Latvia in Brief
Statistics Latvia - facts about Latvia and Latvians
Other information
Currency: euro (EUR), 1 euro = 100 cents
Time zone: GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) +2, from April to November – GMT +3
Internet domain: .lv
International phone code: +371
Electricity standard: 220 volts mainstream; European standard 50 hertz plugs are used
Official portal: www.latvia.eu
Information
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Location: Latvia is located in the north-western part of Europe by the Baltic Sea
Territory: 64 589 sq km or 24 938 sq m
National anthem: Dievs, svētī Latviju! (God, Bless Latvia!)
Government: parliamentary republic
Parliament: Saeima with 100 members elected by the people
President: Raimonds Vējonis (since 8 July 2015)
Population and Territory
Official language: Latvian
Population:1 968 957 (as of 01.2016)
Capital: Riga (population –723 931)
Administrative division: 109 counties and 9 republican cities
Cultural-historical division: 4 regions – Vidzeme, Latgale, Kurzeme and Zemgale
Largest cities: Riga, Daugavpils, Jelgava, Jūrmala, Liepāja, Rezekne, Ventspils
Biggest port cities: Ventspils, Riga, Liepāja
Ethnic groups: Latvians -–59.0 % (1 348 344), Russians – 28.3 % (646 567),
Byelorussians – 3.7 % (85 434), Ukrainians – 2.5 % (57 794), Poles – 2.4 % (54 831),
Lithuanians – 1.4 % (31 034), other – 2.1 % (as of 01.04.2007)