NationMaster - Latvian Government statistics

Capital city	Riga
Constitution 15 February 1922; restored to force by the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Latvia adopted by the Supreme Council on 21 August 1991; multiple amendments since
Corruption	53	[53rd of 160]
Executive branch > Cabinet Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the Parliament
Executive branch > Chief of state President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999)
Executive branch > Elections president elected by Parliament for a four-year term (no term limits); election last held 31 May 2007 (next to be held 2011); prime minister appointed by the president
Executive branch > Head of government Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December 2004)
Flag modification	33	[33rd of 197]
Government type	parliamentary democracy
Judicial branch Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament); Constitutional Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)
Legal system	based on civil law system
Legislative branch unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by proportional representation from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Legislative branch > Elections last held 7 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010)
National holiday Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 was the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August 1991 was the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union
Parliamentary seats > Female	31%	[31st of 143]
Political pressure groups and leaders Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB) [Aleksandr KAZAKOV]
Status democracy
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
UN membership date	17 Sep. 1991
United Nations mission http://www.am.gov.lv/en/

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SOURCES: The location of the seat of government.; The dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments to a nation's constitution ; A CPI Score relates to perceptions of the degree of corruption as seen by business people and country analysts and ranges between 10 (highly clean) and 0 (highly corrupt). Includes police corruption, business corruption, political corruption, etc. Data for 2005.; Cabinet includes the official name for any body of high-ranking advisers roughly comparable to a U.S. Cabinet. Also notes the method for selection of members. ; The name and title of any person or role roughly equivalent to a U.S. Chief of State. This means the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government ; Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election ; Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government. ; The date on which the nation's flag was last modified.; A description of the basic form of government (e.g., republic, constitutional monarchy, federal republic, parliamentary democracy, military dictatorship). ; The name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members. ; A brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction. ; This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election. ; The primary national day of celebration - often independence day. ; ; Organizations with leaders involved in politics, but not standing for legislative election. ; Democracy: state in which democratic structures provide for an alternance of power
Pseudo-Democracy: state in which there are democratic structures but without a real chance for an alternance of power
Transition State: a state with a transitional structure
Absolute Monarchy: a one-party state, or a state governed by an absolute monarchy or dictatorship.; The age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted ; Date of United Nations Membership; United Missions mission or approximate website

ALTERNATIVE NAMES: Latvia, Republic of Latvia, Latvijas Republika, Latvija

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