General information about the country

Latvia is located in the Baltic region, on the western edge of the East European Plain. It shares borders with Estonia to the north (343 km), Lithuania to the south (576 km), Russia to the east (292 km), and Belarus to the southeast (171 km).

• Coastline: The territory is washed by the Baltic Sea from the west, stretching across 498 km of sandy beaches.
• Natural Resources: Latvia has rich deposits of peat, limestone, dolomite, gypsum, quartz sand, and clay. On the coast, Baltic amber is occasionally washed ashore. The cities of Ķemeri and Baldone are famous for their healing mineral springs and muds.
• Green Country: Forests cover more than 50% of the territory today, making Latvia one of the greenest countries in Europe.

Latvia has a temperate maritime/continental climate, offering four distinct seasons:

• Winter (Mid-December to early March): Features frost and snow, with temperatures typically ranging from +5°C down to -15°C (occasionally dropping to -30°C during severe cold waves).
• Spring (March to May): A beautiful transition period accompanied by spring floods. Temperatures gradually rise from 0°C to +15°C.
• Summer (June to August): Warm and pleasant, with an average temperature of around +20°C, though heatwaves can push it up to +30°C or higher. Thunderstorms are common in July and August.
• Autumn (September to November): A picturesque and colorful season. Temperatures steadily drop from +12°C in September to around 0°C by late November.

The ethnic composition of Latvia has shifted over recent years due to migration trends and natural demographic changes.

Most numerous ethnic groups:

• Latvians: ~63.0%
• Russians: ~22.5%
• Ukrainians: ~3.8% (increased due to geopolitical shifts and migration)
• Belarusians: ~3.0%
• Poles: ~1.9%

📊 Status of Non-Citizens: As of 2026, the proportion of "non-citizens" (nepilsoņi) has decreased to roughly 9% of the population. Citizenship can be acquired through naturalization, which requires passing an examination in the Latvian language, basic history, and the Constitution.

Latvia is constitutionally a secular state with no state religion. The main religious denominations are:

• Lutheranism: Traditional among the majority of Latvians in the western and central regions.
• Roman Catholicism: Predominant in the eastern region (Latgale).
• Eastern Orthodoxy & Old Believers: Mostly practiced by the Russian-speaking population and specific historical communities in the east.
• Smaller communities of Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and other faiths also coexist peacefully.

Latvia is a parliamentary unitary republic operating under its restored 1922 Constitution (Satversme).

• Parliament (Saeima): Consists of 100 deputies elected by citizens every 4 years.
• Head of State: The President, elected by the Saeima for a 4-year term, performs largely ceremonial and representative duties.
• Executive Power: Held by the Cabinet of Ministers, headed by the Prime Minister.