Brief History

Latvia was first settled by Baltic tribes thousands of years ago. They mainly fished, hunted, and traded. In the 800s, Vikings took control of the region that is now Latvia. German crusaders came to Latvia at the end of the 12th century, and Latvians lost control of their homeland. Over the next hundreds of years, Danes, Swedes, and Poles all invaded Latvia. In 1721, Russia took control of Latvia. In 1918, Latvia declared independence. During World War II, Nazi Germany occupied most of Latvia, and many Latvian Jews were killed. The Soviet Union invaded Latvia during World War II. The Soviets forced over 100,000 Latvians to move to northern Russia. In 1991, The Soviet Union collapsed and Latvia gained independence.

National Flag

The national flag of Latvia is carmine red with a white horizontal stripe. The red represents Latvian blood spilled in wars, and the white represents peace and independence.

Geography

Latvia is located in north-eastern Europe, with a coastline along the Baltic Sea. Latvia borders Estonia, Russia, Belarus, and Lithuania. Grasslands, low hills, marshy meadows, and plains make up most of the country.

World Land Mass Ranking: 125th

Highest Mountain: Gaiziņkalns Hill, 311 m (1,020 ft).

Longest River: Daugava River, 1,020 km (634 mi).

Main Languages

Latvian

Latvia Population: 1.8 million (as of 2023)

Capital City: Riga

Capital City Population: 621,000 (as of 2023)

Climate

Latvia has a semi-continental climate. It is very cold in the winter, and mild and rainy during the summer. Coastal Latvia is more temperate, windy, and humid. Eastern Latvia has a slightly more continental climate.

Key People

Kristaps Porziņģis

Mark Rothko

Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga

Mikhail Tal

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  Cuisine

  Latvian cuisine has been influenced by other Baltic countries. Common ingredients in Latvian cuisine include potatoes, rye bread, pork, fish, dairy, vegetables, and berries. The national dish of Latvia is pelēkie zirņi ar speķi, which is a stew made with grey peas, fried onions, and diced speck. One popular Latvian dessert is a bread soup called maizes zupa.

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  Sports

  Sports and activities are an important part of Latvian life. The most popular sport in Latvia is football, but the national sport is Ice Hockey. The Latvia men’s national ice hockey team has competed in various international ice hockey competitions, including the World Championships and the Winter Olympic Games. Other sports that are popular in Latvia are basketball, athletics, rugby, tennis, and cycling.

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  Culture

  Latvian culture has been influenced by many different groups throughout the nation’s history. However, Latvians continue to observe the traditions of their ancestors. Traditional Latvian dances and songs date back thousands of years. Other important aspects of Latvian culture include traditional folklore, crafts and handiwork, and festivals.