The Republic of

Latvia, with Estonia to the north and Lithuania

to the south, is one of the former Soviet

republics often referred to collectively as

"the Baltics." Capital is Riga, form of

government a constitutional republic.

Location: Northern

Europe; western border on Baltic Sea which lies

between former U.S.S.R. and Sweden; Estonia and

Lithuania north and south, and Russia and Belorus

to the east.

Area: 24,900 square

miles, slightly larger than West Virginia; flat

coastal plain, inland hilly with forests and

lakes.

Population: 2.6

million-plus (1994), about three-fourths urban.

Ethnic makeup: 52

percent Lett (Latvian), 34 percent Russian,

remaining Byelorussian, Ukrainian, Polish.

Religion:

predominantly Protestant (Lutheran); Roman

Catholic, Russian Orthodox.

Language:

officially Latvian, an Indo-European language

similar only to Lithuanian Russian; English and

German widely spoken.

Education:

compulsory and free for ages 7 through 16;

secondary or vocational school optional, with

fee; college and university for academic degrees

like the bachelor's and master's.

Climate: moderate

maritime climate, seasonally rainy.

Economy: a free

market economy now based on industry, some

fishing and forest products; caught in same

crunch affecting all former East Bloc countries

- incomes low, unemployment high, more than

two-thirds of population near or below poverty

level.

History:

successively dominated since 13th century by

Germany, Poland, Sweden, Russia; regained

independence in 1991 after collapse of communism,

joined United Nations, held first parliamentary

elections in 1993; sources refer to "200

good years under Sweden, 200 bad years under

Russia."

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