Latvia

total: 490,569 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 26 (2020 est.)

several national and regional commercial TV stations are foreign-owned, 2 national TV stations are publicly owned; system supplemented by privately owned regional and local TV stations; cable and satellite multi-channel TV services with domestic and foreign broadcasts available; publicly owned broadcaster operates 4 radio networks with dozens of stations throughout the country; dozens of private broadcasters also operate radio stations

.lv

total: 1,663,739 (July 2022 est.) percent of population: 89.8% (July 2022 est.)

general assessment: the telecom market continues to benefit from investment and from regulatory measures aimed at developing 5G and fiber based infrastructure; there is effective competition in the mobile market, with extensive services based on LTE-A technologies to boost data speeds; a large scale 5G deployment is not expected until 2023; in the fixed-line broadband sector, the country is ranked second highest in Europe (after Iceland) for fiber coverage and take-up, closely followed by Lithuania; with this infrastructure in place, the country has also developed a sophisticated digital economy, with e-commerce and e-government services widely available (2021) domestic: fixed-line roughly 11 per 100 and mobile-cellular nearly 109 per 100 subscriptions (2020) international: country code - 371; the Latvian network is now connected via fiber-optic cable to Estonia, Finland, and Sweden note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services

total subscriptions: 211,849 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions: 2,051,359 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 109 (2020 est.)

wheat, milk, rapeseed, barley, oats, potatoes, rye, beans, pork, poultry

revenues: 11.39 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 11.53 billion (2017 est.)

-0.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Fitch rating: A- (2014) Moody's rating: A3 (2015) Standard & Poors rating: A+ (2020) note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

-$222 million (2019 est.) -$99 million (2018 est.)

$40.164 billion (2019 est.) $42.488 billion (2018 est.)

Latvia is a small, open economy with exports contributing more than half of GDP. Due to its geographical location, transit services are highly-developed, along with timber and wood-processing, agriculture and food products, and manufacturing of machinery and electronics industries. Corruption continues to be an impediment to attracting foreign direct investment and Latvia's low birth rate and decreasing population are major challenges to its long-term economic vitality. Latvia's economy experienced GDP growth of more than 10% per year during 2006-07, but entered a severe recession in 2008 as a result of an unsustainable current account deficit and large debt exposure amid the slowing world economy. Triggered by the collapse of the second largest bank, GDP plunged by more than 14% in 2009 and, despite strong growth since 2011, the economy took until 2017 return to pre-crisis levels in real terms. Strong investment and consumption, the latter stoked by rising wages, helped the economy grow by more than 4% in 2017, while inflation rose to 3%. Continued gains in competitiveness and investment will be key to maintaining economic growth, especially in light of unfavorable demographic trends, including the emigration of skilled workers, and one of the highest levels of income inequality in the EU. In the wake of the 2008-09 crisis, the IMF, EU, and other international donors provided substantial financial assistance to Latvia as part of an agreement to defend the currency's peg to the euro in exchange for the government's commitment to stringent austerity measures. The IMF/EU program successfully concluded in December 2011, although, the austerity measures imposed large social costs. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises, including 80% ownership of the Latvian national airline. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999 and the EU in May 2004. Latvia also joined the euro zone in 2014 and the OECD in 2016.

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.82771 (2020 est.) 0.90338 (2019 est.) 0.87789 (2018 est.) 0.885 (2014 est.) 0.7634 (2013 est.)

$20.23 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars $20.5 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars $21.12 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

lumber, broadcasting equipment, whiskey and other hard liquors, wheat, packaged medicines (2019)

Lithuania 16%, Estonia 10%, Russia 9%, Germany 7%, Sweden 6%, United Kingdom 6% (2019)

calendar year

$34.084 billion (2019 est.)

household consumption: 61.8% (2017 est.) government consumption: 18.2% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 19.9% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 1.5% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 60.6% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -61.9% (2017 est.)

agriculture: 3.9% (2017 est.) industry: 22.4% (2017 est.) services: 73.7% (2017 est.)

35.6 (2017 est.) 35.4 (2014)

lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 26.3% (2015)

$19.84 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars $20.79 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars $21.38 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, cars, packaged medicines, aircraft (2019)

Russia 21%, Lithuania 14%, Germany 9%, Poland 7%, Estonia 7% (2019)

10.6% (2017 est.)

processed foods, processed wood products, textiles, processed metals, pharmaceuticals, railroad cars, synthetic fibers, electronics

2.8% (2019 est.) 2.5% (2018 est.) 2.9% (2017 est.)

885,000 (2020 est.)

agriculture: 7.7% industry: 24.1% services: 68.1% (2016 est.)

22.9% (2018 est.)

36.3% of GDP (2017 est.) 37.4% of GDP (2016 est.) note: data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities, including sub-sectors of central government, state government, local government, and social security funds

$56.92 billion (2020 est.) $59.06 billion (2019 est.) $57.88 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

2.08% (2019 est.) 4.2% (2018 est.) 3.23% (2017 est.)

$29,900 (2020 est.) $30,900 (2019 est.) $30,000 (2018 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

$4.614 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $3.514 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

37.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

6.14% (2019 est.) 6.51% (2018 est.)

total: 14.8% male: 14.9% female: 14.6% (2021 est.)

8.45 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 149,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 5.693 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.) from consumed natural gas: 2.608 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.) consumption: 39,000 metric tons (2020 est.) exports: 3,000 metric tons (2020 est.) imports: 40,000 metric tons (2020 est.) proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity: 3.089 million kW (2020 est.) consumption: 6.706 billion kWh (2020 est.) exports: 2.548 billion kWh (2020 est.) imports: 4.173 billion kWh (2020 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 377 million kWh (2020 est.)

electrification - total population: 100% (2020)

fossil fuels: 33.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) wind: 3.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) hydroelectricity: 47.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) biomass and waste: 15.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

86.645 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.) consumption: 1,067,798,000 cubic meters (2020 est.) exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.) imports: 1,067,798,000 cubic meters (2020 est.) proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

total petroleum production: 1,600 bbl/day (2021 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 39,900 bbl/day (2019 est.) crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)

16,180 bbl/day (2017 est.)

54,370 bbl/day (2017 est.)

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

particulate matter emissions: 12.72 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 7 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 1.85 megatons (2020 est.)

maritime; wet, moderate winters

while land, water, and air pollution are evident, Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; improvements have occurred in drinking water quality, sewage treatment, household and hazardous waste management, as well as reduction of air pollution; concerns include nature protection and the management of water resources and the protection of the Baltic Sea

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

agricultural land: 29.2% (2018 est.) arable land: 18.6% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 10.5% (2018 est.) forest: 54.1% (2018 est.) other: 16.7% (2018 est.)

degree of risk: intermediate (2020) vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis

coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

forest revenues: 0.85% of GDP (2018 est.)

34.94 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal: 94.4 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 25.2 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 61.5 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

urban population: 68.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually: 857,000 tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 181,941 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 21.2% (2015 est.)

total: 64,589 sq km land: 62,249 sq km water: 2,340 sq km

slightly larger than West Virginia

maritime; wet, moderate winters

498 km

highest point: Gaizina Kalns 312 m lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m mean elevation: 87 m

57 00 N, 25 00 E

most of the country is composed of fertile low-lying plains with some hills in the east

6 sq km (2016) note: land in Latvia is often too wet and in need of drainage not irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land has been improved by drainage

total: 1,370 km border countries (4): Belarus 161 km; Estonia 333 km; Lithuania 544 km; Russia 332 km

agricultural land: 29.2% (2018 est.) arable land: 18.6% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 10.5% (2018 est.) forest: 54.1% (2018 est.) other: 16.7% (2018 est.)

Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania

Europe

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: limits as agreed to by Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Sweden, and Russia continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

large percentage of agricultural fields can become waterlogged and require drainage

peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, timber, arable land

largest concentration of people is found in and around the port and capital city of Riga; small agglomerations are scattered throughout the country

low plain

36 municipalities (novadi, singular - novads) and 7 state cities (valstpilsetu pasvaldibas, singular valstspilsetas pasvaldiba) municipalities: Adazi, Aizkraukle, Aluksne, Augsdaugava, Balvi, Bauska, Cesis, Dienvidkurzeme, Dobele, Gulbene, Jekabpils, Jelgava, Kekava, Kraslava, Kuldiga, Limbazi, Livani, Ludza, Madona, Marupe, Ogre, Olaine, Preili, Rezekne, Ropazi, Salaspils, Saldus, Saulkrasti, Sigulda, Smiltene, Talsi, Tukums, Valka, Valmiera, Varaklani, Ventspils cities: Daugavpils, Jelgava, Jurmala, Liepaja, Rezekne, Riga, Ventspils

name: Riga geographic coordinates: 56 57 N, 24 06 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: of the several theories explaining the name's origin, the one relating to the city's role in Baltic and North Sea commerce is the most probable; the name is likely related to the Latvian word "rija," meaning "warehouse," where the 'j' became a 'g' under the heavy German influence in the city from the late Middle Ages to the early 20th century

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Latvia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

history: several previous (pre-1991 independence); note - following the restoration of independence in 1991, parts of the 1922 constitution were reintroduced 4 May 1990 and fully reintroduced 6 July 1993 amendments: proposed by two thirds of Parliament members or by petition of one tenth of qualified voters submitted through the president; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of Parliament in each of three readings; amendment of constitutional articles, including national sovereignty, language, the parliamentary electoral system, and constitutional amendment procedures, requires passage in a referendum by majority vote of at least one half of the electorate; amended several times, last in 2019

conventional long form: Republic of Latvia conventional short form: Latvia local long form: Latvijas Republika local short form: Latvija former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (while occupied by the USSR) etymology: the name "Latvia" originates from the ancient Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.)

chief of mission: Ambassador John Leslie CARWILE (since 5 November 2019) embassy: 1 Samnera Velsa Street (former Remtes), Riga LV-1510 mailing address: 4520 Riga Place, Washington DC 20521-4520 telephone: [371] 6710-7000 FAX: [371] 6710-7050 email address and website: askconsular-riga@state.gov https://lv.usembassy.gov/

chief of mission: Ambassador Maris SELGA (since 16 September 2019) chancery: 2306 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-2840 FAX: [1] (202) 328-2860 email address and website: embassy.usa@mfa.gov.lv https://www2.mfa.gov.lv/en/usa

chief of state: President Egils LEVITS (since 8 July 2019) head of government: Prime Minister Krisjanis KARINS (since 23 January 2019) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, appointed by Parliament elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by Parliament for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 29 May 2019 (next to be held in 2023); prime minister appointed by the president, confirmed by Parliament election results: 2019: Egils LEVITS elected president; Parliament vote - Egils LEVITS 61 votes, Didzis SMITS 24 votes, Juris JANSONS 8 votes; Krisjanis KARINS confirmed prime minister 61-39 2015: Raimonds VEJONIS elected president; Raimonds VEJOONIS 55 votes, Egils LEVITS 42 votes

three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon; the flag is one of the older banners in the world; a medieval chronicle mentions a red standard with a white stripe being used by Latvian tribes in about 1280

parliamentary republic

18 November 1918 (from Soviet Russia); 4 May 1990 (declared from the Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the Senate with 36 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 7 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by chief justice and confirmed by the Saeima; judges serve until age 70, but term can be extended 2 years; Constitutional Court judges - 3 nominated by Saeima members, 2 by Cabinet ministers, and 2 by plenum of Supreme Court; all judges confirmed by Saeima majority vote; Constitutional Court president and vice president serve in their positions for 3 years; all judges serve 10-year terms; mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: district (city) and regional courts

civil law system with traces of socialist legal traditions and practices

description: unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 6 October 2018 (next to be held in October 2022) election results: percent of vote by party - S 19.8%, KPV LV 14.3%, JKP 13.6%, AP! 12%, NA 11%, ZZS 9.9%, JV 6.7%, other 12.7%; seats by party - S 23, KPV LV 16, JKP 16, AP! 13, NA 13, ZZS 11, JV 8; composition as of April 2022 - men 73, women 27, percent of women 27%

name: "Dievs, sveti Latviju!" (God Bless Latvia) lyrics/music: Karlis BAUMANIS note: adopted 1920, restored 1990; first performed in 1873 while Latvia was a part of Russia; banned during the Soviet occupation from 1940 to 1990

total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Center of Riga ; Struve Geodetic Arc

Independence Day (Republic of Latvia Proclamation Day), 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 was the date Latvia established its statehood and its concomitant independence from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 was the date it declared the restoration of Latvian statehood and its concomitant independence from the Soviet Union

white wagtail (bird); national colors: maroon, white

Development/For! or AP! [Daniels PAVLUTS, Juris PUCE] For a Humane Latvia or PCL [Maris MOZVILLO] (formerly known as Who Owns the State?) National Alliance "All For Latvia!"-"For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK" or NA [Raivis DZINTARS] New Unity or JV [Arturs Kri jānis KARINS] Social Democratic Party "Harmony" or S [Janis URBANOVICS] The Conservatives or K [Janis BORDANS] (formerly known as New Conservative Party or JKP) Union of Greens and Farmers or ZZS [Aivars LEMBERGS] United List or AS [Uldis PILENS] (electoral coalition including the Latvian Green Party or LZP, Latvian Association of Regions or LRA, Liepaja Party)

18 years of age; universal

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 it was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia 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 25% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004; it joined the euro zone in 2014 and the OECD in 2016. A dual citizenship law was adopted in 2013, easing naturalization for non-citizen children.

Latvia became a member of NATO in 2004 since 2017, Latvia has hosted a Canadian-led multi-national NATO ground force battlegroup as part of the Alliance s Enhanced Forward Presence initiative; in addition, Latvia hosts a NATO-led divisional headquarters (Multinational Division North; activated 2020), which coordinates training and preparation activities of its respective subordinate NATO battlegroups in Estonia and Latvia NATO also has provided air protection for Latvia since 2004 through its Air Policing mission; NATO member countries that possess air combat capabilities voluntarily contribute to the mission on 4-month rotations (2022)

National Armed Forces (Nacionalie Brunotie Speki): Land Forces (Latvijas Sauszemes Speki), Naval Force (Latvijas Juras Speki, includes Coast Guard (Latvijas Kara Flote)), Air Force (Latvijas Gaisa Speki), National Guard (2022)

approximately 7,500 active duty troops (6,500 Land Forces; 500 Naval Force/Coast Guard; 500 Air Force; note - some Land Forces are considered joint forces); 8,200 National Guard (2022)

130 Kosovo (KFOR/NATO) (2022)

the Latvian military's inventory is limited and consists of a mixture of Soviet-era and more modern--mostly second-hand--European and US equipment; since 2010, it has received limited amounts of equipment from several European countries, Israel, and the US (2021)

2.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.2% of GDP (2021) 2.2% of GDP (2020) 2% of GDP (2019) (approximately $920 million) 2.1% of GDP (2018) (approximately $900 million)

18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription (abolished 2007) (2022) note 1: in July 2022, the Latvian Government announced that it was reinstating mandatory military service for men aged 18-27 (women voluntarily) beginning in July 2023; service would be for one year in the Land Forces or alternatively in internal affairs, health, or welfare structures note 2: as of 2019, women comprised about 16% of the military's full-time personnel

0-14 years: 15.32% (male 148,120/female 140,028) 15-24 years: 9% (male 87,372/female 81,965) 25-54 years: 40.41% (male 380,817/female 379,359) 55-64 years: 14.77% (male 125,401/female 152,548) 65 years and over: 20.5% (male 128,151/female 257,471) (2020 est.)

total: 12.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 4.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 1.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 5.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

8.73 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)

NA

NA

6.6% of GDP (2019)

14.65 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)

total dependency ratio: 59.3 youth dependency ratio: 24.9 elderly dependency ratio: 34.4 potential support ratio: 2.9 (2021 est.)

improved: urban: 99.9% of population rural: 98.6% of population total: 99.5% of population unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population rural: 1.4% of population total: 0.5% of population (2020 est.)

6% of GDP (2020 est.)

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.)

0.7% (2021 est.)

5.5 beds/1,000 population (2018)

total: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.27 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)

Latvian (official) 56.3%, Russian 33.8%, other 0.6% (includes Polish, Ukrainian, and Belarusian), unspecified 9.4%; note - data represent language usually spoken at home (2011 est.) major-language sample(s): World Factbook, neaizstājams avots pamata informāciju. (Latvian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

total population: 75.91 years male: 71.47 years female: 80.56 years (2022 est.)

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.9% male: 99.9% female: 99.9% (2018)

degree of risk: intermediate (2020) vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis

621,000 RIGA (capital) (2023)

19 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

total: 44.4 years male: 40.5 years female: 48 years (2020 est.)

27.3 years (2020 est.)

noun: Latvian(s) adjective: Latvian

-5.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)

23.6% (2016)

3.4 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

1,842,226 (2022 est.)

largest concentration of people is found in and around the port and capital city of Riga; small agglomerations are scattered throughout the country

-1.11% (2022 est.)

Lutheran 36.2%, Roman Catholic 19.5%, Orthodox 19.1%, other Christian 1.6%, other 0.1%, unspecified/none 23.5% (2017 est.)

improved: urban: 98.9% of population rural: 85.3% of population total: 94.6% of population unimproved: urban: 1.1% of population rural: 14.7% of population total: 5.4% of population (2020 est.)

total: 16 years male: 16 years female: 17 years (2020)

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.84 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.36 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2022 est.)

total: 37% (2020 est.) male: 50.3% (2020 est.) female: 23.7% (2020 est.)

1.54 children born/woman (2022 est.)

urban population: 68.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

total: 14.8% male: 14.9% female: 14.6% (2021 est.)

Latvia-Belarus : Belarus and Latvia signed joint demarcation map in September 2008 Latvia-Estonia : demarcation reportedly completed in 1998 Latvia-Lithuania : boundary demarcation was completed by the end of 1998; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights Latvia-Russia : Russia demands better Latvian treatment of ethnic Russians in Latvia; in March 2007, Latvia and Russia signed a border treaty, which includes Latvia withdrawing claims to a district now in Russia that was part of Latvia before WWII; the permanent demarcation of the boundary between Latvia and Russia was completed and came into force in April 2018; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Latvia has implemented the strict Schengen border rules with Russia

transshipment and destination point for cocaine, synthetic drugs, opiates, and cannabis from Southwest Asia, Western Europe, Latin America, and neighboring Baltic countries; despite improved legislation, vulnerable to money laundering due to nascent enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of offshore companies and the gaming industry; CIS organized crime (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds

refugees (country of origin): 34,792 (Ukraine) (as of 20 December 2022) stateless persons: 209,168 (mid-year 2021); note - individuals who were Latvian citizens prior to the 1940 Soviet occupation and their descendants were recognized as Latvian citizens when the country's independence was restored in 1991; citizens of the former Soviet Union residing in Latvia who have neither Latvian nor other citizenship are considered non-citizens (officially there is no statelessness in Latvia) and are entitled to non-citizen passports; children born after Latvian independence to stateless parents are entitled to Latvian citizenship upon their parents' request; non-citizens cannot vote or hold certain government jobs and are exempt from military service but can travel visa-free in the EU under the Schengen accord like Latvian citizens; non-citizens can obtain naturalization if they have been permanent residents of Latvia for at least five years, pass tests in Latvian language and history, and know the words of the Latvian national anthem

total: 42 (2021)

total: 18 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 7 (2021)

total: 24 under 914 m: 24 (2021)

YL

1 (2021)

total: 70 by type: general cargo 22, oil tanker 9, other 39 (2021)

number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 53 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 4,058,762 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 4.01 million (2018) mt-km

1,213 km gas, 417 km refined products (2018)

major seaport(s): Riga, Ventspils

total: 1,860 km (2018) narrow gauge: 34 km (2018) 0.750-m gauge broad gauge: 1,826 km (2018) 1.520-m gauge

total: 70,244 km (2018) paved: 15,158 km (2018) unpaved: 55,086 km (2018)

Latvia operates one PC 5 or 6 class icebreaker in the Baltic Sea note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel: PC 5 - year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 70-120 cm); PC 6 - summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 30-70 cm)

300 km (2010) (navigable year-round)