I|ag of Latv|a

Latv|a offlclally Lhe kepub||c of Latv|a ls a counLry ln Lhe 8alLlc reglon of norLhern Lurope
1oday Lhe LaLvlan and LlLhuanlan languages are Lhe only survlvlng members of Lhe 8alLlc languages of Lhe lndo
Luropean famlly 1he counLry ls also Lhe home of a large number of eLhnlc 8usslans of whom some are nonclLlzens
LaLvla ls a unlLary parllamenLary republlc and ls dlvlded lnLo 118 munlclpallLles (109 counLles and 9 clLles) 1he caplLal
and largesL clLy ls 8lga WlLh a populaLlon of 222 mllllon LaLvla ls one of Lhe leasLpopulous members of Lhe Luropean
unlon LaLvla has been a member of Lhe unlLed naLlons slnce SepLember 17 1991 of Lhe Luropean unlon slnce May 1
2004
lollowlng a perlod of belng parL of Lhe SovleL unlon afLer World War ll LaLvla declared lLs lndependence ln 1991 ln Lhe
global flnanclal crlsls of 20082010 LaLvla was Lhe hardesL hlL of Lhe Luropean unlon member sLaLes wlLh a Cu decllne
of 2634 ln LhaL perlod

lLs per caplLa Cu ls 49 of Lhe Lu average ln 2009 maklng lL Lhe Lhlrd pooresL membersLaLe
LocaLed on Lhe easLern shore of Lhe 8alLlc Sea LaLvla lles on Lhe LasL Luropean laln Powever lLs vegeLaLlon ls very
dlfferenL from Lhe resL of Lhe plaln and conslsLs of ferLlle lowlylng plalns largely covered by foresL mosLly plnes
1he LaLvlan cllmaLe ls humld and LemperaLe because of Lhe 8alLlc Sea Summers are warm and Lhe weaLher ln sprlng
and auLumn ls falrly mlld however Lhe wlnLers can be exLreme due Lo Lhe norLhern locaLlon 8aln ls common
LhroughouL Lhe year wlLh Lhe heavlesL ralnfall ln !uly uurlng severe spells of wlnLer weaLher LaLvla ls domlnaLed by
cold wlnds from Lhe lnLerlor of 8ussla and severe snowfalls are very common
WlLh over 44 percenL of lLs LerrlLory covered by foresLs a vasL neLwork of free flowlng rlvers and Lhousands of lakes
LaLvla ls one of Lurope's besL preserved havens for a wlde varleLy of wlldllfe Cver 27 Lhousand specles of flora and
fauna Lhrlve ln naLural seLLlngs LhaL are sLlll relaLlvely undlsLurbed by man Many rare specles such as Lhe black sLork
and lesser spoLLed eagle make Lhelr homes ln LaLvla's mlxed foresLs marshes and meadows 1here ls also an abundance
of oLLers beavers lynx and wolves as well as greaL concenLraLlons of deer elk fox and wlld boar 8lrdwaLchlng ls
parLlcularly rewardlng ln LaLvla especlally ln Lhe coasLal areas and weLlands durlng annual mlgraLlon perlods
Puman rlghLs ln LaLvla are generally respecLed by Lhe governmenL accordlng Lo lreedom Pouse and uS ueparLmenL of
SLaLe

LaLvla ls ranked aboveaverage among Lhe worlds soverelgn sLaLes ln democracy press freedom prlvacy and
human developmenL
ln Aprll 2010 LaLvla had Lhe hlghesL unemploymenL raLe ln Lhe Lu aL 223
Lvangellc LuLheran 8oman CaLhollc and 8usslan CrLhodox are Lhe maln rellglons ln LaLvla alLhough only abouL 7 of
Lhe populaLlon aLLends rellglous servlces regularly
LaLvlan culslne Lyplcally conslsLs of agrlculLural producLs wlLh meaL feaLurlng ln mosL maln meal dlshes llsh ls
commonly consumed due Lo LaLvlas locaLlon on Lhe 8alLlc Sea LaLvlan culslne has been lnfluenced by Lhe nelghborlng
counLrles Common lngredlenLs ln LaLvlan reclpes are found locally such as poLaLoes wheaL barley cabbage onlons
eggs and pork LaLvlan food ls generally qulLe faLLy and uses few splces