STUDY IN  Latvia - About Latvia

General Information

Area: 64,589 sq km (24,938 sq miles)

Population: 2,290,237 (July 2005 est.)

Capital: Riga

Ethnicity / Race: (1998) 55.5 %, Russians - 32.4%, Belorussians - 3.9%, Ukrainians - 2.9%, Lithuanians - 2.2%, Poles - 1.3%, others - 1.8%

Independence: Full independence de facto is restored on August 21, 1991

Language: Latvian is the official language. It is an Indo-European, non-Slavic and non-Germanic language and is similar only to Lithuanian. Russian is the mother tongue of over 30 per cent of the population and is understood by most people. English and German may also be understood.

Currency: Lats

Religion: Predominantly Protestant (Lutheran) with 19 per cent of the population being Roman Catholic. There is also a Russian Orthodox minority

Time: GMT + 2. (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October.)

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. European-style two-pin plugs are in use.

Communications: Telephone system: IDD is available. Country code: 371. Outgoing international code: 00. Directory enquiries: 09. International calls can be made from telephone booths. Payphones are operated by phonecards which can be purchased at kiosks, post offices and in some shops.

International: country code - 37

Geography

Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania

Geographic coordinates: 57 00 N, 25 00 E

Area:
total: 64,589 sq km
land: 63,589 sq km
water: 1,000 sq km

Coastline: 531 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: Gaizinkalns 312 m

Natural resources: peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land

Natural hazards: NA

Geography: most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east

Government

Government Structure

Chief of State: President
Head of Government: Prime Minister

Cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the Prime Minister and appointed by the Parliament

Elections: President is elected by Parliament for a four-year term

Communication

Telephone: IDD is available. Country code: 371. Outgoing international code: 00. Directory enquiries: 09. International calls can be made from telephone booths. Payphones are operated by phonecards which can be purchased at kiosks, post offices and in some shops.

Mobile telephone: GSM 900 and 1800 networks operated by LMT GSM (website: www.lmt.lv) and Tele2 (website: www.tele2.lv). Roaming agreements exist. It is illegal to use a mobile telephone while driving.

Fax: Facilities are available in the main post office in Riga.

Internet: Main ISPs include Apollo. There are many Internet cafes in Riga and some in other towns.

Telegram: Services are available from all post offices and the hotel service bureau. For services from public phones, dial 06.

Post: The main post office is at Brivibas bulvaris 19 (open 24 hours). Postboxes are yellow. Airmail to Western Europe takes five to seven days. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1800 and Sat 0900-1300.

Press: There are Latvian and Russian newspapers – Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize and Vakara Zinas being the most popular Latvian titles. The Baltic Times is an English-language paper published weekly. Rigas Balss is a popular daily, available in both Latvian and Russian.

Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.