Latvia
Republic of Latvia
Capital: Riga
History
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 28% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Geography
Metric Units
|
Total Area
|
64,589
sq km
|
| Land Boundaries |
1,382
km
|
| Border Countries |
Belarus 171 km, Estonia 343 km, Lithuania 576 km, Russia 292 km |
| Coastline |
498
km
|
| Terrain |
low plain |
| Minimum Elevation |
0
m
|
| Maximum Elevation |
312
m
|
| Climate |
maritime; wet, moderate winters |
| Natural Resources |
peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, timber, arable land |
| Arable Land |
17.96% |
| Permanent Crops |
0.11% |
Economy
Budget & Debt
Trade
| Exports |
$12.49 billion |
| Export Items |
food products, wood and wood products, metals, machinery and equipment, textiles |
| Export Partners |
Russia 15.7%, Lithuania 14.9%, Estonia 11.2%, Germany 6.9%, Sweden 5.2%, Poland 4.9% (2011) |
| Imports |
$15.92 billion |
| Import Items |
machinery and equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, fuels, vehicles |
| Import Partners |
Lithuania 16.6%, Germany 11%, Russia 7.7%, Poland 7.2%, Estonia 6.8%, Italy 4.2%, Finland 4.1% (2011) |
People
| Population |
2,178,443 |
| Population Growth |
-0.61% |
| Ethnic Groups |
Latvian 59.3%, Russian 27.8%, Belarusian 3.6%, Ukrainian 2.5%, Polish 2.4%, Lithuanian 1.3%, other 3.1% (2009) |
| Religion |
Lutheran 19.6%, Orthodox 15.3%, other Christian 1%, other 0.4%, unspecified 63.7% (2006) |
| Life Expectancy |
73.19 years |
| Infant Mortality |
0.86 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Maternal Mortality |
-0.4 deaths/100,000 live births |
Energy
