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Background:
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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. |
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Location:
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Eastern
Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and
Lithuania |
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Geographic coordinates:
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57 00 N,
25 00 E |
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Map references:
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Europe
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Area:
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total:
64,589 sq km
land: 63,589 sq km
water: 1,000 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
larger than West Virginia |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
1,150 km
border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km,
Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km |
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Coastline:
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531 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation |
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Climate:
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maritime;
wet, moderate winters |
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Terrain:
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low plain
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m |
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Natural resources:
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peat,
limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable
land |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 29.67%
permanent crops: 0.47%
other: 69.86% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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200 sq km
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 (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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NA |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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most of
the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains,
with some hills in the east |
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Population:
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2,290,237
(July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 14.4% (male 169,284/female 161,648)
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 770,839/female 819,309)
65 years and over: 16.1% (male 120,306/female
248,851) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
39.12 years
male: 35.95 years
female: 42.15 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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-0.69%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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9.04
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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13.7
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-2.24
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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 (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
9.55 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 11.55 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 71.05 years
male: 65.78 years
female: 76.6 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.26
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.6%
(2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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7,600
(2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than
500 (2003 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Latvian(s)
adjective: Latvian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Latvian
57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%,
Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002) |
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Religions:
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Lutheran,
Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox |
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Languages:
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Latvian
(official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other
4.3% (2000 census) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.8% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Latvia
conventional short form: Latvia
local long form: Latvijas Republika
local short form: Latvija
former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic |
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Government type:
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parliamentary democracy |
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Capital:
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Riga |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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21 August
1991 (from Soviet Union) |
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National holiday:
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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 |
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Constitution:
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15
February 1922; an October 1998 amendment on Fundamental
Human Rights replaced the 1991 Constitutional Law, which
had supplemented the constitution |
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Legal system:
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based on
civil law system |
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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal for Latvian citizens |
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Executive branch:
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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 |
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Legislative branch:
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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 - JL
23.9%, PCTVL 18.9%, TP 16.7%, ZZS 9.5%, First Party
7.6%, LNNK 5.4%; seats by party - JL 26, PCTVL 24, TP
21, ZZS 12, First Party 10, LNNK 7 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme
Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)
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Political parties and leaders:
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First
Party of Latvia or LPP [Juris LUJANS]; For Human Rights
in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Tatjana ZDANOKA, Jakovs
PLINERS]; For the Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian
National Independence Movement or TB/LNNK [Janis
STRAUME]; Harmony Center or SC [Sergejs DOLGOPOLOVS];
Latvian Green Party or LZP [Indulis EMSIS, Viesturs
SILENIEKS, Raimonds VEJONIS]; Latvian Farmer's Union or
LZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS]; Latvian Social Democratic
Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris
BOJARS]; Latvian Socialist Party or LSP [Alfreds
RUBIKS]; Latvia's Way or LC [Ivars GODMANIS]; New
Democrats or JD [Maris GULBIS]; New Era Party or JL
[Einars REPSE]; People's Harmony Party or TSP [Aivars
DATAVS]; People's Party or TP [Atis SLAKTERIS]; Social
Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools
(SHTAB) [Aleksandr KAZAKOV] |
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International organization participation:
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Australia
Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member),
FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS
(observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Maris RIEKSTINS
chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC
20011
telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214
FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Catherine TODD-BAILEY
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 |
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Flag description:
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three
horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width),
and maroon |
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Economy - overview:
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Latvia's
transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian
financial crisis, largely due to the government's budget
stringency and a gradual reorientation of exports toward
EU countries, lessening Latvia's trade dependency on
Russia. 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 and internal
government deficits remain major concerns, but the
government's efforts to increase efficiency in revenue
collection may lessen the budget deficit. A growing
perception that many of Latvia's banks facilitate
illicit activity could damage the country's vibrant
financial sector. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$26.53
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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7.6%
(2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $11,500 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 4.4%
industry: 24.8%
services: 70.8% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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1.17
million (2004 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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8.8%
(2004 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 25.9% (1998) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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32 (1999)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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6% (2004
est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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26.1% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $4.231 billion
expenditures: $4.504 billion, including capital
expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
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Public debt:
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11.8% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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grain,
sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk,
eggs; fish |
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Industries:
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buses,
vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers,
agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines,
radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods,
textiles; note - dependent on imports for energy and raw
materials |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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8.5%
(2004 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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4.547
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 29.1%
hydro: 70.9%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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5.829
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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1.1
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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2.7
billion kWh (2002) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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44,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Natural gas - production:
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0 cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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1.7
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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1.7
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Current account balance:
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$-1.251
billion (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$3.569
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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wood and
wood products, machinery and equipment, metals,
textiles, foodstuffs |
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Exports - partners:
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UK 12.8%,
Germany 12%, Sweden 10%, Lithuania 9.1%, Estonia 8%,
Russia 6.4%, Denmark 5.4% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$5.97
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery
and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles |
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Imports - partners:
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Germany
13.9%, Lithuania 12.2%, Russia 8.7%, Estonia 7%, Finland
6.3%, Sweden 6.1%, Poland 5.4%, Belarus 4.8% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$1.65
billion (2004 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$7.368
billion (2004 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$96.2
million (1995) |
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Currency (code):
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Latvian
lat (LVL) |
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Currency code:
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LVL |
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Exchange rates:
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lati per
US dollar - 0.5402 (2004), 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182 (2002),
0.6279 (2001), 0.6065 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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653,900
(2003) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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1,219,600
(2003) |
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Telephone system:
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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) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 8, FM
56, shortwave 1 (1998) |
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Radios:
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1.76
million (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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44 (plus
31 repeaters) (1995) |
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Televisions:
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1.22
million (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.lv |
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Internet hosts:
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51,758
(2004) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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41 (2001)
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Internet users:
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936,000
(2003) |
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Railways:
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total:
2,303 km
broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km
electrified)
narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2004) |
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Highways:
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total:
60,472 km
paved: 57,206 km
unpaved: 3,265 km (2002) |
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Waterways:
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300 km
(2004) |
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Pipelines:
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gas 1,097
km; oil 409 km; refined products 415 km (2004) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Riga,
Ventspils |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 53,153 GRT/37,414 DWT
by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 1, liquefied
gas 2, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 5, roll
on/roll off 1
registered in other countries: 86 (2005) |
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Airports:
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50 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
26
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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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 (2004 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Ground
Forces, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard, Home Guard
(Zemessardze) |
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Military service age and obligation:
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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) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 19-49: 517,713 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 19-49: 361,098 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males:
19,137 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$87
million (FY01) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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1.2%
(FY01) |
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Disputes - international:
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the
Latvian-Russian boundary treaty of 1997 remains unsigned
and unratified with Russia linking it to better Latvian
treatment of ethnic Russians and Latvian politicians
demanding Russian agreement to a declaration that admits
Soviet aggression during the Second World War and other
issues; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998
maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due
to concerns over oil exploration rights; as a member
state that forms part of the EU's external border,
Latvia must implement the strict Schengen border rules
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Illicit drugs:
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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 and the gaming
industry; organized crime (including counterfeiting,
corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and prostitution)
accounts for most laundered proceeds |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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