Map of Latvia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: The name 'Latvia' originates from the ancient Latgalians one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region subsequently came under the control of Germans Poles Swedes and finally Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I but it was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994 the status of the Russian minority (some 28% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004; it joined the euro zone in 2014.


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Location: Eastern Europe bordering the Baltic Sea between Estonia and Lithuania

Geographic coordinates: 57 00 N 25 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 64,589 km²
Land: 62,249 km²
Water: 2,340 km²
Rank: 124
Comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries
Total: 1370 km
Border countries: (4) Belarus 161 km; Estonia 333 km; Lithuania 544 km; Russia 332 km

Coastline: 498 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: limits as agreed to by Estonia Finland Latvia Sweden and Russia
Continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate: maritime; wet moderate winters

Terrain: low plain

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Gaizina Kalns 312 m

Natural resources: peat limestone dolomite amber hydropower timber arable land

Land use
Agricultural land: 29.2%
Forest: 54.1%
Other: 16.7%

Irrigated land: 8.3 km²
Note: land in Latvia is often too wet and in need of drainage not irrigation; approximately 16,000 km² or 85% of agricultural land has been improved by drainage

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 35.45 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: most of the country is composed of fertile low-lying plains with some hills in the east


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Population: 1,986,705 (July 2015 est.)
Rank: 144
Growth rate: -1.06% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 231
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Latvian
Adjective: Latvian

Ethnic groups: Latvian 61.1% Russian 26.2% Belarusian 3.5% Ukrainian 2.3% Polish 2.2% Lithuanian 1.3% other 3.4% (2013 est.)

Languages: Latvian (official) 56.3% Russian 33.8% other 0.6% (includes Polish Ukrainian and Belarusian) unspecified 9.4%
Note: percentages represent lanugage usually spoken at home

Religions: Lutheran 19.6% Orthodox 15.3% other Christian 1% other 0.4% unspecified 63.7% (2006)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 14.86%
15-24 years: 10.47%
25-54 years: 42.25%
55-64 years: 13.44%
65 years and over: 18.98% (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 52.2%
Youth dependency ratio: 22.7%
Elderly dependency ratio: 29.5%
Potential support ratio: 3.4%

Median age
Total: 42.9 years
Male: 39.2 years
Female: 46.3 years

Population growth rate: -1.06% (2015 est.)
Rank: 231

Birth rate: 10 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 194

Death rate: 14.31 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 5

Net migration rate: -6.26 migrant(s)/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 200

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 67.4% of total population
Rate of urbanization: -0.67% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: RIGA (capital) 621,000 (2015)

Environment
Current issues: Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; improvements have occurred in drinking water quality sewage treatment household and hazardous waste management as well as reduction of air pollution
International agreements party to: Air Pollution Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male/female
15-24 years: 1.07 male/female
25-54 years: 0.98 male/female
55-64 years: 0.79 male/female
65 years and over: 0.48 male/female
Total population: 0.85 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 5.36 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 5.76 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 4.95 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 174

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 74.23 years
Male: 69.62 years
Female: 79.07 years
Rank: 123

Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 195

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 3.58 physicians/1000 population (2012)

Hospital bed density: 5.9 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: intermediate
Vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 25.6% (2014)
Rank: 62

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 4.9% of GDP (2011)
Rank: 77

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99.9%
Male: 99.9%
Female: 99.9%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 15 years
Male: 15 years
Female: 16 years

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Latvia
Conventional short form: Latvia
Local long form: Latvijas Republika
Local short form: Latvija
Former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital
Name: Riga
Geographic coordinates: 56 57 N 24 06 E
Time difference: UTC+2
Daylight saving time: +1hr begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions: 110 municipalities (novadi singular - novads) and 9 cities
Municipalities: Adazu Novads Aglonas Novads Aizkraukles Novads Aizputes Novads Aknistes Novads Alojas Novads Alsungas Novads Aluksnes Novads Amatas Novads Apes Novads Auces Novads Babites Novads Baldones Novads Baltinavas Novads Balvu Novads Bauskas Novads Beverinas Novads Brocenu Novads Burtnieku Novads Carnikavas Novads Cesu Novads Cesvaines Novads Ciblas Novads Dagdas Novads Daugavpils Novads Dobeles Novads Dundagas Novads Durbes Novads Engures Novads Erglu Novads Garkalnes Novads Grobinas Novads Gulbenes Novads Iecavas Novads Ikskiles Novads Ilukstes Novads Incukalna Novads Jaunjelgavas Novads Jaunpiebalgas Novads Jaunpils Novads Jekabpils Novads Jelgavas Novads Kandavas Novads Karsavas Novads Keguma Novads Kekavas Novads Kocenu Novads Kokneses Novads Kraslavas Novads Krimuldas Novads Krustpils Novads Kuldigas Novads Lielvardes Novads Ligatnes Novads Limbazu Novads Livanu Novads Lubanas Novads Ludzas Novads Madonas Novads Malpils Novads Marupes Novads Mazsalacas Novads Mersraga Novads Nauksenu Novads Neretas Novads Nicas Novads Ogres Novads Olaines Novads Ozolnieku Novads Pargaujas Novads Pavilostas Novads Plavinu Novads Preilu Novads Priekules Novads Priekulu Novads Raunas Novads Rezeknes Novads Riebinu Novads Rojas Novads Ropazu Novads Rucavas Novads Rugaju Novads Rujienas Novads Rundales Novads Salacgrivas Novads Salas Novads Salaspils Novads Saldus Novads Saulkrastu Novads Sejas Novads Siguldas Novads Skriveru Novads Skrundas Novads Smiltenes Novads Stopinu Novads Strencu Novads Talsu Novads Tervetes Novads Tukuma Novads Vainodes Novads Valkas Novads Varaklanu Novads Varkavas Novads Vecpiebalgas Novads Vecumnieku Novads Ventspils Novads Viesites Novads Vilakas Novads Vilanu Novads Zilupes Novads
Cities: Daugavpils Jekabpils Jelgava Jurmala Liepaja Rezekne Riga Valmiera Ventspils

Dependent areas

Independence: 4 May 1990 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 was the date Latvia declared independence from Soviet Russia and established its statehood; 4 May 1990 was the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution: several previous (preindependence); note - at independence in 1990 parts of the 1922 constitution were reinforced and fully reinforced 6 July 1993; amended several times last in 2014 (2015)

Legal system: civil law system with traces of socialist legal traditions and practices

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Raimonds VEJONIS
Head of government: Prime Minister Laimdota STRAUJUMA
Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers nominated by the prime minister appointed by Parliament
Electionsappointments: president indirectly elected by Parliament for a 4-year term ; election last held on 3 June 2015 (next to be held in 2019); prime minister appointed by the president confirmed by Parliament
Election results: Andris BERZINS elected president; Parliament vote - Raimonds VEJONIS 55 of 100

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Parliament or Saeima
Elections: last held on 4 October 2014
Election results: percent of vote by party - SC 23% Unity 21.9% ZZS 19.5% National Alliance 16.6% NSL 6.8% LRA 6.7% other 5.5%; seats by party - SC 24 Unity 23 ZZS 21 National Alliance 17 LRA 8 NSL 7

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court ; Constitutional Court (consists of 7 judges)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by chief justice and confirmed by the Saeima; judges serve until age 70 but term can be extended 2 years; Constitutional Court judges - 3 nominated by Saeima members 2 by Cabinet ministers and 2 by plenum of Supreme Court; all judges confirmed by Saeima majority vote; Constitutional Court president and vice president serve in their positions for 3 years; all judges serve 10-year terms; mandatory retirement at age 70
Subordinate courts: district and regional courts

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: Australia Group BA BIS CBSS CD CE EAPC EBRD ECB EIB EMU ESA (cooperating state) EU FAO IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (NGOs) ICCt ICRM IDA IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO (correspondent) ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA NATO NIB NSG OAS (observer) OIF (observer) OPCW OSCE PCA Schengen Convention UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Andris RAZANS
In the us chancery: 2,306 Massachusetts Ave. NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] 328-2,840
In the us FAX: [1] 328-2,860
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador ; Charge D'Affaires Sharon HUDSON-DEAN (since 2015)
From the us embassy: 1 Samnera Velsa St Riga LV-1510
From the us mailing address: Embassy of the United States of America 1 Samnera Velsa St Riga LV-1510 Latvia
From the us telephone: [371] 6,710-7,000
From the us FAX: [371] 6,710-7,050

Flag description: three horizontal bands of maroon (top) white (half-width) and maroon; the flag is one of the older banners in the world; a medieval chronicle mentions a red standard with a white stripe being used by Latvian tribes in about 1280

National symbols: white wagtail (bird); national colors: maroon white

National anthem
Name: 'Dievs sveti Latviju!'
Lyrics and music: Karlis BAUMANIS
Note: adopted 1920 restored 1990; first performed in 1873 while Latvia was a part of Russia; banned during the Soviet occupation from 1940 to 1990

National heritage


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Economy overview: Latvia is a small open economy with exports contributing nearly a third of GDP. Due to its geographical location transit services are highly-developed along with timber and wood-processing agriculture and food products and manufacturing of machinery and electronics industries. Corruption continues to be an impediment to attracting foreign direct investment and Latvia's low birth rate and decreasing population are major challenges to its long-term economic vitality. Latvia's economy experienced GDP growth of more than 10% per year during 2006-07 but entered a severe recession in 2008 as a result of an unsustainable current account deficit and large debt exposure amid the softening world economy. Triggered by the collapse of the second largest bank GDP plunged 18% in 2009. The economy has not returned to pre-crisis levels despite strong growth especially in the export sector in 2011-14. The IMF EU and other international donors provided substantial financial assistance to Latvia as part of an agreement to defend the currency's peg to the euro in exchange for the government's commitment to stringent austerity measures. The IMF/EU program successfully concluded in December 2011. The majority of companies banks and real estate have been privatized although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises including 99.8% ownership of the Latvian national airline. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999 and the EU in May 2004. Latvia joined the euro zone in 2014.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 110

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 124

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 75

Gross national saving:
Rank: 59

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 61.1%
Government consumption: 16.2%
Investment in fixed capital: 20.9%
Investment in inventories: 1.6%
Exports of goods and services: 58.9%
Imports of goods and services: -58.7%: (2014 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 4.8%
Industry: 24.8%
Services: 70.4%

Agriculture products: grain rapeseed potatoes vegetables; pork poultry milk eggs; fish

Industries: processed foods processed wood products textiles processed metals pharmaceuticals railroad cars synthetic fibers electronics

Industrial production growth rate: 1.5% (2014 est.)
Rank: 142

Labor force: 1.014 million (2014 est.)
Rank: 145
By occupation agriculture: 8.8%
By occupation industry: 24%
By occupation services: 67.2%

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 108

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.7%
Highest 10: 27.6%

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 89

Budget
Revenues: $11.96 billion
Expenditures: $11.97 billion
Surplus or deficit: 0% of GDP (2014 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 38

Taxes and other revenues: 36.4% of GDP (2014 est.)
Rank: 54

Public debt:
Note: data cover general government debt and includes debt instruments issued by government entities including sub-sectors of central government state government local government and social security funds
Rank: 106

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 50

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 102

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 133

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 81

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 98

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 90

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 106

Current account balance:
Rank: 97

Exports:
Rank: 85
Commodities: foodstuffs wood and wood products metals machinery and equipment textiles
Partners: Lithuania 17.7% Russia 14.7% Estonia 11.2% Germany 6.6% Poland 6.2% Sweden 5.1% UK 4.7% (2014)

Imports:
Rank: 84
Commodities: machinery and equipment consumer goods chemicals fuels vehicles
Partners: Lithuania 17% Germany 11.7% Poland 10.9% Russia 7.7% Estonia 7.7% Finland 5.8% Italy 4.1% (2014)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 83

Debt external:
Rank: 67

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 78

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 71

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 5.891 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 113
Consumption: 6.52 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Consumption rank: 105
Exports: 3.65 billion kWh (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 34
Imports: 5.005 billion kWh (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 41
Installed generating capacity: 2.226 million kW (2011 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 102
Generation sources fossil fuels: 26.5% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 185
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 125
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 70.8% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 23
Generation sources other renewable sources: 2.7% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 71

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 1000 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 104
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 143
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 209
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 155

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 163
Products consumption: 33,670 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products consumption rank: 114
Products exports: 6,146 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 89
Products imports: 35,930 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 85

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Production rank: 154
Consumption: 1.48 billion m³ (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 83
Exports: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 131
Imports: 1.48 billion m³ (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 54
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 158

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 7.897 million Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 112

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 390,000
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19
Fixed lines rank: 106
Mobile cellular total: 2.5 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126
Mobile cellular rank: 145

Telephone system
General assessment: recent efforts focused on bringing competition to the telecommunications sector; the number of fixed lines is decreasing as mobile-cellular telephone service expands
Domestic: number of telecommunications operators has grown rapidly since the fixed-line market opened to competition in 2003; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership roughly 150 per 100 persons
International: country code - 371; the Latvian network is now connected via fiber optic cable to Estonia Finland and Sweden

Broadcast media: several national and regional commercial TV stations are foreign-owned 2 national TV stations are publicly owned; system supplemented by privately owned regional and local TV stations; cable and satellite multi-channel TV services with domestic and foreign broadcasts available; publicly owned broadcaster operates 4 radio networks with dozens of stations throughout the country; dozens of private broadcasters also operate radio stations (2007)

Internet
Country code: .lv
Users total: 1.5 million
Users percent of population: 76.5%
Users rank: 110

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 105

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription; under current law every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 42 (2013)
Rank: 101
With paved runways total: 18
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With paved runways under 914 m: 7
With unpaved runways total: 24
With unpaved runways: 24 (2013)

Heliports: 1 (2013)

Pipelines: gas 928 km; refined products 415 km (2013)

Railways
Total: 2,239 km
Broad gauge: 2,206 km 1.520-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge
Rank: 68

Roadways
Total: 72,440 km
Paved: 14,707 km
Unpaved: 57,733 km
Rank: 64

Waterways: 300 km (navigable year round) (2010)
Rank: 92

Merchant marine
Total: 11
By type: cargo 3 chemical tanker 1 passenger/cargo 4 petroleum tanker 2 roll on/roll off 1
Foreign owned: 3
Registered in other countries: 79 (2010)
Rank: 113

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Riga Ventspils


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Disputes international: Russia demands better Latvian treatment of ethnic Russians in Latvia; boundary demarcated with Latvia and Lithuania; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border Latvia has implemented the strict Schengen border rules with Russia

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Stateless persons: 262,802 ; note - individuals who were Latvian citizens prior to the 1940 Soviet occupation and their descendants were recognized as Latvian citizens when the country's independence was restored in 1991; citizens of the former Soviet Union residing in Latvia who have neither Latvian nor other citizenship are considered non-citizens (officially there is no statelessness in Latvia) and are entitled to non-citizen passports; children born after Latvian independence to stateless parents are entitled to Latvian citizenship upon their parents' request; non-citizens cannot vote or hold certain government jobs and are exempt from military service but can travel visa-free in the EU under the Schengen accord like Latvian citizens; non-citizens can obtain naturalization if they have been permanent residents of Latvia for at least five years pass tests in Latvian language and history and know the words of the Latvian national anthem

Illicit drugs: transshipment and destination point for cocaine synthetic drugs opiates and cannabis from Southwest Asia Western Europe Latin America and neighboring Balkan countries; despite improved legislation vulnerable to money laundering due to nascent enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of offshore companies and the gaming industry; CIS organized crime (including counterfeiting corruption extortion stolen cars and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds