Latvia
Republic of LatviaLatvijas Republika
republicIndependence 6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Latvia as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 81 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.
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Geography
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia | and Lithuania
13 fieldsLand useshare of 64,100 sq km
International disputes
the Abrene section of border ceded by the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic to Russia in 1944
Environment
- 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 - Air Pollution, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1995 est.)
Male · female(1995 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 22% (female 294,521; male 304,830)
- 15-64 years:
- 65% (female 933,003; male 870,128)
- 65 years and over:
- 13% (female 247,476; male 112,941) (July 1995 est.)
Government
Republic; President Guntis ULMANIS (since 7 July 1993); Prime Minister Maris GAILIS (since September 1994)
21 fieldsLegislature, 100 seatsone dot, one seat
Names
- 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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Guntis ULMANIS (since 7 July 1993); Parliament (Saeima) elected President ULMANIS in the third round of balloting on 7 July 1993
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Maris GAILIS (since September 1994)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers; appointed by the Supreme Council
Parliament (Saeima)
- elections last held 5-6 June 1993 (next to be held NA October 1995);
- 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, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NACC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Ojars Eriks KALNINS
- chancery:
- 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214
US diplomatic representation
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Ints M, SILINS
- embassy:
- Raina Boulevard 7, Riga 226050
- mailing address:
- use embassy street address
- telephone:
- [371] (2) 213-962
Economy
Latvia is rapidly becoming a dynamic market economy, rivaled | only by Estonia among the former Soviet states in the speed of its | transformation.
19 fieldsInstalled generating capacity, 2,080,000 kW
Overview
Latvia is rapidly becoming a dynamic market economy, rivaled only by Estonia among the former Soviet states in the speed of its transformation. However, the transition has been painful; in 1994 the IMF reported a 2% growth in GDP, following steep declines in 1992-93. The government's tough monetary policies and reform program have kept inflation at less than 2% a month, supported a dynamic private sector now accounting for more than half of GDP, and spurred the growth of 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. Latvia thus is in the midst of recovery, helped by 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 parity - $12.3 billion (1994 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1992)
Exports
$1 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
- commodities:
- oil products, timber, ferrous metals, dairy products, furniture, textiles
- partners:
- Russia, Germany, Sweden, Belarus
Imports
$1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
- commodities:
- fuels, cars, ferrous metals, chemicals
- partners:
- Russia, Germany, Sweden, Ukraine
Industries
- 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
- 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
Transportation
7 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 50 in all
Networkskm
Merchant marine
- total:
- 85 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 774,182 GRT/1,010,517 DWT
- ships by type:
- cargo 17, oil tanker 37, refrigerated cargo 24, roll-on/roll-off cargo 7
Communications
3 fieldsTelephone system
- 660,000 telephones;
- 240 telephones/1,000 persons (1993);
- Latvia is better provided with telephone service than most of the other former Soviet republics;
- an NMT-450 analog cellular telephone network covers 75% of Latvia's population
- local:
- NA
- intercity:
- NA
- international:
- 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
Defense Forces
Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Security | Forces (internal and border troops), Border Guard, Home Guard | (Zemessardze)
3 fieldsBranches
Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Security Forces (internal and border troops), Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze)
Manpower availability
- males age 15-49 658,193;
- males fit for military service 517,896;
- males reach military age (18) annually 18,736 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures
176 million rubles, 3% to 5% of GDP (1994); note - conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the prevailing exchange rate could produce misleading results LEBANON 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 which began in 1975.
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 1995. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/latvia/1995.