NA

Environment - current issues:

Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; the main environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality and sewage system, household, and hazardous waste management, as well as reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

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

People
Latvia

Population:

2,245,423 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 13.4% (male 154,077/female 146,825) 15-64 years: 69.7% (male 760,976/female 803,106) 65 years and over: 16.9% (male 124,658/female 255,781) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.9 years male: 36.9 years female: 43 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.629% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

9.62 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

13.63 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

-2.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 8.96 deaths/1,000 live births male: 10.85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.88 years male: 66.68 years female: 77.35 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.29 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

7,600 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2008)

Nationality:

noun: Latvian(s) adjective: Latvian

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 19.6%, Orthodox 15.3%, other Christian 1%, other 0.4%, unspecified 63.7% (2006)

Languages:

Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other 4.3% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.7% male: 99.8% female: 99.7% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 16 years male: 14 years female: 17 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5.1% of GDP (2004)

Government
Latvia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Latvia conventional short form: Latvia local long form: Latvijas Republika local short form: Latvija former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

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

Administrative divisions:

26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*: Aizkraukles
Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons,
Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons,
Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala*, Kraslavas
Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja*, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons,
Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu Rajons,
Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu
Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*,
Ventspils Rajons

Independence:

18 November 1918 (from Soviet Russia)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 was the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August 1991 was the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:

15 February 1922; restored to force by the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Latvia adopted by the Supreme Council on 21 August 1991; multiple amendments since

Legal system:

based on civil law system with traces of Socialist legal traditions and practices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Valdis ZATLERS (since 8 July 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Ivars GODMANIS (since 20 December 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 31 May 2007 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister appointed by the president, confirmed by Parliament election results: Valdis ZATLERS elected president; parliamentary vote - Valdis ZATLERS 58, Aivars ENDZINS 39

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by proportional representation from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 7 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - TP 19.5%, ZZS 16.7%, JL 16.4%, SC 14.4%; LPP/LC 8.6%; TB/LNNK 7%; PCTVL 6%; seats by party - TP 23, ZZS 18, JL 18, SC 17, LPP/LC 10, TB/LNNK 8, PCTVL 6; note - seats by party as of February 2008 - TP 21, ZZS 17, SC 17, JL 14, LPP/LC 10, TB/LNNK 5, PCTVL 6, independents 10

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament);
Constitutional Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by
Parliament)

Political parties and leaders:

First Party of Latvia/Latvia's Way or LPP/LC [Ainars SLESERS, Ivars
GODMANIS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Jakovs
PLINERS]; For the Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National
Independence Movement or TB/LNNK [Roberts ZILE, Maris GRINBLATS];
Harmony Center or SC [Janis URBANOVICS, Nils USAKOVS]; Latvian
Social Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris
BOJARS]; Latvian Socialist Party or LSP [Alfreds RUBIKS]; New
Democrats or JD [Maris GULBIS]; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE,
Krisjanis KARINS]; People's Party or TP [Aigars KALVITIS]; The Union
of Latvian Greens and Farmers Party or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB)
[Aleksandr KAZAKOV]

International organization participation:

Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO,
NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen
Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate
partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Andrejs PILDEGOVICS chancery: 2306 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 328-2840 FAX: (202) 328-2860

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Charles LARSON Jr. embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510 mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723 telephone: 670-36200 FAX: 678-20047

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon

Economy
Latvia

Economy - overview:

Latvia's economy experienced GDP growth of more than 10% per year during 2006-07. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. EU membership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. The current account deficit - more than 22% of GDP in 2007 - and inflation - at nearly 10% per year - remain major concerns.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$40.05 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$27.34 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

10.3% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$17,700 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3.3% industry: 22% services: 74.7% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

1.167 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 13% industry: 19% services: 68% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

5.7% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line: