NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Republic of Latvia
Latvijas Republika
former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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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 continues to revamp its economy for eventual integration into various Western European political and economic institutions. |
GEOGRAPHY
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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
water: 1,000 sq km land: 63,589 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: 1,150 km
border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km |
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Coastline:
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531 km |
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Maritime claims:
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continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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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: Gaizinkalns 312 m |
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Natural resources:
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peat, limestone, dolomite, hydropower, wood, arable land, minimal; amber |
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Land use:
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arable land: 29.01%
permanent crops: 0.48% other: 70.51% (1998 est.) |
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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 (1998 est.) |
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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, 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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
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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 |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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2,366,515 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 15.8% (male 191,116; female 182,692)
15-64 years: 68.6% (male 775,481; female 847,261) 65 years and over: 15.6% (male 120,304; female 249,661) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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-0.77% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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8.27 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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14.74 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female total population: 0.85 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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14.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 69 years
female: 75.17 years (2002 est.) male: 63.13 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.18 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.12% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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1,792 (15 January 2002) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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36 (15 January 2002) |
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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% |
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Religions:
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Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox |
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Languages:
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Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8% male: NA% female: NA% |