Latvia Military - 2022

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Military and security forces

National Armed Forces (Nacionalie Brunotie Speki): Land Forces (Latvijas Sauszemes Speki), Naval Force (Latvijas Juras Speki, includes Coast Guard (Latvijas Kara Flote)), Air Force (Latvijas Gaisa Speki), National Guard (2022)

Military expenditures

2.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

2.2% of GDP (2021)

2.2% of GDP (2020)

2% of GDP (2019) (approximately $920 million)

2.1% of GDP (2018) (approximately $900 million)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 7,500 active duty troops (6,500 Land Forces; 500 Naval Force/Coast Guard; 500 Air Force; note - some Land Forces are considered joint forces); 8,200 National Guard (2022)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Latvian military's inventory is limited and consists of a mixture of Soviet-era and more modern--mostly second-hand--European and US equipment; since 2010, it has received limited amounts of equipment from several European countries, Israel, and the US (2021)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription (abolished 2007) (2022)

note 1: in July 2022, the Latvian Government announced that it was reinstating mandatory military service for men aged 18-27 (women voluntarily) beginning in July 2023; service would be for one year in the Land Forces or alternatively in internal affairs, health, or welfare structures

note 2: as of 2019, women comprised about 16% of the military's full-time personnel

Military deployments

130 Kosovo (KFOR/NATO) (2022)

Military - note

Latvia became a member of NATO in 2004

since 2017, Latvia has hosted a Canadian-led multi-national NATO ground force battlegroup as part of the Alliance’s Enhanced Forward Presence initiative; in addition, Latvia hosts a NATO-led divisional headquarters (Multinational Division North; activated 2020), which coordinates training and preparation activities of its respective subordinate NATO battlegroups in Estonia and Latvia

NATO also has provided air protection for Latvia since 2004 through its Air Policing mission; NATO member countries that possess air combat capabilities voluntarily contribute to the mission on 4-month rotations (2022)

NOTE: The information regarding Latvia on this page is re-published from the 2022 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Latvia 2022 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Latvia 2022 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.