Latvia
Republic of Latvia conventional short form: Latvia local long form: Latvijas Republika local short form: Latvija former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
parliamentary democracyIndependence 18 November 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Latvia as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 116 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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.
Geography
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania
17 fieldsLand boundaries
total: 1,150 km border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km
Land use
arable land: 27% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 13% forests and woodland: 46% other: 14% (1993 est.)
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
Environment - international agreements
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
People
18 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2001 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 16.55% (male 201,746; female 193,036) 15-64 years: 68.15% (male 776,509; female 848,908) 65 years and over: 15.3% (male 118,110; female 246,922) (2001 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female total population: 0.85 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 68.7 years male: 62.8 years female: 74.9 years (2001 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 99% (1989 est.)
Government
Parliamentary democracy
20 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Parliament or Saeima, 100 seatsone dot, one seat
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
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, Preilu Rajons, Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*, Ventspils Rajons
National holiday
Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 18 November 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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Andris BERZINS (since 5 May 2000) 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 NA 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);
- percent of parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 53%, Valdis BIRKAVS 20%, Ingrida UDRE 9%
Legislative branch
- unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 3 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - People's Party 21%, LC 18%, TSP 14%, TB/LNNK 14%, Social Democrats 13%, New Party 7%;
- seats by party - People's Party 24, LC 21, TB/LNNK 17, TSP 16, Social Democrats 14, New Party 8
Political parties and leaders
- Anticommunist Union or PA [P. MUCENIEKS];
- Christian Democrat Union or LKDS [Talavs JUNDZIS];
- Christian People's Party or KTP [Uldis AUGSTKALNS];
- Democratic Party "Saimnieks" or DPS [Ziedonis CEVERS, chairman];
- For Fatherland and Freedom or TB [Maris GRINBLATS], merged with LNNK;
- For Human Rights in a United Latvia [Janis JURKANS], a coalition of the People's Harmony Party or TSP, the Latvian Socialist Party or LSP, and the Equal Rights Movement;
- Green Party or LZP [Olegs BATAREVSKI];
- Latvian Liberal Party or LLP [J. DANOSS];
- Latvian National Conservative Party or LNNK [Andrejs KRASTINS];
- Latvian National Democratic Party or LNDP [A. MALINS];
- Latvian Social-Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDWU [Juris BOJARS and Janis ADAMSONS, leaders];
- Latvian Unity Party or LVP [Alberis KAULS];
- Latvia's Way or LC [Andrei PANTELEJEVS];
- New Christian Party [Ainars SLESERS];
- New Faction [Ingrida UDRE];
- "Our Land" or MZ [M. DAMBEKALNE];
- Party of Russian Citizens or LKPP [V. SOROCHIN, V. IVANOV];
- People's Party [Andris SKELE];
- Political Union of Economists or TPA [Edvins KIDE]
International organization participation
BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Aivis RONIS chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador James H. HOLMES embassy: Raina Boulevard 7, LV-1510, Riga mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723 telephone: [371] 721-0005
Economy
32 fieldsTrading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
In 2000, 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. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999 - the first Baltic state to join - and was invited at the Helsinki EU Summit in December 1999 to begin accession talks in early 2000.
Unemployment fell to 7.8% in 2000, down from 9.6% in 1999, and 9.2% in 1998. Privatization of large state-owned utilities and the shipping industry faced more delays in 2000, and political instability will continue to delay completion of the privatization process over the next year.
Latvia projects 6% GDP growth, 2.5%-3.0% inflation, and a 1.7% fiscal deficit in 2001. Preparing for EU membership over the next few years remains a top foreign policy goal.
Budget
revenues: $1.33 billion expenditures: $1.27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
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, raw materials, and intermediate products
Exchange rates
lati per US dollar - 0.614 (January 2001), 0.607 (2000), 0.585 (1999), 0.590 (1998), 0.581 (1997), 0.551 (1996)
Communications
10 fieldsTelephone 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)
Transportation
9 fieldsRailways
total: 2,412 km broad gauge: 2,379 km 1.520-m gauge (271 km electrified) (1992) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (1994)
Merchant marine
total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 27,984 GRT/29,978 DWT ships by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 3 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 7 (2000 est.)
Military
Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Security Forces, Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze)
7 fieldsMilitary branches
Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Security Forces, Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - international
- draft treaty delimiting the boundary with Russia has not been signed;
- has not ratified 1998 maritime boundary agreement with Lithuania (primary concern is 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;
- limited production of illicit amphetamine, ephedrine, and ecstasy for export
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Latvia.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/latvia/2001.