Overview
Several eastern Baltic tribes merged in medieval times to form the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region subsequently came under the control of Germans, Poles, Swedes, and finally Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I, but the USSR annexed it in 1940 -- an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia reestablished its independence in 1991 after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 25% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in 2004; it joined the euro zone in 2014 and the OECD in 2016.
Geography
- Location
- Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania
- Total Area
- 64,589 sq km
- Climate
- maritime; wet, moderate winters
- Terrain
- low plain
- Natural Resources
- peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, timber, arable land
- Coastline
- 498 km
- Land Borders
- 1,370 km
People & Society
- Population
- 1,888,439 (2025 est.)
- Religions
- Lutheran 36.2%, Roman Catholic 19.5%, Orthodox 19.1%, other Christian 1.6%, other 0.1%, unspecified/none 23.5% (2017 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Latvian 62.7%, Russian 24.5%, Belarusian 3.1%, Ukrainian 2.2%, Polish 2%, Lithuanian 1.1%, other 1.8%, unspecified 2.6% (2021 est.)
- Life Expectancy
- 76.4 years (2024 est.)
- Urbanization
- 68.7% of total population (2023)
Government
- Government Type
- parliamentary republic
- Capital
- Riga
- Independence
- 18 November 1918 (from Soviet Russia); 4 May 1990 (declared from the Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union)
- Constitution
- several previous (pre-1991 independence); after independence was restored in 1991, parts of the 1922 constitution were reintroduced on 4 May 1990 and fully reintroduced on 6 July 1993
- Legal System
- civil law system with traces of socialist legal traditions and practices
- Executive Branch
- President Edgars RINKEVICS (since 8 July 2023)
Economy
- Economic Overview
- high-income EU and eurozone member; weak recovery following economic contraction, with slight increase in private consumption and uncertain trade environment; challenges from skilled-labor shortages, capital market access, large informal sector, and green and digital transitions
- GDP (Official Rate)
- $43.521 billion (2024 est.)
- Major Industries
- processed foods, processed wood products, textiles, processed metals, pharmaceuticals, railroad cars, synthetic fibers, electronics
Infrastructure & Communications
- Railways
- 2,216 km (2020) 257 km electrified