Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania
57 00 N, 25 00 E
Europe
total: 64,589 sq km
land: 62,249 sq km
water: 2,340 sq km
slightly larger than West Virginia
total: 1,370 km
border countries (4): Belarus 161 km, Estonia 333 km, Lithuania 544 km, Russia 332 km
498 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: limits as agreed to by Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Sweden, and Russia
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
maritime; wet, moderate winters
low plain
highest point: Gaizina Kalns 312 m
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
mean elevation: 87 m
peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, timber, arable land
agricultural land: 29.2% (2018 est.)
arable land: 18.6% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 10.5% (2018 est.)
forest: 54.1% (2018 est.)
other: 16.7% (2018 est.)
12 sq km (2012)
note: land in Latvia is often too wet and in need of drainage not irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land has been improved by drainage
34.94 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
largest concentration of people is found in and around the port and capital city of Riga; small agglomerations are scattered throughout the country
large percentage of agricultural fields can become waterlogged and require drainage
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
most of the country is composed of fertile low-lying plains with some hills in the east
NOTE: The information regarding Latvia on this page is re-published from the 2021 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Latvia 2021 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Latvia 2021 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.
This page was last modified 16 Dec 23, Copyright © 2023 ITA all rights reserved.