Latvia
Republic of LatviaLatvijas Republika
parliamentary democracyIndependence 18 November 1918 (from Soviet Russia)
Latvia as the 2008 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 136 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
The name "Latvia" originates from the ancient Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed 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 30% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Geography
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania
20 fieldsLand useshare of 64,589 sq km
Irrigated land
200 sq km note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land has been improved by drainage (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 0.25 cu km/yr (55%/33%/12%)
- per capita:
- 108 cu m/yr (2003)
Environment - current issues
- Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence;
- the main environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality and sewage system, household, and hazardous waste management, as well as reduction of air pollution;
- in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east
People
22 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2008 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2008 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups(2002)
Religions(2006)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 0.95 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.49 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.86 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk:
- intermediate
- food or waterborne diseases:
- bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A
- vectorborne diseases:
- tickborne encephalitis (2008)
Government
Parliamentary democracy; President Valdis ZATLERS (since 8 July 2007); Prime Minister Ivars GODMANIS (since 20 December 2007)
18 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Parliament or Saeima, 100 seats, elected 7 October 2006one dot, one seat
Percent of vote
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
Capital
- 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
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, Liepaja*, 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 was the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia;
- 4 May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence;
- 21 August 1991 was the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union
Constitution
- 15 February 1922;
- restored to force by the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Latvia adopted by the Supreme Council on 21 August 1991;
- multiple amendments since
Legal system
based on civil law system with traces of Socialist legal traditions and practices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Valdis ZATLERS (since 8 July 2007)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Ivars GODMANIS (since 20 December 2007)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by Parliament
- elections:
- president elected by Parliament for a four-year term (eligible for a second term);
- election last held 31 May 2007 (next to be held in 2011);
- prime minister appointed by the president, confirmed by Parliament
- election results:
- Valdis ZATLERS elected president; parliamentary vote - Valdis ZATLERS 58, Aivars ENDZINS 39
Legislative branch
unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by proportional representation from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
- elections:
- last held 7 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - TP 19.5%, ZZS 16.7%, JL 16.4%, SC 14.4%;
- LPP/LC 8.6%;
- TB/LNNK 7%;
- PCTVL 6%;
- seats by party - TP 23, ZZS 18, JL 18, SC 17, LPP/LC 10, TB/LNNK 8, PCTVL 6;
- note - seats by party as of February 2008 - TP 21, ZZS 17, SC 17, JL 14, LPP/LC 10, TB/LNNK 5, PCTVL 6, independents 10
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament); Constitutional Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)
Political parties and leaders
- First Party of Latvia/Latvia's Way or LPP/LC [Ainars SLESERS, Ivars GODMANIS];
- For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Jakovs PLINERS];
- For the Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement or TB/LNNK [Roberts ZILE, Maris GRINBLATS];
- Harmony Center or SC [Janis URBANOVICS, Nils USAKOVS];
- Latvian Social Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS];
- Latvian Socialist Party or LSP [Alfreds RUBIKS];
- New Democrats or JD [Maris GULBIS];
- New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE, Krisjanis KARINS];
- People's Party or TP [Aigars KALVITIS];
- The Union of Latvian Greens and Farmers Party or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB) [Aleksandr KAZAKOV]
International organization participation
Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Andrejs PILDEGOVICS
- chancery:
- 2306 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 328-2840
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 328-2860
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Charles LARSON Jr.
- embassy:
- 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510
- mailing address:
- American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723
- telephone:
- [371] 670-36200
- FAX:
- [371] 678-20047
Economy
Latvia's economy experienced GDP growth of more than 10% per year during 2006-07.
50 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2007 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
Latvia's economy experienced GDP growth of more than 10% per year during 2006-07. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999.
EU membership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. The current account deficit - more than 22% of GDP in 2007 - and inflation - at nearly 10% per year - remain major concerns.
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 and raw materials
Exchange rates
lati (LVL) per US dollar - 0.5162 (2007), 0.5597 (2006), 0.5647 (2005), 0.5402 (2004), 0.5715 (2003)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- recent efforts focused on bringing competition to the telecommunications sector; the number of fixed lines is decreasing as wireless 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 is roughly 125 per 100 persons
- international:
- country code - 371; the Latvian network is now connected via fiber optic cable to Estonia, Finland, and Sweden (2007)
Transportation
9 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
Railways
- total:
- 2,303 km
- broad gauge:
- 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified)
- narrow gauge:
- 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2006)
Merchant marine
- total:
- 22
- by type:
- cargo 8, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2
- foreign-owned:
- 2 (Estonia 2)
- registered in other countries:
- 118 (Antigua and Barbuda 13, Belize 12, Cambodia 1, Cook Islands 1, Cyprus 1, Dominica 1, Jamaica 1, Liberia 21, Malta 19, Marshall Islands 16, Panama 8, Russia 2, Saint Kitts and Nevis 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 17) (2008)
Military
6 fieldsMilitary branches
National Armed Forces (Nacionalo Brunoto Speku): Ground Forces, Navy (Latvijas Juras Speki; includes Coast Guard (Latvijas Kara Flotes)), Latvian Air Force (Latvijas Gaisa Speki), Border Guard, Latvian Home Guard (Latvijas Zemessardze) (2008)
Military service age and obligation
- 18 years of age for voluntary military service;
- conscription abolished January 2007;
- under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2006)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - international
- Russia refuses to sign the 1997 boundary treaty due to Latvian insistence on a unilateral clarificatory declaration referencing Soviet occupation of Latvia and territorial losses;
- Russia demands better Latvian treatment of ethnic Russians in Latvia;
- as of January 2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was complete and mapped with final ratification documentation in preparation;
- 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
Illicit drugs
- transshipment and destination point for cocaine, synthetic drugs, opiates, and cannabis from Southwest Asia, Western Europe, Latin America, and neighboring Balkan 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
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Latvia.” The World Factbook 2008. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/latvia/2008.