Latvia
Edited by:
Massimo Martini
Access
Latvia can be reached from Italy mainly by air: Riga International Airport (RIX) is the main port of call, with direct flights from Milan, Rome and other Italian cities operated by airBaltic and European carriers; secondary airports are Liepāja and Ventspils. The overland route from Italy passes through Austria, Germany, Poland and Lithuania along the Via Baltica ([E67]), with access to Latvia from the Lithuanian-Latvian border. Ferries connect Riga with Stockholm (Tallink), with overnight crossings of 16-18 hours; Liepāja is connected with Travemünde in Germany (Stena Line). The Latvian road network is developed on the main network; some secondary roads are not paved. There are no toll motorways. The Latvian Railways (Latvijas dzelzceļš) operate a railway network with international services to Estonia, Lithuania and Russia. Access to natural areas - the Gauja National Park (Sigulda, Cēsis) and the Gulf of Riga coastline - is easily achieved from Riga in 1-2 hours by public or private transport.
.Introduction
Latvia is a parliamentary republic in Northern Europe, the southernmost of the three Baltic Republics, a member of the European Union and NATO since 2004 and of the Eurozone since 2014. With an area of 64,589 km² and a population of around 1.8-1.9 million, it is one of the least densely populated countries in the Union. The capital is Riga, the largest city in the Baltic States by population - around 588,000 in 2025 - and the main economic, cultural and financial centre of the Baltic region. The Latvian language belongs to the Baltic group of the Indo-European family, closely related to Lithuanian and distinct from the Slavic and Finno-Slavic languages of the neighbouring countries. Latvia borders Estonia to the north, Russia to the east, Belarus to the southeast and Lithuania to the south, and faces the Baltic Sea to the west. The ethnic composition is complex: ethnic Latvians make up about 59% of the population, with a significant Russian minority (28%) - the legacy of industrial immigration imposed during the Soviet period (1940-1991).
Description
The Latvian territory is predominantly flat, shaped by the last Quaternary glaciation, with slight reliefs of moraine origin reaching 312 m in the Gaizinkalns - the highest peak in the country - in the eastern Vidzeme region. The landscape is dominated by forests - about 44% of the territory - predominantly pine (Pinus sylvestris), birch (Betula pendula), fir (Picea abies) and oak (Quercus robur), by peat bogs and by an articulated river system. The main river is the Daugava (Western Dvina), which crosses the country for 370 km from Belarus to the Gulf of Riga. The Gauja (461 km) is the longest river entirely in Latvia. The climate is temperate continental, moderately influenced by the Baltic Sea: cold winters with sub-zero temperatures for weeks, cool summers averaging 16-17 °C in July. The Baltic coast has sandy beaches for over 500 km, with the famous seaside resort of Jūrmala.
Latvia's history is marked by long periods of foreign domination. The territory was inhabited by Baltic tribes (Latgali, Livoni, Semgalli, Curoni) before the Germanic conquest by the Order of the Swordbearers (13th century). The bishopric of Riga, founded in 1201 by Albert of Buxhövden, initiated the conversion to Christianity and commercial control. The Hanseatic League made Riga a key trading hub in the medieval Baltic. Polish-Lithuanian (1561-1629) and then Swedish (1629-1710) domination preceded the annexation to the Russian Empire after the Treaty of Nystad (1721). The 19th century saw the revival of Latvian identity through the National Revival movement (Jaunlatvieši), the codification of literature in the Latvian language and the collection of folk heritage (the dainas, traditional folk songs). Independence was proclaimed on 18 November 1918. Soviet occupation (1940-1941, then 1944-1991) brought mass deportations (about 42,000 Latvians deported in the first deportation in June 1941), systematic Russification and industrial transformation. The Singing Revolution (1987-1991) and the Baltic Human Chain of 23 August 1989 - 2 million people in a continuous chain from Tallinn to Vilnius - led to the restoration of independence on 4 May 1990, internationally recognised on 6 September 1991.
The Latvian economy is based on the tertiary sector (financial services, IT, trade, tourism), light manufacturing (wood and paper products, furniture, foodstuffs), port logistics (Riga, Ventspils and Liepāja are among the busiest ports in the Baltic) and agribusiness. The 2008-09 financial crisis hit Latvia hard - GDP collapsed by 18% in two years - but the country recovered with one of the EU's fastest turnaround reforms. Riga is known for its Art Nouveau architecture - with over 800 buildings declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1997) - its central markets (former airship hangars, converted into Europe's largest covered market) and Baltic cultural scene. Latvian gastronomy includes rye bread (rupjmaize), local cheeses, herring, carp, pork ribollita soup and craft beer.
The system of protected natural areas includes the Gauja National Park (in Vidzeme, with the canyon of the Gauja River, medieval castles of Turaida and Cēsis, sandstone caves), the Slītere National Park (in northwestern Curlandia with primary forests and Baltic coasts), Rāzna National Park (in Latgalia, with Lake Rāzna, the largest in Latvia) and Ķemeri National Park (swamps, forests and thermal cures in the Jūrmala region). The fauna includes elk (Alces alces), noble deer (Cervus elaphus), wolf (Canis lupus), lynx (Lynx lynx), brown bear (Ursus arctos) in the eastern wooded areas, otter (Lutra lutra), beaver (Castor fibre) and grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) on the coasts. Latvia, together with Lithuania, is home to more white storks (Ciconia ciconia) than all of Western Europe combined.
Latvian hiking is mainly developed in the Gauja National Park and Courlandia. The Gauja Trail (approx. 90 km, three days) runs along the canyon of the Gauja River between Sigulda, Līgatne, Cēsis and Valmiera, with detours to medieval castles and huts along the way. The Coastal Hiking Trail along the coast of the Gulf of Riga and the Baltic coast is a flat route of great scenic charm, with dunes, pine forests and deserted beaches. The Curlandia Lagoon (Kurzemes piekraste) is a protected area with coastal paths and extraordinary birdlife.
Mountaineering is not feasible on Latvian territory due to the absence of significant relief. The Gaizinkalns (312 m) is the highest peak in the Baltic Republics (with Estonia's Suur Munamägi at 318 m the highest) and can be reached in a short walk. Climbing is limited to the sandstone walls of the Gauja canyon (Līgatne cliff).
Latvian trail running has developed with the Gauja Ultra Trail, the Jūrmala Marathon Trail and trails in national parks. The predominantly flat and forested terrain is ideal for running on natural terrain; the Gauja trails offer the most interesting elevation gain available in Latvia.
Information
General Data
Capital: Riga
Area: 64.589 km²
Minimum elevation: 0m (Baltic coast)
Maximum elevation: 312m - Gaizinkalns (Eastern Vidzeme)
Number of inhabitants: 1,830,211 (01.01.2025, given by Wikipedia EN)
Official name: Latvijas Republika
Name of inhabitants: Latvians
Regions: 5 planning regions
Bordering countries: Belorussia - Estonia - Lithuania - Russia
Institutional site: https://www.mk.gov.lv