Latvia

noun:

Latvian(s)

adjective:

Latvian

total:

43.8 years (2025 est.)

male:

41.6 years

female:

49.2 years

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.52 male(s)/female

total population:

0.87 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

2.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

5.1 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

4.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

76.4 years (2024 est.)

male:

72 years

female:

81 years

total:

12.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

4.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

1.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

5.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

28.8% (2025 est.)

male:

43.5% (2025 est.)

female:

16.4% (2025 est.)

urban population:

68.7% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

-0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

839,700 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

31.3% (2022 est.)

municipal:

91.945 million cubic meters (2022)

industrial:

30.291 million cubic meters (2022)

agricultural:

50.098 million cubic meters (2022)

conventional long form:

Republic of Latvia

conventional short form:

Latvia

local long form:

Latvijas Republika

local short form:

Latvija

former:

Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (while occupied by the USSR)

etymology:

the name originates from the Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.)

name:

Riga

geographic coordinates:

56 57 N, 24 06 E

time difference:

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time:

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology:

• the name's origin is unclear;
• it may derive from the Old Lithuanian word ringa , meaning "bend" or "curve" and referring to the city's location on the Western Dvina River;
• alternatively, it may come from the Latvian word ridzina , meaning "stream"

history:

• several previous (pre-1991 independence);
• after independence was restored in 1991, parts of the 1922 constitution were reintroduced on 4 May 1990 and fully reintroduced on 6 July 1993

amendment process:

• 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

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

legislature name:

Parliament (Saeima)

legislative structure:

unicameral

number of seats:

100 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

proportional representation

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

4 years

most recent election date:

10/1/2022

parties elected and seats per party:

• New Unity (VIENOTIBA) (26);
• Union of Farmers and Greens (ZZS) (16);
• United List - Latvian Green Party, Latvian Regional Alliance, Liepāja Party (15);
• National Alliance of All for Latvia!" - "For Fatherland and Freedom / LNNK" (NA) (13);
• For Stability! (11);
• Progressives (10);
• Latvia First (9)

percentage of women in chamber:

31%

expected date of next election:

October 2026

highest court(s):

Supreme Court (consists of the Senate with 36 judges); 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 (city) and regional courts

• For Stability or S!
• For Latvia's Development or LA
• Harmony or S
• Honor to Serve Riga! or GKR
• Latvia First or LPV
• National Alliance or NA
• New Unity or JV
• People. Land. Statehood. or TZV
• The Progressives or PRO
• Union of Greens and Farmers or ZZS
• United List or AS
• We for Talsi and Municipality or MTuN

chief of mission:

Ambassador Elita KUZMA (since 18 September 2024)

chancery:

2306 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 328-2840

FAX:

[1] (202) 328-2860

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://www2.mfa.gov.lv/en/usa

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Julia JACOBY (since December 2025)

embassy:

1 Samnera Velsa Street (former Remtes), Riga LV-1510

mailing address:

4520 Riga Place, Washington DC 20521-4520

telephone:

[371] 6710-7000

FAX:

[371] 6710-7050

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://lv.usembassy.gov/

• 18 November 1918 (from Soviet Russia);
• 4 May 1990 (declared from the Soviet Union);
• 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union)

description:

three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon

history:

the flag is one of the older banners in the world -- a medieval chronicle mentions Latvian tribes using a red standard with a white stripe around 1280

title:

"Dievs, sveti Latviju!" (God Bless Latvia)

lyrics/music:

Karlis BAUMANIS

history:

• adopted 1920, restored 1990;
• first performed in 1873 when Latvia was part of Russia;
• banned during the Soviet occupation from 1940 to 1990

total World Heritage Sites:

3 (all cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

• Historic Center of Riga ;
• Struve Geodetic Arc;
• Old town of Kuldīga

• high-income EU and eurozone member;
• weak recovery following economic contraction, with slight increase in private consumption and uncertain trade environment;
• challenges from skilled-labor shortages, capital market access, large informal sector, and green and digital transitions

agriculture:

4.1% (2024 est.)

industry:

19.9% (2024 est.)

services:

63.1% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

total:

12.5% (2024 est.)

male:

13% (2024 est.)

female:

11.9% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

on food:

19.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco:

7.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

lowest 10%:

2.6% (2022 est.)

highest 10%:

25.8% (2022 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

consumption:

20,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

exports:

12,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports:

39,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

total petroleum production:

2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption:

33,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)

consumption:

786.523 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports:

786.523 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

• 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;
• dozens of private broadcasters also operate radio stations

total ports:

5 (2024)

large:

1

medium:

2

small:

0

very small:

2

ports with oil terminals:

3

key ports:

Lielupe, Liepaja, Riga, Salacgriva, Ventspils

• mandatory military service for all men 18-24;
• men and women 18-27 may volunteer for military service;
• service length 11 months in the Armed Forces or National Guard, or 5 years in the National Guard as a whole, with a minimum of 21 days of individual training and a maximum of 7 days of collective training each year (2026)

note 1: conscription was reintroduced in 2024

note 2: as of 2024, women comprised about 16.5% of the military's full-time personnel

refugees:

49,483 (2024 est.)

stateless persons:

173,891 (2024 est.)