Latvia
republicIndependence 6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Latvia as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 120 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.
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Geography
Eastern Europe, bordering on the Baltic Sea, between Sweden and Russia
22 fieldstotal area
64,100 sq km
land area
64,100 sq km
comparative area
slightly larger than West Virginia
exclusive economic zone
200 nm
territorial sea
12 nm
International disputes
the Abrene section of border ceded by the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic to Russia in 1944
arable land
27%
permanent crops
0%
meadows and pastures
13%
forest and woodland
39%
other
21%
current issues
- air and water pollution because of a lack of waste conversion equipment;
- Gulf of Riga and Daugava River heavily polluted;
- contamination of soil and groundwater with chemicals and petroleum products at military bases
natural hazards
NA
international agreements
party to - Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change
People
21 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1994 est.)
total population
69.44 years
male
64.37 years
female
74.75 years (1994 est.)
noun
Latvian(s)
adjective
Latvian
total population
100%
male
100%
female
100%
by occupation
industry and construction 41%, agriculture and forestry 16%, other 43% (1990)
Government
Republic
31 fieldsLegislature, 100 seatsone dot, one seat
conventional long form
Republic of Latvia
conventional short form
Latvia
local long form
Latvijas Republika
local short form
Latvija
former
Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
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, Leipaja*, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preiju Rajons, Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*, Ventspils Rajons
chief of state
President Guntis ULMANIS (since 7 July 1993); Saeima elected President ULMANIS in the third round of balloting on 7 July 1993
head of government
Prime Minister Valdis BIRKAVS (since 20 July 1993)
cabinet
Council of Ministers; appointed by the Supreme Council
Parliament (Saeima)
- elections last held 5-6 June 1993 (next to be held NA June 1996);
- results - percent of vote by party NA;
- seats - (100 total) LC 36, LNNK 15, Concord for Latvia 13, LZS 12, Equal Rights 7, LKDS 6, TUB 6, DCP 5
Political parties and leaders
- Latvian Way Union (LC), Valdis BIRKAVS;
- Latvian Farmers Union (LZS), Alvars BERKIS;
- Latvian National Independence Movement (LNNK), Andrejs KRASTINS, Aristids LAMBERGS, cochairmen;
- Concord for Latvia, Janis JURKANS;
- Equal Rights, Sergejs DIMANIS;
- Christian Democrat Union (LKDS), Peteris CIMDINS, Andris SAULITIS, Janis RUSKO;
- Fatherland and Freedom (TUB), Maris GRINBLATS, Roberts MILBERGS, Oigerts DZENTIS;
- Democratic Center (DCP), Ints CALITIS;
- Popular Front of Latvia (LTF), Uldis AUGSTKALNS
Member of
BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE (guest), CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NACC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
chief of mission
Ambassador Ojars Eriks KALNINS
chancery
4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
chief of mission
Ambassador Ints M, SILINS
embassy
Raina Boulevard 7, Riga 226050
mailing address
use embassy street address
Economy
Latvia is rapidly becoming a dynamic market economy, rivaled only by | Estonia among the former Soviet states in the speed of its | transformation.
26 fieldsOverview
Latvia is rapidly becoming a dynamic market economy, rivaled only by Estonia among the former Soviet states in the speed of its transformation. The transition has been painful with GDP falling over 45% in 1992-93, according to official statistics, and industrial production experiencing even steeper declines.
Nevertheless, the government's tough monetary policies and reform program, which foster the development of the private sector and market mechanisms, have kept inflation low, created a dynamic private sector - much of which is not captured in official statistics - and expanded trade ties with the West.
Much of agriculture is already privatized and the government plans to step up the pace of privatization of state enterprises. The economy is now poised for recovery and will benefit from the country's strategic location on the Baltic Sea, its well-educated population, and its diverse - albeit largely obsolete - industrial structure.
National product
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $13.2 billion (1993 estimate from the UN International Comparison Program, as extended to 1991 and published in the World Bank's World Development Report 1993; and as extrapolated to 1993 using official Latvian statistics, which are very uncertain because of major economic changes since 1990)
revenues
$NA
expenditures
$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
commodities
oil products, timber, ferrous metals, dairy products, furniture, textiles
partners
Russia, other CIS countries, Western Europe
commodities
fuels, cars, ferrous metals, chemicals
partners
Russia, other CIS countries, Western Europe
capacity
2,140,000 kW
production
5.8 billion kWh
consumption per capita
2,125 kWh (1992)
Industries
- employs 41% of labor force;
- highly diversified;
- dependent on imports for energy, raw materials, and intermediate products;
- produces buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles
Agriculture
- employs 16% of labor force;
- principally dairy farming and livestock feeding;
- products - meat, milk, eggs, grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables;
- fishing and fish packing
Illicit drugs
- transshipment point for illicit drugs from Central and Southwest Asia and Latin America to Western Europe;
- limited producer of illicit opium;
- mostly for domestic consumption;
- also produces illicit amphetamines for export
Communications
16 fieldsNetworkskm
total
59,500 km
paved and graveled
33,000 km
unpaved
earth 26,500 km (1990)
Merchant marine
93 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 850,840 GRT/1,107,403 DWT, cargo 15, container 2, oil tanker 41, refrigerated cargo 27, roll-on/roll-off cargo 8
total
50
usable
15
with permanent-surface runways
11
with runways over 3,659 m
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m
7
with runways 1,060-2,439 m
7
note
a C-130 can land on a 1,060-m airstrip
Telecommunications
- Latvia is better provided with telephone service than most of the other former Soviet republics;
- subscriber circuits 660,000;
- subscriber density 240 per 1,000 persons (1993);
- an NMT-450 analog cellular telephone network covers 75% of Latvia's population;
- international traffic carried by leased connection to the Moscow international gateway switch and through the new Ericsson AXE local/transit digital telephone exchange in Riga and through the Finnish cellular net;
- electronic mail capability by Sprint data network;
- broadcasting services NA
Defense Forces
Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Security Forces (internal and border | troops), Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze)
4 fieldsBranches
Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Security Forces (internal and border troops), Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze)
Manpower availability
- males age 15-49 652,444;
- fit for military service 514,055;
- reach military age (18) annually 18,803 (1994 est.)
Note
Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political institutions and regaining its national sovereignty since the end of the devastating 16-year civil war in October 1990. Under the Ta'if accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation - the Lebanese have established a more equitable political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater say in the political process.
Since December 1990, the Lebanese have formed three cabinets and conducted the first legislative election in 20 years. Most of the militias have been weakened or disbanded. The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) has seized vast quantities of weapons used by the militias during the war and extended central government authority over about one-half of the country.
Hizballah, the radical Sh'ia party, retains most of its weapons. Foreign forces still occupy areas of Lebanon. Israel maintains troops in southern Lebanon and continues to support a proxy militia, The Army of South Lebanon (ASL), along a narrow stretch of territory contiguous to its border.
The ASL's enclave encompasses this self-declared security zone and about 20 kilometers north to the strategic town of Jazzine. As of December 1993, Syria maintained about 30,000-35,000 troops in Lebanon. These troops are based mainly in Beirut, North Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley.
Syria's deployment was legitimized by the Arab League early in Lebanon's civil war and in the Ta'if accord. Citing the continued weakness of the LAF, Beirut's requests, and failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the constitutional reforms in the Ta'if accord, Damascus has so far refused to withdraw its troops from Beirut.
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Latvia.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/latvia/1994.