Latvia

Latvia 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.

Latvia Information

• Population: 2,306,306 (July 2004 est.)
• Nationality: noun: Latvian(s) adjective: Latvian
• Location:: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania
• Religions:: Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox
• Ethnic Groups:: Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)
• Land Boundaries:: total: 1,150 km border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km
• Area: total: 64,589 sq km water: 1,000 sq km land: 63,589 sq km
• Coast Line: 531 km
• Climate: maritime; wet, moderate winters
• Terrain: low plain
• Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
• Land Use: arable land: 29.67% permanent crops: 0.47% other: 69.86% (2001)
• Environmental 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, and red
• Natural Resources: peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land
• Highways: total: 73,202 km paved: 28,256 km unpaved: 44,946 km (2000)
• 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 (2003)
• Ports & Harbours: Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils
• Airports: 51 (2003 est.)