rapidly; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership
approaching 30 per 100 persons
international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1
Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 7, FM 14, shortwave 2 (2006)
Television broadcast stations:
7 (includes 1 station relaying Vietnam Television from Hanoi) (2006)
Internet country code:
.la
Internet hosts:
1,661 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 152
Internet users:
130,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 145
Transportation ::Laos
Airports:
41 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 103
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 32
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 21 (2009)
Pipelines:
refined products 540 km (2008)
Roadways:
total: 29,811 km
country comparison to the world: 97
paved: 4,010 km
unpaved: 25,801 km (2006)
Waterways:
4,600 km
country comparison to the world: 24
note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,900 additional km are
intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2008)
Merchant marine:
total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT
country comparison to the world: 159
by type: cargo 1 (2008)
Military ::Laos
Military branches:
Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF): Lao People's Army (LPA; includes
Riverine Force), Air Force (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
15 years of age for compulsory military service; minimum 18-month
conscript service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,549,774
females age 16-49: 1,570,702 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,023,205
females age 16-49: 1,085,197 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 75,310
female: 74,498 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.5% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 162
Military - note:
serving one of the world's least developed countries, the Lao
People's Armed Forces (LPAF) is small, poorly funded, and
ineffectively resourced; its mission focus is border and internal
security, primarily in countering ethnic Hmong insurgent groups;
together with the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the
government, the Lao People's Army (LPA) is the third pillar of state
machinery, and as such is expected to suppress political and civil
unrest and similar national emergencies, but the LPA also has
upgraded skills to respond to avian influenza outbreaks; there is no
perceived external threat to the state and the LPA maintains strong
ties with the neighboring Vietnamese military (2008)
Transnational Issues ::Laos
Disputes - international:
Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check
the spread of avian flu; talks continue on completion of demarcation
with Thailand but disputes remain over islands in the Mekong River;
concern among Mekong Commission members that China's construction of
dams on the Mekong River will affect water levels
Illicit drugs:
estimated opium poppy cultivation in 2008 was 1,900 hectares, about
a 73% increase from 2007; estimated potential opium production in
2008 more than tripled to 17 metric tons; unsubstantiated reports of
domestic methamphetamine production; growing domestic
methamphetamine problem (2007)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Latvia (Europe)
Introduction ::Latvia
Background:
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.
Geography ::Latvia
Location:
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and
Lithuania
Geographic coordinates:
57 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 64,589 sq km
country comparison to the world: 123
land: 62,249 sq km
water: 2,340 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
total: 1,382 km
border countries: Belarus 171 km, Estonia 343 km, Lithuania 576 km,
Russia 292 km
Coastline:
498 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
maritime; wet, moderate winters
Terrain:
low plain
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Galzina Kalns 312 m
Natural resources:
peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 28.19%
permanent crops: 0.45%
other: 71.36% (2005)
Irrigated land:
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)
Total renewable water resources:
49.9 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.25 cu km/yr (55%/33%/12%)
per capita: 108 cu m/yr (2003)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
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
Environment - international agreements:
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
Geography - note:
most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with
some hills in the east
People ::Latvia
Population:
2,231,503 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
Age structure:
0-14 years: 13.3% (male 152,472/female 145,161)
15-64 years: 69.6% (male 756,469/female 797,505)
65 years and over: 17% (male 124,432/female 255,464) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 40.1 years
male: 37.1 years
female: 43.3 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.614% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 228
Birth rate:
9.78 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196
Death rate:
13.62 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
Net migration rate:
-2.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
Urbanization:
urban population: 68% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: -0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female
total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.77 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 161
male: 10.63 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.15 years
country comparison to the world: 119
male: 66.98 years
female: 77.59 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.3 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.8% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
10,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Latvian(s)
adjective: Latvian
Ethnic groups:
Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%,
Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)
Religions:
Lutheran 19.6%, Orthodox 15.3%, other Christian 1%, other 0.4%,
unspecified 63.7% (2006)
Languages:
Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other 4.3%
(2000 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.7% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years
male: 14 years
female: 17 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5.1% of GDP (2004)
country comparison to the world: 66
Government ::Latvia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Latvia
conventional short form: Latvia
local long form: Latvijas Republika
local short form: Latvija
former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
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
Administrative divisions:
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
Independence:
18 November 1918 (from the Soviet Russia)
National holiday:
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
Constitution:
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
Legal system:
based on civil law system with traces of Socialist legal traditions
and practices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Valdis ZATLERS (since 8 July 2007)
head of government: Prime Minister Valdis DOMBROVSKIS (since 12
March 2009)
cabinet: Council 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 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
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by
proportional representation from party lists by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 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 January 2009 - TP 21, SC 18, ZZS 17, JL 14,
LPP/LC 10, Civic Union 7, TB/LNNK 5, PCTVL 5, independents 3
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by parliament);
Constitutional Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by
parliament)
Political parties and leaders:
Civic Union [Sandra KALNIETE, Girts Valdis KRISTOVSKIS]; First Party
of Latvia/Latvia's Way or LPP/LC [Ainars SLESERS, Ivars GODMANIS];
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
[Mareks SEGLINS]; Society for Different Politics or SCP [Aigars
STOKENBERGS; Artis PABRIKS]; The Union of Latvian Greens and Farmers
Party or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia [Peteris KRIGERS],
Employers' Confederation of Latvia [Elina EGLE], Farmers' Parliament
[Juris LAZDINS]
International organization participation:
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, WEU (associate
partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Andrejs PILDEGOVICS
chancery: 2306 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 328-2840
FAX: [1] (202) 328-2860
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Bruce ROGERS
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
Flag description:
three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and
maroon
Economy ::Latvia
Economy - overview:
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. 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. The current account deficit and inflation
remain major concerns.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$38.95 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
$40.83 billion (2007 est.)
$37.12 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$33.98 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-4.6% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 216
10% (2007 est.)
12.2% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$17,300 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
$18,100 (2007 est.)
$16,300 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.1%
industry: 22.7%
services: 74.2% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
1.193 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 12.1%
industry: 25.8%
services: 61.8% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
7.5% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
5.7% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.7%
highest 10%: 27.4% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36 (2005)
country comparison to the world: 84
32 (1999)
Investment (gross fixed):
30.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23
Budget:
revenues: $12.06 billion
expenditures: $13.41 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
19.5% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
11.8% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
15.4% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192
10.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 76
6% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
11.85% (31 December 2008)
Stock of money:
$6.688 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 48
$8.196 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$5.572 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 64
$5.113 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$28.96 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 54
$27.56 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.609 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 91
$3.111 billion (31 December 2007)
$2.705 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs;
fish
Industries:
buses, vans, street and railroad cars; synthetic fibers,
agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios,
electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note -
dependent on imports for energy and raw materials
Industrial production growth rate:
-4.5% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
Electricity - production:
4.62 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
Electricity - consumption:
6.822 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
Electricity - exports:
2.123 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
4.643 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
Oil - consumption:
39,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
Oil - exports:
5,873 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
Oil - imports:
43,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
Natural gas - consumption:
2.05 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 76
Natural gas - imports:
2.05 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
Current account balance:
-$4.492 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
-$6.485 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$9.634 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
$8.227 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles,
foodstuffs
Exports - partners:
Lithuania 15.5%, Russia 14.7%, Estonia 13.2%, Germany 7.7%, Sweden
6.2%, Denmark 4.3% (2008)
Imports:
$15.65 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
$15.13 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles
Imports - partners:
Lithuania 16.1%, Germany 12.9%, Russia 10.7%, Poland 7%, Estonia 7%,
Sweden 4.4%, Finland 4.3% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$5.248 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81
$5.758 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$42.26 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 57
$38.95 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$11.21 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
$9.779 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.083 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
$782 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
lati (LVL) per US dollar - 0.4701 (2008 est.), 0.5162 (2007), 0.5597
(2006), 0.5647 (2005), 0.5402 (2004)
Communications ::Latvia
Telephones - main lines in use:
644,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 92
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.234 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 119
Telephone system:
general assessment: recent efforts focused on bringing competition
to the telecommunications sector; the number of fixed lines is
decreasing as wireless 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)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 62, shortwave 1 (2008)
Television broadcast stations:
37 (plus 31 repeaters) (2008)
Internet country code:
.lv
Internet hosts:
257,414 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 60
Internet users:
1.254 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 82
Transportation ::Latvia
Airports:
43 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 100
Airports - with paved runways:
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)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 23
under 914 m: 23 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 948 km; refined products 415 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 2,298 km
country comparison to the world: 67
broad gauge: 2,265 km 1.520-m gauge
narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 69,675 km
country comparison to the world: 68
paved: 69,675 km (2006)
Waterways:
300 km (2007)
country comparison to the world: 93
Merchant marine:
total: 22
country comparison to the world: 95
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)
Ports and terminals:
Riga, Ventspils
Military ::Latvia
Military branches:
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) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
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)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 568,683
females age 16-49: 565,826 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 410,374
females age 16-49: 463,144 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 12,901
female: 12,497 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.2% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
Transnational Issues ::Latvia
Disputes - international:
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
Illicit drugs: