from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Latvia
Introduction
Background: 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 joined both NATO and the EU in the
spring of 2004.
Geography
Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between
Estonia and Lithuania
Geographic 57 00 N, 25 00 E
coordinates:
Map Europe
references:
Area: total: 64,589 sq km
land: 63,589 sq km
water: 1,000 sq km
Area - slightly larger than West Virginia
comparative:
Land total: 1,368 km
boundaries: border countries: Belarus 167 km, Estonia 343 km,
Lithuania 576 km, Russia 282 km
Coastline: 531 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation
Climate: maritime; wet, moderate winters
Terrain: low plain
Elevation lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
extremes: highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m
Natural peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood,
resources: arable land
Land use: arable land: 28.19%
permanent crops: 0.45%
other: 71.36% (2005)
Irrigated 200 sq km
land: 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)
Natural NA
hazards:
Environment - Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to
current service industries after the country regained
issues: 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 - party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent
international Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
agreements: 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 - most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying
note: plains, with some hills in the east
People
Population: 2,274,735 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 14% (male 162,562/female 155,091)
15-64 years: 69.6% (male 769,004/female 815,042)
65 years and over: 16.4% (male 121,646/female 251,390)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 39.4 years
male: 36.3 years
female: 42.4 years (2006 est.)
Population -0.67% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 9.24 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 13.66 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration -2.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female
total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 9.35 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 11.31 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 7.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 71.33 years
expectancy at male: 66.08 years
birth: female: 76.85 years (2006 est.)
Total 1.27 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.6% (2001 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 7,600 (2001 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - less than 500 (2003 est.)
deaths:
Nationality: noun: Latvian(s)
adjective: Latvian
Ethnic groups: Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%,
Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2%
(2002)
Religions: Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox
Languages: Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and
other 4.3% (2000 census)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.8% (2003 est.)
Government
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
Government parliamentary democracy
type:
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 26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*:
divisions: 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
Independence: 21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18
holiday: November 1918 is the date Latvia declared itself
independent from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 is when it
declared the renewal of independence; 21 August 1991 is
the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union
Constitution: 15 February 1922; an October 1998 amendment on
Fundamental Human Rights replaced the 1991
Constitutional Law, which had supplemented the
constitution
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
Executive chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8
branch: July 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS
(since 2 December 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime
minister and appointed by the Parliament
elections: president reelected by Parliament for a
four-year term (no term limits); election last held 20
June 2003 (next to be held by June 2007); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected
president; parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88
of 94 votes cast
Legislative unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are
branch: elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year
terms)
elections: last held 7 October 2006 (next to be held
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
Judicial Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by
branch: Parliament)
Political First Party of Latvia or LPP [Juris LUJANS]; For Human
parties and Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Tatjana ZDANOKA,
leaders: Jakovs PLINERS]; For the Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian
National Independence Movement or TB/LNNK [Janis
STRAUME]; Harmony Center or SC [Sergejs DOLGOPOLOVS];
Latvian Green Party or ZZS [Indulis EMSIS, Viesturs
SILENIEKS, Raimonds VEJONIS]; Latvian Farmer's Union or
LZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS]; Latvian Social Democratic
Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris
BOJARS]; Latvian Socialist Party or LSP [Alfreds
RUBIKS]; Latvia's Way or LC [Ivars GODMANIS]; New
Democrats or JD [Maris GULBIS]; New Era Party or JL
[Einars REPSE]; People's Harmony Party or TSP [Aivars
DATAVS]; People's Party or TP [Atis SLAKTERIS]; Social
Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]
Political Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools
pressure (SHTAB) [Aleksandr KAZAKOV]
groups and
leaders:
International Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU
organization (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
participation: IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NATO, NIB,
NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Maris RIEKSTINS
representation chancery: 2306 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC
in the US: 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 328-2840
FAX: [1] (202) 328-2860
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine TODD BAILEY
representation embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510
from the US: mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box
Riga, APO AE 09723
telephone: [371] 703-6200
FAX: [371] 782-0047
Flag three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white
description: (half-width), and maroon
Economy
Economy - Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998
overview: Russian financial crisis, largely due to the
government's budget stringency and a gradual
reorientation of exports toward EU countries, lessening
Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. 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 and internal government deficits remain major
concerns, but the government's efforts to increase
efficiency in revenue collection may lessen the budget
deficit. A growing perception that many of Latvia's
banks facilitate illicit activity could damage the
country's vibrant financial sector.
GDP $31.46 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $14.43 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 10.2% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $13,700 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 4%
composition by industry: 26.1%
sector: services: 69.9% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 1.11 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 15%
by occupation: industry: 25%
services: 60% (2000 est.)
Unemployment 7.5% (2005 est.)
rate:
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 2.9%
income or highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 32 (1999)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 6.7% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 27.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $5.646 billion
expenditures: $5.889 billion; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Public debt: 10.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork,
products: milk, eggs; fish
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
Industrial 8.5% (2005 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 3.573 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 29.1%
production by hydro: 70.9%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 5.839 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 300 million kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 2.816 billion kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
production:
Oil - 29,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Natural gas - 0 cu m NA cu m
production:
Natural gas - 1.8 billion cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 1.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)
imports:
Current $-1.959 billion (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $5.749 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - wood and wood products, machinery and equipment,
commodities: metals, textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - Lithuania 11%, Estonia 10.8%, Germany 10.2%, UK 10.2%,
partners: Russia 7.9%, Sweden 7.8%, Denmark 5.3%, Poland 5.3%
(2005)
Imports: $8.559 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles
commodities:
Imports - Germany 13.9%, Lithuania 13.6%, Russia 8.6%, Estonia
partners: 7.9%, Poland 6.4%, Finland 5.9%, Belarus 5.8%, Sweden
5.1% (2005)
Reserves of $2.361 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $13.96 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - $96.2 million (1995)
recipient:
Currency Latvian lat (LVL)
(code):
Currency code: LVL
Exchange lati per US dollar - 0.5647 (2005), 0.5402 (2004),
rates: 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182 (2002), 0.6279 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 731,000 (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 1.872 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: recent efforts focused on bringing
system: competition to the telecommunications sector, beginning
in 2003; the number of fixed lines is decreasing as
wireless telephony expands
domestic: two wireless service providers in addition to
Lattelekom, the incumbent monopoly
international: country code - 371; the Latvian network
is now connected via fiber optic cable to Estonia,
Finland, and Sweden
Radio AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 1.76 million (1997)
Television 44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 1.22 million (1997)
Internet .lv
country code:
Internet 65,858 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 41 (2001)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 1.03 million (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 46 (2006)
Airports - total: 24
with paved 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 13 (2006)
Airports - total: 22
with unpaved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 19 (2006)
Pipelines: gas 1,097 km; oil 82 km; refined products 415 km (2006)
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 (2005)
Roadways: total: 69,919 km
paved: 69,919 km (2003)
Waterways: 300 km (2005)
Merchant total: 21 ships (1000 GRT or over) 250,559 GRT/336,136
marine: DWT
by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 2,
passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off
1
registered in other countries: 105 (Antigua and Barbuda
5, Bahamas 1, Belize 6, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 4, Dominica
1, Gibraltar 2, Liberia 14, Malta 40, Marshall Islands
7, Panama 3, Russia 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
18) (2006)
Ports and Riga, Ventspils
terminals:
Military
Military Latvian Republic Defense Force: Ground Forces, Navy,
branches: Air Force, Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze)
(2005)
Military 19 years of age for compulsory military service;
service age conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of
and age for volunteers; plans are to phase out
obligation: conscription, tentatively moving to an all-professional
force by 2007; under current law, every citizen is
entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2004)
Manpower males age 19-49: 517,713
available for females age 19-49: 519,631 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 19-49: 361,098
for military females age 19-49: 422,913 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 19,137
reaching females age 19-49: 18,505 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $87 million (FY01)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 1.2% (FY01)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - Russia refuses to sign the 1997 boundary treaty due to
international: 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; 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 must implement
the strict Schengen border rules
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; 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