The aim of the article is to analyze the forms of co-operation among the local governments in Latvia according to the theoretical principles of the types of cooperation and possible advantages. For the purposes of the present research the following methods have been used: there had been used the analysis of partially structured interviews with the heads of local governments, specialists, parliamentarians in the republic cities and amalgamated municipalities; the interviews carried out within the framework of several research projects. The empirical analysis of the collected material shows that the most common form of co-operation among the local governments in Latvia is the exchange of information or the exchange of experience. The co-operation forms that are more time and resource consuming (for example, the formation of economic and political structures) do not, in fact, appear in the relations of local governments in Latvia. Until now one of the most significant milestones or stimuli of co-operation had been an opportunity to uptake the financial resources of the EU, as well as the changes caused by the Administrative-Territorial Reform. The analysis of the relations among the local governments within the context of the strategies of co-operation or competition enabled to draw a conclusion that the traits of both strategies are characteristic to all local governments. For example, the local governments share information, but sometimes are negative and ironic about other local governments, and stand apart from the possible contacts. Thus, the present co-operation may be evaluated as a process, run by fragmentary, situational and personal motives. At present it is impossible to state that the local governments are aware of the advantages ensured by co-operation, except for the obtained financial resources and the amendments to the legislations achieved by the joint actions. At present the formation of co-operation practices, the consolidation of co-operation norms are significantly hindered by the competition for the limited financial resources allocated by the state, steep demands set by public institutions, as well as the orientation towards the formation and consolidation of vertical social links - the process that was inherited from the soviet times.