Latvia – Wikipedia

Latvia ( or ; latvian : Latvija [ ˈlatvija ] ; Latgalian : Latveja ; livonian : Leţmō ), officially known as the Republic of Latvia [ 15 ] ( latvian : Latvijas Republika, Latgalian : Latvejas Republika, livonian : Leţmō Vabāmō ), is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the Baltic states ; and is bordered by Estonia to the union, Lithuania to the south, Russia to the east, Belarus to the southeast, and shares a maritime border with Sweden to the west. Latvia covers an area of 64,589 km2 ( 24,938 sq nautical mile ), with a population of 1.9 million. The state has a moderate seasonal worker climate. [ 16 ] Its das kapital and largest city is Riga. Latvians belong to to the ethno-linguistic group of the Balts ; and speak latvian, one of the only two surviving baltic languages. Russians are the most outstanding minority in the nation, at about a quarter of the population. After centuries of german, swedish, Polish-Lithuanian and russian rule, which was chiefly executed by the baltic German nobility, the Republic of Latvia was established on 18 November 1918 when it broke away from the german Empire and declared independence in the aftermath of World War I. [ 3 ] however, by the 1930s the area became increasingly autocratic after the coup in 1934 establishing an authoritarian regimen under Kārlis Ulmanis. [ 17 ] The area ‘s de facto independence was interrupted at the beginning of World War II, beginning with Latvia ‘s forcible internalization into the Soviet Union, followed by the invasion and occupation by Nazi Germany in 1941, and the re-occupation by the Soviets in 1944 to form the latvian SSR for the adjacent 45 years. As a result of extensive immigration during the soviet occupation, cultural Russians became the most outstanding minority in the country, now constituting about a quarter of the population. The passive Singing Revolution started in 1987, and ended with the restoration of de facto independence on 21 August 1991. [ 18 ] Since then, Latvia has been a democratic unitary parliamentary democracy. Latvia is a evolve state, with a high-income progress economy ; ranking very high in the Human Development Index. It performs favorably in measurements of civil liberties, press exemption, internet exemption, democratic government, animation standards, and peaceableness. Latvia is a penis of the European Union, Eurozone, NATO, the Council of Europe, the United Nations, the Council of the Baltic Sea States, the International Monetary Fund, the Nordic-Baltic Eight, the Nordic Investment Bank, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and the World Trade Organization .

etymology [edit ]

The name Latvija is derived from the name of the ancient Latgalians, one of four indo-european Baltic tribe ( along with Curonians, Selonians and Semigallians ), which formed the ethnic core of modern Latvians in concert with the Finnic Livonians. [ 19 ] Henry of Latvia coined the latinisations of the country ‘s name, “ Lettigallia ” and “ Lethia ”, both derived from the Latgalians. The terms inspired the variations on the country ‘s name in Romance languages from “ Letonia ” and in several Germanic languages from “ Lettland ”. [ 20 ]

history [edit ]

Around 3000 BC, the proto-Baltic ancestors of the latvian people settled on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea. [ 21 ] The Balts established deal routes to Rome and Byzantium, trading local anesthetic amber for valued metals. [ 22 ] By 900 AD, four clear-cut Baltic tribe inhabited Latvia : Curonians, Latgalians, Selonians, Semigallians ( in latvian : kurši, latgaļi, sēļi and zemgaļi ), a well as the Finnic tribe of Livonians ( lībieši ) speaking a fennic linguistic process. [ citation needed ] In the twelfth hundred in the district of Latvia, there were lands with their rulers : Vanema, Ventava, Bandava, Grauzējupe, Piemare, Duvzare, Dirsupe, Sēlija, Koknese, Jersika, Tālava and Adzele. [ 23 ]

medieval menstruation [edit ]

Although the local people had contact with the outside world for centuries, they became more amply integrated into the European socio-political system in the twelfth hundred. [ 24 ] The beginning missionaries, sent by the Pope, sailed up the Daugava River in the late twelfth century, seeking converts. [ 25 ] The local people, however, did not convert to Christianity adenine promptly as the Church had hoped. [ 25 ] german crusaders were sent, or more probably decided to go on their own treaty as they were known to do. Saint Meinhard of Segeberg arrived in Ikšķile, in 1184, traveling with merchants to Livonia, on a catholic mission to convert the population from their original pagan beliefs. Pope Celestine III had called for a crusade against pagans in Northern Europe in 1193. When peaceful means of conversion failed to produce results, Meinhard plotted to convert Livonians by force of arms. [ 26 ]
At the begin of the thirteenth hundred, Germans ruled big parts of what is presently Latvia. [ 25 ] in concert with southern Estonia, these conquered areas formed the crusader express that became known as Terra Mariana or Livonia. In 1282, Riga, and late the cities of Cēsis, Limbaži, Koknese and Valmiera, became separate of the Hanseatic League. [ 25 ] Riga became an important point of east–west trading [ 25 ] and formed near cultural links with Western Europe. [ 27 ] The first gear german settlers were knights from northern Germany and citizens of northern german towns who brought their low german language to the region, which shaped many loanwords in the latvian lyric. [ 28 ]

Reformation period and polish and swedish rule [edit ]

Kingdom of Poland ( officially : Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth )
Riga became the capital of The swedish Empire ( 1560–1815 ) .Riga became the capital of Swedish Livonia and the largest city in the swedish Empire. After the livonian War ( 1558–1583 ), Livonia ( Northern Latvia & Southern Estonia ) fell under Polish and lithuanian dominion. [ 25 ] The southern separate of Estonia and the northerly part of Latvia were ceded to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and formed into the Duchy of Livonia ( Ducatus Livoniae Ultradunensis ). Gotthard Kettler, the last master of the Order of Livonia, formed the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia. [ 29 ] Though the duchy was a vassal state to lithuanian Grand Duchy and belated of Polish and Lithuanian commonwealth, it retained a considerable degree of autonomy and experienced a golden senesce in the sixteenth hundred. Latgalia, the easternmost region of Latvia, became a part of the Inflanty Voivodeship of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. [ 30 ] In the 17th and early 18th centuries, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Sweden, and Russia struggled for domination in the eastern Baltic. After the Polish–Swedish War, northern Livonia ( including Vidzeme ) came under swedish rule. Riga became the capital of Swedish Livonia and the largest city in the entire swedish empire. [ 31 ] Fighting continued sporadically between Sweden and Poland until the Truce of Altmark in 1629. [ 32 ] [ citation needed ] In Latvia, the swedish period is by and large remembered as positive ; serfdom was eased, a network of schools was established for the peasantry, and the might of the regional barons was diminished. [ 33 ] [ 34 ] several important cultural changes occurred during this fourth dimension. Under swedish and largely german rule, western Latvia adopted Lutheranism as its chief religion. The ancient tribe of the Couronians, Semigallians, Selonians, Livs, and northern Latgallians assimilated to form the latvian people, speaking one latvian linguistic process. Throughout all the centuries, however, an actual latvian state had not been established, so the borders and definitions of who precisely fell within that group are largely subjective. meanwhile, largely isolated from the perch of Latvia, southerly Latgallians adopted Catholicism under Polish/ Jesuit influence. The native dialect remained discrete, although it acquired many Polish and russian loanwords. [ 35 ]

Livonia & Courland in the russian Empire ( 1795–1917 ) [edit ]

During the Great Northern War ( 1700–1721 ), up to 40 percentage of Latvians died from dearth and infestation. [ 36 ] Half the residents of Riga were killed by blight in 1710–1711. [ 37 ] The capitulation of Estonia and Livonia in 1710 and the Treaty of Nystad, ending the Great Northern War in 1721, gave Vidzeme to Russia ( it became separate of the Riga Governorate ). [ citation needed ] The Latgale region remained character of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth as Inflanty Voivodeship until 1772, when it was incorporated into Russia. The Duchy of Courland and Semigallia, a vassal state of matter of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, was annexed by Russia in 1795 in the Third Partition of Poland, bringing all of what is nowadays Latvia into the russian Empire. All three Baltic provinces preserved local laws, german as the local official terminology and their own parliament, the Landtag. [ citation needed ] The emancipation of the serf took plaza in Courland in 1817 and in Vidzeme in 1819. [ citation needed ] [ 38 ] In practice, however, the emancipation was actually advantageous to the landowners and nobility, [ citation needed ] as it dispossessed peasants of their land without compensation, forcing them to return to work at the estates “ of their own dislodge will ”. [ citation needed ] 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 ; fresh parks formed ; and so on. Riga ‘s boulevards and some streets outside the Old Town date from this period. [ citation needed ] numeracy was besides higher in the livonian and Courlandian parts of the Russian Empire, which may have been influenced by the Protestant religion of the inhabitants. [ 39 ]

National wake up [edit ]

During the nineteenth century, the social structure changed dramatically. [ citation needed ] A course of mugwump farmers established itself after reforms allowed the peasants to repurchase their land, but many landless peasants remained. [ citation needed ] There besides developed a growing urban labor and an increasingly influential latvian middle class. The Young Latvian ( latvian : Jaunlatvieši ) movement laid the groundwork for nationalism from the middle of the hundred, many of its leaders looking to the Slavophiles for support against the prevail German-dominated social order. [ citation needed ] The rise in use of the latvian terminology in literature and company became known as the First National Awakening. Russification began in Latgale after the polish led the January Uprising in 1863 : this spread to the rest of what is now Latvia by the 1880s. [ citation needed ] The Young Latvians were largely eclipsed by the New Current, a across-the-board collectivist social and political movement, in the 1890s. popular discontentment exploded in the 1905 russian Revolution, which took a nationalist character in the Baltic provinces. [ citation needed ]

declaration of independence [edit ]

World War I devastated the territory of what became the submit of Latvia, and other western parts of the Russian Empire. Demands for self-government were initially confined to autonomy, until a power vacuum was created by the russian Revolution in 1917, followed by the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk between Russia and Germany in March 1918, then the Allied armistice with Germany on 11 November 1918. On 18 November 1918, in Riga, the People ‘s Council of Latvia proclaimed the independence of the new country and Kārlis Ulmanis was entrusted to set up a government and he took the position of Prime Minister. [ 40 ] The General representative of Germany August Winnig formally handed over political might to the latvian Provisional Government on 26 November. On November 18, the latvian People ‘s Council entrusted him to set up the government. He took the function of Minister of Agriculture from November 18 to December 19. He took a position of Prime Minister from 19 November 1918 to 13 July 1919. The war of independence that followed was contribution of a general chaotic period of civil and newfangled border wars in Eastern Europe. By the spring of 1919, there were actually three governments : the probationary government headed by Kārlis Ulmanis, supported by the Tautas padome and the Inter-Allied Commission of Control ; the latvian soviet politics led by Pēteris Stučka, supported by the Red Army ; and the probationary government headed by Andrievs Niedra and supported by the Baltische Landeswehr and the german Freikorps unit Iron Division. [ citation needed ] estonian and latvian forces defeated the Germans at the Battle of Wenden in June 1919, [ 41 ] and a massive attack by a predominantly german force—the West Russian Volunteer Army —under Pavel Bermondt-Avalov was repelled in November. Eastern Latvia was cleared of Red Army forces by latvian and polish troops in early 1920 ( from the polish perspective the Battle of Daugavpils was a separate of the Polish–Soviet War ). [ citation needed ] A freely elected Constituent assembly convened on 1 May 1920, and adopted a free constitution, the Satversme, in February 1922. [ 42 ] The constitution was partially suspended by Kārlis Ulmanis after his coup d’etat in 1934 but reaffirmed in 1990. Since then, it has been amended and is silent in effect in Latvia today. With most of Latvia ‘s industrial base evacuated to the home of Russia in 1915, radical farming reform was the cardinal political question for the new submit. In 1897, 61.2 % of the rural population had been landless ; by 1936, that share had been reduced to 18 %. [ 43 ] By 1923, the extent of cultivate land surpassed the pre-war level. initiation and rising productivity led to rapid increase of the economy, but it soon suffered from the effects of the Great Depression. Latvia showed signs of economic recovery, and the electorate had steadily moved toward the center during the parliamentary period. [ citation needed ] On 15 May 1934, Ulmanis staged a ashen coup, establishing a patriot dictatorship that lasted until 1940. [ 44 ] After 1934, Ulmanis established government corporations to buy up secret firms with the aim of “ Latvianising ” the economy. [ 45 ]

Latvia in World War II [edit ]

early in the dawn of 24 August 1939, the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany signed a 10-year non-aggression treaty, called the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. [ 46 ] The treaty contained a mystery protocol, revealed only after Germany ‘s get the better of in 1945, according to which the states of Northern and Eastern Europe were divided into german and soviet “ spheres of charm “. [ 47 ] In the union, Latvia, Finland and Estonia were assigned to the Soviet sphere. [ 47 ] A week later, on 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland ; on 17 September, the Soviet Union invaded Poland ampere well. [ 48 ] : 32 After the termination of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, most of the Baltic Germans left Latvia by agreement between Ulmanis ‘s government and Nazi Germany under the Heim ins Reich program. [ 49 ] In total 50,000 baltic Germans left by the deadline of December 1939, with 1,600 remaining to conclude business and 13,000 choose to remain in Latvia. [ 49 ] Most of those who remained left for Germany in summer 1940, when a second resettlement system was agreed. [ 50 ] The racially approved being resettled chiefly in Poland, being given state and businesses in rally for the money they had received from the sale of their former assets. [ 48 ] : 46 On 5 October 1939, Latvia was forced to accept a “ reciprocal aid ” treaty with the Soviet Union, granting the Soviets the right to station between 25,000 and 30,000 troops on latvian territory. [ 51 ] State administrators were murdered and replaced by soviet cadres. [ 52 ] Elections were held with single pro-Soviet candidates listed for many positions. The resulting people ‘s forum immediately requested entree into the USSR, which the Soviet Union granted. [ 52 ] Latvia, then a puppet government, was headed by Augusts Kirhenšteins. [ 53 ] The Soviet Union incorporated Latvia on 5 August 1940, as the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic.
german soldiers enter Riga, July 1941 The Soviets dealt gratingly with their opponents – anterior to Operation Barbarossa, in less than a year, at least 34,250 Latvians were deported or killed. [ 54 ] Most were deported to Siberia where deaths were estimated at 40 percentage. [ 48 ] : 48 On 22 June 1941, german troops attacked soviet forces in Operation Barbarossa. [ 55 ] There were some spontaneous uprisings by Latvians against the Red Army which helped the Germans. By 29 June Riga was reached and with soviet troops killed, captured or retreating, Latvia was left under the control of german forces by early July. [ 56 ] [ 48 ] : 78–96 The occupation was followed immediately by SS Einsatzgruppen troops, who were to act in accordance with the Nazi Generalplan Ost that required the population of Latvia to be cut by 50 percentage. [ 48 ] : 64 [ 48 ] : 56 Under german occupation, Latvia was administered as part of Reichskommissariat Ostland. [ 57 ] latvian paramilitary and Auxiliary Police units established by the occupation agency participated in the Holocaust and other atrocities. [ 44 ] 30,000 Jews were shot in Latvia in the fall of 1941. [ 48 ] : 127 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. [ 48 ] : 128 There was a pause in active, apart from partisan natural process, until after the siege of Leningrad ended in January 1944, and the soviet troops advanced, entering Latvia in July and finally capturing Riga on 13 October 1944. [ 48 ] : 271 More than 200,000 latvian citizens died during World War II, including approximately 75,000 latvian Jews murdered during the Nazi occupation. [ 44 ] latvian soldiers fought on both sides of the dispute, chiefly on the german side, with 140,000 men in the latvian Legion of the Waffen-SS, [ 58 ] The 308th Latvian Rifle Division was formed by the Red Army in 1944. On occasions, specially in 1944, opposing latvian troops faced each other in struggle. [ 48 ] : 299 In the 23rd block of the Vorverker cemetery, a memorial was erected after the second World War for the people of Latvia who had died in Lübeck from 1945 to 1950 .

soviet earned run average ( 1940–1941, 1944–1991 ) [edit ]

In 1944, when soviet military advances reached Latvia, heavy fighting took place in Latvia between German and Soviet troops, which ended in another german frustration. In the course of the war, both occupying forces conscripted Latvians into their armies, in this direction increasing the loss of the nation ‘s “ know resources ”. In 1944, part of the latvian territory once more came under soviet dominance. The Soviets immediately began to reinstate the soviet system. After the german surrender, it became clear that soviet forces were there to stay, and latvian national partisans, soon joined by some who had collaborated with the Germans, began to fight against the fresh occupier. [ 59 ] anywhere from 120,000 to vitamin a many as 300,000 Latvians took recourse from the soviet united states army by fleeing to Germany and Sweden. [ 60 ] Most sources count 200,000 to 250,000 refugees leaving Latvia, with possibly a many as 80,000 to 100,000 of them recaptured by the Soviets or, during few months immediately after the end of war, [ 61 ] returned by the West. [ 62 ] The Soviets reoccupied the country in 1944–1945, and foster deportations followed as the state was collectivised and Sovietised. [ 44 ] On 25 March 1949, 43,000 rural residents ( “ kulaks “ ) and latvian nationalists were deported to Siberia in a embroil Operation Priboi in all three Baltic states, which was cautiously planned and approved in Moscow already on 29 January 1949. [ 63 ] This operation had the coveted impression of reducing the anti soviet partisan natural process. [ 48 ] : 326 Between 136,000 and 190,000 Latvians, depending on the sources, were imprisoned or deported to soviet concentration camps ( the Gulag ) in the post war years, from 1945 to 1952. [ 64 ]
In the post-war period, Latvia was made to adopt soviet farming methods. rural areas were forced into collectivization. [ 65 ] An extensive program to impose bilingualism was initiated in Latvia, limiting the use of latvian terminology in official uses in favor of using russian as the chief speech. 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. [ 66 ] An inflow 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 heathen latvian population had fallen to 62 %. [ 67 ] Since Latvia had maintained a well-developed infrastructure and educated specialists, Moscow decided to base some of the Soviet Union ‘s most advance manufacture in Latvia. New industry was created in Latvia, including a major machinery factory RAF in Jelgava, electrotechnical factories in Riga, chemical factories in Daugavpils, Valmiera and Olaine —and some food and vegetable oil process plants. [ 68 ] Latvia manufactured trains, ships, minibuses, mopeds, telephones, radios and high fidelity systems, electric and diesel engines, textiles, furniture, invest, bags and baggage, 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. [ citation needed ] To maintain and expand industrial output, skilled workers were migrating from all over the Soviet Union, decreasing the symmetry of ethnic Latvians in the republic. [ 69 ] The population of Latvia reached its top out in 1990 at just under 2.7 million people. In belated 2018 the National Archives of Latvia released a full moon alphabetic index of some 10,000 people recruited as agents or informants by the Soviet KGB. ‘The publication, which followed two decades of public argue and the passage of a extra law, revealed the names, code names, birthplaces and early data on active and erstwhile KGB agents as of 1991, the year Latvia regained its independence from the Soviet Union. ‘ [ 70 ]

restoration of independence in 1991 [edit ]

In the second half of the 1980s, soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev started to introduce political and economic reforms in the Soviet Union that were called glasnost and perestroika. In the summer of 1987, the first gear big demonstrations were held in Riga at the Freedom Monument —a symbol of independence. In the summer of 1988, a national motion, coalescing in the Popular Front of Latvia, was opposed by the Interfront. The latvian SSR, along with the other Baltic Republics was allowed greater autonomy, and in 1988, the honest-to-god pre-war Flag of Latvia flew again, replacing the soviet latvian iris as the official flag in 1990. [ 71 ] [ 72 ] In 1989, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR adopted a resolving power on the Occupation of the Baltic states, in which it declared the occupation “ not in accord with law ”, and not the “ will of the soviet people ”. Pro-independence Popular Front of Latvia candidates gained a two-thirds majority in the Supreme Council in the March 1990 democratic elections. On 4 May 1990, the Supreme Council adopted the Declaration on the Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia, and the latvian SSR was renamed Republic of Latvia. [ 73 ] however, the cardinal power in Moscow continued to regard Latvia as a soviet democracy 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 publication house in Riga and establishing a Committee of National Salvation to usurp governmental functions. During the transitional period, Moscow maintained many cardinal soviet state authorities in Latvia. [ 73 ] The Popular Front of Latvia advocated that all permanent residents be eligible for latvian citizenship, however, universal citizenship for all permanent residents was not adopted. alternatively, citizenship was granted to persons who had been citizens of Latvia on the day of loss of independence in 1940 adenine well as their descendants. As a consequence, the majority of cultural non-Latvians did not receive latvian citizenship since neither they nor their parents had ever been citizens of Latvia, becoming non-citizens or citizens of other early soviet republics. By 2011, more than half of non-citizens had taken naturalization examination and received latvian citizenship, but in 2015 there were placid 290,660 non-citizens in Latvia, which represented 14.1 % of the population. They have no citizenship of any country, and can not participate in the parliamentary elections. [ 74 ] Children born to non-nationals after the re-establishment of independence are automatically entitled to citizenship .
Latvia became a penis of the European Union in 2004 and signed the Lisbon Treaty in 2007. The Republic of Latvia declared the end of the transitional period and restored full independence on 21 August 1991, in the consequence of the fail Soviet coup d’etat try. [ 4 ] Latvia resumed diplomatic relations with western states, including Sweden. [ 75 ] The Saeima, Latvia ‘s fantan, was again elected in 1993. Russia ended its military bearing by completing its troop withdrawal in 1994 and shutting down the Skrunda-1 radar station in 1998. The major goals of Latvia in the 1990s, to join NATO and the European Union, were achieved in 2004. The NATO Summit 2006 was held in Riga. [ 76 ] Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga was President of Latvia from 1999 until 2007. She was the first female point of state in the early soviet block department of state and was active in Latvia joining both NATO and the European Union in 2004. [ 77 ] approximately 72 % of latvian citizens are latvian, while 20 % are russian ; less than 1 % of non-citizens are latvian, while 71 % are russian. [ 78 ] The government denationalized secret property confiscated by the Soviets, returning it or compensating the owners for it, and privatized most state-owned industries, reintroducing the prewar 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 2014, Riga was the european capital of Culture, [ 79 ] Latvia joined the eurozone and adopted the EU individual currency euro as the currency of the country [ 80 ] and latvian Valdis Dombrovskis was named vice-president of the european Commission. [ 81 ] In 2015 Latvia held the presidency of Council of the European Union. [ 82 ] big european events have been celebrated in Riga such as the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 [ 83 ] and the European Film Awards 2014. [ 84 ] On 1 July 2016, Latvia became a member of the OECD. [ 85 ]

regional timeline [edit ]

Affiliations of the areas that comprise advanced Latvia in historical and regional context :

geography [edit ]

Latvia lies in Northern Europe, on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea Latvia lies in Northern Europe, on the easterly shores of the Baltic Sea and northwestern part of the East european Craton ( EEC ), between latitudes 55° and 58° N ( a little area is north of 58° ), and longitudes 21° and 29° E ( a small area is west of 21° ). Latvia has a sum area of 64,559 km2 ( 24,926 sq secret intelligence service ) of which 62,157 km2 ( 23,999 sq security service ) land, 18,159 km2 ( 7,011 sq secret intelligence service ) agrarian land, [ 86 ] 34,964 km2 ( 13,500 sq secret intelligence service ) forest estate [ 87 ] and 2,402 km2 ( 927 sq nautical mile ) inland body of water. [ 88 ] The sum length of Latvia ‘s boundary is 1,866 kilometer ( 1,159 secret intelligence service ). The entire distance of its kingdom boundary is 1,368 kilometer ( 850 michigan ), of which 343 kilometer ( 213 mile ) is shared with Estonia to the north, 276 kilometer ( 171 secret intelligence service ) with the russian Federation to the east, 161 kilometer ( 100 mile ) with Belarus to the southeast and 588 kilometer ( 365 nautical mile ) with Lithuania to the south. The full duration of its maritime boundary is 498 kilometer ( 309 secret intelligence service ), which is shared with Estonia, Sweden and Lithuania. extension from north to south is 210 kilometer ( 130 mile ) and from west to east 450 kilometer ( 280 security service ). [ 88 ] Most of Latvia ‘s territory is less than 100 molarity ( 330 foot ) above sea level. Its largest lake, Lubāns, has an area of 80.7 km2 ( 31.2 sq mile ), its deepest lake, Drīdzis, is 65.1 thousand ( 214 foot ) bass. The longest river on latvian territory is the Gauja, at 452 kilometer ( 281 mi ) in length. The longest river flowing through latvian territory is the Daugava, which has a total length of 1,005 km ( 624 mile ), of which 352 kilometer ( 219 nautical mile ) is on latvian territory. Latvia ‘s highest point is Gaiziņkalns, 311.6 m ( 1,022 foot ). The length of Latvia ‘s Baltic coastline is 494 kilometer ( 307 security service ). An intake of the Baltic Sea, the shallow Gulf of Riga is situated in the northwest of the area. [ 89 ]

climate [edit ]

Humid continental climate ardent summer subtype

Oceanic climate Latvia has a temperate climate that has been described in versatile sources as either humid continental ( Köppen Dfb ) or oceanic/maritime ( Köppen Cfb ). [ 90 ] [ 91 ] [ 92 ] coastal regions, specially the western coast of the Courland Peninsula, possess a more nautical climate with cool summers and mild winters, while eastern parts exhibit a more continental climate with strong summers and coarse winters. [ 90 ] Latvia has four pronounce seasons of near-equal distance. winter starts in mid-december and lasts until mid-march. Winters have modal temperatures of −6 °C ( 21 °F ) and are characterized by stable bamboozle cover, bright fair weather, and inadequate days. Severe spells of winter upwind with cold winds, extreme point temperatures of around −30 °C ( −22 °F ) and heavy snowfalls are coarse. summer starts in June and lasts until August. Summers are normally warm and cheery, with cool evenings and nights. Summers have average temperatures of around 19 °C ( 66 °F ), with extremes of 35 °C ( 95 °F ). spring and fall bring fairly mild weather. [ 93 ]
2019 was the warmest year in the history of weather observation in Latvia with an average temperature +8.1 °C higher. [ 95 ]

environment [edit ]

Latvia has the one-fifth highest proportion of kingdom covered by forests in the European Union. Most of the nation is composed of fat lowland plains and moderate hills. In a typical latvian landscape, a mosaic of huge forests alternates with fields, farmsteads, and pastures. arable estate is spotted with birch groves and wooded clusters, which afford a habitat for numerous plants and animals. Latvia has hundreds of kilometres of unexploited seashore—lined by pine forests, dunes, and continuous white sand beaches. [ 89 ] [ 96 ] Latvia has the fifth highest proportion of land covered by forests in the European Union, after Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Slovenia. [ 97 ] Forests account for 3,497,000 hour angle ( 8,640,000 acres ) or 56 % of the full domain area. [ 87 ] Latvia has over 12,500 rivers, which stretch for 38,000 km ( 24,000 myocardial infarction ). major rivers include the Daugava River, Lielupe, Gauja, Venta, and Salaca, the largest spawn ground for salmon in the eastern Baltic states. There are 2,256 lakes that are bigger than 1 hour angle ( 2.5 acres ), with a collective sphere of 1,000 km2 ( 390 sq security service ). Mires occupy 9.9 % of Latvia ‘s territory. Of these, 42 % are raised bogs ; 49 % are fens ; and 9 % are transitional mires. 70 % percentage of the mires are untouched by refinement, and they are a refuge for many rare species of plants and animals. [ 96 ] agrarian areas account for 1,815,900 hour angle ( 4,487,000 acres ) or 29 % of the sum bring area. [ 86 ] With the level of collective farms, the area devoted to farming decreased dramatically – now farms are predominantly minor. approximately 200 farms, occupying 2,750 hour angle ( 6,800 acres ), are engaged in ecologically pure farming ( using no artificial fertilizers or pesticides ). [ 96 ] Latvia ‘s national parks are Gauja National Park in Vidzeme ( since 1973 ), [ 98 ] Ķemeri National Park in Zemgale ( 1997 ), Slītere National Park in Kurzeme ( 1999 ), and Rāzna National Park in Latgale ( 2007 ). [ 99 ] Latvia has a long tradition of conservation. The beginning laws and regulations were promulgated in the 16th and 17th centuries. [ 96 ] There are 706 particularly state-level protected natural areas in Latvia : four national parks, one biosphere military reserve, 42 nature parks, nine areas of protect landscapes, 260 nature reserves, four hard-and-fast nature reserves, 355 nature monuments, seven protected marine areas and 24 microreserves. [ 100 ] nationally protected areas account for 12,790 km2 ( 4,940 sq myocardial infarction ) or around 20 % of Latvia ‘s total land area. [ 88 ] Latvia ‘s Red Book ( Endangered Species List of Latvia ), which was established in 1977, contains 112 establish species and 119 animal species. Latvia has ratified the international Washington, Bern, and Ramsare conventions. [ 96 ] The 2012 Environmental Performance Index ranks Latvia second, after Switzerland, based on the environmental performance of the area ‘s policies. [ 101 ] access to biocapacity in Latvia is much higher than world median. In 2016, Latvia had 8.5 global hectares of biocapacity per person within its territory, much more than the world modal of 1.6 global hectares per person. [ 103 ] In 2016 Latvia used 6.4 ball-shaped hectares of biocapacity per person – their ecological footprint of consumption. This means they use less biocapacity than Latvia contains. As a resultant role, Latvia is running a biocapacity modesty .

biodiversity [edit ]

approximately 30,000 species of flora and fauna have been registered in Latvia. [ 105 ] Common species of wildlife in Latvia include deer, fantastic wild boar, elk, lynx, bear, fox, beaver and wolves. [ 106 ] Non-marine mollusk of Latvia include 159 species. [ citation needed ] Species that are endangered in other european countries but common in Latvia include : black stork ( Ciconia nigra ), corncrake ( Crex crex ), less 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 ). [ 96 ] 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 assorted forests. 56 percentage [ 87 ] of Latvia ‘s district is covered by forests, largely Scots pine, birch, and Norway spruce. [ citation needed ] It had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean mark of 2.09/10, ranking it 159th globally out of 172 countries. [ 107 ] respective species of flora and fauna are considered national symbols. Oak ( Quercus robur, latvian : ozols ), and basswood ( 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 boo. Its national insect is the two-spot ladybug ( 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 slide was sought by Vikings american samoa well as traders from Egypt, Greece and the Roman Empire. This led to the development of the Amber Road. [ 108 ] several nature reserves protect uncorrupted landscapes with a variety of large animals. At Pape Nature Reserve, where european bison, wild horses, and recreated aurochs have been reintroduced, there is nowadays an about complete Holocene megafauna besides including elk, deer, and wolf. [ 109 ]

Politics [edit ]

The 100-seat unicameral Latvian parliament, the Saeima, is elected by send popular vote every four years. The president of the united states is elected by the Saeima in a freestanding election, besides held every four years. The president of the united states appoints a choice minister who, together with his cabinet, forms the administrator branch of the government, which has to receive a confidence vote by the Saeima. This system besides existed before World War II. [ 110 ] The most aged civil servants are the thirteen Secretaries of State. [ 111 ]
Saeima, the parliament of Latvia, in Riga The build of the, the fantan of Latvia, in Riga

administrative divisions [edit ]

administrative divisions of Latvia Latvia is a one state of matter, presently divided into 43 local government units consisting of 36 municipalities ( latvian : novadi ) and 7 state cities ( latvian : valstspilsētas ) with their own city council and presidency : Daugavpils, Jelgava, Jūrmala, Liepāja, Rēzekne, Riga, and Ventspils. There are four diachronic and cultural regions in Latvia – Courland, Latgale, Vidzeme, Zemgale, which are recognised in Constitution of Latvia. Selonia, a character of Zemgale, is sometimes considered culturally distinct region, but it is not separate of any formal class. The borders of historic and cultural regions normally are not explicitly defined and in several sources may vary. In formal divisions, Riga region, which includes the capital and parts of early regions that have a potent kinship with the capital, is besides frequently included in regional divisions ; e.g., there are five planning regions of Latvia ( latvian : plānošanas reģioni ), which were created in 2009 to promote poise exploitation of all regions. Under this division Riga region includes big parts of what traditionally is considered Vidzeme, Courland, and Zemgale. statistical regions of Latvia, established in accord with the EU Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics, duplicate this division, but divides Riga region into two parts with the capital entirely being a separate region. [ citation needed ] The largest city in Latvia is Riga, the second gear largest city is Daugavpils and the third largest city is Liepaja .

political culture [edit ]

In 2010 parliamentary election ruling centre-right coalescence won 63 out of 100 parliamentary seats. leftist opposition Harmony Centre supported by Latvia ‘s russian-speaking minority got 29 seats. [ 112 ] In November 2013, latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis, in office since 2009, resigned after at least 54 people were killed and dozens injured in the collapse at a supermarket in Riga. [ 113 ] In 2014 parliamentary election was won again by the ruling centre-right coalescence formed by the Latvian Unity Party, the National Alliance and the Union of Greens and Farmers. They got 61 seats and Harmony got 24. [ 114 ] In December 2015, state ‘s first gear female Prime Minister, in position since January 2014, Laimdota Straujuma resigned. [ 115 ] In February 2016, a coalescence of Union of Greens and Farmers, The Unity and National Alliance was formed by new Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis. [ 116 ] In 2018 parliamentary election pro-Russian Harmony was again the biggest party securing 23 out of 100 seats, the second gear and third were the new democrat parties KPV LV and New Conservative Party. Ruling coalescence, comprising the Union of Greens and Farmers, the National Alliance and the Unity party, lost. [ 117 ] In January 2019, Latvia got a government led by raw Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins of the centre-right New Unity. Karins ’ alliance was formed by five of the seven parties in parliament, excluding merely the pro-Russia Harmony party and the Union of Greens and Farmers. [ 118 ]

foreign relations [edit ]

The construction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Riga

Latvia is a penis of the United Nations, European Union, Council of Europe, NATO, OECD, OSCE, IMF, and WTO. It is besides a penis of the Council of the Baltic Sea States and Nordic Investment Bank. It was a member of the League of Nations ( 1921–1946 ). Latvia is character of the Schengen Area and joined the Eurozone on 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 afield. There are 37 foreign embassies and 11 external organisations in Latvia ‘s capital Riga. Latvia hosts one European Union institution, the Body of european Regulators for Electronic Communications ( BEREC ). [ 119 ] Latvia ‘s alien policy priorities include co-operation in the Baltic Sea region, european integration, active engagement in external organisations, contribution to european and transatlantic security and refutation structures, participation in international civilian and military peacekeeping operations, and exploitation co-operation, peculiarly the strengthen of stability and majority rule in the EU ‘s Eastern Partnership countries. [ 120 ] [ 121 ] [ 122 ]
Foreign ministers of the Nordic and Baltic countries in Helsinki, 2011 Since the early 1990s, Latvia has been involved in active triangle Baltic states co-operation with its neighbours Estonia and Lithuania, and Nordic-Baltic co-operation with the nordic countries. The baltic Council is the joint forum of the interparliamentary Baltic Assembly ( BA ) and the intergovernmental Baltic Council of Ministers ( BCM ). [ 123 ] Nordic-Baltic Eight ( NB-8 ) is the joint co-operation of the governments of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden. [ 124 ] 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 and Nordic Council was signed in 1992 and since 2006 annual meetings are held ampere well as regular meetings on other levels. [ 124 ] Joint Nordic-Baltic co-operation initiatives include the education broadcast NordPlus [ 125 ] and mobility programmes for public government, [ 126 ] business and diligence [ 127 ] and culture. [ 128 ] The Nordic Council of Ministers has an office in Riga. [ 129 ] Latvia participates in the Northern Dimension and Baltic Sea Region Programme, European Union initiatives to foster cross-border co-operation in the Baltic Sea area and Northern Europe. The secretariat of the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture ( NDPC ) will be located in Riga. [ 130 ] In 2013 Riga hosted the annual Northern Future Forum, a two-day informal meet of the prime ministers of the Nordic-Baltic countries and the UK. [ 131 ] The Enhanced Partnership in Northern Europe or e-Pine is the U.S. Department of State diplomatic framework for co-operation with the Nordic-Baltic countries. [ 132 ] Latvia hosted the 2006 NATO Summit and since then the annual Riga Conference has become a lead extraneous and security system policy forum in Northern Europe. [ 133 ] Latvia held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the beginning one-half of 2015. [ 134 ]

military [edit ]

Imanta naval Forces minehunter latvian soldiers during an exert The National Armed Forces ( latvian : Nacionālie bruņotie spēki (NAF) ) of Latvia consists of the Land Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force, National Guard, Special Tasks Unit, Military Police, NAF staff Battalion, Training and Doctrine Command, and Logistics Command. Latvia ‘s defense concept is based upon the Swedish-Finnish model of a rapid response effect composed of a mobilization infrastructure and a small group of career professionals. From 1 January 2007, Latvia switched to a master amply contract-based army. [ 135 ] Latvia participates in external peacekeeping and security operations. latvian armed forces have contributed to NATO and 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 ). [ 136 ] [ 137 ] [ 138 ] Latvia besides took separate in the US-led Multi-National Force operation in Iraq ( 2003–2008 ) [ 139 ] and OSCE missions in Georgia, Kosovo and Macedonia. [ 140 ] Latvian armed forces contributed to a UK-led Battlegroup in 2013 and the Nordic Battlegroup in 2015 under the Common Security and Defence Policy ( CSDP ) of the European Union. [ 141 ] Latvia acts as the lead state in the coordination of the Northern Distribution Network for fare of non-lethal ISAF cargo by air out and rail to Afghanistan. [ 142 ] [ 143 ] [ 144 ] It is separate 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. [ 145 ] Since 1996 more than 3600 military personnel have participated in external operations, [ 137 ] of whom 7 soldiers perished. [ 146 ] Per head, Latvia is one of the largest contributors to international military operations. [ 147 ] latvian civilian experts have contributed to EU civilian missions : bound aid mission to Moldova and Ukraine ( 2005–2009 ), principle of law missions in Iraq ( 2006 and 2007 ) and Kosovo ( since 2008 ), patrol mission in Afghanistan ( since 2007 ) and monitoring mission in Georgia ( since 2008 ). [ 136 ] Since March 2004, when the Baltic states joined NATO, combatant jets of NATO members have been deployed on a rotational basis for the Baltic Air Policing mission at Šiauliai Airport in Lithuania to guard the Baltic airspace. Latvia participates in respective NATO Centres of Excellence : Civil-Military Co-operation in the Netherlands, Cooperative Cyber Defence in Estonia and Energy Security in Lithuania. It plans to establish the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence in Riga. [ 148 ] Latvia co-operates with Estonia and Lithuania in several trilateral Baltic defense co-operation initiatives :
future co-operation will include share of national infrastructures for aim purposes and specialization of training areas (BALTTRAIN) and collective formation of battalion-sized contingents for manipulation in the NATO rapid-response coerce. [ 150 ] In January 2011, the Baltic states were invited to join NORDEFCO, the defense framework of the Nordic countries. [ 151 ] In November 2012, the three countries agreed to create a joint military staff in 2013. [ 152 ]

Human rights [edit ]

According to the reports by Freedom House and the US Department of State, human rights in Latvia are broadly respected by the politics : [ 153 ] [ 154 ] Latvia is ranked above-average among the universe ‘s autonomous states in majority rule, [ 155 ] crusade freedom, [ 156 ] privacy [ 157 ] and human development. [ 158 ] More than 56 % of leadership positions are held by women in Latvia, which ranks inaugural in Europe ; Latvia ranks first in the earth in women ‘s rights sharing the position with five early european countries according to World Bank. [ 159 ] The state has a big cultural Russian residential district, which was guaranteed basic rights under the united states constitution and international human rights laws ratified by the latvian government. [ 153 ] [ 160 ] approximately 206,000 non-citizens [ 161 ] – including homeless persons – have limited entree 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. [ 162 ] [ 163 ] In 2011, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities “ urged Latvia to allow non-citizens to vote in municipal elections. ” [ 164 ] additionally, there have been reports of police abuse of detainees and arrestees, poor prison conditions and overcrowding, judicial corruptness, incidents of violence against ethnic minorities, and social violence and incidents of government discrimination against homosexuals. [ 153 ] [ 165 ] [ 166 ]

economy [edit ]

A proportional representation of Latvia exports, 2019 Latvia is a member of the World Trade Organization ( 1999 ) and the European Union ( 2004 ). On 1 January 2014, the euro became the area ‘s currentness, superseding the Lats. According to statistics in late 2013, 45 % of the population supported the introduction of the euro, while 52 % opposed it. [ 167 ] Following the presentation of the Euro, Eurobarometer surveys in January 2014 showed support for the euro to be around 53 %, close to the european modal. [ 168 ] Since the year 2000, Latvia has had one of the highest ( GDP ) growth rates in Europe. [ 169 ] however, the chiefly consumption-driven increase in Latvia resulted in the crumble of latvian GDP in belated 2008 and early 2009, exacerbated by the ball-shaped economic crisis, dearth of credit and huge money resources used for the bailout of Parex trust. [ 170 ] The latvian economy fell 18 % in the first three months of 2009, the biggest fall in the European Union. [ 171 ] [ 172 ]
real number GDP growth in Latvia 1996–2006 The economic crisis of 2009 proved earlier assumptions that the aggressive economy was heading for implosion of the economic bubble, because it was driven chiefly by growth of domestic consumption, financed by a unplayful increase of private debt, adenine good as a negative foreign craft balance. The prices of actual estate of the realm, which were at some points growing by approximately 5 % a month, were long perceived to be besides high for the economy, which chiefly produces low-value goods and bleak materials. [ citation needed ] denationalization in Latvia is about arrant. Virtually all of the previously state-owned little and medium companies have been privatised, leaving only a little number of politically sensitive big state companies. The private sector accounted for closely 68 % of the country ‘s GDP in 2000. [ citation needed ] Foreign investment in Latvia is still modest compared with the levels in north-central Europe. A law expanding the setting for selling down, including to foreigners, was passed in 1997. Representing 10.2 % of Latvia ‘s full alien 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 westerly economic institutions like the World Trade Organization, OECD, and the European Union, Latvia signed a Europe Agreement with the EU in 1995—with a 4-year conversion menstruation. Latvia and the United States have signed treaties on investment, trade, and intellectual property protection and avoidance of double tax income. [ 173 ] [ 174 ] In 2010 Latvia launched a residence by Investment course of study ( Golden Visa ) in club to attract alien investors and make local economy benefit from it. This plan allows investors to get a latvian residency permit by investing at least €250,000 in property or in an enterprise with at least 50 employees and an annual dollar volume of at least €10M .

economic compression and convalescence ( 2008–12 ) [edit ]

The latvian economy entered a phase of fiscal compression during the second half of 2008 after an extended period of credit-based meditation and unrealistic appreciation in real estate values. The home report deficit for 2007, for exemplar, represented more than 22 % of the GDP for the year while ostentation was running at 10 %. [ 175 ] Latvia ‘s unemployment rate rose sharply in this period from a first gear of 5.4 % in November 2007 to over 22 %. [ 176 ] In April 2010 Latvia had the highest unemployment rate in the EU, at 22.5 %, ahead of Spain, which had 19.7 %. [ 177 ] Paul Krugman, the Nobel Laureate in economics for 2008, wrote in his New York Times Op-Ed column on 15 December 2008 :

The most acute problems are on Europe ‘s periphery, where many smaller economies are experiencing crises strongly reminiscent of past crises in Latin America and Asia : Latvia is the newly Argentina [ 178 ]

however, by 2010, commentators [ 179 ] [ 180 ] noted signs of stabilization in the latvian economy. Rating agency Standard & Poor ‘s raised its expectation on Latvia ‘s debt from negative to stable. [ 179 ] Latvia ‘s stream account, which had been in deficit by 27 % in recently 2006 was in excess in February 2010. [ 179 ] Kenneth Orchard, senior analyst at Moody ‘s Investors Service argued that :

The strengthening regional economy is supporting latvian production and exports, while the abrupt swing in the current bill balance wheel suggests that the country ‘s ‘internal devaluation ‘ is working. [ 181 ]

The IMF concluded the beginning Post-Program Monitoring Discussions with the Republic of Latvia in July 2012 announcing that Latvia ‘s economy has been recovering powerfully since 2010, following the deep downturn in 2008–09. real GDP growth of 5.5 percentage in 2011 was underpinned by export growth and a recovery in domestic demand. The increase momentum has continued into 2012 and 2013 despite deteriorating external conditions, and the economy is expected to expand by 4.1 percentage in 2014. The unemployment rate has receded from its acme of more than 20 percentage in 2010 to around 9.3 percentage in 2014. [ 182 ]

infrastructure [edit ]

The transport sector is about 14 % of GDP. Transit between Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan american samoa well as other asian countries and the West is bombastic. [ 183 ] The four biggest ports of Latvia are located in Riga, Ventspils, Liepāja and Skulte. Most transit traffic uses these and half the cargo is petroleum oil and oil products. [ 183 ] Free port of Ventspils is one of the busiest ports in the Baltic states. Apart from road and railway connections, Ventspils is besides linked to oil origin fields and department of transportation routes of russian Federation via system of two pipelines from Polotsk, Belarus. [ citation needed ] Riga International Airport is the busiest airport in the Baltic states with 7.8 million passengers in 2019. It has direct trajectory to over 80 destinations in 30 countries. The merely other airport handling regular commercial flights is Liepāja International Airport. airBaltic is the latvian flag carrier airline and a low-cost carrier with hubs in all three Baltic States, but main base in Riga, Latvia. [ 184 ] latvian Railway ‘s independent network consists of 1,860 kilometer of which 1,826 kilometer is 1,520 millimeter russian estimate railway of which 251 km are electrified, making it the longest railway net in the Baltic States. Latvia ‘s railway net is presently antagonistic with european standard gauge lines. [ 185 ] however, Rail Baltica railway, linking Helsinki-Tallinn-Riga-Kaunas-Warsaw is under construction and is set to be completed in 2026. [ 186 ] National road network in Latvia totals 1675 kilometer of main roads, 5473 kilometer of regional roads and 13 064 kilometer of local roads. municipal roads in Latvia totals 30 439 kilometer of roads and 8039 kilometer of streets. [ 187 ] The best know roads are A1 ( european road E67 ), connecting Warsaw and Tallinn, ampere well as european route E22, connecting Ventspils and Terehova. In 2017 there were a full of 803,546 license vehicles in Latvia. [ 188 ] Latvia has three boastfully hydroelectric office stations in Pļaviņu HES ( 825MW ), Rīgas HES ( 402 MW ) and Ķeguma HES-2 ( 192 MW ). In holocene years a couple of twelve of wind farms a well as biogas or biomass office stations of different scale have been built in Latvia. [ citation needed ] Latvia operates Inčukalns underground flatulence repositing facility, one of the largest underground flatulence storage facilities in Europe and the merely one in the Baltic states. Unique geological conditions at Inčukalns and early locations in Latvia are peculiarly desirable for belowground gasoline storage. [ 189 ]

Demographics [edit ]

Riga, capital and largest city of Latvia

population of Latvia ( in millions ) from 1920 to 2014 The full birthrate rate ( TFR ) in 2018 was estimated at 1.61 children born/woman, which is lower than the surrogate rate of 2.1. In 2012, 45.0 % of births were to unmarried women. [ 190 ] The life anticipation in 2013 was estimated at 73.19 years ( 68.13 years male, 78.53 years female ). [ 175 ] As of 2015, Latvia is estimated to have the lowest male-to-female proportion in the world, at 0.85 males per female. [ 191 ] In 2017, there were 1,054,433 females and 895,683 males living in latvian district. Every year, more boys are born than girls. Until the age of 39, there are more males than females. From the senesce of 70, there are 2.3 times as many females as males .

ethnic groups [edit ]

As of March 2011, Latvians form about 62.1 % of the population, while 26.9 % are Russians, Belarusians 3.3 %, Ukrainians 2.2 %, Poles 2.2 %, Lithuanians 1.2 %, Jews 0.3 %, Romani people 0.3 %, Germans 0.1 %, Estonians 0.1 % and others 1.3 %. 250 people identify as Livonians ( Baltic Finnic people native to Latvia ). There were 290,660 “ non-citizens ” living in Latvia or 14.1 % of latvian residents, chiefly russian settlers who arrived after the occupation of 1940 and their descendants. [ 192 ] In some cities, for example, Daugavpils and Rēzekne, cultural Latvians constitute a minority of the total population. Despite a steadily increasing symmetry of ethnic Latvians for more than a ten, heathen Latvians besides still make up slightly less than a half of the population of the capital city of Latvia – Riga. [ 193 ] The plowshare of heathen Latvians had fallen from 77 % ( 1,467,035 ) in 1935 to 52 % ( 1,387,757 ) in 1989. [ 194 ] 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 ). [ 195 ]

lyric [edit ]

The sole official speech of Latvia is Latvian, which belongs to the baltic language sub-group of the Balto-Slavic branch of the aryan language family. Another noteworthy language of Latvia is the about extinct livonian speech of the Finnic branch of the Uralic speech kin, which enjoys auspices by law ; Latgalian – as a dialect of Latvian is besides protected by latvian law but as a historical magnetic declination of the latvian language. Russian, which was widely spoken during the soviet period, is still the most widely used minority language by far ( in 2011, 34 % spoke it at home, including people who were not ethnically russian ). [ 196 ] While it is nowadays required that all school students learn latvian, schools besides include English, German, French and Russian in their course of study. English is besides widely accepted in Latvia in business and tourism. As of 2014 there were 109 schools for minorities that use russian as the lyric of direction ( 27 % of all students ) for 40 % of subjects ( the remaining 60 % of subjects are taught in latvian ). On 18 February 2012, Latvia held a constitutional referendum on whether to adopt Russian as a second gear official lyric. [ 197 ] According to the Central Election Commission, 74.8 % voted against, 24.9 % voted for and the voter turnout was 71.1 %. [ 198 ] From 2019, the teaching in russian language was gradually discontinued in secret colleges and universities in Latvia, vitamin a well as general teaching in latvian populace senior high school schools, [ 199 ] [ 200 ] except for subjects related to acculturation and history of the russian minority, such as russian language and literature classes. [ 201 ]

religion [edit ]

The largest religion in Latvia is Christianity ( 79 % ). [ 175 ] [ 2 ] The largest groups as of 2011 were :
In the Eurobarometer Poll 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 screen of spirit, God, or life sentence wedge ”. lutheranism was more big before the soviet occupation, when it was a majority religion of ~60 % ascribable to hard diachronic links with the Nordic countries and to the influence of the Hansa in finical and Germany in general. Since then, Lutheranism has declined to a slightly greater extent than Roman Catholicism in all three Baltic states. The Evangelical Lutheran Church, with an calculate 600,000 members in 1956, was affected most adversely. An inner 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. [ 202 ] The country ‘s Orthodox Christians belong to the latvian Orthodox Church, a semi-autonomous consistency within the russian Orthodox Church. In 2011, there were 416 religious Jews in Lativa and 319 Muslims in Latvia. [ 2 ] As of 2004, there were more than 600 latvian neopagans, Dievturi ( The Godskeepers ), whose religion is based on latvian mythology. [ 203 ] About 21 % of the sum population is not affiliated with a specific religion. [ 2 ]

education and science [edit ]

The University of Latvia and Riga Technical University are two major universities in the country, both established on the footing of [ clarification needed ] Riga Polytechnical Institute and located in Riga. [ 204 ] other important universities, which were established on the foundation of State University of Latvia, include the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies ( established in 1939 on the basis of the Faculty of Agriculture ) and Riga Stradiņš University ( established in 1950 on the footing of the Faculty of Medicine ). Both nowadays cover a assortment of different fields. The University of Daugavpils is another significant center of education. Latvia closed 131 schools between 2006 and 2010, which is a 12.9 % refuse, and in the same period registration in educational institutions has fallen by over 54,000 people, a 10.3 % worsen. [ 205 ] latvian policy in skill and technology has set out the long-run goal of transitioning from labor-consuming economy to knowledge-based economy. [ 206 ] By 2020 the government aims to spend 1.5 % of GDP on research and development, with one-half of the investments coming from the private sector. Latvia plans to base the exploitation of its scientific potential on existing scientific traditions, peculiarly in organic chemistry, medical chemistry, genic engineer, physics, materials skill and data technologies. [ 207 ] The greatest number of patents, both nationally and afield, are in medical chemistry. [ 208 ] Latvia was ranked 36th in the Global Innovation Index in 2020, down from 34th in 2019. [ 209 ] [ 210 ] [ 211 ] [ 212 ]

Health [edit ]

The Latvian healthcare system is a cosmopolitan broadcast, largely funded through politics taxation. [ 213 ] 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. [ 214 ] There were 59 hospitals in Latvia in 2009, down from 94 in 2007 and 121 in 2006. [ 215 ] [ 216 ] [ 217 ]

polish [edit ]

traditional latvian folklore, specially the dance of the folk music songs, dates back well over a thousand years. More than 1.2 million textbook and 30,000 melodies of tribe songs have been identified. [ 218 ] Between the 13th and 19th centuries, Baltic Germans, many of whom were primitively of non-German ancestry but had been assimilated into german culture, formed the upper class. [ citation needed ] They developed discrete cultural inheritance, characterised by both Latvian and german influences. It has survived in german baltic families to this day, in malice of their dispersion to Germany, the United States, Canada and early countries in the early twentieth hundred. however, most autochthonal Latvians did not participate in this particular cultural life. [ citation needed ] Thus, the largely peasant local hedonist inheritance was preserved, partially merging with christian traditions. For case, one of the most popular celebrations is Jāņi, a heathen celebration of the summer solstice —which Latvians celebrate on the banquet day of St. John the Baptist. [ citation needed ]
In the nineteenth hundred, latvian patriot movements emerged. They promoted latvian polish and encouraged Latvians to take share in cultural activities. The nineteenth hundred and beginning of the twentieth century is much regarded by Latvians as a authoritative era of latvian culture. Posters show the influence of early european cultures, for example, works of artists such as the Baltic-German artist Bernhard Borchert and the french Raoul Dufy. [ citation needed ] 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 function, largely for a latvian émigré audience. [ 219 ] The latvian Song and Dance Festival is an crucial consequence in latvian culture and social life. It has been held since 1873, normally every five years. approximately 30,000 performers raw participate in the event. [ 220 ] Folk songs and classical choir songs are sung, with emphasis on a cappella whistle, though mod democratic songs have recently been incorporated into the repertoire equally well. [ 221 ] After incorporation into the Soviet Union, latvian artists and writers were forced to follow the socialistic naturalism style of art. During the Soviet earned run average, music became increasingly democratic, with the most popular being songs from the 1980s. At this time, songs much made fun of the characteristics of soviet life and were concerned about preserving latvian identity. This aroused popular protests against the USSR and besides gave rise to an increasing popularity of poetry. Since independence, dramaturgy, scenography, choir music, and classical music have become the most noteworthy branches of latvian culture. [ 222 ] During July 2014, Riga hosted the eighth World Choir Games as it played server 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 horde city. [ 223 ] Starting in 2019 Latvia hosts the inaugural address Riga Jurmala Music Festival, a modern festival in which world-famous orchestras and conductors perform across four weekends during the summer. The festival takes place at the latvian National Opera, the Great Guild, and the Great and Small Halls of the Dzintari Concert Hall. This year features the bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra and the russian National Orchestra. [ 224 ]

cuisine [edit ]

latvian cuisine typically consists of agrarian products, with meat featuring in most chief meal dishes. pisces is normally consumed due to Latvia ‘s placement 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 barrel. latvian food is generally quite fatso and uses few spices. [ 225 ] Grey peas with touch are by and large considered as basic foods of Latvians. Sorrel soup ( skābeņu zupa ) is besides consumed by Latvians. [ 226 ] Rye bread is considered the national basic. [ 227 ]

sport [edit ]

Ice ice hockey is normally considered the most popular mutant in Latvia. Latvia has had many celebrated field hockey stars like Helmuts Balderis, Artūrs Irbe, Kārlis Skrastiņš and Sandis Ozoliņš and more recently Zemgus Girgensons, whom the latvian people have strongly supported in external and NHL play, expressed through the dedication of using the NHL ‘s All Star Voting to bring Zemgus to issue one in vote. [ 228 ] Dinamo Riga is the country ‘s strongest ice hockey club, playing in the Kontinental Hockey League. The national tournament is the latvian Hockey Higher League, held since 1931. The 2006 IIHF World Championship was held in Riga .
The second most popular sport is basketball. Latvia has a long basketball tradition, as the latvian national basketball team won the first ever EuroBasket in 1935 and silver medals in 1939, after losing the concluding to Lithuania by one point. Latvia has had many european basketball stars like Jānis Krūmiņš, Maigonis Valdmanis, Valdis Muižnieks, Valdis Valters, Igors Miglinieks, american samoa well as the first latvian NBA actor Gundars Vētra. Andris Biedriņš is one of the most long-familiar latvian basketball players, who played in the NBA for the Golden State Warriors and the Utah Jazz. Current NBA players include Kristaps Porziņģis, who plays for the Dallas Mavericks, Dāvis Bertāns, who plays for the Washington Wizards, and Rodions Kurucs, who survive played for the Milwaukee Bucks. Former Latvian basketball club Rīgas ASK won the Euroleague tournament three times in a row before becoming defunct. presently, VEF Rīga, which competes in EuroCup, is the strongest professional basketball golf club in Latvia. BK Ventspils, which participates in EuroChallenge, is the second base strongest basketball club in Latvia, previously winning LBL eight times and BBL in 2013. [ citation needed ] Latvia was one of the EuroBasket 2015 hosts. other popular sports include football, floorball, tennis, volleyball, cycle, bobsled and skeleton. The latvian national football team ‘s only major FIFA tournament participation has been the 2004 UEFA European Championship. [ 229 ] Latvia has participated successfully in both Winter and Summer Olympics. The most successful Olympic athlete in the history of freelancer Latvia has been Māris Štrombergs, who became a two-time Olympic supporter in 2008 and 2012 at Men ‘s BMX. [ 230 ] In Boxing, Mairis Briedis is the first and entirely latvian to date, to win a box world title, having held the WBC cruiserweight title from 2017 to 2018, the WBO cruiserweight claim in 2019, and the IBF / The Ring magazine light heavyweight titles in 2020. In 2017, latvian tennis player Jeļena Ostapenko won the 2017 French Open Women ‘s singles claim, being the inaugural unseeded player to do indeed in the open era .

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