Latvia - Tourism and Travel

The republic of Latvia is a country in northern Europe. It has coasts on the Gulf of Riga and the Baltic Sea.

Latvia has an area of 24,938 square miles (64,589 square kilometers).

Close to the coast, Latvia is flat, but in the interior of the country, the land is hilly, with lakes and forests.

The Vidzeme Uplands are a hilly region in northern Latvia with a mixture of pasture and forest.

The Western Dvina River, which runs through northern Belarus and Latvia, is a source of hydroelectric power.

Latvia has a modified continental climate.

The capital of Latvia, Riga, is a busy seaport and the country's cultural and economic center.

2,249,000 people live in Latvia, one third of them in Riga.

59% of Latvia's population is Latvian, 29% is Russian, 4% is Belorussian, 3% is Polish and 3% is Ukrainian.

Latvian is the official language. Russian is also spoken.

55% of the people are Lutheran, 24% are Roman Catholic and 9% are Christian Orthodox.

Many of the people engage in crop and livestock farming.

Important industries are wood and wood products, textiles, food products and transport equipment.

Latvia has a parliamentary system of government.

The official currency of Latvia is the lats, which is equal to 100 santimi.

Latvia used to be a Soviet republic. It became independent in 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Latvia has been a member of the European Union since 2004.