Latvia

The Republic of Latvia is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. Latvia is one of the three Baltic states along with Estonia and Lithuania. It is bordered by Estonia to the north, Lithuania to the south, Belarus to the south-east, and Russia to the east. Latvia has a population of 2.2 million people and the capital city is Riga. Latvia is a parliamentary republic and is a member of the European Union, NATO, the Council of Europe, the United Nations, and the OECD. The country is also a member of the Schengen Area. Latvia is a high-income advanced economy with a very high Human Development Index. The first known inhabitants of Latvia were the Baltic tribes, who arrived in the region around the second millennium BC. The region was then inhabited by the Livs, a Finnic tribe, from the 4th to the 8th century AD. The Germanic Livonian Brothers of the Sword, who were Christians, conquered the pagan Livs in the 12th century. In the early 13th century, the Brothers established a Livonian Order in the Duchy of Livonia, a large territory including present-day Latvia and Estonia. With the decline of the Order in the 16th century, Latvia was occupied by the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia, a vassal state of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1721, the Duchy was absorbed into the Russian Empire. Latvia regained its independence in 1918 following the collapse of the Russian Empire at the end of World War I. However, it was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940 and occupied again by the Nazis in 1941 during World War II. Latvia regained its independence in 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Latvia is a parliamentary republic and is a member of the European Union, NATO, the Council of Europe, the United Nations, and the OECD. The country is also a member of the Schengen Area. Latvia is a high-income advanced economy with a very high Human Development Index. The economy of Latvia is an open economy and is part of the European Union single market. Latvia is a member of the World Trade Organization and ranks 44th in the 2018 Index of Economic Freedom. The country is also a member of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The main industries in Latvia are forestry, agriculture, food processing, pharmaceuticals, and electronics. Latvia is also a major transit country for oil and gas. The main exports of Latvia are wood products, machinery, and metals. The Latvian educational system is based on the principles of the Bologna Process. Latvia has nine universities, of which the University of Latvia is the largest and oldest. The Latvian healthcare system is a system of public, private, and non-profit organizations. The government provides free basic healthcare to all citizens and residents of Latvia. Latvia is a parliamentary republic and is a member of the European Union, NATO, the Council of Europe, the United Nations, and the OECD. The country is also a member of the Schengen Area. Latvia is a high-income advanced economy with a very high Human Development Index. The Latvian political system is a parliamentary republic. The head of state is the President of Latvia, who is elected by the Saeima, the country's parliament. The head of government is the Prime Minister of Latvia, who is appointed by the president. The Latvian legal system is based on the civil law system. The main source of law is the Constitution of Latvia. Latvia is a parliamentary republic and is a member of the European Union, NATO, the Council of Europe, the United Nations, and the OECD. The country is also a member of the Schengen Area. Latvia is a high-income advanced economy with a very high Human Development Index.