CIA World Fact Book, 2004/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.
 * }


 * }

!| Location: !| Geographic coordinates: !| Map references: !| Area: water: 1,000 sq km land: 63,589 sq km !| Area - comparative: !| Land boundaries: border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km !| Coastline: !| Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation !| Climate: !| Terrain: !| Elevation extremes: highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m !| Natural resources: !| Land use: permanent crops: 0.47% other: 69.86% (2001) !| Irrigated land: 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.) !| Natural hazards: !| Environment - current issues: !| Environment - international agreements: signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants !| Geography - note:
 * Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania
 * 57 00 N, 25 00 E
 * Europe
 * total: 64,589 sq km
 * slightly larger than West Virginia
 * total: 1,150 km
 * 531 km
 * territorial sea: 12 nm
 * maritime; wet, moderate winters
 * low plain
 * lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
 * peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land
 * arable land: 29.67%
 * 200 sq km
 * NA
 * 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, and 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
 * party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
 * most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east
 * }


 * }

!| Population: !| Age structure: 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: male: 35.6 years female: 41.9 years (2004 est.) !| Population growth rate: !| Birth rate: !| Death rate: !| Net migration rate: !| Sex ratio: 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: female: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 11.45 deaths/1,000 live births !| Life expectancy at birth: male: 65.91 years female: 76.09 years (2004 est.) !| Total fertility rate: !| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: !| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: !| HIV/AIDS - deaths: !| Nationality: adjective: Latvian !| Ethnic groups: !| Religions: !| Languages: !| Literacy: total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2003 est.)
 * 2,306,306 (July 2004 est.)
 * 0-14 years: 15% (male 177,223; female 169,241)
 * total: 38.8 years
 * -0.71% (2004 est.)
 * 8.87 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 13.73 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * -2.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
 * total: 9.67 deaths/1,000 live births
 * total population: 70.86 years
 * 1.25 children born/woman (2004 est.)
 * 0.4% (2001 est.)
 * 5,000 (2001 est.)
 * less than 500 (2003 est.)
 * noun: Latvian(s)
 * Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)
 * Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox
 * Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other
 * definition: age 15 and over can read and write
 * }


 * }

!| Country name: conventional short form: Latvia local short form: Latvija former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic local long form: Latvijas Republika !| Government type: !| Capital: !| Administrative divisions: !| Independence: !| National holiday: !| Constitution: !| Legal system: !| Suffrage: !| Executive branch: 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: 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: !| Political parties and leaders: !| Political pressure groups and leaders: !| International organization participation: !| Diplomatic representation in the US: FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785 telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214 chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 !| Diplomatic representation from the US: 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:
 * conventional long form: Republic of Latvia
 * parliamentary democracy
 * Riga
 * 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
 * 21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
 * 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
 * 15 February 1922; an October 1998 amendment on Fundamental Human Rights replaced the 1991 Constitutional Law, which had supplemented the constitution
 * based on civil law system
 * 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
 * chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999)
 * unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
 * Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)
 * Alliance of the Greens and Farmers Union or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS (Farmer's Union); Indulis EMSIS (Green Party)]; First Party of Latvia [Ainars SLESERS]; 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]; Union for the Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK or TB/LNNK [Janis STRAUME]; United Social Democratic Welfare Party or SLP [Juris ZURAVLOVS]; United Republican Party of Latvia or LARP
 * Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB) [Aleksandr KAZAKOV]
 * 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, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
 * chief of mission: Ambassador Maris RIEKSTINS
 * chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine Todd-Bailey
 * three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon
 * }


 * }

!| Economy - overview: !| GDP: !| GDP - real growth rate: !| GDP - per capita: !| GDP - composition by sector: industry: 24.5% services: 70.9% (2003) !| Investment (gross fixed): !| Population below poverty line: !| Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%: 25.9% (1998) !| Distribution of family income - Gini index: !| Inflation rate (consumer prices): !| Labor force: !| Labor force - by occupation: !| Unemployment rate: !| Budget: expenditures: $3.871 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.) !| Public debt: !| Agriculture - products: !| Industries: !| Industrial production growth rate: !| Electricity - production: !| Electricity - consumption: !| Electricity - exports: !| Electricity - imports: !| Oil - production: !| Oil - consumption: !| Oil - exports: !| Oil - imports: !| Natural gas - production: !| Natural gas - consumption: !| Natural gas - exports: !| Natural gas - imports: !| Current account balance: !| Exports: !| Exports - commodities: !| Exports - partners: !| Imports: !| Imports - commodities: !| Imports - partners: !| Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: !| Debt - external: !| Economic aid - recipient: !| Currency: !| Currency code: !| Exchange rates: !| Fiscal year:
 * Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian financial crisis, largely due to the SKELE 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. Preparing for EU membership continues as a top foreign policy goal. 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.
 * purchasing power parity - $23.9 billion (2003 est.)
 * 7.4% (2003 est.)
 * purchasing power parity - $10,200 (2003 est.)
 * agriculture: 4.5%
 * 27.1% of GDP (2003)
 * NA
 * lowest 10%: 2.9%
 * 32 (1999)
 * 2.9% (2003 est.)
 * 1.18 million (2003 est.)
 * agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.)
 * 8.6% (2003 est.)
 * revenues: $3.691 billion
 * 14.4% of GDP (2003)
 * grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish
 * 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
 * 8% (2003 est.)
 * 4.365 billion kWh (2001)
 * 6.046 billion kWh (2001)
 * 703 million kWh (2001)
 * 2.69 billion kWh (2001)
 * 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * 44,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * NA (2001)
 * NA (2001)
 * 0 cu m (2001 est.)
 * 1.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)
 * 0 cu m (2001 est.)
 * 1.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)
 * $-955.9 million (2003)
 * $3 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
 * wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs
 * UK 15.6%, Germany 14.8%, Sweden 10.5%, Lithuania 8.2%, Estonia 6.6%, Denmark 6%, Russia 5.4% (2003)
 * $4.921 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
 * machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles
 * Germany 16.1%, Lithuania 9.7%, Russia 8.7%, Finland 7.4%, Estonia 6.4%, Sweden 6.3%, Poland 5.1%, Italy 4.4% (2003)
 * $1.535 billion (2003)
 * $6.793 billion (2003 est.)
 * $96.2 million (1995)
 * Latvian lat (LVL)
 * LVL
 * lati per US dollar - 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182 (2002), 0.6279 (2001), 0.6065 (2000), 0.5852 (1999)
 * calendar year
 * }


 * }

!| Telephones - main lines in use: !| Telephones - mobile cellular: !| Telephone system: 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: !| Radios: !| Television broadcast stations: !| Televisions: !| Internet country code: !| Internet hosts: !| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): !| Internet users:
 * 653,900 (2003)
 * 1,219,600 (2003)
 * 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
 * AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)
 * 1.76 million (1997)
 * 44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)
 * 1.22 million (1997)
 * .lv
 * 51,758 (2004)
 * 41 (2001)
 * 936,000 (2003)
 * }


 * }

!| Railways: broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2003) !| Highways: paved: 28,256 km unpaved: 44,946 km (2000) !| Waterways: !| Pipelines: !| Ports and harbors: !| Merchant marine: foreign-owned: Germany 1, Greece 1, Ukraine 1 registered in other countries: 96 (2004 est.) by type: cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 1 !| Airports: !| Airports - with paved runways: 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: 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.)
 * total: 2,303 km
 * total: 73,202 km
 * 300 km (2004)
 * gas 1,097 km; oil 409 km; refined products 415 km (2004)
 * Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils
 * total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 53,153 GRT/37,414 DWT
 * 51 (2003 est.)
 * total: 27
 * total: 24
 * }


 * }

!| Military branches: !| Military manpower - military age and obligation: !| Military manpower - availability: !| Military manpower - fit for military service: !| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: !| Military expenditures - dollar figure: !| Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
 * Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze)
 * 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)
 * males age 15-49: 594,596 (2004 est.)
 * males age 15-49: 466,659 (2004 est.)
 * males: 19,209 (2004 est.)
 * $87 million (FY01)
 * 1.2% (FY01)
 * }