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| Introduction | Latvia |
| Background: | 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. |
| People | Latvia |
| Population: | 2,306,306 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 15% (male 177,223; female 169,241) 15-64 years: 69.2% (male 772,496; female 823,410) 65 years and over: 15.8% (male 118,035; female 245,901) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 38.8 years male: 35.6 years female: 41.9 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | -0.71% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 8.87 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 13.73 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -2.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 9.67 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 11.45 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 70.86 years male: 65.91 years female: 76.09 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.25 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.4% (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 5,000 (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | less than 100 (2001 est.) |
| 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, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox |
| Languages: | Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2003 est.) |
| Government | Latvia |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Latvia conventional short form: Latvia local short form: Latvija former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic local long form: Latvijas Republika |
| Government type: | parliamentary democracy |
| Capital: | Riga |
| 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: | 21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August 1991 is the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union |
| Constitution: | 15 February 1922; an October 1998 amendment on Fundamental Human Rights replaced the 1991 Constitutional Law, which had supplemented the constitution |
| Legal system: | based on civil law system |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the Parliament elections: president reelected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be held by June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected president; parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88 of 94 votes cast |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 5 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - New Era 23.9%, PCTVL 18.9%, People's Party 16.7%, ZZS 9.5%, First Party 7.6%, LNNK 5.4%; seats by party - New Era 26, PCTVL 24, People's Party 21, ZZS 12, First Party 10, LNNK 7 |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament) |
| Political parties and leaders: | Alliance of the Greens and Farmers Union or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS (Farmer's Union); Indulis EMSIS (Green Party)]; First Party of Latvia [Eriks JEKABSONS]; For Fatherland and Freedom or LNNK [Janis STRAUME]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Jakovs PLINERS]; For Our Latvia or ML [Rihards Jablokovs]; Latvian National Democratic Party or LNDP [Jevgenijs Osiopovs]; Latvian National Front [Aivars GARDA]; Latvian Social-Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Alfred RUBIKS]; Latvia's Way Union or LC; Light of Latgale or LG; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE]; New Politics Party or JP [Sergejs DOLGOPOLOVS]; People's Harmony Party or TSP [Janis JURKANS]; People's Party or TP [Atis SLAKTERIS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]; United Social Democratic Welfare Party or SLP [Juris ZURAVLOVS]; United Republican Party of Latvia or LARP |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Maris RIEKSTINS FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785 telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214 chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Brian E. CARLSON embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510 mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723 telephone: [371] 703-6200 FAX: [371] 782-0047 |
| Flag description: | three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon |
| Communications | Latvia |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 653,900 (2003) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 1,219,600 (2003) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an international capability independent of the Moscow international switch; more facilities are being installed for individual use domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections, rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied subscriber applications international: country code - 371; international connections are now available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling direct connections for most calls (1998) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Radios: | 1.76 million (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995) |
| Televisions: | 1.22 million (1997) |
| Internet country code: | .lv |
| Internet hosts: | 51,758 (2004) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 41 (2001) |
| Internet users: | 936,000 (2003) |
| Transportation | Latvia |
| Railways: | total: 2,303 km broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2003) |
| Highways: | total: 73,202 km paved: 28,256 km unpaved: 44,946 km (2000) |
| Waterways: | 300 km (2004) |
| Pipelines: | gas 1,097 km; oil 409 km; refined products 415 km (2004) |
| Ports and harbors: | Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils |
| Merchant marine: | total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 53,153 GRT/37,414 DWT foreign-owned: Germany 1, Greece 1, Ukraine 1 registered in other countries: 96 (2003 est.) by type: cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 1 |
| Airports: | 51 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 27 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 24 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 20 (2003 est.) |
| Military | Latvia |
| Military branches: | Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze) |
| Military manpower - military age and obligation: | 19 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers; Latvia plans to phase out conscription, tentatively moving to an all-professional force by 2007 (August 2004) |
| Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 594,596 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 466,659 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 19,209 (2004 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $87 million (FY01) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1.2% (FY01) |
| Transnational Issues | Latvia |
| Disputes - international: | the Russian Duma refuses to ratify boundary delimitation treaty with Latvia; the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights |
| Illicit drugs: | transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; vulnerable to money laundering despite improved legislation due to nascent enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of offshore companies, exchange firms, and the gaming industry; organized crime (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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