Latvia Military - 2023

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 (aka Land Guard or Zemessardze)  (2023)

note: the armed forces, the Defense Intelligence and Security Service, the Constitution Protection Bureau, and the National Guard are subordinate to the Ministry of Defense; the State Police, State Border Guards, and State Security Service are under the Ministry of Interior; the State Border Guard may become part of the armed forces during an emergency

Military expenditures

2.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

2.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

2.1% of GDP (2021)

2.2% of GDP (2020)

2% of GDP (2019)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 6,700 regular military forces; approximately 9,500 National Guard (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Latvian military's inventory consists of a mixture of Soviet-era and limited amounts of more modern, Western-produced systems acquired since the country joined NATO in 2004; in recent years, the UK and US have been the leading suppliers of military equipment (2023)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (abolished 2007) (2023)

note 1: in 2023, the Latvian Parliament approved a plan to reinstate mandatory military service for men aged 18-27 (women voluntarily) beginning in 2024; service would be for 12 months 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) (2023)

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 (2023)

NOTE: The information regarding Latvia on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Latvia 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Latvia 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.