Background: After a brief period of independence between the two World Wars Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It 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 30% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia continues to revamp its economy for eventual integration into various Western European political and economic institutions.

Geographic coordinates: 57 00 N 25 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 64,589 km²
Water: 1,000 km²
Land: 63,589 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries
Total: 1,150 km
Border countries: (4) Belarus 141 km; , Estonia 339 km; , Lithuania 453 km; , Russia 217 km

Coastline: 531 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: maritime; wet moderate winters

Terrain: low plain

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m

Natural resources: peat limestone dolomite hydropower wood arable land: minimal; amber

Land use
Arable land: 29.01%
Permanent crops: 0.48%
Other: 70.51% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land
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 (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

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

Population: 2,366,515 (July 2002 est.)
Growth rate: -0.77% (2002 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Latvian
Adjective: Latvian

Ethnic groups: Latvian 57.7% Russian 29.6% Belarusian 4.1% Ukrainian 2.7% Polish 2.5% Lithuanian 1.4% other 2%

Languages: Latvian (official) Lithuanian Russian other

Religions: Lutheran Roman Catholic Russian Orthodox

Age structure
0-14 years: 15.8% (male 191,116; female 182,692)
15-64 years: 68.6% (male 775,481; female 847,261)
65 years and over: 15.6% (male 120,304; female 249,661) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.77% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 8.27 births/1000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 14.74 deaths/1000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.23 migrant(s)/1000 population (2002 est.)

Environment
Current issues: Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; the main environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality and sewage system household and hazardous waste management and reduction of air pollution; in 2001 Latvia closed the EU accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male/female
65 years and over: 0.48 male/female
Total population: 0.85 male/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 14.96 deaths/1000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 69 years
Female: 75.17 years (2002 est.)
Male: 63.13 years

Total fertility rate: 1.18 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.12% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 1792 (15 January 2002)
Deaths: 36 (15 January 2002)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99.8%
Male: NA%
Female: NA%

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

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Riga

Administrative divisions: 26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*: Aizkraukles Rajons Aluksnes Rajons Balvu Rajons Bauskas Rajons Cesu Rajons Daugavpils* Daugavpils Rajons Dobeles Rajons Gulbenes Rajons Jekabpils Rajons Jelgava* Jelgavas Rajons Jurmala* Kraslavas Rajons Kuldigas Rajons Liepaja* Liepajas Rajons Limbazu Rajons Ludzas Rajons Madonas Rajons Ogres Rajons Preilu Rajons Rezekne* Rezeknes Rajons Riga* Rigas Rajons Saldus Rajons Talsu Rajons Tukuma Rajons Valkas Rajons Valmieras Rajons Ventspils* Ventspils Rajons

Independence: 21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is the date of independence from Soviet Russia 21 August 1991 is the date of independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution: the 1991 Constitutional Law which supplements the 1922 constitution provides for basic rights and freedoms

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999)
Head of government: Prime Minister Einars REPSE (since 7 November 2002)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the Parliament
Elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 17 June 1999 (next to be held by June 2003); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA elected as a compromise candidate in second phase of balloting, second round (after five rounds in first phase failed to produce a clear winner); percent of parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 53%, Valdis BIRKAVS 20%, Ingrida UDRE 9%

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 5 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006)
Election results: percent of vote by party - New Era 23.9%, PCTVL 18.9%, People's Party 16.7%, ZZS 9.5%, First Party 7.6%, LNNK 5.4%; seats by party - New Era 26, PCTVL 24, People's Party 21, ZZS 12, First Party 10, LNNK 7

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)

Political parties and leaders: Alliance of the Greens and Farmers Union or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS (Farmer's Union); Indulis EMSIS (Green Party)]; CENTER Political Alliance [Juris CELMINS]; First Party of Latvia [Eriks JEKABSONS]; For Fatherland and Freedom or LNNK [Maris GRINBLATS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Janis JURKANS] a coalition of the People's Harmony Party or TSP the Latvian Socialist Party or LSP and the Equal Rights Movement; Freedom Party [Ziedonis CEVERS]; Land of Mara [Irena SAPROVSKA]; Latvian Rebirth Party [Andris RUBINS]; Latvian Social-Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS]; Latvia's Way Union or LC [Andris BERZINS]; Light of Latgale or LG [Rihards EIGIMS]; New Era Party [Einars REPSE]; Our Land Party [Ilmars ANCANS]; Party of Latvians [Aivars GARDA]; People's Party [Andris SKELE]; Progressive Center Party [Inta STAMGUTE]; Russian Party [Mihails GAVRILOVS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]; Social Democratic Welfare Party or SLP [Juris ZURAVLOVS]; United Republican Party of Latvia or LARP [Eriks Andrejs SAULUNS Janis PUKIS Sarmite JEGERE]

International organization participation: BIS CBSS CCC CE EAPC EBRD ECE EU (applicant) FAO IAEA IBRD ICAO ICFTU ICRM IDA IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM ISO (correspondent) ITU NSG OAS (observer) OPCW OSCE PCA PFP UN UNCTAD UNESCO UPU WEU (associate partner) WHO WIPO WMO WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Aivis RONIS
In the us fax: [1] (202) 726-6,785
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 726-8,213, 8,214
In the us chancery: 4,325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,011
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Brian E. CARLSON
From the us embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510
From the us mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 9,723
From the us telephone: [371] 703-6,200
From the us fax: [371] 781-4,088

Flag description: three horizontal bands of maroon (top) white (half-width) and maroon

Economy overview: Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian financial crisis largely due to the SKELE government's budget stringency and a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU countries lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. The majority of companies banks and real estate have been privatized. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. Preparing for EU membership over the next few years continues as a top foreign policy goal. The high current account and internal government deficits remain major concerns.

Real gdp growth rate: 4.5% (2002 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2002 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 5%
Industry: 26%
Services: 70% (2001)

Agriculture products: grain sugar beets potatoes vegetables; beef pork milk eggs; fish

Industries: buses vans street and railroad cars synthetic fibers agricultural machinery fertilizers washing machines radios electronics pharmaceuticals processed foods textiles; note - dependent on imports for energy and raw materials

Industrial production growth rate: 5.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 1.1 million (2001 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 15%
By occupation industry: 25%
By occupation services: 60% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 7.6% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3%
Highest 10: 26% (1998) (1998)

Distribution of family income gini index: 32 (1999)

Budget
Revenues: $2.4 billion
Expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2% (2002 est.)

Exports: $2.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)
Commodities: wood and wood products machinery and equipment metals textiles foodstuffs
Partners: Germany 17% UK 16% Sweden 10% Lithuania 8% Russia 6% (2001 est.)

Imports: $3.9 billion f.o.b. (2002)
Commodities: machinery and equipment chemicals fuels vehicles
Partners: Germany 17% Russia 9% Lithuania 8% Finland 8% Sweden 7% (2001 est.)

Debt external: $3.4 billion (2000 est.)

Exchange rates: lati per US dollar - 0.6384 (January 2002) 0.628 (2001) 0.607 (2000) 0.585 (1999) 0.590 (1998) 0.581 (1997)

Electricity
Production: 3.301 billion kWh (2000)
Production by source fossil fuel: 33%
Production by source hydro: 67%
Production by source other: 0% (2000)
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Consumption: 5.16 billion kWh (2000)
Exports: 500 million kWh (2000)
Imports: 2.59 billion kWh (2000)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 734,693 (2000)
Mobile cellular: 401,263 (2000)

Telephone system
General assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an international capability independent of the Moscow international switch; more facilities are being installed for individual use
Domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections, rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied subscriber applications
International: international connections are now available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling direct connections for most calls (1998)

Internet
Country code: .lv
Service providers isps: 41 (2001)
Users: 312,000 (2001)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $87 million (FY01)
Percent of gdp: 1.2% (FY01)

Airports: 25 (2001)
With paved runways total: 13
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 7
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 4 (2002)
With unpaved runways total: 12
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 7 (2002)

Pipelines: crude oil 750 km; refined products 780 km; natural gas 560 km (1992)

Railways
Total: 2,412 km
Broad gauge: 2,379 km 1.520-m gauge (271 km electrified)
Narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2001)

Waterways: 300 km (perennially navigable)

Merchant marine
Total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 30,119 GRT/30,572 DWT
Note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 3 (2002 est.)
Ships by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 4

Disputes international: the Russian Duma refuses to ratify boundary delimitation treaty with Latvia; the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; money laundering remains a concern