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Latvia
Background:
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The name "Latvia" originates from
the ancient Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed
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
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
23
land:
62,249 sq km
water:
2,340 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: 1,382
km
border countries:
Belarus 171 km, Estonia 343 km, Lithuania 576 km,
Russia 292 km
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Coastline:
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498 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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Current Weather
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:
Galzina Kalns 312 m
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Natural resources:
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peat, limestone,
dolomite, amber, hydropower, timber, arable land
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Land use:
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arable land: 28.19%
permanent crops:
0.45%
other:
71.36% (2005)
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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 (2003)
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Total
renewable water resources:
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49.9 cu km (2005)
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total: 0.25
cu km/yr (55%/33%/12%)
per capita:
108 cu m/yr (2003)
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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, Desertification,
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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2,217,969 (July 2010 est.)
41
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 13.4%
(male 152,059/female 144,891)
15-64 years:
69.6% (male 751,912/female 791,640)
65 years and over:
17% (male 123,289/female 254,178) (2010 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 40.4
years
male:
37.4 years
female:
43.5 years (2010 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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-0.602% (2010 est.)
26
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Birth rate:
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9.9 births/1,000
population (2010 est.)
95
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Death rate:
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13.6 deaths/1,000
population (July 2010 est.)
2
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Net migration rate:
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-2.32 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2010 est.)
40
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Urbanization:
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urban population: 68%
of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization:
-0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.054
male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.48 male(s)/female
total population:
0.86 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 8.59
deaths/1,000 live births
62
male:
10.41 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
6.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 72.42
years
22
male:
67.27 years
female:
77.84 years (2010 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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1.31 children born/woman
(2010 est.)
08
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.8% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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10,000 (2007 est.)
00
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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fewer than 500 (2007
est.)
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Major
infectious diseases:
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degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases:
tickborne encephalitis (2009)
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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 19.6%, Orthodox
15.3%, other Christian 1%, other 0.4%, unspecified 63.7% (2006)
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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:
99.7%
male:
99.8%
female:
99.7% (2000 census)
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School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
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total: 16
years
male:
14 years
female:
17 years (2006)
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Education expenditures:
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5.1% of GDP (2004)
country comparison to the world: 65
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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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name: Riga
geographic coordinates:
56 57 N, 24 06 E
time difference:
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time:
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October
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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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18 November 1918 (from
the Soviet Russia)
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 18
November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 was the date Latvia declared
itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 is when it declared
the renewal of independence; 21 August 1991 was the date of de facto
independence from the Soviet Union
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Constitution:
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15 February 1922;
restored to force by the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Latvia
adopted by the Supreme Council on 21 August 1991; multiple amendments
since
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Legal system:
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based on civil law system
with traces of Socialist legal traditions and practices; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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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
Valdis ZATLERS (since 8 July 2007)
head of government:
Prime Minister Valdis DOMBROVSKIS (since 12 March
2009)
cabinet:
Cabinet of Ministers nominated by the prime
minister and appointed by Parliament
elections:
president elected by Parliament for a four-year
term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 31 May 2007
(next to be held in 2011); prime minister appointed by the president,
confirmed by Parliament
election results:
Valdis ZATLERS elected president; parliamentary
vote - Valdis ZATLERS 58, Aivars ENDZINS 39
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Parliament or
Saeima (100 seats; members elected by proportional representation from
party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections:
last held on 7 October 2006 (next to be held in
October 2010)
election results:
percent of vote by party - TP 19.5%, ZZS 16.7%, JL
16.4%, SC 14.4%; LPP/LC 8.6%; TB/LNNK 6.9%; PCTVL 6%; seats by party -
TP 23, ZZS 18, JL 18, SC 17, LPP/LC 10, TB/LNNK 8, PCTVL 6; note - seats
by party as of November 2009 - TP 21, SC 18, ZZS 17, JL 15, LPP/LC 10,
Civic Union 6, TB/LNNK 5, PCTVL 5, independents 3
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court (judges'
appointments are confirmed by parliament); Constitutional Court (judges'
appointments are confirmed by parliament)
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Political parties and leaders:
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Civic Union [Sandra
KALNIETE, Girts Valdis KRISTOVSKIS]; First Party of Latvia/Latvia's Way
or LPP/LC [Ainars SLESERS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL
[Jakovs PLINERS, Tatjana ZDANOKA]; For the Fatherland and
Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement or TB/LNNK [Roberts ZILE,
Maris GRINBLATS]; Harmony Center or SC [Nils USAKOVS, Janis
URBANOVICS]; New Era Party or JL [Solvita ABOLTINA, Dzintars ZAKIS];
People's Party or TP [Andris SKELE]; Society for Different Politics or
SCP [Aigars STOKENBERGS; Artis PABRIKS]; The Union of Latvian Greens and
Farmers Party or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Free Trade Union
Confederation of Latvia [Peteris KRIGERS], Employers' Confederation of
Latvia [Elina EGLE], Farmers' Parliament [Juris LAZDINS]
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International organization participation:
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Australia Group, BA, BIS,
CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF
(observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador
Andrejs PILDEGOVICS
chancery:
2306 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 328-2840
FAX:
[1] (202) 328-2860
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador
Judith G. GARBER
embassy:
7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510
mailing address:
American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE
09723
telephone:
[371] 670-36200
FAX:
[371] 678-20047
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Flag description:
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three horizontal bands of
maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon; the flag is one of the
older banners in the world; a medieval chronicle mentions a red standard
with a white stripe being used by Latvian tribes in about 1280
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Economy - overview:
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Latvia's economy experienced GDP
growth of more than 10% per year during 2006-07 but entered a severe
recession in 2008 as a result of an unsustainable current account
deficit and large debt exposure amid the softening world economy. GDP
plunged nearly 18% in 2009 - the three former Soviet Baltic republics
had the world's worst declines last year. The IMF, EU, and other donors
provided assistance to Latvia as part of an agreement to defend the
currency's peg to the euro and reduce the fiscal deficit to about 5% of
GDP. 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.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$32.4 billion (2009 est.)
05
$39.41
billion (2008 est.)
$41.31
billion (2007 est.)
note:
data are in 2009 US dollars
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$24.48 billion (2009
est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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-17.8% (2009 est.)
13
-4.6%
(2008 est.)
10%
(2007 est.)
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$14,500 (2009 est.)
$17,600
(2008 est.)
$18,300
(2007 est.)
note:
data are in 2009 US dollars
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 3.8%
industry:
21.9%
services:
74.3% (2009 est.)
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Labor force:
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1.186 million (2009 est.)
39
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Labor force -
by occupation:
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agriculture: 12.1%
industry:
25.8%
services:
61.8% (2005 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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17.1% (2009 est.)
59
7.5%
(2008 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%: 2.7%
highest 10%:
27.4% (2004)
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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36 (2005)
32
(1999)
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Investment (gross fixed):
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21.3% of GDP (2009 est.)
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Budget:
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revenues: $8.901
billion
expenditures:
$11.24 billion (2009 est.)
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Public debt:
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36.1% of GDP (2009 est.)
19.5%
of GDP (2008 est.)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3.5% (2009 est.)
14
15.4%
(2008 est.)
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Central bank
discount rate:
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6% (31 December 2008)
6%
(31 December 2007)
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Commercial bank prime lending rate:
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11.85% (31 December 2008)
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Stock of money:
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$6.688 billion (31
December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 59
$8.196
billion (31 December 2007)
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Stock of quasi money:
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$5.572 billion (31
December 2008)
$5.113
billion (31 December 2007)
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Stock of
domestic credit:
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$28.96 billion (31
December 2008)
$27.56
billion (31 December 2007)
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Market value of publicly traded shares:
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$1.872 billion (31
December 2009)
$1.609
billion (31 December 2008)
$3.111
billion (31 December 2007)
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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
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Industrial production growth rate:
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-22.8% (2009 est.)
64
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Electricity -
production:
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4.62 billion kWh (2007
est.)
14
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Electricity -
consumption:
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6.822 billion kWh (2007
est.)
01
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Electricity - exports:
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2.123 billion kWh (2008
est.)
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Electricity - imports:
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4.643 billion kWh (2008
est.)
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
61
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Oil - consumption:
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39,000 bbl/day (2008
est.)
04
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Oil - exports:
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5,873 bbl/day (2007 est.)
02
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Oil - imports:
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43,400 bbl/day (2007
est.)
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Oil - proved reserves:
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0 bbl (1 January 2009
est.)
62
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Natural gas -
production:
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
69
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Natural gas -
consumption:
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2.05 billion cu m (2008
est.)
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
66
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Natural gas - imports:
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2.05 billion cu m (2008
est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
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Current account balance:
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$2.53 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
-$4.493
billion (2008 est.)
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Exports:
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$7.223 billion (2009
est.)
$9.634
billion (2008 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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Lithuania 15.4%, Russia
14.7%, Estonia 13.1%, Germany 7.6%, Sweden 6.2%, Denmark 4.3% (2008)
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Imports:
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$8.906 billion (2009
est.)
$15.65
billion (2008 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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Lithuania 16%, Germany
12.8%, Russia 10.6%, Poland 7%, Estonia 7%, Sweden 4.3%, Finland 4.3%
(2008)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$6.907 billion (31
December 2009 est.)
$5.248
billion (31 December 2008 est.)
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Debt - external:
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$38.01 billion (31
December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
$42.26
billion (31 December 2008)
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Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
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$11.61 billion (31
December 2009 est.)
$11.54
billion (31 December 2008 est.)
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Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
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$1.037 billion (31
December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
$1.054
billion (31 December 2008 est.)
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Exchange rates:
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lati (LVL) per US dollar -
0.5157 (2009), 0.4701 (2008), 0.5162 (2007), 0.5597 (2006), 0.5647
(2005)
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Telephones - main lines in use:
|
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644,000 (2008)
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Telephones -
mobile cellular:
|
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2.234 million (2008)
21
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: recent
efforts focused on bringing competition to the telecommunications
sector; the number of fixed lines is decreasing as mobile-cellular
telephone service expands
domestic:
number of telecommunications operators has grown
rapidly since the fixed-line market opened to competition in 2003;
combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership exceeds 125 per
100 persons
international:
country code - 371; the Latvian network is now
connected via fiber optic cable to Estonia, Finland, and Sweden (2008)
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 8, FM 62, shortwave 1
(2008)
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Television
broadcast stations:
|
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37 (plus 31 repeaters)
(2008)
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Internet country code:
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.lv
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Internet hosts:
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257,414 (2009)
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Internet users:
|
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1.254 million (2008)
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Airports:
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43 (2009)
00
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 20
over 3,047 m:
1
2,438 to 3,047 m:
3
1,524 to 2,437 m:
5
914 to 1,523 m:
3
under 914 m:
8 (2009)
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 23
under 914 m:
23 (2009)
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Pipelines:
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gas 948 km; refined
products 415 km (2009)
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Railways:
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total: 2,298
km
country comparison to the world: 68
broad gauge:
2,265 km 1.520-m gauge
narrow gauge:
33 km 0.750-m gauge (2008)
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Roadways:
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total: 73,074
km
country comparison to the world: 65
paved:
14,459 km
unpaved:
58,615 km (2010)
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Waterways:
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300 km (2007)
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Merchant marine:
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total: 22
by type:
cargo 8, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 2,
passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned:
2 (Estonia 2)
registered in other countries:
118 (Antigua and Barbuda 13, Belize 12, Cambodia
1, Cook Islands 1, Cyprus 1, Dominica 1, Jamaica 1, Liberia 21, Malta
19, Marshall Islands 16, Panama 8, Russia 2, Saint Kitts and Nevis 5,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 17) (2008)
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Ports and terminals:
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Riga, Ventspils
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Military branches:
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National Armed Forces (Nacionalo
Brunoto Speku): Ground Forces, Navy (Latvijas Juras Speki; includes
Coast Guard (Latvijas Kara Flotes)), Latvian Air Force (Latvijas Gaisa
Speki), Border Guard, Latvian Home Guard (Latvijas Zemessardze) (2010)
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Military service age and obligation:
|
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18 years of age for
voluntary male and female military service; conscription abolished
January 2007; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in
the armed forces for life (2009)
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Manpower available for military service:
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males age 16-49: 554,943
females age 16-49:
550,700 (2010 est.)
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males age 16-49: 406,592
females age 16-49:
456,071 (2010 est.)
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Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
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male: 11,536
female:
11,058 (2010 est.)
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Military expenditures:
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1.2% of GDP (2005 est.)
25
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| Transnational Issues
::Latvia |
Disputes - international:
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Russia demands better Latvian
treatment of ethnic Russians in Latvia; as of January 2007, ground
demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was complete and mapped with
final ratification documentation in preparation; 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 has implemented the
strict Schengen border rules with Russia
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Illicit drugs:
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transshipment and
destination point for cocaine, synthetic drugs, opiates, and cannabis
from Southwest Asia, Western Europe, Latin America, and neighboring
Balkan countries; despite improved legislation, vulnerable to money
laundering due to nascent enforcement capabilities and comparatively
weak regulation of offshore companies and the gaming industry; CIS
organized crime (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen
cars, and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds
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