Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/1115

Rh LATVIA.

Latvia, along the southern part of the Baltic littoral, is inhabited chiefly by Letts. As early as the 13th century the Letts fought against the Germans (battle of Durbe, 1260), but in the long run the Germans carried the day, and the state created by the Teutonic Order under the form of a Federal Republic (consisting of Esthonia, Latgale, Livonia, and Courland) lasted until 1560. Eventually, Esthonia passed under the rule of Sweden, Latgale and Livonia under that of Lithuania-Poland, while Piltene and Oesel became Danish. Courland alone retained her independence under the form of a vassal duchy of Lithuania-Poland. In 1621 Livonia was annexed by Sweden, and in 1710 by Russia. In 1772, after the first partition of Poland, Latgale was assigned to Russia, and in 1795 Courland joined Russia. From this time onwards, Latvia was under Russian rule.

In 1917 Lettish public opinion expressed itself in favour of the separate existence of Latvia, and announced its view officially in the Russian Constituent Assembly in January 1918. An organization for establishing the independence of the country was formed, and on November 18, 1918, it proclaimed in Riga the sovereign Free State of Latvia, which was recognised as an independent State by Finland, Belgium, France, Great Britain, Italy, and Japan, on January 26, 1921; by Germany on February 1, and by Denmark, Norway, and Sweden on February 4, 1921.

Constitution and Government.—The present Constituent Assembly, elected on April 17 and 18, 1920, on the basis of universal suffrage for citizens of both sexes, 21 years of age, by equal, direct, and secret vote, and based on proportional representation, consists of 152 members, divided into the following political groups:—Social-Democrats, 58; Labour party, 6; Democrats, 6; Agiarian party of landless peasants, 3; landless peasants and small farmers' party, 2; Latgallen people's party, 1; Union of Farmers, 26; Latgallen peasants' party, 17; Christian farmers party of Latgallen, 6; independent citizens' party, 6; Christian nationalists, 3; Germans, 6; Jews, 6; Russians. 4; Poles. 1.

The Constituent Assembly met on May 1, 1920, and after the resignation of the Provisional Government, a Coalition Government, responsible to the Constituent Assembly, was formed, all parties, with the exception of the Social-Democrats, participating. After the elaboration of the Constitution of the Latvian State, the Constituent Assembly will be replaced by a regular parliament.

The Ministries are those of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Finance, National Defence, Trade and Industry, Public Works, Public Instruction, Agriculture, Justice, Supplies, and the State Controller.

The national flag is made up of horizontal stripes of red, white and red.

Prime Minister.—K. Ulmanis.

Area and Population.—Latvia consists of the former Russian Province of Courland (about 10,435 square miles), four southern districts (Riga, Wenden, Wolmar, Walk) of the former Russian province of Livonia (about 8,715 square miles) and three western districts (Dvinsk, Reshitza, Lutsin) of the former Russian province of Vitebsk (about 5,292 square miles), making a total of about 24,440 square miles, or, including inland lakes, about 25,000 square miles. The total length of the frontier line of Latvia is 1,040 statute miles, with a coast line of 338 statute miles.

The chief towns are Riga (the capital of Latvia), population (1914) 569,100,