|
2 definitions found
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
Latvia
n : a republic in northeastern Europe on the eastern coast of
the Baltic Sea [syn: {Republic of Latvia}]
From CIA World Factbook 2002 [world02]:
Latvia
Introduction Latvia
-------------------
Background: 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 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
water: 1,000 sq km
land: 63,589 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries: total: 1,150 km
border countries: Belarus 141 km,
Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km,
Russia 217 km
Coastline: 531 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to
the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: maritime; wet, moderate winters
Terrain: low plain
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m
Natural resources: peat, limestone, dolomite,
hydropower, wood, arable land,
minimal; amber
Land use: arable land: 29.01%
permanent crops: 0.48%
other: 70.51% (1998 est.)
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 (1998
est.)
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, 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
Environment - international party to: Air Pollution,
agreements: 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
Geography - note: most of the country is composed of
fertile, low-lying plains, with some
hills in the east
People Latvia
-------------
Population: 2,366,515 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 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.)
Population growth rate: -0.77% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 8.27 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 14.74 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: -1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 est.)
Sex ratio: 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.)
Infant mortality rate: 14.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69 years
female: 75.17 years (2002 est.)
male: 63.13 years
Total fertility rate: 1.18 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.12% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 1,792 (15 January 2002)
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 36 (15 January 2002)
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%
Religions: Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian
Orthodox
Languages: Latvian (official), Lithuanian,
Russian, other
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 99.8%
male: NA%
female: NA%
Government Latvia
-----------------
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of
Latvia
conventional short form: Latvia
local short form: Latvija
former: Latvian Soviet Socialist
Republic
local long form: Latvijas Republika
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Riga
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: 21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 18 November
(1918); note - 18 November 1918 is
the date of independence from Soviet
Russia, 21 August 1991 is the date
of independence from the Soviet
Union
Constitution: the 1991 Constitutional Law which
supplements the 1922 constitution,
provides for basic rights and
freedoms
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal for
Latvian citizens
Executive branch: chief of state: President Vaira
VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister
Andris BERZINS (since 5 May 2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
nominated by the prime minister and
appointed by the Parliament
elections: president elected by
Parliament for a four-year term;
election last held 17 June 1999
(next to be held by June 2003);
prime minister appointed by the
president
election results: Vaira VIKE-
FREIBERGA elected as a compromise
candidate in second phase of
balloting, second round (after five
rounds in first phase failed to
produce a clear winner); percent of
parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-
FREIBERGA 53%, Valdis BIRKAVS 20%,
Ingrida UDRE 9%
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100
seats; members are elected by
direct, popular vote to serve four-
year terms)
elections: last held 3 October 1998
(next to be held NA October 2002)
election results: percent of vote by
party - People's Party 21%, LC 18%,
TSP 14%, TB/LNNK 14%, Social
Democrats 13%, New Party 7%; seats
by party - People's Party 24, LC 21,
TB/LNNK 17, TSP 16, Social Democrats
14, New Party 8
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges' appointments
are confirmed by Parliament)
Political parties and leaders: Anticommunist Union or PA [P.
MUCENIEKS]; Christian Democrat Union
or LKDS [Talavs JUNDZIS]; Christian
People's Party or KTP [Uldis
AUGSTKALNS]; Democratic Party
"Saimnieks" or DPS [Ziedonis CEVERS,
chairman]; For Fatherland and
Freedom or TB [Maris GRINBLATS],
merged with LNNK; For Human Rights
in a United Latvia [Janis JURKANS],
a coalition of the People's Harmony
Party or TSP, the Latvian Socialist
Party or LSP, and the Equal Rights
Movement; Green Party or LZP [Olegs
BATAREVSKI]; Latvian Liberal Party
or LLP [J. DANOSS]; Latvian National
Conservative Party or LNNK [Andrejs
KRASTINS]; Latvian National
Democratic Party or LNDP [A.
MALINS]; Latvian Social-Democratic
Workers Party (Social Democrats) or
LSDWU [Juris BOJARS and Janis
ADAMSONS]; Latvian Unity Party or
LVP [Alberis KAULS]; Latvia's Way or
LC [Andrei PANTELEJEVS]; New
Christian Party [Ainars SLESERS];
New Faction [Ingrida UDRE]; New
Party [leader NA]; New Times Party
[Einars REPSE]; "Our Land" or MZ [M.
DAMBEKALNE]; Party of Russian
Citizens or LKPP [V. SOROCHIN, V.
IVANOV]; People's Party [Andris
SKELE]; Political Union of
Economists or TPA [Edvins KIDE]
Political pressure groups and NA
leaders:
International organization BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE,
participation: EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO (correspondent), ITU, NSG, OAS
(observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WEU
(associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aivis
RONIS
FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785
telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214
chancery: 4325 17th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20011
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador Brian
US: E. CARLSON
embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-
1510
mailing address: American Embassy
Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723
telephone: [371] 721-0005
FAX: [371] 782-0047
Flag description: three horizontal bands of maroon
(top), white (half-width), and
maroon
Economy Latvia
--------------
Economy - overview: Latvia's transitional economy
recovered from the 1998 Russian
financial crisis, largely due to the
SKELE government's budget stringency
and a gradual reorientation of
exports toward EU countries,
lessening Latvia's trade dependency
on Russia. The majority of
companies, banks, and real estate
have been privatized. Latvia
officially joined the World Trade
Organization in February 1999 - the
first Baltic state to join - and was
invited at the Helsinki EU Summit in
December 1999 to begin accession
talks in early 2000. Preparing for
EU membership over the next few
years remains a top foreign policy
goal. The high current account
deficit remains a major concern.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $18.6
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6.3% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,800
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5%
industry: 24%
services: 71% (2000)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: 2.9%
percentage share: highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini 32 (1999)
index:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2001)
Labor force: 1.1 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 15%, industry 25%,
services 60% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate: 7.6% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $2.4 billion
expenditures: $2.6 billion,
including capital expenditures of
$NA (2002 est.)
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: 6.4% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 3.301 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 33.02%
hydro: 66.98%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 5.16 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 500 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 2.59 billion kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: grain, sugar beets, potatoes,
vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs;
fish
Exports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Exports - commodities: wood and wood products, machinery
and equipment, metals, textiles,
foodstuffs
Exports - partners: Germany 17%, UK 16%, Sweden 10%,
Lithuania 8% (2001 est.)
Imports: $3.3 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals,
fuels, vehicles
Imports - partners: Germany 17%, Russia 9%, Lithuania
8%, Finland 8%, Sweden 7% (2001
est.)
Debt - external: $2.6 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $96.2 million (1995)
Currency: Latvian lat (LVL)
Currency code: LVL
Exchange rates: lati per US dollar - 0.6384 (January
2002), 0.628 (2001), 0.607 (2000),
0.585 (1999), 0.590 (1998), 0.581
(1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Latvia
---------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 734,693 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 401,263 (2000)
Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate, but
is being modernized to provide an
international capability independent
of the Moscow international switch;
more facilities are being installed
for individual use
domestic: expansion underway in
intercity trunk line connections,
rural exchanges, and mobile systems;
still many unsatisfied subscriber
applications
international: international
connections are now available via
cable and a satellite earth station
at Riga, enabling direct connections
for most calls (1998)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 1.76 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions: 1.22 million (1997)
Internet country code: .lv
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 41 (2001)
Internet users: 310,000 (2001)
Transportation Latvia
---------------------
Railways: total: 2,412 km
broad gauge: 2,379 km 1.520-m gauge
(271 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge
(2001)
Highways: total: 59,178 km
paved: 22,843 km
unpaved: 36,335 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: 300 km (perennially navigable)
Pipelines: crude oil 750 km; refined products
780 km; natural gas 560 km (1992)
Ports and harbors: Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils
Merchant marine: total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 30,119 GRT/30,572 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Greece 3 (2002 est.)
ships by type: cargo 1, petroleum
tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 4
Airports: 25 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 4 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 12
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 7 (2001)
Military Latvia
---------------
Military branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air
Defense Forces, Border Guard,
National Guard
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 591,592 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 464,843 (2002 est.)
service:
Military manpower - reaching males: 19,114 (2002 est.)
military age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar $87 million (FY01)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 1.2% (FY01)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Latvia
---------------------------
Disputes - international: the Russian Duma refuses to ratify
boundary delimitation treaty with
Latvia; the Latvian Parliament has
not ratified its 1998 maritime
boundary treaty with Lithuania,
primarily due to concerns over oil
exploration rights
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for opiates and
cannabis from Central and Southwest
Asia to Western Europe and
Scandinavia and Latin American
cocaine and some synthetics from
Western Europe to CIS
Powered by Blog Dictionary [BlogDict]
Kindly supported by
Vaffle Invitation Code
Get a Freelance Job - Outsource Your Projects | Threadless Coupon
All rights
reserved. (2008-2024)