Latvia

Latvia(/ˈlætviə/LAT-vee-ə,sometimes/ˈlɑːtviə/LAHT-vee-ə;Latvian:Latvija[ˈlatvija]),officially theRepublic of Latvia,is a country in theBaltic regionofNorthern Europe. It is one of the threeBaltic states, along withEstoniato the north andLithuaniato the south. It bordersRussiato the east andBelarusto the southeast, and shares amaritime borderwith Sweden to the west. Latvia covers an area of 64,589 km(24,938 sq mi), with a population of 1.9 million. The country has atemperate seasonal climate.Its capital andlargest cityisRiga.Latvians, who are the titular nation and comprise 63.0% of the country's population, belong to theethnolinguistic groupof theBaltsand speakLatvian.Russiansare the most prominent minority in the country, at almost a quarter of the population; 37.7% of the population speakRussianas their native tongue.
After centuries ofTeutonic,Swedish,Polish-Lithuanian, andRussianrule, the independent Republic of Latvia was established on 18 November 1918 after breaking away from theGerman Empirein the aftermath ofWorld War I.The country became increasinglyautocraticafter thecoup in 1934established the dictatorship ofKārlis Ulmanis.Latvia'sde factoindependence was interrupted at the outset ofWorld War II, beginning with Latvia'sforcible incorporationinto theSoviet Union, followed by theinvasion and occupationbyNazi Germanyin 1941 and there-occupation by the Sovietsin 1944, which formed theLatvian SSRfor the next 45 years. As a result of extensive immigration during the Soviet occupation, ethnicRussiansbecame the most prominent minority in the country. The peacefulSinging Revolutionstarted in 1987 among the Baltic Soviet republics and ended with the restoration of bothde factoand officialindependenceon 21 August 1991.Latvia has since been a democraticunitaryparliamentary republic.
Latvia is adeveloped countrywith ahigh-income,advanced economyranking 39th in theHuman Development Index. It is a member of theEuropean Union,Eurozone,NATO, theCouncil of Europe, theUnited Nations, theCouncil of the Baltic Sea States, theInternational Monetary Fund, theNordic-Baltic Eight, theNordic Investment Bank, theOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, theOrganization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and theWorld Trade Organization.
The nameLatvijais derived from the name of the ancientLatgalians, one of fourIndo-EuropeanBaltic tribes(along withCuronians,SeloniansandSemigallians), which formed the ethnic core of modernLatvianstogether with theFinnicLivonians.Henry of Latviacoined thelatinisationsof the country's name, "Lettigallia" and "Lethia", both derived from the Latgalians. The terms inspired the variations on the country's name inRomance languagesfrom "Letonia" and in severalGermanic languagesfrom "Lettland".
Around 3000 BC, the Proto-Baltic ancestors of the Latvian people settled on the eastern coast of theBaltic Sea.TheBaltsestablished trade routes to Rome andByzantium, trading localamberfor precious metals.By 900 AD, four distinct Baltic tribes inhabited Latvia:Curonians,Latgalians,Selonians,Semigallians(in Latvian:kurši,latgaļi,sēļiandzemgaļi), as well as the Finnic tribe ofLivonians(lībieši) speaking a Finnic language.
In the 12th century in the territory of Latvia, there were lands with their rulers:Vanema,Ventava,Bandava,Piemare,Duvzare,Sēlija,Koknese,Jersika,TālavaandAdzele.
Although the local people had contact with the outside world for centuries, they became more fully integrated into the European socio-political system in the 12th century.The first missionaries, sent by the Pope, sailed up theDaugava Riverin the late 12th century, seeking converts.The local people, however, did not convert to Christianity as readily as the Church had hoped.
German crusaderswere sent, or more likely decided to go of their own accord as they were known to do.Saint Meinhardof Segeberg arrived inIkšķile, in 1184, traveling with merchants toLivonia, on a Catholic mission to convert the population from their originalpaganbeliefs. Pope Celestine III had called fora crusade against pagans in Northern Europein 1193. When peaceful means of conversion failed to produce results, Meinhard plotted to convert Livonians by force of arms.
At the beginning of the 13th century, Germans ruled large parts of what is currently Latvia.The influx of German crusaders in the present-day Latvian territory especially increased in the second half of the 13th century following thedecline and fall of the Crusader Statesin theMiddle East.Together with southern Estonia, these conquered areas formed thecrusader statethat became known asTerra Mariana(Medieval Latinfor "Land ofMary") or Livonia.In 1282, Riga, and later the cities ofCēsis,Limbaži,KokneseandValmiera, became part of theHanseatic League.Riga became an important point of east–west tradingand formed close cultural links withWestern Europe.The first German settlers were knights from northern Germany and citizens of northern German towns who brought theirLow Germanlanguage to the region, which shaped many loanwords in the Latvian language.
After theLivonian War(1558–1583), Livonia (Northern Latvia & Southern Estonia) fell under the hegemony of thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.The southern part of Estonia and the northern part of Latvia were ceded to theGrand Duchy of Lithuaniaand formed into theDuchy of Livonia(Ducatus Livoniae Ultradunensis).Gotthard Kettler, the last Master of theOrder of Livonia, formed theDuchy of Courland and Semigallia.Though the duchy was a vassal state to the Lithuanian Grand Duchy and later of Poland–Lithuania, it retained a considerable degree of autonomy and experienced a golden age in the 16th century.Latgalia, the easternmost region of Latvia, became a part of theInflanty Voivodeshipof the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
In the 17th and early 18th centuries, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth,Sweden, andRussiastruggled for supremacy in the eastern Baltic. After thePolish–Swedish War, northern Livonia (including Vidzeme) came under Swedish rule. Riga became the capital ofSwedish Livoniaand the largest city in the entire Swedish Empire.Fighting continued sporadically between Sweden and Poland until theTruce of Altmarkin 1629.In Latvia, the Swedish period is generally remembered as positive;serfdomwas eased, a network of schools was established for the peasantry, and the power of the regionalbaronswas diminished.
Several important cultural changes occurred during this time. Under Swedish and largely German rule, western Latvia adoptedLutheranismas its main religion.The ancient tribes of the Couronians, Semigallians, Selonians, Livs, and northern Latgallians assimilated to form theLatvian people, speaking oneLatvian language.Throughout all the centuries, however, an actual Latvian state had not been established, so the borders and definitions of who exactly fell within that group are largely subjective. Meanwhile, largely isolated from the rest of Latvia, southern Latgallians adoptedCatholicismunder Polish/Jesuitinfluence. The native dialect remained distinct, although it acquired many Polish and Russian loanwords.
During theGreat Northern War(1700–1721), up to 40 percent of Latvians died from famine and plague.Half the residents of Riga were killed byplague in 1710–1711.Thecapitulation of Estonia and Livoniain 1710 and theTreaty of Nystad, ending theGreat Northern Warin 1721, gave Vidzeme to Russia (it became part of theRiga Governorate).  The Latgale region remained part of thePolish–Lithuanian CommonwealthasInflanty Voivodeshipuntil 1772, when it was incorporated into Russia. TheDuchy of Courland and Semigallia, a vassal state of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, was annexed by Russia in 1795 in theThird Partition of Poland, bringing all of what is now Latvia into theRussian Empire. All three Baltic provinces preserved local laws, German as the localofficial languageand their own parliament, theLandtag.
The emancipation of the serfs took place in Courland in 1817 and in Vidzeme in 1819.In practice, however, the emancipation was actually advantageous to the landowners and nobility, as it dispossessed peasants of their land without compensation, forcing them to return to work at the estates "of their own free will".
During these two centuries Latvia experienced economic and construction boom – ports were expanded (Riga became the largest port in the Russian Empire), railways built; new factories, banks, and a university were established; many residential, public (theatres and museums), and school buildings were erected; new parks formed; and so on. Riga's boulevards and some streets outside the Old Town date from this period.
Numeracywas also higher in the Livonian and Courlandian parts of the Russian Empire, which may have been influenced by the Protestant religion of the inhabitants.
During the 19th century, the social structure changed dramatically.A class of independent farmers established itself after reforms allowed the peasants to repurchase their land, but many landless peasants remained, quite a lotLatviansleft for the cities and sought for education, industrial jobs.There also developed a growing urbanproletariatand an increasingly influential Latvianbourgeoisie.TheYoung Latvian(Latvian:Jaunlatvieši) movement laid the groundwork for nationalism from the middle of the century, many of its leaders looking to theSlavophilesfor support against the prevailing German-dominated social order.The rise in use of theLatvian languagein literature and society became known as theFirst National Awakening.Russificationbegan in Latgale after the Polish led theJanuary Uprisingin 1863: this spread to the rest of what is now Latvia by the 1880s. The Young Latvians were largely eclipsed by theNew Current, a broad leftist social and political movement, in the 1890s.Popular discontent exploded in the1905 Russian Revolution, which took a nationalist character in theBaltic provinces.
World War Idevastated the territory of what became the state of Latvia, and other western parts of the Russian Empire. Demands forself-determinationwere initially confined toautonomy, until a power vacuum was created by theRussian Revolutionin 1917, followed by theTreaty of Brest-Litovskbetween Russia and Germany in March 1918, then theAlliedarmistice with Germany on 11 November 1918. On 18 November 1918, in Riga, thePeople's Council of Latviaproclaimed the independence of the new country andKārlis Ulmaniswas entrusted to set up a government and he took the position of prime minister.
The General representative of GermanyAugust Winnigformally handed over political power to the Latvian Provisional Government on 26 November. On 18 November, the Latvian People's Council entrusted him to set up the government. He took the office of Minister of Agriculture from 18 November to 19 December. He took a position of prime minister from 19 November 1918 to 13 July 1919.
Thewar of independencethat followed was part of a general chaotic period of civil and new border wars in Eastern Europe. By the spring of 1919, there were actually three governments: the Provisional government headed byKārlis Ulmanis, supported by theTautas padomeand theInter-Allied Commission of Control; theLatvian Soviet governmentled byPēteris Stučka, supported by theRed Army; and the Provisional government headed byAndrievs Niedra, supported byBaltic-Germanforcescomposed of theBaltische Landeswehr("Baltic Defence Force") and theFreikorpsformationEiserne Division("Iron Division").
Estonian and Latvian forces defeated the Germans at theBattle of Wendenin June 1919,and a massive attack by a predominantly German force—theWest Russian Volunteer Army—underPavel Bermondt-Avalovwas repelled in November. Eastern Latvia was cleared of Red Army forces by Latvian and Polish troops in early 1920 (from the Polish perspective theBattle of Daugavpilswas a part of thePolish–Soviet War).
A freely electedConstituent assemblyconvened on 1 May 1920, and adopted a liberal constitution, theSatversme, in February 1922.The constitution was partly suspended by Kārlis Ulmanis afterhis coup in 1934but reaffirmed in 1990. Since then, it has been amended and is still in effect in Latvia today. With most of Latvia's industrial base evacuated to the interior of Russia in 1915, radicalland reformwas the central political question for the young state. In 1897, 61.2% of the rural population had been landless; by 1936, that percentage had been reduced to 18%.
On 15 May 1934,Ulmanis staged a bloodless coup, establishing a nationalist dictatorship that lasted until 1940.After 1934, Ulmanis establishedgovernment corporationsto buy up private firms with the aim of "Latvianising" the economy.
Early in the morning of 24 August 1939, theSoviet UnionandNazi Germanysigned a 10-year non-aggression pact, called theMolotov–Ribbentrop Pact.The pact contained a secret protocol, revealed only after Germany's defeat in 1945, according to which the states of Northern and Eastern Europe were divided into German and Soviet "spheres of influence".In the north, Latvia, Finland and Estonia were assigned to the Soviet sphere.
After the conclusion of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, most of theBaltic Germansleft Latvia by agreement between Ulmanis's government and Nazi Germany under theHeim ins Reichprogramme.Most of those who remained left for Germany in summer 1940, when a second resettlement scheme was agreed.The racially approved being resettled mainly in Poland, being given land and businesses in exchange for the money they had received from the sale of their previous assets.
On 5 October 1939, Latvia was forced to accept a "mutual assistance" pact with the Soviet Union, granting the Soviets the right to station between 25,000 and 30,000 troops on Latvian territory.State administrators were murdered and replaced by Soviet cadres.Elections were held with single pro-Soviet candidates listed for many positions. The resulting people's assembly immediately requested admission into the USSR, which the Soviet Union granted.Latvia, then a puppet government, was headed byAugusts Kirhenšteins.The Soviet Union incorporated Latvia on 5 August 1940, as theLatvian Soviet Socialist Republic.
The Soviets dealt harshly with theiropponents– prior toOperation Barbarossa, in less than a year, at least 34,250 Latvians were deported or killed.Most were deported to Siberia where deaths were estimated at 40 percent.
On 22 June 1941, German troops attacked Soviet forces in Operation Barbarossa.There were some spontaneous uprisings by Latvians against the Red Army which helped the Germans. By 29 JuneRigawas reached and with Soviet troops killed, captured or retreating, Latvia was left under the control of German forces by early July.
Under German occupation, Latvia was administered as part ofReichskommissariat Ostland.Latvian paramilitary andAuxiliary Policeunits established by the occupation authority participated inthe Holocaustand other atrocities.30,000 Jews were shot in Latvia in the autumn of 1941.Another 30,000 Jews from the Riga ghetto were killed in the Rumbula Forest in November and December 1941, to reduce overpopulation in the ghetto and make room for more Jews being brought in from Germany and the West.There was a pause in fighting, apart from partisan activity, until after thesiege of Leningradended in January 1944, and the Soviet troops advanced, entering Latvia in July and eventually capturing Riga on 13 October 1944.
The Soviets reoccupied the country in 1944–1945, and further deportations followed as the country wascollectivisedandSovietised.
In the post-war period, Latvia was made to adopt Soviet farming methods. Rural areas were forced intocollectivization.An extensive program to imposebilingualismwas initiated in Latvia, limiting the use of Latvian language in official uses in favor of using Russian as the main language. All of the minority schools (Jewish, Polish, Belarusian, Estonian, Lithuanian) were closed down leaving only two media of instructions in the schools: Latvian and Russian.An influx of new colonists, including laborers, administrators, military personnel and their dependents from Russia and other Soviet republics started. By 1959 about 400,000 Russian settlers arrived and the ethnic Latvian population had fallen to 62%.
Since Latvia had maintained a well-developed infrastructure and educated specialists, Moscow decided to base some of the Soviet Union's most advanced manufacturing in Latvia. New industry was created in Latvia, including a majormachinery factory RAFinJelgava, electrotechnical factories inRiga, chemical factories inDaugavpils,ValmieraandOlaine—and some food and oil processing plants.Latvia manufactured trains, ships, minibuses, mopeds, telephones, radios and hi-fi systems, electrical and diesel engines, textiles, furniture, clothing, bags and luggage, shoes, musical instruments, home appliances, watches, tools and equipment, aviation and agricultural equipment and long list of other goods. Latvia had its own film industry and musical records factory (LPs). However, there were not enough people to operate the newly built factories.To maintain and expand industrial production, skilled workers were migrating from all over the Soviet Union, decreasing the proportion of ethnic Latvians in the republic.The population of Latvia reached its peak in 1990 at just under 2.7 million people.
In the second half of the 1980s, Soviet leaderMikhail Gorbachevstarted to introduce political and economic reforms in the Soviet Union that were calledglasnostandperestroika. In the summer of 1987, the first large demonstrations were held in Riga at theFreedom Monument—a symbol of independence. In the summer of 1988, a national movement, coalescing in thePopular Front of Latvia, was opposed by theInterfront. The Latvian SSR, along with the otherBaltic Republicswas allowed greater autonomy, and in 1988, the old pre-warFlag of Latviaflew again, replacing the Soviet Latvian flag as the official flag in 1990.In 1989, theSupreme Soviet of the USSRadopted a resolution on theOccupation of the Baltic states, in which it declared the occupation "not in accordance with law", and not the "will of the Soviet people". Pro-independence Popular Front of Latvia candidates gained a two-thirds majority in theSupreme Councilin theMarch 1990 democratic elections.
On 4 May 1990, the Supreme Council adopted theDeclaration on the Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia, and the Latvian SSR was renamed Republic of Latvia.
However, the central power in Moscow continued to regard Latvia as a Soviet republic in 1990 and 1991. In January 1991, Soviet political and military forces unsuccessfully tried to overthrow the Republic of Latvia authorities by occupying the central publishing house in Riga and establishing a Committee of National Salvation to usurp governmental functions. During the transitional period, Moscow maintained many central Soviet state authorities in Latvia.
The Popular Front of Latviaadvocated that all permanent residents be eligible for Latvian citizenship, however, universal citizenship for all permanent residents was not adopted. Instead, citizenship was granted to persons who had been citizens of Latvia on the day of loss of independence in 1940 as well as their descendants. As a consequence, the majority of ethnic non-Latvians did not receive Latvian citizenship since neither they nor their parents had ever been citizens of Latvia, becomingnon-citizensor citizens of other former Soviet republics. By 2011, more than half of non-citizens had takennaturalizationexams and received Latvian citizenship, but in 2015 there were still 290,660 non-citizens in Latvia, which represented 14.1% of the population. They haveno citizenship of any country, and cannot participate in the parliamentary elections.Children born to non-nationals after the re-establishment of independence are automatically entitled to citizenship.
The Republic of Latvia declared the end of the transitional period and restored full independence on 21 August 1991, in the aftermath of the failedSoviet coup attempt.Latvia resumed diplomatic relations with Western states, including Sweden.TheSaeima, Latvia's parliament, was again elected in 1993. Russia ended its military presence by completing its troop withdrawal in 1994 and shutting down theSkrunda-1radar station in 1998.
The major goals of Latvia in the 1990s, to joinNATOand theEuropean Union, were achieved in 2004. TheNATO Summit 2006was held in Riga.Vaira Vīķe-FreibergawasPresident of Latviafrom 1999 until 2007. She was the first female head of state in the former Soviet block state and was active in Latvia joining both NATO and the European Union in 2004.Latvia signed theSchengen agreementon 16 April 2003 and started its implementation on 21 December 2007.
Approximately 72% of Latvian citizens are Latvian, while 20% are Russian.The government denationalized private property confiscated by the Soviets, returning it or compensating the owners for it, andprivatizedmost state-owned industries, reintroducing theprewar currency. Albeit having experienced a difficult transition to a liberal economy and its re-orientation toward Western Europe, Latvia is one of the fastest growing economies in the European Union.In November 2013,the roof collapsedat a shopping center in Riga, causing Latvia’s worst post-independence disaster with the deaths of 54 rush hour shoppers and rescue personnel.
In late 2018 the National Archives of Latvia released a full alphabetical index of some 10,000 people recruited as agents or informants by the Soviet KGB. 'The publication, which followed two decades of public debate and the passage of a special law, revealed the names, code names, birthplaces and other data on active and former KGB agents as of 1991, the year Latvia regained its independence from the Soviet Union.'
In May 2023, the parliament electedEdgars Rinkēvičsas newPresident of Latvia, making him the European Union’s first openly gay head of state.After years of debates, Latvia ratified the EUConvention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, otherwise known as theIstanbul Conventionin November 2023.
Latvia lies in Northern Europe, on the eastern shores of theBaltic Seaand northwestern part of theEast European Craton(EEC), between latitudes55°and58° N(a small area is north of 58°), and longitudes21°and29° E(a small area is west of 21°). Latvia has a total area of 64,559 km(24,926 sq mi) of which 62,157 km(23,999 sq mi) land, 18,159 km(7,011 sq mi) agricultural land,34,964 km(13,500 sq mi) forest landand 2,402 km(927 sq mi) inland water.
The total length of Latvia's boundary is 1,866 km (1,159 mi). The total length of its land boundary is 1,368 km (850 mi), of which 343 km (213 mi) is shared withEstoniato the north, 276 km (171 mi) with theRussian Federationto the east, 161 km (100 mi) withBelarusto the southeast and 588 km (365 mi) withLithuaniato the south. The total length of itsmaritime boundaryis 498 km (309 mi), which is shared with Estonia, Sweden andLithuania. Extension from north to south is 210 km (130 mi) and from west to east 450 km (280 mi).
Most of Latvia's territory is less than 100 m (330 ft)above sea level. Its largest lake,Lubāns, has an area of 80.7 km(31.2 sq mi), its deepest lake,Drīdzis, is 65.1 m (214 ft) deep. The longest river on Latvian territory is theGauja, at 452 km (281 mi) in length. The longest river flowing through Latvian territory is theDaugava, which has a total length of 1,005 km (624 mi), of which 352 km (219 mi) is on Latvian territory. Latvia's highest point isGaiziņkalns, 311.6 m (1,022 ft). The length of Latvia'sBalticcoastline is 494 km (307 mi). An inlet of the Baltic Sea, the shallowGulf of Rigais situated in the northwest of the country.
Latvia has atemperateclimate that has been described in various sources as eitherhumid continental(KöppenDfb) oroceanic/maritime(KöppenCfb).
Coastal regions, especially the western coast of theCourland Peninsula, possess a more maritime climate with cooler summers and milder winters, while eastern parts exhibit a more continental climate with warmer summers and harsher winters.Nevertheless, the temperature variations are little as the territory of Latvia is relatively small.Moreover, Latvia's terrain is particularly flat (no more than 350 meters high), thus the Latvian climate is not differentiated by altitude.
Latvia has four pronounced seasons of near-equal length. Winter starts in mid-December and lasts until mid-March. Winters have average temperatures of −6 °C (21 °F) and are characterized by stable snow cover, bright sunshine, and short days. Severe spells of winter weather with cold winds, extreme temperatures of around −30 °C (−22 °F) and heavy snowfalls are common. Summer starts in June and lasts until August. Summers are usually warm and sunny, with cool evenings and nights. Summers have average temperatures of around 19 °C (66 °F), with extremes of 35 °C (95 °F). Spring and autumn bring fairly mild weather.
2019 was the warmest year in the history of weather observation in Latvia with an average temperature  +8.1 °C higher.
Most of the country is composed of fertile lowland plains and moderate hills. In a typical Latvian landscape, a mosaic of vast forests alternates with fields, farmsteads, and pastures. Arable land is spotted with birch groves and wooded clusters, which afford a habitat for numerous plants and animals. Latvia has hundreds of kilometres of undeveloped seashore—lined by pine forests, dunes, and continuous white sand beaches.
Latvia has the fifth highest proportion of land covered by forests in the European Union, after Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Slovenia.Forests account for 3,497,000 ha (8,640,000 acres) or 56% of the total land area.
Latvia has over 12,500 rivers, which stretch for 38,000 km (24,000 mi). Major rivers include theDaugava River,Lielupe,Gauja,Venta, andSalaca, the largest spawning ground forsalmonin the eastern Baltic states. There are 2,256 lakes that are bigger than 1 ha (2.5 acres), with a collective area of 1,000 km(390 sq mi).Miresoccupy 9.9% of Latvia's territory. Of these, 42% are raised bogs; 49% are fens; and 9% are transitional mires. 70% percent of the mires are untouched by civilization, and they are a refuge for many rare species of plants and animals.
Agricultural areas account for 1,815,900 ha (4,487,000 acres) or 29% of the total land area.With the dismantling of collective farms, the area devoted to farming decreased dramatically – now farms are predominantly small. Approximately 200 farms, occupying 2,750 ha (6,800 acres), are engaged in ecologically pure farming (using no artificial fertilizers or pesticides).
Latvia'snational parksareGauja National ParkinVidzeme(since 1973),Ķemeri National ParkinZemgale(1997),Slītere National ParkinKurzeme(1999), andRāzna National ParkinLatgale(2007).
Latvia has a long tradition of conservation. The first laws and regulations were promulgated in the 16th and 17th centuries.There are 706 specially state-level protected natural areas in Latvia: four national parks, one biosphere reserve, 42 nature parks, nine areas of protected landscapes, 260 nature reserves, four strict nature reserves, 355 nature monuments, seven protected marine areas and 24 microreserves.Nationally protected areas account for 12,790 km(4,940 sq mi) or around 20% of Latvia's total land area.Latvia's Red Book (Endangered Species List of Latvia), which was established in 1977, contains 112 plant species and 119 animal species. Latvia has ratified the international Washington, Bern, and Ramsare conventions.
The 2012Environmental Performance Indexranks Latvia second, after Switzerland, based on the environmental performance of the country's policies.
Access tobiocapacityin Latvia is much higher than world average. In 2016, Latvia had 8.5 global hectaresof biocapacity per person within its territory, much more than the world average of 1.6 global hectares per person.In 2016 Latvia used 6.4 global hectares of biocapacity per person - theirecological footprintof consumption. This means they use less biocapacity than Latvia contains. As a result, Latvia is running a biocapacity reserve.
Approximately 30,000 species of flora and fauna have been registered in Latvia.Larger mammalian wildlife in Latvia includedeer,wild boar,moose,lynx,bear,fox,beaverandwolves.Non-marine molluscs of Latviainclude 170 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 theCircumboreal Regionwithin theBoreal Kingdom. According to theWWF, the territory of Latvia belongs to theecoregionofSarmatic mixed forests. 56 percentof Latvia's territory is covered by forests, mostlyScots pine,birch, andNorway spruce.It had a 2019Forest Landscape Integrity Indexmean score of 2.09/10, ranking it 159th globally out of 172 countries.
Several species of flora and fauna are considered national symbols.Oak(Quercus robur,Latvian:ozols), andlinden(Tilia cordata,Latvian:liepa) are Latvia's national trees and thedaisy(Leucanthemum vulgare,Latvian:pīpene) its national flower. The white wagtail (Motacilla alba,Latvian:baltā cielava) is Latvia's national bird. Its national insect is thetwo-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 theAmber Road.
Several nature reserves protect unspoiled landscapes with a variety of large animals. AtPape Nature Reserve, whereEuropean bison, wild horses, andrecreated aurochshave been reintroduced, there is now an almost completeHolocenemegafaunaalso including moose, deer, and wolf.
Politics in Latvia operate under a framework laid out in theConstitution of Latvia.
The Latvian parliament isunicameraland called theSaeima. It is thelegislatureof the Republic of Latvia, passingactsthat apply in Latvia. The Saeima is also responsible for adopting thestate's budgets, approving the state's accounts, appointing and exercising control of the Government, and taking part in international co-operation.Billsmay be initiated by the Government or bymembers of parliament.
Latvia is arepresentative democracywithuniversal suffrage. Membership of the Saeima is based onproportional representationof political parties, with a 5% electoral threshold. Latvia elects 100 members to the Saeima. Parliamentary elections are held at least every four years, but it is within the powers of the prime minister to ask the president to call for an election before the term has elapsed. On avote of no confidence, the Saeima may force a single minister or an entire government to resign.
The Government of Latvia operates as acabinet government, where executive authority is exercised by the prime minister and othercabinet ministers, who head ministries. As the executive branch, the Cabinet is responsible for proposing bills and a budget, executing the laws, and guiding the foreign and internal policies of Latvia. The position of prime minister belongs to the person most likely to command theconfidenceof a majority in the Saeima; this is often the current leader of the largestpolitical partyor, more effectively, through acoalition of parties. A single party generally does not have sufficient political power in terms of the number of seats to form a cabinet on its own; Saeima has often been ruled bycoalition governments, themselves usuallyminority governmentsdependent on non-government parties.
Thepresidentis elected by theSaeimain a separate election, also held every four years. The president appoints a prime minister who, together with his cabinet, forms theexecutive branchof the government, which has to receive a confidence vote by theSaeima. This system also existed beforeWorld War II.The most senior civil servants are the thirteenSecretaries of State.
Following the October2022 Latvian parliamentary election, Prime MinisterKrišjānis Kariņšformed theSecond Kariņš cabinetin December 2022, a coalition ofNew Unity,National Alliance, andUnited List.On 14 August 2023, Kariņš resigned, citing National Alliance's opposition to expanding the coalition to includeThe Progressivesand theUnion of Greens and Farmers.TheSiliņa cabinet, comprising New Unity, Union of Greens and Farmers, and The Progressives, was sworn in on 15 September 2023.
Latvia is aunitary state, currently divided into 43 local government units consisting of 36 municipalities (Latvian:novadi) and 7 state cities (Latvian:valstspilsētas) with their own city council and administration:Daugavpils,Jelgava,Jūrmala,Liepāja,Rēzekne,Riga, andVentspils. There are fourhistorical and cultural regions in Latvia–Courland,Latgale,Vidzeme,Zemgale, which are recognised in theConstitution of Latvia.Selonia, a part of Zemgale, is sometimes considered culturally distinct region, but it is not part of any formal division. The borders of historical and cultural regions usually are not explicitly defined and in several sources may vary. In formal divisions, Riga region, which includes the capital and parts of other regions that have a strong relationship with the capital, is also often included in regional divisions; e.g., there are fiveplanning regions of Latvia(Latvian:plānošanas reģioni), which were created in 2009 to promote balanced development of all regions. Under this division Riga region includes large parts of what traditionally is considered Vidzeme, Courland, and Zemgale.Statistical regions of Latvia, established in accordance with the EUNomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics, duplicate this division.
The largest city in Latvia is Riga, the second largest city is Daugavpils and the third largest city is Liepaja.
In 2010 parliamentaryelectionruling centre-right coalition won 63 out of 100 parliamentary seats. Left-wing oppositionHarmony Centresupported by Latvia's Russian-speaking minority got 29 seats.In November 2013, Latvian Prime MinisterValdis Dombrovskis, in office since 2009, resigned after at least 54 people were killed and dozens injured in thecollapse at a supermarketin Riga.
In 2014 parliamentaryelectionwas won again by the ruling centre-right coalition formed by theUnityParty, theNational Allianceand theUnion of Greens and Farmers. They got 61 seats and Harmony got 24.In December 2015, country's first female prime minister, in office since January 2014,Laimdota Straujumaresigned.In February 2016, a coalition of Union of Greens and Farmers, The Unity and National Alliance was formed by new Prime MinisterMaris Kucinskis.
In 2018 parliamentaryelectionpro-Russian Harmony was again the biggest party securing 23 out of 100 seats, the second and third were the new populist partiesKPV LVandNew Conservative Party. Ruling coalition, comprising the Union of Greens and Farmers, the National Alliance and the Unity party, lost.In January 2019, Latvia got a government led by new Prime MinisterKrisjanis Karinsof the centre-rightNew Unity. Karins' coalition was formed by five of the seven parties in parliament, excluding only the pro-Russia Harmony party and the Union of Greens and Farmers.On 15 September 2023,Evika Siliņabecame the new prime minister of Latvia, following  resignation of former Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš previous month. Siliņa’s government is  a three-party coalition between her ownNew Unity(JV) party, the Greens and Farmers Union (ZZS), and the social-democratic Progressives (PRO) with total 52 of 100 seats in the parliament.
Latvia is a member of the United Nations,European Union,Council of Europe,NATO,OECD,OSCE,IMF, andWTO. It is also a member of theCouncil of the Baltic Sea StatesandNordic Investment Bank. It was a member of theLeague of Nations(1921–1946). Latvia is part of theSchengen Areaand joined theEurozoneon 1 January 2014.
Latvia has established diplomatic relations with 158 countries. It has 44 diplomatic and consular missions and maintains 34 embassies and 9 permanent representations abroad. There are 37 foreign embassies and 11 international organisations in Latvia's capitalRiga. Latvia hosts one European Union institution, theBody of European Regulators for Electronic Communications(BEREC).
Latvia's foreign policy priorities include co-operation in the Baltic Sea region, European integration, active involvement in international organisations, contribution to European and transatlantic security and defence structures, participation in international civilian and military peacekeeping operations, and development co-operation, particularly the strengthening of stability and democracy in the EU'sEastern Partnershipcountries.
Since the early 1990s, Latvia has been involved in active trilateralBaltic statesco-operation with its neighboursEstoniaandLithuania, and Nordic-Baltic co-operation with theNordic countries. Latvia is a member of the interparliamentaryBaltic Assembly, the intergovernmentalBaltic Council of Ministersand theCouncil of the Baltic Sea States.Nordic-Baltic Eight(NB-8) is the joint co-operation of the governments of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden.Nordic-Baltic Six (NB-6), comprising Nordic-Baltic countries that are European Union member states, is a framework for meetings on EU-related issues. Interparliamentary co-operation between the Baltic Assembly andNordic Councilwas signed in 1992 and since 2006 annual meetings are held as well as regular meetings on other levels.Joint Nordic-Baltic co-operation initiatives include the education programme NordPlusand mobility programmes for public administration,business and industryand culture.TheNordic Council of Ministershas an office in Riga.
Latvia participates in theNorthern DimensionandBaltic Sea Region Programme, European Union initiatives to foster cross-border co-operation in the Baltic Sea region and Northern Europe. The secretariat of the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (NDPC) will be located in Riga.In 2013 Riga hosted the annualNorthern Future Forum, a two-day informal meeting of the prime ministers of the Nordic-Baltic countries and the UK.The Enhanced Partnership in Northern Europe ore-Pineis theU.S. Department of Statediplomatic framework for co-operation with the Nordic-Baltic countries.
Latvia hosted the2006 NATO Summitand since then the annual Riga Conference has become a leading foreign and security policy forum in Northern Europe.Latvia held thePresidency of the Council of the European Unionin the first half of 2015.
Since February 2022 Latvia's relations with Russia have deteriorated to the extent that Latvia withdrew its ambassador from Russia and expelled Russia's ambassador to Latvia in January 2023and banned Russians from entering Latvia.
TheNational Armed Forces(Latvian:Nacionālie bruņotie spēki (NAF)) of Latvia consists of theLand Forces,Naval Forces,Air Force,National Guard,Special Tasks Unit,Military Police,NAF staff Battalion, Training and Doctrine Command, and Logistics Command. Latvia's defence concept is based upon the Swedish-Finnish model of a rapid response force composed of a mobilisation base and a small group of career professionals. From 1 January 2007, Latvia switched to a professional fully contract-based army.
Latvia participates in international peacekeeping and security operations. Latvian armed forces have contributed toNATOand EU military operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1996–2009), Albania (1999), Kosovo (2000–2009), Macedonia (2003), Iraq (2005–2006), Afghanistan (since 2003), Somalia (since 2011) and Mali (since 2013).Latvia also took part in the US-ledMulti-National Forceoperation in Iraq (2003–2008)andOSCEmissions in Georgia, Kosovo and Macedonia.Latvian armed forces contributed to a UK-ledBattlegroupin 2013 and theNordic Battlegroupin 2015 under theCommon Security and Defence Policy(CSDP) of the European Union.Latvia acts as the lead nation in the coordination of theNorthern Distribution Networkfor transportation of non-lethalISAFcargo by air and rail to Afghanistan.It is part of the Nordic Transition Support Unit (NTSU), which renders joint force contributions in support of Afghan security structures ahead of the withdrawal of Nordic and Baltic ISAF forces in 2014.Since 1996 more than 3600 military personnel have participated in international operations,of whom 7 soldiers perished.Per capita, Latvia is one of the largest contributors to international military operations.
Latvian civilian experts have contributed to EU civilian missions: border assistance mission to Moldova and Ukraine (2005–2009), rule of law missions in Iraq (2006 and 2007) and Kosovo (since 2008), police mission in Afghanistan (since 2007) and monitoring mission in Georgia (since 2008).
Since March 2004, when theBaltic statesjoined NATO, fighter jets of NATO members have been deployed on a rotational basis for theBaltic Air Policingmission atŠiauliai Airportin Lithuania to guard the Baltic airspace. Latvia participates in severalNATO Centres of Excellence: Civil-Military Co-operation in the Netherlands,Cooperative Cyber Defencein Estonia and Energy Security in Lithuania. It plans to establish the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence in Riga.
Latvia co-operates with Estonia and Lithuania in several trilateral Baltic defence co-operation initiatives:
Future co-operation will include sharing of national infrastructures for training purposes and specialisation of training areas(BALTTRAIN)and collective formation of battalion-sized contingents for use in the NATO rapid-response force.In January 2011, the Baltic states were invited to joinNordic Defence Cooperation, the defence framework of theNordic countries.In November 2012, the three countries agreed to create a joint military staff in 2013.
On 21 April 2022, Latvian Saeima passed amendments developed by the Ministry of Defence for the legislative draft Amendments to the Law on Financing of National Defence, which provide for gradual increase in the defence budget to 2.5% of the country's GDP over the course of the next three year.
According to the reports byFreedom Houseand theUS Department of State, human rights in Latvia are generally respected by the government:Latvia is ranked above-average among the world's sovereign states in democracy,press freedom,privacyandhuman development.
More than 56% of leading positions are held by women in Latvia, which ranks first in Europe; Latvia ranks first in the world in women's rights sharing the position with five other European countries according toWorld Bank.
The country has a largeethnic Russiancommunity, which was guaranteed basic rights under theconstitutionandinternational human rights lawsratified by the Latvian government.
Approximately 206,000non-citizens– includingstateless persons– have limited access to some political rights – only citizens are allowed to participate in parliamentary or municipal elections, although there are no limitations in regards to joining political parties or other political organizations.In 2011, theOSCEHigh Commissioner on National Minorities"urged Latvia to allow non-citizens to vote in municipal elections."Additionally, there have been reports of police abuse ofdetaineesand arrestees, poor prison conditions and overcrowding, judicial corruption, incidents of violence againstethnic minorities, and societal violence and incidents of government discrimination against homosexuals.Same-sex marriageis constitutionally prohibited in Latvia.
Latvia is a member of theWorld Trade Organization(1999) and theEuropean Union(2004). On 1 January 2014, theeurobecame the country's currency, superseding theLats. According to statistics in late 2013, 45% of the population supported the introduction of the euro, while 52% opposed it.Following the introduction of the Euro, Eurobarometer surveys in January 2014 showed support for the euro to be around 53%, close to the European average.
Since the year 2000, Latvia has had one of the highest (GDP) growth rates in Europe.However, the chiefly consumption-driven growth in Latvia resulted in the collapse of Latvian GDP in late 2008 and early 2009, exacerbated by the global economic crisis, shortage of credit and huge money resources used for the bailout ofParex Bank.The Latvian economy fell 18% in the first three months of 2009, the biggest fall in the European Union.
The economic crisis of 2009 proved earlier assumptions that the fast-growing economy was heading for implosion of theeconomic bubble, because it was driven mainly by growth of domesticconsumption, financed by a serious increase of privatedebt, as well as a negative foreigntrade balance. The prices of real estate, which rose 150% from 2004 to 2006, was a significant contributor to the economic bubble.
Privatisationin Latvia is almost complete. Virtually all of the previously state-owned small and medium companies have been privatised, leaving only a small number of politically sensitive large state companies. The private sector accounted for 70% of the country's GDP in 2006.
Foreign investment in Latvia is still modest compared with the levels in north-central Europe. A law expanding the scope for selling land, including to foreigners, was passed in 1997. Representing 10.2% of Latvia's total foreign direct investment, American companies invested $127 million in 1999. In the same year, the United States of America exported $58.2 million of goods and services to Latvia and imported $87.9 million. Eager to join Western economic institutions like theWorld Trade Organization,OECD, and theEuropean Union, Latvia signed a Europe Agreement with the EU in 1995—with a 4-year transition period. Latvia and the United States have signed treaties on investment, trade, and intellectual property protection and avoidance of double taxation.
In 2010, Latvia launched a Residence by Investment program (Golden Visa) in order to attract foreign investors and make local economy benefit from it. This program allows investors to get a Latvian residence permit by investing at least €250,000 in property or in an enterprise with at least 50 employees and an annual turnover of at least €10M.
The Latvian economy entered a phase of fiscal contraction during the second half of 2008 after an extended period of credit-based speculation and unrealistic appreciation in real estate values. The national account deficit for 2007, for example, represented more than 22% of the GDP for the year while inflation was running at 10%.
Latvia's unemployment rate rose sharply in this period from a low of 5.4% in November 2007 to over 22%.In April 2010 Latvia had the highest unemployment rate in the EU, at 22.5%, ahead of Spain, which had 19.7%.
Paul Krugman, the Nobel Laureate in economics for 2008, wrote in hisNew York TimesOp-Ed column on 15 December 2008:
However, by 2010, commentatorsnoted signs of stabilisation in the Latvian economy. Rating agencyStandard & Poor'sraised its outlook on Latvia's debt from negative to stable.Latvia's current account, which had been in deficit by 27% in late 2006 was in surplus in February 2010.Kenneth Orchard, senior analyst atMoody's Investors Serviceargued that:
TheIMFconcluded the First Post-Program Monitoring Discussions with the Republic of Latvia in July 2012 announcing that Latvia's economy has been recovering strongly since 2010, following the deep downturn in 2008–09. Real GDP growth of 5.5 percent in 2011 was underpinned by export growth and a recovery in domestic demand. The growth momentum has continued into 2012 and 2013 despite deteriorating external conditions, and the economy is expected to expand by 4.1 percent in 2014. The unemployment rate has receded from its peak of more than 20 percent in 2010 to around 9.3 percent in 2014.
GDP at current prices rose from €23.7 billion in 2014 to €30.5 billion in 2019. The employment rate rose in the same period from 59.1% to 65% with unemployment falling from 10.8% to 6.5%.
The transport sector is around 14% of GDP. Transit between Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan as well as other Asian countries and the West used to be large.
The four biggest ports of Latvia are located inRiga,Ventspils,LiepājaandSkulte. Most transit traffic uses these and half the cargo is crude oil and oil products.Free port of Ventspilsis one of the busiest ports in theBaltic states. Apart from road and railway connections, Ventspils is also linked to oil extraction fields and prior to 2022, transportation routes of Russian Federation via system of two pipelines fromPolotsk, Belarus.
Riga International Airportis the busiest airport in theBaltic stateswith 7.8 million passengers in 2019. It has direct flight to over 80 destinations in 30 countries. The only other airport handling regular commercial flights isLiepāja International Airport.airBalticis the Latvian flag carrier airline and a low-cost carrier with hubs in all threeBaltic States, but main base inRiga, Latvia.
Latvian Railway's main network consists of 1,860 km of which 1,826 km is 1,520 mmRussian gaugerailway of which 251 km are electrified, making it the longest railway network in theBaltic States. Latvia's railway network is currently incompatible with Europeanstandard gaugelines.However,Rail Balticarailway, linking Helsinki-Tallinn-Riga-Kaunas-Warsaw is under construction and is set to be completed in 2026.
National road network in Latvia totals 1675 km of main roads, 5473 km of regional roads and 13 064 km of local roads. Municipal roads in Latvia totals 30 439 km of roads and 8039 km of streets.The best known roads areA1(European route E67), connectingWarsawandTallinn, as well asEuropean route E22, connectingVentspilsandTerehova. In 2017 there were a total of 803,546 licensed vehicles in Latvia.
Latvia has three large hydroelectric power stations inPļaviņu HES(908 MW),Rīgas HES(402 MW) andĶeguma HES-2(248 MW).In recent years a couple of dozen of wind farms as well as biogas or biomass power stations of different scale have been built in Latvia.In 2022, the Latvian Prime Minister announced about the planned investments of 1 billion euros in the newwind farmsand the completed project will expectedly provide additional 800 MW of capacity.
Latvia operatesInčukalns underground gas storage facility, one of the largestunderground gas storage facilitiesin Europe and the only one in the Baltic states. Unique geological conditions at Inčukalns and other locations in Latvia are particularly suitable for underground gas storage.
Thetotal fertility rate(TFR) in 2018 was estimated to be 1.61 children born/woman, which is lower than the replacement rate of 2.1. In 2012, 45.0% of births were to unmarried women.The life expectancy in 2013 was estimated at 73.2 years (68.1 years male, 78.5 years female).As of 2015, Latvia is estimated to have the lowest male-to-female ratio in the world, at 0.85 males per female.In 2017, there were 1,054,433 females and 895,683 males living in Latvian territory. Every year, more boys are born than girls. Up to the age of 39, there are more males than females. Above the age of 70, there are 2.3 times as many females as males.
In 2023,Latviansformed about 62.4% of the population, while 23.7% wereRussians,Belarusians3%,Ukrainians3%,Poles2%,Lithuanians1%.
In some cities, includingDaugavpilsandRēzekne, ethnic Latvians constitute a minority of the total population. Despite a steadily increasing  proportion of ethnic Latvians for more than a decade, ethnic Latvians also still make up slightly less than a half of the population of the capital city of Latvia –Riga.
The share of ethnic Latvians declined from 77% (1,467,035) in 1935 to 52% (1,387,757) in 1989.In the context of a decreasing overall population, there were fewer Latvians in 2011 than in 1989, but their share of the population was larger – 1,285,136 (62.1% of the population).
The majority of Latvia's population are Latvians, who are an ethnic Baltic people. The country also has a significant Russian minority, as well as smaller populations of Ukrainians, Belarusians, and other Slavic peoples. These ethnic groups are all descended from peoples who settled in Latvia during the centuries of Russian and Soviet rule.
Latvia's ethnic diversity is a result of a number of factors, including a long history of foreign rule, its location on the Baltic Sea trade route, and its proximity to other Slavic countries. The Russian Empire conquered Latvia in the 18th century and ruled the country for over 200 years. During this time, the Russian authorities encouraged the settlement of Russian colonists in Latvia. After the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1918, Latvia became an independent country. However, the country was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940 and remained under Soviet rule until 1991. The Soviets expelled some groups and resettled others in Latvia, especially Russians.  After 1991 many of the expellees returned to Latvia.
As a result of deteriorating relations with Russia, Latvia has decided it does not want Russian citizens in Latvia who will not integrate. In late 2023 it is expected that around 5-6,000 Russians will be returned to Russia as they have made little effort to learn the Latvian language, integrate with Latvia, or apply to become Latvian citizens.
The sole official language of Latvia isLatvian, which belongs to theBaltic language sub-groupof theBalto-Slavic branchof theIndo-European language family. Another notable language of Latvia is the nearly extinctLivonian languageof theFinnicbranch of theUralic language family, which enjoys protection by law;Latgalian– as a dialect of Latvian is also protected by Latvian law but as a historical variation of the Latvian language.Russian, which was widely spoken during the Soviet period, is still the most widely used minority language by far (in 2023, 37.7% spoke it as their mother tongue and 34.6% spoke it at home, including people who were not ethnically Russian).While it is now required that all school students learn Latvian, schools also include English, German, French and Russian in their curricula. English is also widely accepted in Latvia in business and tourism. As of 2014there were 109 schools for minorities that use Russian as the language of instruction (27% of all students) for 40% of subjects (the remaining 60% of subjects are taught in Latvian).
On 18 February 2012, Latvia held aconstitutional referendumon whether to adopt Russian as a second official language.According to the Central Election Commission, 74.8% voted against, 24.9% voted for and the voter turnout was 71.1%.
From 2019, instruction in theRussian languagewas gradually discontinued in private colleges anduniversitiesin Latvia, as well as general instruction in Latvian publichigh schools,except for subjects related to culture and history of the Russian minority, such as Russian language and literature classes.All schools, including pre-schools, still using the Russian language in 2023 need to transition to using Latvian in all classes within 3 years.
The largest religion in Latvia isChristianity(79%).The largest groups as of 2011were:
In theEurobarometerPoll 2010, 38% of Latvian citizens responded that "they believe there is a God", while 48% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 11% stated that "they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, God, or life force".
Lutheranism was more prominent before the Soviet occupation, when it was adhered to by about 60% of the population, a reflection of the country's strong historical links with theNordic countries, and to the influence of theHansain particular and Germany in general. Since then, Lutheranism has declined to a slightly greater extent than Roman Catholicism in all threeBaltic states. The Evangelical Lutheran Church, with an estimated 600,000 members in 1956, was affected most adversely. An internal document of 18 March 1987, near the end of communist rule, spoke of an active membership that had shrunk to only 25,000 in Latvia, but the faith has since experienced a revival.
The country's Orthodox Christians belong to theLatvian Orthodox Church, a semi-autonomous body within theRussian Orthodox Church. In 2011, there were 416 religiousJews in Latviaand 319Muslims in Latvia.As of 2004, there were more than 600 Latvianneopagans,Dievturi(The Godskeepers), whose religion is based onLatvian mythology.About 21% of the total population is not affiliated with a specific religion.
Latvia has been seeking for a number of years to separate the Latvian Orthodox Church from Moscow, stating that longstanding ties to Russia pose “national security concerns”.This was achieved in September 2022 with a law removing all influence or power over the Orthodox Church from non-Latvians, which would include the patriarch of Moscow.
TheUniversity of LatviaandRiga Technical Universityare two major universities in the country, both successors to Riga Polytechnical Institute, and located inRiga.Other important universities, which were established on the base of State University of Latvia, include theLatvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies(established in 1939 on the basis of the Faculty of Agriculture) andRiga Stradiņš University(established in 1950 on the basis of the Faculty of Medicine). Both nowadays cover a variety of different fields. TheUniversity of Daugavpilsis another significant centre of education.
Latvia closed 131 schools between 2006 and 2010, which is a 12.9% decline, and in the same period enrolment in educational institutions has fallen by over 54,000 people, a 10.3% decline.
Latvian policy in science and technology has set out the long-term goal of transitioning from labor-consuming economy to knowledge-based economy.By 2020 the government aims to spend 1.5% of GDP on research and development, with half of the investments coming from the private sector. Latvia plans to base the development of its scientific potential on existing scientific traditions, particularly in organic chemistry, medical chemistry, genetic engineering, physics, materials science and information technologies.The greatest number of patents, both nationwide and abroad, are in medical chemistry.Latvia was ranked 42nd in theGlobal Innovation Indexin 2024.
The Latvian healthcare system is auniversal programme, largely funded through government taxation.It is among the lowest-ranked healthcare systems in Europe, due to excessive waiting times for treatment, insufficient access to the latest medicines, and other factors.There were 59 hospitals in Latvia in 2009, down from 94 in 2007 and 121 in 2006.
Traditional Latvianfolklore, especially the dance of thefolk songs, dates back well over a thousand years. More than 1.2 million texts and 30,000 melodies of folk songs have been identified.
In the 19th century, Latvian nationalist movements emerged. They promoted Latvian culture and encouraged Latvians to take part in cultural activities. The 19th century and beginning of the 20th century is often regarded by Latvians as a classical era of Latvian culture. Posters show the influence of other European cultures, for example, works of artists such as the Baltic-German artistBernhard Borchertand the FrenchRaoul Dufy.With the onset of World War II, many Latvian artists and other members of the cultural elite fled the country yet continued to produce their work, largely for a Latvian émigré audience.
TheLatvian Song and Dance Festivalis an important event inLatvianculture and social life. It has been held since 1873, normally every five years. Approximately 30,000 performers altogether participate in the event.Folk songs and classical choir songs are sung, with emphasis ona cappellasinging, though modern popular songs have recently been incorporated into the repertoire as well.
After incorporation into theSoviet Union, Latvian artists and writers were forced to follow thesocialist realismstyle of art. During the Soviet era, music became increasingly popular, with the most popular being songs from the 1980s. At this time, songs often made fun of the characteristics of Soviet life and were concerned about preserving Latvian identity. This aroused popular protests against the USSR and also gave rise to an increasing popularity of poetry. Since independence, theatre,scenography,choirmusic, and classical music have become the most notable branches of Latvian culture.
During July 2014,Rigahosted the eighthWorld Choir Gamesas it played host to over 27,000 choristers representing over 450 choirs and over 70 countries. The festival is the biggest of its kind in the world and is held every two years in a different host city.
Starting in 2019 Latvia hosts the inauguralRiga Jurmala Music FestivalArchived2 July 2021 at theWayback Machine, a new festival in which world-famous orchestras and conductors perform across four weekends during the summer. The festival takes place at theLatvian National Opera, the Great Guild, and the Great and Small Halls of the Dzintari Concert Hall. This year features theBavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, theIsrael Philharmonic Orchestra, theLondon Symphony Orchestraand the Russian National Orchestra.
Latvian cuisine typically consists of agricultural products, with meat featuring in most main meal dishes. Fish is commonly consumed due to Latvia's location on the Baltic Sea. Latvian cuisine has been influenced by neighbouring countries. Common ingredients in Latvian recipes are found locally, such as potatoes, wheat, barley, cabbage, onions, eggs, and pork. Latvian food is generally quite fatty and uses few spices.
Grey peas with speck are generally considered as staple foods of Latvians.Sorrel soup(skābeņu zupa) is also consumed by Latvians.Rye bread is considered the nationalstaple.
Ice hockey is usually considered the most popular sport in Latvia. Latvia has had many famous hockey stars likeHelmuts Balderis,Artūrs Irbe,Kārlis SkrastiņšandSandis Ozoliņšand more recentlyZemgus Girgensons, whom the Latvian people have strongly supported in international and NHL play, expressed through the dedication of using the NHL's All Star Voting to bring Zemgus to number one in voting.Dinamo Rigais the country's strongest hockey club, playing in theLatvian Hockey Higher League. The national tournament is theLatvian Hockey Higher League, held since 1931. The2006 IIHF World Championshipwas held in Riga.
The second most popular sport is basketball. Latvia has a long basketball tradition, as theLatvian national basketball teamwon the first everEuroBasketin1935and silver medals in1939, after losing the final toLithuaniaby one point. Latvia has had many European basketball stars likeJānis Krūmiņš,Maigonis Valdmanis,Valdis Muižnieks,Valdis Valters,Igors Miglinieks, as well as the first LatvianNBAplayerGundars Vētra.Andris Biedriņšis one of the most well-known Latvian basketball players, who played in theNBAfor theGolden State Warriorsand theUtah Jazz. CurrentNBAplayers includeKristaps Porziņģis, who plays for theBoston Celtics,Dāvis Bertāns, who plays for theOklahoma City Thunder, andRodions Kurucs, who last played for theMilwaukee Bucks. Former Latvian basketball clubRīgas ASKwon theEuroleaguetournament three times in a row before becoming defunct. Currently,VEF Rīga, which competes inEuroCup, is the strongest professional basketball club in Latvia.BK Ventspils, which participates inEuroChallenge, is the second strongest basketball club in Latvia, previously winningLBLeight times andBBLin 2013.Latvia was one of theEuroBasket 2015hosts and will be one of the hosts once again in2025.
Other popular sports includefootball,floorball, tennis, volleyball, cycling,bobsleighandskeleton. TheLatvian national football team's only majorFIFAtournament participation has been the2004 UEFA European Championship.
Latviahas participated successfully in bothWinterandSummer Olympics. The most successful Olympic athlete in the history of independent Latvia has beenMāris Štrombergs, who became a two-time Olympic champion in 2008 and 2012 at Men's BMX.
In Boxing,Mairis Briedisis the first and only Latvian to date, to win a boxing world title, having held the WBC cruiserweight title from 2017 to 2018, the WBO cruiserweight title in 2019, and the IBF / The Ring magazine cruiserweight titles in 2020.
In 2017, Latvian tennis playerJeļena Ostapenkowon the2017 French Open Women's singles title, being the first unseeded player to do so in the open era.
In Futsal, Latvia will host theUEFA Futsal Euro 2026alongside Lithuania, their national team will make their debut as co-host.
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