Country Details
| Land Area |
64,589 sq km |
Population |
2379934 |
| Capital City |
Riga |
People |
Latvian 56.5%, Russian 30.4%, Byelorussian 4.3%, Ukrainian 2.8%, Polish 2.6%, other 3.4% |
| Language |
Latvian & Russian |
Religion |
Lutheranism & Russian Othodox |
| Government Type |
parliamentary democracy |
Life Expectancy |
68.7 years |
| HIV/AIDS Rate |
0.11% (1999 est.) |
GNP per Capita |
$7,200 |
| Currency |
Latvian lat (LVL) |
Major Exports |
wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, m |
| National Holiday |
Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 18 November 1991 is the date of independence from the Soviet Union |
Dialing Code |
371 |
| Electricity |
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Malaria Risk |
|
| Water Quality |
|
Inoculations |
|
| Crime |
|
Driving License |
|
| Photography |
|
Entry Regs |
Passport & Visa |
| Time Zone |
GMT+1 |
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After a brief period of independence between the two World Wars, Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It 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 30% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
