Latvia also borders on Russia and Belarus to the East. Wide rivers, large costal plains and shallow lakes are typical of much of the Latvian landscape. There are 77 towns and cities in Latvia. 21 of them have a population of over 10,000. Water Marks Rivers and lakes are one of the most remarkable aspects of the geography of Latvia.
Large rivers flow across the plains, but the water levels vary greatly with each season.
In the spring, larger rivers usually overflow and transform the surrounding meadows into swamps. By the end of the summer, the shallowest rivers nearly dry up. In the eastern costal regions of Latvia there are many lakes, most of which are generally quite shallow. Swamps and bogs cover approximately ten percent of the territory of Latvia, and are found primarily in the costal regions of the country. The total number of lakes in Latvia is 2,300.