Latvia

Latvia (Latvian: Latvija), officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika), is a country in Northern Europe. The capital is Riga. It is one of the Baltic states, together with Estonia in the north and Lithuania in the south. Latvia’s neighbours to the east are the countries Russia and Belarus. Latvia is divided into four parts: Kurzeme, Vidzeme, Zemgale, and Latgale.

People from Latvia are called Latvians. They speak the Latvian language, which is a little like the Lithuanian language but is not close enough to be understood. There are other peoples that live in Latvia, including the Germans and the Russians.

History

Latvia was settled by the Baltic tribes thousands of years ago. They mainly fished, hunted, and traded.

German traders and crusaders came to Latvia at the end of the 12th century. Latvians lost control of their homeland. Over the next 800 years, Germans, Danes, Swedes, Poles, and Russians all invaded Latvia. Latvia finally became independent in 1918.

Between the 13th and the 15th centuries, the Teutonic Knights had a state that occupied Latvian territory.

Before World War I, the aristocracy was mainly German.

During the Great Northern War from 1700 to 1721, what is now Latvia became the part of the Russian Empire and were organized as Courland and Livonia.

Latvian workers took part in the revolutionary struggle in 1905.

In 1940, Latvia was annexed by the Soviet Union. It was briefly under German occupation during World War II in from 1941 to 1944.

After the war, many factories were opened. Latvia became one of the more successful Soviet republics.

In 1991 the Soviet Union collapsed, and Latvia had its independence restored.

Politics

In Copenhagen on 13 December 2002, Latvia and nine other countries were invited to join the European Union. On 20 September 2003, Latvians held an election to vote on joining. Two thirds of Latvians voted to join, and on 1 May 2004, Latvia became a member of the EU.

Latvia has been a NATO member since 29 March 2004.

There are 43 local government units, set up in 2020. 36 are municipalities (Latvian: novadi) and 7 state cities. Before 2020 there were 110 municipalities and nine republic cities.

This version comes from Wikijunior, a set of books written for children aged 8 to 11. It is shorter and uses plainer language than the article above.

NOTOC Latvia is a small country in north eastern Europe. It shares borders with Estonia, Russia, Belarus and Lithuania. The capital city is Riga. Other big cities in Latvia are Daugavpils and Liepāja. Latvia has been an independent country since 1991 and in 2004 the country joined the European Union. The country’s currency is the Euro.

Beginning in the 13th century, Latvia was successively dominated by Germany, Poland, and Russia. During the 17th century most of Latvia converted to Lutheran religion which is the most common religion today. Latvia became an independent country in 1918. In 1940 the USSR (Soviet Union) took over Latvia although many western countries continued to recognize Latvia as an independent country and said that the Soviet occupation was illegal (along with that of Lithuania and Estonia). During World War II more than 200,000 Latvians were killed including the majority of the country’s Jewish population. Before independence another 200,000 Latvians escaped from the country and up to 200,000 were deported to Siberia to work in the USSR’s Gulags. From 1987 to 1991 massive protests in the 3 Baltic countries demanded independence and more civil rights eventually leading to independence. Latvia has been an independent country since 1991 and in 2004 the country joined the European Union.

Latvia covers an area of about 63,700 km 2 (about 24,600 sq mi). Forests cover 47 percent of the land. Forests are most dense in the north. The country’s forests, meadows, and marshes support many types of animals. Some types of animals include the deer, wild boars, wolves, lynx, beavers, and otters.

Summers are warm and the weather in spring and autumn fairly mild, however, the winters can be extreme due to the northern location. Precipitation is common throughout the year with the heaviest rainfall falling in August. During severe spells of winter weather in Latvia is dominated by cold winds from the interior of Russia and severe snowfalls are common.

The population of Latvia is about 1.9 million. Ethnic Latvians make up about 58 percent of the population. Russians, are the largest minority, representing about 30 percent of the population. Other minorities include Belarusians, Ukrainians, Poles, and Lithuanians. The official language of the republic is Latvian. Ethnic minorities in Latvia often also speak their own native languages such as Russian, Lithuanian, and Polish.

The most common religion in Latvia is Christianity - in particular Lutheranism and, among Russian speakers, Latvian Orthodox.

Education in Latvia is free and required from the age of 6 to 15. Latvia has an adult literacy rate of almost 100 percent.

Latvia’s capital, Riga, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular tourist destination for people from all around the world. The Latvian National Opera and Latvian National Theatre are popular cultural institutions in Riga. The old town of Riga is considered to be one of Europe’s many great ancient town centres with some very old buildings built during different eras. Despite wars and a long period as part of the Soviet Union many of the finest buildings remain in excellent condition. Nowadays Riga is a popular destination for British and German people having Stag Parties (parties which men have before they get married). Cruise ships which visit the Baltic Sea usually call in Riga and the country is a popular weekend break destination for travelers coming from Scandinavia, Estonia and Russia.

Fast facts

History

Politics

Latvia, in simpler words

Where this page comes from