Latvia

Airports

total: 50 usable: 15 with permanent-surface runways: 11 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 7 with runways 1,060-2,439 m: 7 note: a C-130 can land on a 1,060-m airstrip

Highways

total: 59,500 km paved and graveled: 33,000 km unpaved: earth 26,500 km (1990)

Inland waterways

300 km perennially navigable

Merchant marine

93 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 850,840 GRT/1,107,403 DWT, cargo 15, container 2, oil tanker 41, refrigerated cargo 27, roll-on/roll-off cargo 8

Pipelines

crude oil 750 km; refined products 780 km; natural gas 560 km (1992)

Ports

coastal - Riga, Ventspils, Liepaja; inland - Daugavpils

Railroads

2,400 km (1,524-mm gauge); 270 km electrified

Telecommunications

Latvia is better provided with telephone service than most of the other former Soviet republics; subscriber circuits 660,000; subscriber density 240 per 1,000 persons (1993); an NMT-450 analog cellular telephone network covers 75% of Latvia's population; international traffic carried by leased connection to the Moscow international gateway switch and through the new Ericsson AXE local/transit digital telephone exchange in Riga and through the Finnish cellular net; electronic mail capability by Sprint data network; broadcasting services NA

Branches

Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Security Forces (internal and border troops), Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze)

Defense expenditures

176 million rubles, 3%-5% of GDP; note - conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the prevailing exchange rate could produce misleading results

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 652,444; fit for military service 514,055; reach military age (18) annually 18,803 (1994 est.)

Note

Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political institutions and regaining its national sovereignty since the end of the devastating 16-year civil war in October 1990. Under the Ta'if accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation - the Lebanese have established a more equitable political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater say in the political process. Since December 1990, the Lebanese have formed three cabinets and conducted the first legislative election in 20 years. Most of the militias have been weakened or disbanded. The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) has seized vast quantities of weapons used by the militias during the war and extended central government authority over about one-half of the country. Hizballah, the radical Sh'ia party, retains most of its weapons. Foreign forces still occupy areas of Lebanon. Israel maintains troops in southern Lebanon and continues to support a proxy militia, The Army of South Lebanon (ASL), along a narrow stretch of territory contiguous to its border. The ASL's enclave encompasses this self-declared security zone and about 20 kilometers north to the strategic town of Jazzine. As of December 1993, Syria maintained about 30,000-35,000 troops in Lebanon. These troops are based mainly in Beirut, North Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley. Syria's deployment was legitimized by the Arab League early in Lebanon's civil war and in the Ta'if accord. Citing the continued weakness of the LAF, Beirut's requests, and failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the constitutional reforms in the Ta'if accord, Damascus has so far refused to withdraw its troops from Beirut.

Agriculture

employs 16% of labor force; principally dairy farming and livestock feeding; products - meat, milk, eggs, grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; fishing and fish packing

Budget

revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Currency

1 lat = 100 cents; introduced NA March 1993

Economic aid

$NA

Electricity

capacity: 2,140,000 kW production: 5.8 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,125 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates

lats per US$1 - 0.5917 (January 1994), 1.32 (March 1993)

Exports

$429 million from non-FSU countries (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: oil products, timber, ferrous metals, dairy products, furniture, textiles partners: Russia, other CIS countries, Western Europe

External debt

$NA

Fiscal year

calendar year

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for illicit drugs from Central and Southwest Asia and Latin America to Western Europe; limited producer of illicit opium; mostly for domestic consumption; also produces illicit amphetamines for export

Imports

$NA commodities: fuels, cars, ferrous metals, chemicals partners: Russia, other CIS countries, Western Europe

Industrial production

growth rate -38% (1992 est.)

Industries

employs 41% of labor force; highly diversified; dependent on imports for energy, raw materials, and intermediate products; produces buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2% per month (1993 average)

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $13.2 billion (1993 estimate from the UN International Comparison Program, as extended to 1991 and published in the World Bank's World Development Report 1993; and as extrapolated to 1993 using official Latvian statistics, which are very uncertain because of major economic changes since 1990)

National product per capita

$4,810 (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate

-5% (1993 est.)

Overview

Latvia is rapidly becoming a dynamic market economy, rivaled only by Estonia among the former Soviet states in the speed of its transformation. The transition has been painful with GDP falling over 45% in 1992-93, according to official statistics, and industrial production experiencing even steeper declines. Nevertheless, the government's tough monetary policies and reform program, which foster the development of the private sector and market mechanisms, have kept inflation low, created a dynamic private sector - much of which is not captured in official statistics - and expanded trade ties with the West. Much of agriculture is already privatized and the government plans to step up the pace of privatization of state enterprises. The economy is now poised for recovery and will benefit from the country's strategic location on the Baltic Sea, its well-educated population, and its diverse - albeit largely obsolete - industrial structure.

Unemployment rate

5.6% (December 1993)

Area

total area: 64,100 sq km land area: 64,100 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than West Virginia

Climate

maritime; wet, moderate winters

Coastline

531 km

Environment

current issues: air and water pollution because of a lack of waste conversion equipment; Gulf of Riga and Daugava River heavily polluted; contamination of soil and groundwater with chemicals and petroleum products at military bases natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

International disputes

the Abrene section of border ceded by the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic to Russia in 1944

Irrigated land

160 sq km (1990)

Land boundaries

total 1,078 km, Belarus 141 km, Estonia 267 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km

Land use

arable land: 27% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 13% forest and woodland: 39% other: 21%

Location

Eastern Europe, bordering on the Baltic Sea, between Sweden and Russia

Map references

Arctic Region, Asia, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources

minimal; amber, peat, limestone, dolomite

Terrain

low plain

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, Leipaja*, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preiju Rajons, Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*, Ventspils Rajons

Capital

Riga

Constitution

newly elected Parliament in 1993 restored the 1933 constitution

Digraph

LG

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Ojars Eriks KALNINS chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: (202) 726-8213 and 8214

Executive branch

chief of state: President Guntis ULMANIS (since 7 July 1993); Saeima elected President ULMANIS in the third round of balloting on 7 July 1993 head of government: Prime Minister Valdis BIRKAVS (since 20 July 1993) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the Supreme Council

FAX

46-9-882-0047

Flag

two horizontal bands of maroon (top and bottom), white (middle, narrower than other two bands)

Independence

6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

based on civil law system

Legislative branch

unicameral

Member of

BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE (guest), CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NACC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Names

conventional long form: Republic of Latvia conventional short form: Latvia local long form: Latvijas Republika local short form: Latvija former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic

National holiday

Independence Day, 18 November (1918)

Parliament (Saeima)

elections last held 5-6 June 1993 (next to be held NA June 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (100 total) LC 36, LNNK 15, Concord for Latvia 13, LZS 12, Equal Rights 7, LKDS 6, TUB 6, DCP 5

Political parties and leaders

Latvian Way Union (LC), Valdis BIRKAVS; Latvian Farmers Union (LZS), Alvars BERKIS; Latvian National Independence Movement (LNNK), Andrejs KRASTINS, Aristids LAMBERGS, cochairmen; Concord for Latvia, Janis JURKANS; Equal Rights, Sergejs DIMANIS; Christian Democrat Union (LKDS), Peteris CIMDINS, Andris SAULITIS, Janis RUSKO; Fatherland and Freedom (TUB), Maris GRINBLATS, Roberts MILBERGS, Oigerts DZENTIS; Democratic Center (DCP), Ints CALITIS; Popular Front of Latvia (LTF), Uldis AUGSTKALNS

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Ints M, SILINS embassy: Raina Boulevard 7, Riga 226050 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: 46-9-882-0046

Birth rate

13.84 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate

12.61 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Latvian 51.8%, Russian 33.8%, Byelorussian 4.5%, Ukrainian 3.4%, Polish 2.3%, other 4.2%

Infant mortality rate

21.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force

1.407 million by occupation: industry and construction 41%, agriculture and forestry 16%, other 43% (1990)

Languages

Lettish (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 69.44 years male: 64.37 years female: 74.75 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 9-49 can read and write (1970) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%

Nationality

noun: Latvian(s) adjective: Latvian

Net migration rate

3.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population

2,749,211 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

0.5% (1994 est.)

Religions

Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox

Total fertility rate

1.98 children born/woman (1994 est.)