Several eastern Baltic tribes merged in medieval times to form the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region subsequently came under the control of Germans, Poles, Swedes, and finally, Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I, but it was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia 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 25% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004; it joined the euro zone in 2014 and the OECD in 2016. A dual citizenship law was adopted in 2013, easing naturalization for non-citizen children.
land: 62,249 sq km
water: 2,340 sq km
border countries (4): Belarus 161 km; Estonia 333 km; Lithuania 544 km; Russia 332 km
exclusive economic zone: limits as agreed to by Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Sweden, and Russia
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
mean elevation: 87 m
arable land: 18.6% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 10.5% (2018 est.)
forest: 54.1% (2018 est.)
other: 16.7% (2018 est.)
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
1,821,750 (2023 est.)
noun: Latvian(s)
adjective: Latvian
Latvian 62.7%, Russian 24.5%, Belarusian 3.1%, Ukrainian 2.2%, Polish 2%, Lithuanian 1.1%, other 1.8%, unspecified 2.6% (2021 est.)
Latvian (official) 56.3%, Russian 33.8%, other 0.6% (includes Polish, Ukrainian, and Belarusian), unspecified 9.4%; note - data represent language usually spoken at home (2011 est.)
major-language sample(s):
World Factbook, neaizstājams avots pamata informāciju. (Latvian)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Lutheran 36.2%, Roman Catholic 19.5%, Orthodox 19.1%, other Christian 1.6%, other 0.1%, unspecified/none 23.5% (2017 est.)
0-14 years: 14.92% (male 139,877/female 131,839)
15-64 years: 63.37% (male 570,902/female 583,578)
65 years and over: 21.71% (2023 est.) (male 134,809/female 260,745)
total dependency ratio: 59.3
youth dependency ratio: 24.9
elderly dependency ratio: 34.4
potential support ratio: 2.9 (2021 est.)
total: 45.2 years (2023 est.)
male: 41.3 years
female: 48.9 years
-1.13% (2023 est.)
8.5 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
14.7 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
-5.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)
largest concentration of people is found in and around the port and capital city of Riga; small agglomerations are scattered throughout the country
urban population: 68.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: -0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
621,000 RIGA (capital) (2023)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female
total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
27.3 years (2020 est.)
18 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
total: 4.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 5.2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.3 deaths/1,000 live births
total population: 76.2 years (2023 est.)
male: 71.8 years
female: 80.8 years
1.55 children born/woman (2023 est.)
0.76 (2023 est.)
NA
improved: urban: 99.9% of population
rural: 98.6% of population
total: 99.5% of population
unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population
rural: 1.4% of population
total: 0.5% of population (2020 est.)
7.5% of GDP (2020)
3.4 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
5.5 beds/1,000 population (2018)
improved: urban: 98.9% of population
rural: 85.3% of population
total: 94.6% of population
unimproved: urban: 1.1% of population
rural: 14.7% of population
total: 5.4% of population (2020 est.)
degree of risk: intermediate (2023)
vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis
23.6% (2016)
total: 12.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 4.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 1.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 5.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total: 37% (2020 est.)
male: 50.3% (2020 est.)
female: 23.7% (2020 est.)
21.1% (2020/21) NA
49.1% (2023 est.)
6% of GDP (2020 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.9%
male: 99.9%
female: 99.9% (2021)
total: 16 years
male: 16 years
female: 17 years (2020)
while land, water, and air pollution are evident, Latvia’s environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; improvements have occurred in drinking water quality, sewage treatment, household and hazardous waste management, as well as reduction of air pollution; concerns include nature protection and the management of water resources and the protection of the Baltic Sea
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
maritime; wet, moderate winters
agricultural land: 29.2% (2018 est.)
arable land: 18.6% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 10.5% (2018 est.)
forest: 54.1% (2018 est.)
other: 16.7% (2018 est.)
urban population: 68.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: -0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
0.85% of GDP (2018 est.)
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
particulate matter emissions: 12.02 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 7 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 1.85 megatons (2020 est.)
municipal solid waste generated annually: 857,000 tons (2015 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 181,941 tons (2015 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 21.2% (2015 est.)
municipal: 90 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 40 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 60 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
34.94 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
high-income, EU-member Baltic economy; export-driven; Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused a temporary labor force surge and impacted growth due to Russian trade reliance; highly developed transit services
$60.457 billion (2021 est.)
$58.094 billion (2020 est.)
$59.403 billion (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
4.07% (2021 est.)
-2.2% (2020 est.)
2.57% (2019 est.)
$32,100 (2021 est.)
$30,600 (2020 est.)
$31,000 (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
$34.084 billion (2019 est.)
3.28% (2021 est.)
0.22% (2020 est.)
2.81% (2019 est.)
Fitch rating: A- (2014)
Moody’s rating: A3 (2015)
Standard & Poors rating: A+ (2020)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
agriculture: 3.9% (2017 est.)
industry: 22.4% (2017 est.)
services: 73.7% (2017 est.)comparison rankings:
household consumption: 61.8% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 18.2% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 19.9% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.5% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 60.6% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -61.9% (2017 est.)
wheat, milk, rapeseed, barley, oats, potatoes, rye, beans, pork, poultry
processed foods, processed wood products, textiles, processed metals, pharmaceuticals, railroad cars, synthetic fibers, electronics
1.93% (2021 est.)
955,000 (2021 est.)
7.6% (2021 est.)
8.1% (2020 est.)
6.31% (2019 est.)
total: 15.5% (2021 est.)
male: 12%
female: 19.6%
22.9% (2018 est.)
34.5 (2019 est.)
on food: 17.3% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 7.9% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
lowest 10%: 2.2%
highest 10%: 26.3% (2015)
revenues: $12.931 billion (2020 est.)
expenditures: $14.242 billion (2020 est.)
-0.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
36.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
37.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
note: data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities, including sub-sectors of central government, state government, local government, and social security funds
21.77% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
calendar year
-$1.7 billion (2021 est.)
$918.67 million (2020 est.)
-$200.203 million (2019 est.)
$25.248 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$20.768 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$20.539 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Lithuania 17%, Estonia 9%, United Kingdom 8%, Germany 7%, Russia 7% (2021)
lumber, wheat, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicines, fuel woods, hard liquors (2021)
$26.622 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$20.427 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$20.765 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Lithuania 15%, Russia 14%, Germany 9%, Poland 8%, Estonia 8% (2021)
refined petroleum, packaged medicines, broadcasting equipment, electricity, cars, natural gas (2021)
$5.491 billion (31 December 2021 est.)
$5.29 billion (31 December 2020 est.)
$4.48 billion (31 December 2019 est.)
$40.164 billion (2019 est.)
$42.488 billion (2018 est.)
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
0.845 (2021 est.)
0.876 (2020 est.)
0.893 (2019 est.)
0.847 (2018 est.)
0.885 (2017 est.)
electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
installed generating capacity: 3.089 million kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 6.706 billion kWh (2020 est.)
exports: 2.548 billion kWh (2020 est.)
imports: 4.173 billion kWh (2020 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 377 million kWh (2020 est.)comparison rankings:
fossil fuels: 33.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 3.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 47.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 15.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 39,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 3,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 40,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
total petroleum production: 1,600 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 39,900 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
16,180 bbl/day (2017 est.)
54,370 bbl/day (2017 est.)
production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
consumption: 1.068 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
imports: 1.068 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
8.45 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 149,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 5.693 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 2.608 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
86.645 million Btu/person (2019 est.)
number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 53
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 4,058,762 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 4.01 million (2018) mt-km
YL
42 (2021)
18
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
24
note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
1 (2021)
1,213 km gas, 417 km refined products (2018)
total: 2,216 km (2020) 257 km electrified
total: 70,244 km (2018)
paved: 15,158 km (2018)
unpaved: 55,086 km (2018)
300 km (2010) (navigable year-round)
total: 80 (2022)
by type: container ship 2, general cargo 30, oil tanker 9, other 39
major seaport(s): Riga, Ventspils
Latvia operates one PC 5 or 6 class icebreaker in the Baltic Sea
note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel: PC 5 - year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 70-120 cm); PC 6 - summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 30-70 cm)
manyapis