Short Name: LatviaLong Name: Republic of Latvia
Short Name (local): Latvija
Long Name (local): Latvijas Republika
Member of European Union: Yes, 2004
International Dialing Code: +371
Capital City: Riga
National Tourist Office: Latvia Tourism
Foreign Embassies in Latvia: Australia | Canada | U.K. | U.S.
Embassies and Visa Information: In Australia | In Canada | In the U.K. | In the U.S.
Nationality: Noun - Latvian(s), Adjective - Latvian
Government Type: Parliamentary democracy
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), Lithuanian, Russian, other
Monetary Unit: 1 lats = 100 santims
Area: 64,589 sq km - slightly larger than West Virginia
Climate: Maritime; wet, moderate winters
Population: 2,306,306 (July 2004 est.)
Sex Ratio: 0.86 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Median Age: 38.8 years, male 35.6 years, female 41.9 years (2004 est.)
Life Expectancy: 70.86 years, male 65.91 years, female 76.09 years (2004 est.)
Population Growth Rate: -0.71% (2004 est.)
Net Migration Rate: 2.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Unemployment Rate: 8.6% (2003 est.)
Gross National Income: US$4,070 (2003, World Bank)
Export Commodities: Wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs
Export Partners: UK 20.5%, Germany 12.2%, Sweden 11.6%, US 10%, Estonia 4.7%, Russia 4.4%, Denmark 4.3% (2003 est.)
Import Commodities: Machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles
Import Partners: Germany 16%, Russia 14.3%, Lithuania 11%, Estonia 6.7%, Finland 5.7%, Sweden 5.5%, Italy 4.9% (2003 est.)
Natural Resources: Peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land
Public Radio: Latvian Radio
Graphics and statistics are public domain courtesy of The CIA World Factbook.
Outline map courtesy of WorldAtlas.com.
