With a coastline of 531km along the Baltic Sea, Latvia is bordered by Estonia, Lithuania, Russia and Belarus. Woodlands cover over 40 % of this low-lying country. Latvia also counts more than 3 000 lakes and 12 000 rivers. 

The most important sectors of Latvia’s economy in 2014 were wholesale and retail trade, transport, accommodation and food services (25.3 %), industry (16.4 %) and public administration, defence, education, human health and social work activities (15.1 %).

Latvia’s main export partners are Lithuania, Russia and Estonia while its main import partners are Lithuania, Germany and Poland.

Capital: 

Riga

Geographical size: 

64 573 km2

Population: 

1 986 096 (2015)

Population as % of total EU: 

0.4 % (2015)

Gross domestic product (GDP): 

€ 24.378 billion (2015)

Official EU language(s): 

Latvian

Political system: 

parliamentary republic

EU member country since: 

1 May 2004

Seats in the European Parliament: 

8

Currency: 

 Euro. Member of the eurozone since 1 January 2014

Schengen area member? 

 Yes, Schengen Area member since 21 December 2007.

Presidency of the Council: 

Latvia held the revolving presidency of the Council of the EU for the first time in 2015.