About Latvia
Latvia is officially called the Republic of Latvia. Latvia is a country on the Baltic Sea and it is bordered by Estonia in the northern region, Lithuania in the southern, Russia to the east and Belarus to the southeast. Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania are called the Baltic States. It has a landscape that contains large beaches and green forests. Riga is the capital of Latvia and the largest city in the Baltic States. This city is famous for some of the best art nouveau architecture in Europe.
Latvia has experienced rapid growth since independence from the Soviet Union, and EU membership has seen its economy evolve rather quickly as well. Despite such growth, it still faces economic challenges, particularly as a result of the global economic crisis of 2008.
The country has total land area of 64,589 sq. kilometers with a population of 1,957,200 inhabitants. The country has a temperate seasonal climate. Daugava River is the longest river in Latvia and it’s also called the West Dvina River. The largest lake in Latvia is Lake Lubana. The official currency of Latvia is the Lat.
The official language of Latvia is Latvian but Russian is also spoken in the country. Latvia experience four different seasons; the summer is very hot, autumn is windy and rainy, the winter is always very cold and snowy and the spring is sunny. Latvia is multicultural, with a large Russian population due to its Soviet history. This can be a somewhat touchy subject, as depopulation of ethnic Latvians and Russification were the policies of the time.
Latvia has ethnic and linguistic ties to Lithuania, but not Estonia. Estonia is actually has more in common with Nordic countries than Baltic ones
The country is endowed with many natural resources such as peat, limestone, dolomite, wood and arable land.
The education system in Latvia is in accordance with the American Credit System. The university of Latvia is one of the largest and most prestigious universities in the Baltic States, located in Riga and home to around 15,000 students and it is ranked 47th in the QS University Rankings: EECA 2016.
