Latvia

total:

0.25 cu km/yr (55%/33%/12%)

per capita:

108 cu m/yr (2003)

• 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

party to:

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

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 (2009 est.)

degree of risk:

intermediate

food or waterborne diseases:

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases:

tickborne encephalitis (2009)

noun:

Latvian(s)

adjective:

Latvian

conventional long form:

Republic of Latvia

conventional short form:

Latvia

local long form:

Latvijas Republika

local short form:

Latvija

former:

Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic

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

• 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

• 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

chief of state:

President Valdis ZATLERS (since 8 July 2007)

head of government:

Prime Minister Valdis DOMBROVSKIS (since 12 March 2009)

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

• Civic Union [Sandra KALNIETE, Girts Valdis KRISTOVSKIS];
• 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, Tatjana ZDANOKA];
• For the Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement or TB/LNNK [Roberts ZILE, Maris GRINBLATS];
• Harmony Center or SC [Nils USAKOVS, Janis URBANOVICS];
• New Era Party or JL [Solvita ABOLTINA, Dzintars ZAKIS];
• People's Party or TP [Mareks SEGLINS];
• Society for Different Politics or SCP [Aigars STOKENBERGS; Artis PABRIKS];
• The Union of Latvian Greens and Farmers Party or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Andrejs PILDEGOVICS

chancery:

2306 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 328-2840

FAX:

[1] (202) 328-2860

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Bruce ROGERS

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

agriculture:

12.1%

industry:

25.8%

services:

61.8% (2005 est.)

lowest 10%:

2.7%

highest 10%:

27.4% (2004)

• grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables;
• beef, pork, milk, eggs;
• fish

• 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

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 exceeds 125 per 100 persons

international:

country code - 371; the Latvian network is now connected via fiber optic cable to Estonia, Finland, and Sweden (2008)

total:

2,298 km

country comparison to the world: 67

broad gauge:

2,265 km 1.520-m gauge

narrow gauge:

33 km 0.750-m gauge (2008)

total:

69,675 km

country comparison to the world: 68

paved:

69,675 km (2006)

• 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service;
• conscription abolished January 2007;
• under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2009)

males age 16-49:

568,683

females age 16-49:

565,826 (2008 est.)

males age 16-49:

410,374

females age 16-49:

463,144 (2009 est.)

male:

12,901

female:

12,497 (2009 est.)

• 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

• 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