Map of Latvia
Latvia is a country in Europe with its capital at Riga, home to about 1.85 million people across 64,594 km². The interactive map below plots 6 cities and towns, 1 rivers and 5 ports recorded for Latvia in YearMaps.
- Population
- 1.85 million
- Area
- 64,594 km²
- Capital
- Riga
- Continent
- Europe
Interactive Map of Latvia
Centred on Riga at 56.9500° N, 24.1000° E. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Latvia
Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to the southeast and shares a maritime border with Sweden to the west. Latvia covers an area of 64,573 km2 (24,932 sq mi), with a population of 1.83 million. The country has a temperate seasonal climate. Its capital and largest city is Riga. Latvians, who are the titular nation and comprise 65.5% of the country's population, belong to the ethnolinguistic group of the Balts and speak Latvian. Russians are the most prominent minority in the country, at almost a quarter of the population; 37.7% of the population speak Russian as their native tongue.
After centuries of Teutonic, Swedish, Polish-Lithuanian, and Russian rule, the independent Republic of Latvia was established on 18 November 1918 after breaking away from the Russian Empire in the aftermath of World War I. The country became increasingly autocratic after the coup in 1934 established the dictatorship of Kārlis Ulmanis. Latvia's de facto independence was interrupted at the outset of World War II, beginning with forcible incorporation into the Soviet Union, followed by the invasion and occupation by Nazi Germany in 1941 and the re-occupation by the Soviets in 1944, which formed the Latvian SSR for the next 45 years. As a result of extensive immigration during the Soviet occupation, ethnic Russians became the most prominent minority in the country. The peaceful Singing Revolution started in 1987 among the Baltic Soviet republics and ended with the restoration of both de facto and official independence on 21 August 1991. Latvia has since been a democratic unitary parliamentary republic.
Latvia is a developed country with a high-income, advanced economy ranking 39th in the Human Development Index. It is a member of the European Union, Eurozone, NATO, the Council of Europe, the United Nations, the Council of the Baltic Sea States, the International Monetary Fund, the Nordic-Baltic Eight, the Nordic Investment Bank, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and the World Trade Organization.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Latvia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Latvia
Several eastern Baltic tribes merged in medieval times to form the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region subsequently came under the control of Germans, Poles, Swedes, and finally Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I, but the USSR annexed it in 1940 -- an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia reestablished its independence in 1991 after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 25% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in 2004; it joined the euro zone in 2014 and the OECD in 2016.
- Location
- Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania.
- Climate
- Maritime; wet, moderate winters.
- Terrain
- Low plain.
- Highest point
- Gaizina Kalns 312 m.
- Lowest point
- Baltic Sea 0 m.
- Coastline
- 498 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 1,370 km; border countries: Belarus 161 km; Estonia 333 km; Lithuania 544 km; Russia 332 km.
- Natural resources
- Peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, timber, arable land.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 31.7% (2023 est.); arable land: 21.9% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 9.7% (2023 est.); forest: 55.5% (2023 est.); other: 12.8% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Large percentage of agricultural fields can become waterlogged and require drainage.
- Geographic note
- Most of the country is composed of fertile low-lying plains with some hills in the east.
- Languages
- Latvian (official) 56.3%, Russian 33.8%, other 0.6% (includes Polish, Ukrainian, and Belarusian), unspecified 9.4% (2011 est.)
- Religions
- Lutheran 36.2%, Roman Catholic 19.5%, Orthodox 19.1%, other Christian 1.6%, other 0.1%, unspecified/none 23.5% (2017 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- Latvian 62.7%, Russian 24.5%, Belarusian 3.1%, Ukrainian 2.2%, Polish 2%, Lithuanian 1.1%, other 1.8%, unspecified 2.6% (2021 est.)
- Economy
- High-income EU and eurozone member; weak recovery following economic contraction, with slight increase in private consumption and uncertain trade environment; challenges from skilled-labor shortages, capital market access, large informal sector, and green and digital transitions.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Latvia in Numbers
- Population
- 1.85 million
- GDP
- US$48.6 billion
- GDP per person
- US$26,312
- Life expectancy
- 76.4 years
- Population growth
- -0.99% a year
- Population density
- 30 per km²
- Urban population
- 68.6%
- Surface area
- 64,590 km²
- Forest cover
- 55.6%
- Arable land
- 21.8%
- Access to electricity
- 100.0%
- Internet users
- 92.7%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Latvia in Depth
History
Around 3000 BC, the Proto-Baltic ancestors of the Latvian people settled on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea. The Balts established trade routes to Rome and Byzantium, trading local amber for precious metals. By 900 AD, four distinct Baltic tribes inhabited Latvia: Curonians, Latgalians, Selonians, Semigallians (in Latvian: kurši, latgaļi, sēļi and zemgaļi), as well as the Finnic tribe of Livonians (lībieši) speaking a Finnic language.
In the 12th century in the territory of Latvia, there were lands with their rulers: Vanema, Ventava, Bandava, Piemare, Duvzare, Selen, Koknese, Jersika, Tālava and Atzele.
Although the local people had contact with the outside world for centuries, they became more fully integrated into the European socio-political system in the 12th century.
Geography
Latvia lies in Northern Europe, on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea and northwestern part of the East European Craton (EEC), between latitudes 55° and 58° N (a small area is north of 58°), and longitudes 21° and 29° E (a small area is west of 21°). Latvia has a total area of 64,559 km2 (24,926 sq mi) of which 62,157 km2 (23,999 sq mi) land, 18,159 km2 (7,011 sq mi) agricultural land, 34,964 km2 (13,500 sq mi) forest land and 2,402 km2 (927 sq mi) inland water.
The total length of Latvia's boundary is 1,866 km (1,159 mi).
Economy
Latvia is a member of the World Trade Organization (1999) and the European Union (2004). On 1 January 2014, the euro became the country's currency, superseding the Lats. According to statistics in late 2013, 45% of the population supported the introduction of the euro, while 52% opposed it. Following the introduction of the Euro, Eurobarometer surveys in January 2014 showed support for the euro to be around 53%, close to the European average.
Since the year 2000, Latvia has had one of the highest (GDP) growth rates in Europe. However, the chiefly consumption-driven growth in Latvia resulted in the collapse of Latvian GDP in late 2008 and early 2009, exacerbated by the global economic crisis, shortage of credit and huge money resources used for the bailout of Parex Bank.
Demographics
The total fertility rate (TFR) in 2023 was estimated to be 1.36 children born/woman, which is lower than the replacement rate of 2.1. In 2012, 45.0% of births were to unmarried women. The life expectancy in 2013 was estimated at 73.2 years (68.1 years male, 78.5 years female). As of 2015, Latvia is estimated to have the lowest male-to-female ratio in the world, at 0.85 males per female. In 2017, there were 1,054,433 females and 895,683 males living in Latvian territory. Every year, more boys are born than girls. Up to the age of 39, there are more males than females. Above the age of 70, there are 2.3 times as many females as males.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Latvia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Latvia: Key Facts
| Official language | Latvian |
|---|---|
| Head of state | Edgars Rinkēvičs |
| Head of government | Andris Kulbergs |
| Form of government | parliamentary republic, republic |
| Calling code | +371 |
| Internet domain | .lv |
| Highest point | Gaiziņkalns |
| Lowest point | Baltic Sea |
| Established | 18 November 1918 |
Facts from Wikidata Q211 (CC0).
History of Latvia: Empires and States
The atlas records 17 polities whose mapped territory included part of Latvia, from Principality of Polotsky in 1085 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| Principality of Polotsky | 1085–1110 CE | A large part |
| Principality of Jersika | 1111–1215 CE | A large part |
| Livonian Brothers of the Sword | 1202–1240 CE | Most |
| Teutonic Order | 1241–1421 CE | Most |
| Vassalage of Kingdom of Bohemia to Holy Roman Empire | 1241–1421 CE | Most |
| The Holy Roman Empire | 1241–1587 CE | Most |
| Livonian Conference | 1422–1563 CE | Nearly all |
| House of Jagiellon | 1564–1571 CE | A large part |
| Holy Roman Empire Minor States | 1564–1587 CE | A large part |
| Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth | 1572–1705 CE | Nearly all |
| Tsardom of Russia | 1572–1720 CE | Most |
| Swedish Empire | 1629–1712 CE | A small part |
| Pro-Swedish Poland | 1706–1712 CE | Most |
| The Russian Empire | 1721–1916 CE | Nearly all |
| Duchy of Courland | 1734–1793 CE | Most |
| Republic of Latvia | 1920–2024 CE | Nearly all |
| Union of Soviet Socialist Republics | 1940–1991 CE | Nearly all |
Historical Maps of Latvia
Latvia on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Latvia
Latvia (Latvian: Latvija) is one of the three Baltic states in Europe. The biggest travel destination in the country is the capital Riga, whose Old Town is a World Heritage Site. There are many other great places to see, both urban and rural. Latvia's unspoilt sea coast is a 500-km-long unique biome, mainly consisting of empty beaches, white soft sand, and dunes covered with pine trees. Forests cover approximately half of Latvia's territory and are home to many nature trails, nature parks and wildlife preserves. The city of Liepāja with its magnificent beach and the unique formerly secret military neighbourhood of Karosta, Kuldīga, recognised in 2023 as a UNESCO world heritage site, with Europe's widest waterfall, and Cēsis with its medieval castle ruins are just some of the various sights.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Latvia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Latvia
6 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riga | 742,572 | Riga | National capital |
| 2 | Daugavpils | 111,564 | Daugavpils | Populated place |
| 3 | Liepaga | 85,132 | Liepaja | Populated place |
| 4 | Jelgava | 67,207 | Jelgava | Populated place |
| 5 | Ventspils | 42,884 | Ventspils | Populated place |
| 6 | Rēzekne | 38,340 | Latgale | Populated place |
Rivers in Latvia
1 river recorded. Listed alphabetically. A river is listed where its mapped reach lies, so long rivers appear under more than one country.
| Name | Type | Also Flows Through |
|---|---|---|
| Daugava | River | Belarus, Russia |
Ports in Latvia
5 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lielupe | 56.7 m | Very Small | Baltic Sea | medium vessels |
| 2 | Salacgriva | 45.7 m | Very Small | Baltic Sea | medium vessels |
| 3 | Liepaja | 34.7 m | Minor | Baltic Sea | medium vessels |
| 4 | Ventspils | 34.7 m | Minor | Baltic Sea | medium vessels |
| 5 | Riga | 31.1 m | Major | Baltic Sea | large vessels |
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Latvia
2 World Heritage Sites recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vecrīga | 1997 | Cultural | (i) (ii) |
| 2 | Old town of Kuldīga | 2023 | Cultural | (v) |
Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Latvia
3 mountain ranges, deserts and other landforms recorded. Ranked by mapped area. Covers mountain ranges, deserts, plateaus, named glaciers, plains, basins, peninsulas and capes. One that crosses a border is listed under every country it lies in, with the area of the whole feature.
| # | Name | Area | Type | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Europe | 11.24M km² | Continent | Europe |
| 2 | Northern European Plain | 774,604 km² | Plain | Europe |
| 3 | Baltic Plains | 60 km² | Plain | Europe |
Countries Bordering Latvia
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in Europe
Latvia: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Latvia?
- The capital of Latvia is Riga.
- What is the population of Latvia?
- Latvia has a population of about 1.85 million, the #151 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Latvia?
- Latvia covers 64,594 km², ranking #126 by area, with about 29 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Latvia in?
- Latvia is in Europe.
- Which countries border Latvia?
- Latvia shares a land or maritime border with Sweden, Lithuania, Russia, Belarus, Estonia.
- What is the largest city in Latvia?
- Riga is the largest city in Latvia, with a metropolitan population of about 742,572.