page_title: Latvia
section_title: Biodiversity
hierarchical_section_title: Latvia / Geography / Biodiversity
caption_attribution_description: Žemaitėška: Ledspira Български: Бяла стърчиопашка Corsu: Codizennula Sardu: Coisàita Cymraeg: Siglen Fraith Dansk: Vipstjert Deutsch: Bachstelze English: White Wagtail Esperanto: Blanka motacilo Español: Motacilla alba Eesti: Linavästrik Suomi: Västäräkki Français&#160;: Bergeronnette grise Frysk: Boumantsje Gàidhlig: Breac an t-sìl Magyar: Barázdabillegető Italiano: Motacilla alba 日本語: タイリクハクセキレイ Lietuvių: Baltoji kielė Latviešu: Baltā cielava Nedersaksies: Akkermannetjen Nederlands: Witte kwikstaart Norsk nynorsk: Linerle Norsk bokmål: Linerle Polski: Pliszka siwa Português: Alvéola-branca Русский: Белая трясогузка Davvisámegiella: Beštor Svenska: Sädesärla Türkçe: Ak kuyruksallayan Українська: Плиска біла West-Vlams: Witte kwiksteirt 中文: 白鹡鸰
context_page_description: Latvia, officially known as the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. Since Latvia’s independence in 1918, it has been referred to as one of the Baltic states. It is bordered by Estonia to the north, Lithuania to the south, Russia to the east, Belarus to the southeast, and shares a maritime border with Sweden to the west. Latvia has 1,957,200 inhabitants and a territory of 64,589 km². Its capital and largest city is Riga; other notable major cities in Latvia are Daugavpils, Liepāja, Jelgava and Jūrmala. The country has a temperate seasonal climate. The Baltic Sea moderates the climate, although the country has four distinct seasons and snowy winters.
  After centuries of Swedish, Polish and Russian rule, a rule mainly executed by the Baltic German aristocracy, the Republic of Latvia was established on 18 November 1918 when it broke away from the Russian Empire and declared independence in the aftermath of World War I. However, by the 1930s the country became increasingly autocratic after the coup in 1934 establishing an authoritarian regime under Kārlis Ulmanis.
context_section_description: Approximately 30,000 species of flora and fauna have been registered in Latvia. Common species of wildlife in Latvia include deer, wild boar, moose, lynx, bear, fox, beaver and wolves. Non-marine molluscs of Latvia include 159 species.
  Species that are endangered in other European countries but common in Latvia include: black stork (Ciconia nigra), corncrake (Crex crex), lesser spotted eagle (Aquila pomarina), white-backed woodpecker (Picoides leucotos), Eurasian crane (Grus grus), Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber), Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), European wolf (Canis lupus) and European lynx (Felis lynx).
  Phytogeographically, Latvia is shared between the Central European and Northern European provinces of the Circumboreal Region within the Boreal Kingdom. According to the WWF, the territory of Latvia belongs to the ecoregion of Sarmatic mixed forests. 56 percent of Latvia's territory is covered by forests, mostly Scots pine, birch, and Norway spruce.
  Several species of flora and fauna are considered national symbols. Oak (Quercus robur, Latvian: ozols), and linden (Tilia cordata, Latvian: liepa) are Latvia's national trees and the daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare, Latvian: pīpene) its national flower. The white wagtail (Motacilla alba, Latvian: baltā cielava) is Latvia's national bird. Its national insect is the two-spot ladybird (Adalia bipunctata, Latvian: divpunktu mārīte). Amber, fossilized tree resin, is one of Latvia's most important cultural symbols. In ancient times, amber found along the Baltic Sea coast was sought by Vikings as well as traders from Egypt, Greece and the Roman Empire. This led to the development of the Amber Road.
  Several nature reserves protect unspoiled landscapes with a variety of large animals. At Pape Nature Reserve, where European bison, wild horses, and recreated aurochs have been reintroduced, there is now an almost complete Holocene megafauna also including moose, deer, and wolf.
caption: The white wagtail is the national bird of Latvia.[100]
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