Latvia

§1. 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.

§2. Latvia Geography

Location:
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania

Geographic coordinates:
  57 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 64,589 km²
  land: 63,589 km²
  water: 1,000 km²

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,150 km
  border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia
    217 km

Coastline:
  531 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  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 extremes:
  lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m

Natural resources:
  peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 28.19%
  permanent crops: 0.45%
  other: 71.36% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  200 km²
  note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not
    irrigation; approximately 16,000 km² or 85% of agricultural land has been
    improved by drainage (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after
  the country regained 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 - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
    Biodiversity, Climate Change, 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 - note:
  most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some
  hills in the east

§3. Latvia 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 growth rate:
  -0.67% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.24 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  13.66 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -2.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

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 mortality rate:
  total: 9.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 11.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.33 years
  male: 66.08 years
  female: 76.85 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.27 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  7,600 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

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.)

§4. Latvia 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 type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Riga

Administrative divisions:
  26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*: 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 holiday:
  Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 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 branch:
  chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 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; 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 branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by direct,
  popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 5 October 2002 (next to be held 7 October 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - JL 23.9%, PCTVL 19%, TP 16.6%,
    ZZS 9.4%, First Party 9.5%, TB/LNNK 5.4%; seats by party - JL 24, TP 20,
    LPP 14, ZZS 12, TSP 8, TB/LNNK 7, PCTVL 6, LSP 5, independents 4

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)

Political parties and leaders:
  First Party of Latvia or LPP [Juris LUJANS]; For Human Rights in a United
  Latvia or PCTVL [Tatjana ZDANOKA, 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 pressure groups and leaders:
  Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB) [Aleksandr
  KAZAKOV]

International organization participation:
  Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, 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 representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Maris RIEKSTINS
  chancery: 2306 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 328-2840
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-2860

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine TODD-BAILEY
  embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510
  mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723
  telephone: [371] 703-6200
  FAX: [371] 782-0047

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon

§5. Latvia Economy

Economy - overview:
  Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 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 (purchasing power parity):
  $29.7 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $14.64 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  8.3% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $13,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 4.1%
  industry: 26%
  services: 69.9% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
  1.11 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  8.8% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 2.9%
  highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  32 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.9% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  29.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $5.646 billion
  expenditures: $5.889 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005
    est.)

Public debt:
  12% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, 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 production growth rate:
  8.5% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
  3.573 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  5.839 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  300 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  2.816 billion kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  29,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
  NA m³

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.8 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 m³ (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  1.7 billion m³ (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
  $-1.392 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
  $5.749 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles,
  foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
  UK 12.8%, Germany 12%, Sweden 10%, Lithuania 9.1%, Estonia 8%, Russia 6.4%,
  Denmark 5.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $8.559 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles

Imports - partners:
  Germany 13.9%, Lithuania 12.2%, Russia 8.7%, Estonia 7%, Finland 6.3%,
  Sweden 6.1%, Poland 5.4%, Belarus 4.8% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $2.2 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
  $13.2 billion (30 June 2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $96.2 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  Latvian lat (LVL)

Exchange rates:
  lati per US dollar - 0.5647 (2005), 0.5402 (2004), 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182
  (2002), 0.6279 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Latvia Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  650,500 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,536,700 (2004)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: recent efforts focused on bringing 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 broadcast stations:
  AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:
  44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)

Internet country code:
  .lv

Internet hosts:
  53,251 (2005)

Internet users:
  810,000 (2005)

§7. Latvia Transportation

Airports:
  47 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 23
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 13 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 24
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 19 (2005)

Pipelines:
  gas 1,097 km; oil 409 km; refined products 415 km (2004)

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 (2004)

Roadways:
  total: 69,919 km
  paved: 69,919 km (2003)

Waterways:
  300 km (2005)

Merchant marine:
  total: 20 ships (1000 GRT or over) 247,743 GRT/332,058 DWT
  by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 3,
    petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (Russia 1)
  registered in other countries: 102 (Antigua and Barbuda 5, The Bahamas 1,
    Belize 4, Cambodia 1, Cyprus 5, Dominica 2, Gibraltar 2, Liberia 17,
    Malta 36, Marshall Islands 6, Panama 4, Russia 2, Saint Vincent and the
    Grenadines 17) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Riga, Ventspils

§8. Latvia Military

Military branches:
  Latvian Republic Defense Force: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Border
    Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service
  obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers; plans are to phase
  out 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 available for military service:
  males age 19-49: 517,713 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 19-49: 361,098 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 19,137 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $87 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.2% (FY01)

§9. Latvia Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  Russia refuses to sign the 1997 boundary treaty due to 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


<Factbook 2006>
