Background: Several eastern Baltic tribes merged in medieval times to form 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 26% 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 and the OECD in 2016. A dual citizenship law was adopted in 2013 easing naturalization for non-citizen children.

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: 125
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
Mean elevation: 87 m
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m: highest point: Gaizina Kalns 312 m

Natural resources: peat limestone dolomite amber hydropower timber arable land

Land use
Rank: li>a href='../rankorder/rankorderguide.html'>Guide to Country Comparisons
Agricultural land: 29.2%
Forest: 54.1%
Other: 16.7%

Irrigated land: 12 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

Natural hazards: large percentage of agricultural fields can become waterlogged and require drainage

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

Population
Distribution: largest concentration of people is found in and around the port and capital city of Riga; small agglomerations are scattered throughout the country: 1,944,643 (July 2017 est.)
Rank: 149
Growth rate: -1.08% (2017 est.)
Growth rate rank: 228
Below poverty line: 25.5% (2015)

Nationality
Noun: Latvian
Adjective: Latvian

Ethnic groups: Latvian 61.8% Russian 25.6% Belarusian 3.4% Ukrainian 2.3% Polish 2.1% Lithuanian 1.2% other 3.6% (2016 est.)

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

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 15.15%
15-24 years: 9.45%
25-54 years: 41.75%
55-64 years: 14.1%
65 years and over: 19.55% (2017 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 52.5
Youth dependency ratio: 23.1
Elderly dependency ratio: 29.4
Potential support ratio: 3.4

Median age
Total: 43.6 years
Male: 39.7 years
Female: 46.9 years
Rank: 17

Population growth rate: -1.08% (2017 est.)
Rank: 228

Birth rate: 9.7 births/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 198

Death rate: 14.5 deaths/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 4

Net migration rate: -6.1 migrant(s)/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 199

Population distribution: largest concentration of people is found in and around the port and capital city of Riga; small agglomerations are scattered throughout the country

Urbanization
Urban population: 67.4% of total population
Rate of urbanization: -0.56% 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

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: 27.2 years (2014 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 18 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
Rank: 130

Infant mortality rate
Total: 5.2 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 5.6 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 4.8 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 175

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 74.7 years
Male: 70.1 years
Female: 79.5 years
Rank: 121

Total fertility rate: 1.51 children born/woman (2017 est.)
Rank: 196

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 3.22 physicians/1000 population (2014)

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

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.7% (2016 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 52
People living with hivaids: 6,600 (2016 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 104
Deaths: 500 (2016 est.)

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

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 23.6% (2016)
Rank: 65

Education expenditures: 4.9% of GDP (2013)
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: 16 years
Male: 16 years
Female: 17 years

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
Etymology: the name 'Latvia' originates from the ancient Latgalians one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people

Government type: parliamentary republic

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

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

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

Constitution
History: several previous ; note - following the restoration of independence in 1991 parts of the 1922 constitution were reintroduced 4 May 1990 and fully reintroduced 6 July 1993
Amendments: proposed by two-thirds of Parliament members or by petition of one-tenth of qualified voters submitted through the president; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of Parliament in each of three readings; amendment of constitutional articles including national sovereignty language the parliamentary electoral system and constitutional amendment procedures requires passage in a referendum by majority vote of at least one-half of the electorate; amended several times last in 2014

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
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Latvia
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Raimonds VEJONIS
Head of government: Prime Minister Maris KUCINSKIS ; Deputy Prime Minister Arvils ASERADENS (since 11 February 2016)
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: Raimonds VEJONIS 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% NA 16.6% NSL 6.9% LRA 6.7% other 5.4%; seats by party - SC 24 Unity 23 ZZS 21 NA 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 TEIKMANIS
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 Nancy Bikoff PETTIT
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

Economy overview:

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2016 dollars
Rank: 109

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 135

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2016 dollars
Rank: 74

Gross national saving:
Rank: 80

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 62%
Government consumption: 17.5%
Investment in fixed capital: 18.3%
Investment in inventories: 1.6%
Exports of goods and services: 58%
Imports of goods and services: -57.4%

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3.2%
Industry: 21.9%
Services: 74.9%

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% (2016 est.)
Rank: 167

Labor force: 988,600 (2016 est.)
Rank: 144
By occupation agriculture: 7.7%
By occupation industry: 24.1%
By occupation services: 68.1%

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 128

Population below poverty line: 25.5% (2015)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.2%
Highest 10: 26.3%

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 97

Budget
Revenues: $10.07 billion
Expenditures: $10.06 billion
Surplus or deficit: 0% of GDP (2016 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 42

Taxes and other revenues: 36.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
Rank: 52

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: 134

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 56

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 155

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 151

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 82

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 100

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 94

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 79

Current account balance:
Rank: 47

Exports:
Rank: 82
Commodities: foodstuffs wood and wood products metals machinery and equipment textiles
Partners: Lithuania 17.3% Estonia 11.5% Russia 11.4% Germany 6.8% Sweden 5.7% UK 5.3% Poland 5% Denmark 4.4% (2016)

Imports:
Rank: 88
Commodities: machinery and equipment consumer goods chemicals fuels vehicles
Partners: Lithuania 16.9% Germany 12.3% Poland 10.4% Estonia 7.9% Russia 7.4% Finland 4.3% Netherlands 4.3% (2016)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 101

Debt external:
Rank: 70

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 86

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 78

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100%
Production: 5.342 billion kWh (2015 est.)
Production rank: 119
Consumption: 6.712 billion kWh (2015 est.)
Consumption rank: 111
Exports: 3.795 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 38
Imports: 4.828 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 41
Installed generating capacity: 2.935 million kW (2015 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 98
Generation sources fossil fuels: 39.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 169
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 127
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 54.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 35
Generation sources other renewable sources: 6.7% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 84

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 159
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 152
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 149
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2017 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 156

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products production rank: 163
Products consumption: 37,680 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 117
Products exports: 22,640 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products exports rank: 69
Products imports: 54,060 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products imports rank: 79

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2014 est.)
Production rank: 158
Consumption: 2.2 billion m³ (2015 est.)
Consumption rank: 85
Exports: 0 m³ (2014 est.)
Exports rank: 136
Imports: 1.306 billion m³ (2015 est.)
Imports rank: 56
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 160

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 7.6 million Mt (2013 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 113

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 367,195
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19
Fixed lines rank: 106
Mobile cellular total: 2,650,273
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 135
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: 1,570,374
Users percent of population: 79.9%
Users rank: 110

Military expenditures:
Rank: 105

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 (2016)

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 3
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 47
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,527,368
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 2,277,996 mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: YL (2016)

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 under 914 m: 24

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: 65

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

Merchant marine
Total: 65
By type: general cargo 15 oil tanker 8 other 42
Rank: 103

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Riga Ventspils

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: 242,736 ; 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
Rank: li>a href='../rankorder/rankorderguide.html'>Guide to Country Comparisons: transshipment and destination point for cocaine synthetic drugs opiates and cannabis from Southwest Asia Western Europe Latin America and neighboring Baltic 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