General information
The Republic of Latvia was founded in 1918. It has been continuously recognised as a state by other countries since 1920 despite occupations by the Soviet Union (1940-1941, 1945-1991) and Nazi Germany (1941-1945). On August 21, 1991 Latvia declared the restoration of its de facto independence. 1 km = 0.62 mile; 1 m = 39.37 inches Borders Latvia borders Estonia, Russia, Belarus and Lithuania. It is situated on trading cross-roads and has long since served as a bridge between Western Europe and Russia. The famous "route from the Vikings to the Greeks" mentioned in ancient chronicles stretched from Scandinavia through Latvian territory along the Daugava River to the ancient Russia and Byzantine Empire. Read more on Latvian history... Climate Latvia's weather is governed by a moderate oceanic climate, with changing high and low pressure and a considerable amount of precipitation. Summer: June - August. Winter: December - February. The average temperature In summer: 15.8°C (in the capital 16.1°C), In winter: -4.5°C (in the capital -3.8°C). The warmest month: July The coldest month: January The average precipitation amount In summer: 195 mm, In winter: 116 mm. Nature Latvia is situated in a nature zone between the vegetation of Northern and Central Europe. Latvia is a country of splendid and diverse natural landscapes. Forests cover 44 percent of the territory. The larger forest tracts are to be found in the northern part of Kurzeme. Here it is still possible to enjoy the beauty and uniqueness of nature untouched by man. Latvia distinguishes itself with a large variety of flora and fauna (total aprox. 27.7 thousand species). Latvia's fauna is typical for a region with mixed forests. Latvia has the largest otter population in Europe, and there is a much greater chance of seeing the rare black stork in Latvia's forests than in any other European country. Read more on Latvian nature... Government Type of Government: democratic, parliamentary republic. Legislative power is in the hands of a single chamber parliament - the Saeima, consisting of 100 deputies. Parliamentary elections take place every 4 years. The country's head of state is the President, who is elected by the Saeima for a period of 4 years. The President signs laws, chooses the Prime Minister (who heads the government) and performs representative functions. Electoral System: proportional representation. There is universal suffrage for Latvian citizens over 18 years of age. Memberships: European Union, NATO, United Nations Organisation, Council of Europe, World Trade Organisation, Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Council of the Baltic Sea States, etc. Foreign Policy Since the restoration of independence in 1991, Latvia has been pursuing full economic and political integration into European and world structures. A key foreign policy priority is active and constructive membership in the European Union and NATO. Capital City Nearly one third of Latvia's population (747 thousand) lives in the capital city Rīga. Rīga, the oldest still existing Latvian medieval city, was founded in 1201. The value of Rīga's cultural and historical significance has been recognised by the fact that its old city centre has been included in UNESCO's list of the world's most important cultural and natural sites. Largest Towns and Cities: Rīga, Daugavpils, Liepāja, Jelgava, Jūrmala, Rēzekne, and Ventspils. Today, 77 towns and cities are located within Latvia's borders. 23 cities have a population of over 10,000. Transit Latvia Information on all kinds of transport in Latvia: ports, airports, roads, railway, as well as pipelines, border crossing, statistics, and useful links. Ports Latvia's three major ports are Ventspils, Rīga and Liepāja. Ventspils is one of the busiest ports in the Baltic Sea region. It is ice-free the whole year round and provides effective cargo operations on its powerful terminals. The Most Prospective Production Sectors: information technologies, electronics and mechanical engineering, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, timber and construction, food processing industry, textiles industry, fishery and agriculture. Special Economic Zones: Ventspils Free Port, Rīga Free Port, Liepāja Special Economic Zone, Rēzekne Special Economic Zone. Incentives in special economic zones include low tax environment and free customs regime. The Main Trade-Partners: other member states of the European Union. Currency Latvian national currency is the lats (LVL), 1 lats consists of 100 santims. The Latvian currency has remained strong and secure since its inception in 1993. The stability of lats is a result of covering the supply of the national currency with gold reserves, hard currency reserves, and investments in a diversified collection of foreign currencies. Source: Latvian Institute |  
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