Flag of Latvia

Latvia is a state in Eastern Europe, bordering Lithuania, Belarus, Russia and Estonia. It has an area of 64.589 km2, a coastline on the Baltic Sea of 498 km and a population of 2.2 million.

This republic is a parliamentary democracy, independent of the Soviet Union since 1991 and a member of the European Union since 2004. It is divided administratively into 26 provinces (rajons, singular) and 7 municipalities. Capital: Riga; other major cities: Daugav’pils and Liepâja.