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Latvia (/ ˈ l æ t v i ə / ⓘ LAT-vee-ə, sometimes / ˈ l ɑː t v i ə / LAHT-vee-ə; Latvian: Latvija Latvian pronunciation:), officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south.
- Flag of Latvia
The national flag of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas karogs) was...
- Military
The army was first renamed the People's Army of Latvia...
- Russians
In Latvia, Russians have been the largest ethnic minority in...
- Demographics of Latvia
History. Latvia was settled by Baltic tribes some three...
- LGBT Rights in Latvia
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights in Latvia...
- Coat of Arms
The Coat of arms of the Republic of Latvia was officially...
- Administrative Divisions of Latvia
The current administrative division of Latvia came into...
- Naval Forces
Latvian Naval Forces (Latvian: Latvijas Jūras spēki) is the...
- Catholic Church in Latvia
History. The Catholic Church has been present in the area...
- Flag of Latvia
The history of Latvia began around 9000 BC with the end of the last glacial period in northern Europe. Ancient Baltic peoples arrived in the area during the second millennium BC, and four distinct tribal realms in Latvia 's territory were identifiable towards the end of the first millennium AD.
- Overview
- Land
- Relief, drainage, and soils
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
- Ethnic groups, languages, and religion
- Settlement patterns
- Demographic trends
Latvia, country of northeastern Europe and the middle of the three Baltic states.
Latvia, which was occupied and annexed by the U.S.S.R. in June 1940, declared its independence on August 21, 1991. The U.S.S.R. recognized its sovereignty on September 6, and United Nations membership followed shortly thereafter. Latvia was admitted to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU) in 2004. The capital and chief city is Riga.
Latvia lies along the shores of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga, and it is bounded by Estonia to the north, Russia to the east, Belarus to the southeast, and Lithuania to the south.
Latvia is essentially an undulating plain, with fairly flat lowlands alternating with hills. The eastern part of the country is more elevated, its most prominent feature being the Central Vidzeme Upland, which reaches a maximum elevation of 1,020 feet (311 metres). In the southeast the highest point is Lielais Liepukalns (947 feet [289 metres]), which is part of the Rāzna National Park territory. The Kurzeme (Courland) Upland in the west is divided by the Venta River into western and eastern parts. Between the Central Vidzeme and Latgale uplands in the southeast lies the East Latvian Lowland, partly crossed by moraine ridges that impede drainage. There are numerous peat bogs in this area.
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Latvia contains a multitude of rivers that drain into the Baltic Sea. The largest are the Western Dvina, locally called the Daugava (with a total length of 222 miles [357 km] in Latvia), the Gauja (Russian: Gauya), the Venta, and the Lielupe. Amid the hills, many of which are forested, are numerous lakes, some measuring up to about 12 square miles (30 square km). Latvia’s soils are predominantly podzolic, though calcareous soils characterize the Semigallia (Zemgale) Plain, located just east of the Eastern Kurzeme Uplands. Swampy soils are found in some areas, particularly the East Latvian Lowland. Erosion is a problem in the more intensely cultivated hilly areas.
The climate is influenced by the prevailing southwesterly winds coming from the Atlantic. Humidity is high, and the skies are usually cloudy; there are only about 30 to 40 days of sunshine per year. Average precipitation usually exceeds 20 inches (about 500 mm) on the lowlands and may approach or exceed 30 inches (about 760 mm) on the uplands. The frost-free season lasts about 125 to 155 days. Summers are often cool and rainy. The mean temperature in June is in the mid-60s F (about 17 °C), with occasional jumps into the mid-90s F (about 34 °C). Winter sets in slowly and lasts from the middle of December to the middle of March. The mean January temperature ranges from the upper 20s F (near −2 °C) on the coast to the lower 20s F (about −7 °C) in the east. There are occasional extreme temperature drops into the −40s F (about −40 °C).
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More than half of Latvia is covered with forests, meadows, pastures, swamps, and wasteland. Forests account for more than one-third of the total area, and about one-tenth of the forests are cultivated. The larger forest tracts are in the northern part of the Kurzeme Peninsula, along the banks of the Western Dvina, and in the northeast, where conifers (pine and spruce) predominate. Of the deciduous species, birch, aspen, and alder are the most prevalent. Meadows are found both in the river valleys and among the hills.
Latvia’s fauna consists of squirrels, foxes, hare, lynx, and badgers. Somewhat less common are ermines and weasels. Conservation measures have resulted in an increase in the number of deer and elk, and beavers have been reintroduced to Latvia. The country’s bird population includes the nightingale, oriole, blackbird, woodpecker, owl, grouse, partridge, finch, tomtit, quail, and lark. Storks and herons are usually found in the marshes and meadows.
Before Soviet occupation in 1940, ethnic Latvians constituted about three-fourths of the country’s population. Today they make up about three-fifths of the population, and Russians account for about one-fourth. There are small groups of Belarusians, Ukrainians, Poles, Lithuanians, and others. The official language of Latvia is Latvian; however, nearly one-third of the population speaks Russian. Smaller numbers speak Romany, the Indo-Aryan language of the Roma (Gypsies), and Yiddish, a Germanic language. The majority of Latvians adhere to Christianity—mainly Lutheranism, Roman Catholicism, and Eastern Orthodoxy. About one-fourth of Latvians consider themselves nonreligious.
Latvia had a significant Jewish population—estimated at more than 90,000 in the 1930s—until the Soviet and German occupations during World War II, when tens of thousands of Latvian Jews fled the country, were deported to prison camps or concentration camps, or were killed. Nazi forces were responsible for between 65,000 and 75,000 of these deaths. By war’s end, only several thousand Latvian Jews remained.
Latvia’s rural population decreased after World War II, largely because of poor socioeconomic and political conditions, while its urban population increased steadily. By the early 2000s more than two-thirds of the country’s population lived in urban areas. Riga is the most populous city, followed by Daugavpils and Liepāja.
A major challenge for Latvia in the early 1990s was to offset the aging of its population, a serious problem that had existed even before the country’s independence and that was the result largely of birth rates that were not high enough to ensure population replacement. An attempt was also made to increase the percentage of the population made up ...
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. History of Latvia, a survey of the important events and people in the history of Latvia from ancient times to the present. The Latvians constitute a prominent division of the ancient group of peoples known as the Balts.
Latvia ( Latvian: Latvija ), officially the Republic of Latvia ( Latvian: Latvijas Republika ), is a country in Northern Europe. The capital is Riga. It is one of the Baltic States, together with Estonia in the north and Lithuania in the south. Latvia's neighbours to the east are the countries Russia and Belarus.
NameYearPlaceOut Of #CIA World Factbook – GDP per capita ...200866th229CIA World Factbook – life expectancy2008120th223World Economic Forum – Enabling Trade ...200843rd118Yale University / Columbia University – ...20088th149Geography of Latvia; Continent: Europe: Region: Northern Europe: Coordinates: Area • Total: 64,559 km 2 (24,926 sq mi) • Land: 96.38% • Water: 3.62%: Coastline: 498 km (309 mi) Borders: Total land borders: 1,382 km (859 mi) Highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m (1,024 ft) Lowest point: Baltic Sea
It borders Russia to the east, Belarus to the southeast, and shares a maritime border with Sweden to the west. Latvia covers an area of 64,589 km 2 (24,938 sq mi), with a population of 1.9 million. The country has a temperate seasonal climate. Its capital and largest city is Riga.
