business – 145;

·                       Forestry – 138;

·                       International and local freight forwarding – 78;

·                       Automobile sales and servicing – 35;

·                       Tourism and recreation – 20;

·                       Construction – 15;

·                       Food processing – 8.

·                       16 farms are engaged in biological agriculture.