Latvijas Republika Republic of Latvia
Flag Coat of arms
Motto "Tēvzemei un Brīvībai"  (Latvian) "For Fatherland and Freedom"
Anthem Dievs, svētī Latviju!  (Latvian) "God, bless Latvia!"
Location of  Latvia  (orange) – on the European continent  (camel & white) – in the European Union  (camel)                 [ Legend] Image File history File links Flag_of_Latvia. ... Image File history File links Coat_of_Arms_of_Latvia. ... Flag ratio: 1:2 Flag ratio: 2:3. ... Coat of Arms of Latvia The Latvian National Coat of Arms was formed after the proclamation of an independent Republic of Latvia on November 18, 1918, and was specially created for its independent statehood. ... A motto (from Italian) is a phrase or a short list of words meant formally to describe the general motivation or intention of an entity, social group, or organization. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that is evoking and eulogizing the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nations government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... Piano sheet of the Latvian National Anthem Dievs, svÄ“tÄ« Latviju! (God Bless Latvia) is the national anthem of Latvia. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1600x1200, 710 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Latvia ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...
Capital (and largest city)		Riga 56°57′N, 24°6′E
Official languages		Latvian
Ethnic groups		59.0% Latvians 28.5% Russians   3.8% Belarusians   2.4% Poles   6.3% others
Government		Parliamentary democracy
-	President	Valdis Zatlers
-	Prime Minister	Aigars Kalvītis
Independence1		from Russia and Germany
-	Declared	November 18, 1918
-	Recognized	January 26, 1921
-	Proclaimed2	May 4, 1990
-	Completed	September 6, 1991
Accession to the European Union		May 1, 2004
Area
-	Total	64,589 km² (124th) 24,937 sq mi
-	Water (%)	1.5
Population
-	January 2006 estimate	2,291,000 (143rd)
-	2000 census	2 375 000
-	Density	36 /km² (166th) 93 /sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2006 estimate
-	Total	$29.214 billion (95th)
-	Per capita	$15,549 (51st)
Gini? (2003)		37.7 (medium)
HDI (2004)		0.845 (high) (45th)
Currency		Lats (Ls) (LVL)
Time zone		EET (UTC+2)
-	Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Internet TLD		.lv 3
Calling code		+371
1 Latvia considers itself continuous with the first republic. 2 Secession from Soviet Union begun. 3 Also .eu, shared with other European Union member states.

Latvia (historically Lattonia, Lettonia, or Lettland), officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvija or Latvijas Republika, Livonian: Lețmō), is a country in Northern Europe. Latvia shares land borders with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south – and both Russia and Belarus to the east. It is separated from Sweden in the west by the Baltic Sea. The capital of Latvia is Riga (Latvian: Rīga). Latvia has been a member state of the European Union since May 1, 2004. This article is about a city that serves as a center of government and politics. ... Historically, Latvia had a fairly large German, Russian, Jewish and Polish minorities, the demographics shifted dramatically in the 20th Century due to the world wars, the repatriation of the Baltic Germans, the Holocaust, and the Soviet occupation so today only the Russian minority, which has tripled in numbers ever since... Coordinates: Founded 1201 Government  - Mayor Jānis Birks Area  - City 307. ... An official language is a language that is given a unique legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... A parliamentary system, or parliamentarism, is distinguished by the executive branch of government being dependent on the direct or indirect support of the parliament, often expressed through a vote of confidence. ... See also: Lists of office-holders Categories: | ... Valdis Zatlers (born March 22, 1955) is president-elect of Latvia. ... The Prime Minister of Latvia is the most powerful member of the Latvian government, and presides over the Latvian cabinet. ... Aigars KalvÄ«tis (born June 27, 1966) is a Latvian politician and the current Prime Minister of Latvia. ... is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... September 6 is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years). ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Area is a physical quantity expressing the size of a part of a surface. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here areas between 10,000 km² and 100,000 km². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... A percentage is a way of expressing a proportion, a ratio or a fraction as a whole number, by using 100 as the denominator. ... This is a list of countries ordered according to population. ... Population density by country, 2006 Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries and dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories that are recognized by the United Nations. ... Gross domestic product (by purchasing power parity) in 2006 The Purchasing power parity (PPP) theory was developed by Gustav Cassel in 1920. ... Gross domestic product (by purchasing power parity) in 2006 There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year). ... Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head. ... Map of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita for the year 2006. ... Graphical representation of the Gini coefficient The Gini coefficient is a measure of inequality of a distribution. ... World map indicating Human Development Index (2004). ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Coloured world map indicating Human Development Index (2004) (colour-blind compliant map) This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Programmes Human Development Report 2006, compiled on the basis of 2004 data. ... The 5 lats coin, used before WWII, becamed a popular symbol of independence during the Soviet era The lats (in Latvian: lats, plural lati, the ISO 4217 currency code: LVL) is the official currency of Latvia. ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... A time zone is a region of the Earth that has adopted the same standard time, usually referred to as the local time. ... Time zones of Europe: Light colours indicate countries not observing daylight saving Eastern European Time (EET) is one of the names of UTC+2 time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. ... Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is a high-precision atomic time standard. ... Though DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... Eastern European Summer Time (EEST) is one of the names of UTC+3 time zone, 3 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. ... Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is a high-precision atomic time standard. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... .lv is the Internet country code top-level domain ( ccTLD) for Latvia. ... A telephone number is a sequence of decimal digits (0-9) that is used for identifying a destination telephone line in a telephone network. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Livonian (LÄ«võ kēļ) belongs to the Finnic branch of the Finno-Ugric languages. ... Northern Europe is marked in dark blue Northern Europe is a name of the northern part of the European continent. ... The Baltic Sea is located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. ... Coordinates: Founded 1201 Government  - Mayor Jānis Birks Area  - City 307. ... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

History

Main article: History of Latvia

The territory of Latvia has been populated since 9000 BC with the proto-Baltic ancestors of the Latvian people settling on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea around the third millennium BC (3000 BC).^[1] The proto-Baltic forefathers of the Latvian people have lived on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea since the third millennium BC [1]. At the beginning of this era the territory known today as Latvia became famous as a trading crossroads. ... The Baltic Sea is located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. ...

Across Europe, Latvia's coast was known for its amber. The ancient Balts traded Latvian amber with Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. Amber pendants. ... http://www. ... The Temple to Athena, the Parthenon Ancient Greece is a period in Greek history that lasted for around three thousand years. ... Motto Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR) The Roman Empire at its greatest extent. ...

By 900 AD, four Baltic tribal cultures had developed: Couronians, Latgallians, Selonians, Semigallians (in Latvian: kurši, latgaļi, sēļi and zemgaļi). The Curonians (also called Kursi, Latvian KurÅ¡i) are one of the extinct Baltic tribes that later formed the Latvian nation. ... The Latgallians (Latvian: latgaļi) were one of the Baltic tribes that later formed Latvian nation. ... Selonians were a tribe of Baltic peoples that are now extinct. ... The Semigallians in the context of the other Baltic tribes, circa 1200 CE. The Eastern Balts are shown in brown hues while the Western Balts are shown in green. ...

A knight (on the right) of The Livonian Brothers of the Sword.

At the end of the 1100s, Latvia was often visited by traders from western Europe who set out on trading journeys along Latvia's longest river, the Daugava, to Russia. Image File history File links LivoniaKnight. ... Image File history File links LivoniaKnight. ... Livonian Brothers The Livonian Brothers of the Sword (Latin Fratres militiae Christi, literally the brothers of the army of Christ), also known as the Christ Knights, Sword Brethren or The Militia of Christ of Livonia, was a military order organized in 1202 by Albert of Buxhoeveden, bishop of Riga (or...

In 1180, Christian missionaries arrived. As the Balts did not readily convert and opposed the ritual of christening, German Crusaders were sent into Latvia [2] to convert the pagan population. By 1211, Christianity had effective control with the foundation stone for the Dome Cathedral in Riga laid. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      A Christian () is a... Two Mormon missionaries A missionary is traditionally defined as a propagator of religion who works to convert those outside that community; someone who proselytizes. ... The Crusaders (formerly the Canterbury Crusaders) are a New Zealand Rugby Union team based in Christchurch, New Zealand that competes in the Super 14 (formerly the Super 12). ...

In the 1200s, a confederation of feudal nations called Livonia developed under German rule. Livonia included today's Latvia and Southern Estonia. In 1282, Rīga and later the cities of Cēsis, Limbaži, Koknese and Valmiera were included in the Hanseatic League. From this time, Riga became an important point in west-east trading. Rīga, being the centre of the eastern Baltic region, formed close cultural contacts with Western Europe. Baltic Tribes, ca 1200 CE This article is about the region in Europe. ... CÄ“sis (German: Wenden) is a town in Latvia located in the northern part of the Vidzeme Central upland. ... Limbaži is a town in Northern Latvia, 90 km from the capital Riga. ... Koknese (-Latvian, German: Kokenh(a)usen, Polish: Kokenhuza) is a town in Aizkraukle County, Latvia on the right bank of the Daugava river. ... Valmiera (German: Wolmar) is the largest city of Vidzeme region, Latvia with a total area of 18. ... Carta marina of the Baltic Sea region (1539). ...

The 1500s were a time of great changes for the inhabitants of Latvia, notable for the reformation and the collapse of the Livonian nation. After the Livonian War (1558-1583) today's Latvian territory came under Polish-Lithuanian rule. The Lutheran faith was accepted in Kurzeme, Zemgale and Vidzeme, but the Roman Catholic faith maintained its dominance in Latgale and continues to do so today. The Reformation reached Livonia in the 1520s. ... Polish-Lithuanian can refer to: Polish-Lithuanian Union from 1385 until 1569 Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1569 untul 1795 Categories: Disambiguation ... Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestant Christianity which follows the teachings of the sixteenth-century reformer Martin Luther. ... Courland, Kurland, Couronia, or Curonia, a former Baltic province of the Teutonic Order state in Livonia (ca. ... Zemgale (also historically known as Semigallia or Semigalia) forms an historical region of Latvia, sometimes also including a part of Lithuania. ... Livonia (Latvian: Livonija; Estonian: Liivimaa; German: Livland; Polish: Inflanty; Russian: Лифляндия or Liflandiya) once was the land of the Finnic Livonians, but came in the Middle Ages to designate a much broader territory controlled by the Livonian Order on the eastern coasts of the Baltic Sea in present-day Latvia and... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Latgale or Latgalia (Latvian: , Latgalian: Latgola; Polish: Łatgalia; German: Lettgallen; Russian: Латгалия) is one of the four cultural regions of Latvia recognised in the Constitution of the Latvian Republic. ...

The seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries saw a struggle between Poland, Sweden and Russia for supremacy in the eastern Baltic. Most of Polish Livonia, including Vidzeme, came under Swedish rule with the Truce of Altmark in 1629. Under the Swedish rule serfdom was eased and a network of schools was established for the peasantry. This article is about the region in Europe. ... A six-year Truce of Altmark was signed on September 25, 1629 at the German town of Altmark, near Danzig by Sweden and Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during Thirty Years War. ... Costumes of slaves or serfs, from the sixth to the twelfth centuries, collected by H. de Vielcastel from original documents in European libraries. ...

The Treaty of Nystad ending the Great Northern War in 1721 gave Vidzeme to Russia (it became part of the Riga Governorate). The Latgale region remained part of Poland as Inflanty until 1772, when it was joined to Russia. The Duchy of Courland became a Russian province (the Courland Governorate) in 1795, bringing all of what is now Latvia into Imperial Russia. The Treaty of Nystad (1721), signed at the present-day Finnish town of Uusikaupunki (Swedish Nystad), ended the Great Northern War, in which Russia received the territories of Estonia, Livonia and Ingria, as well as much of Karelia and Tsar Peter I of Russia replaced King Frederick I of Sweden... Combatants Sweden Ottoman Empire (1710–1714) Ukrainian Cossacks Russia Denmark-Norway Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Saxony after 1718 Prussia Hanover Commanders Charles XII of Sweden Ahmed III Ivan Mazepa Peter the Great Frederick IV of Denmark Augustus II the Strong Strength 77,000 in the beginning of the war. ... Riga Governorate (Рижская губерния or Riga guberniya) was a governorate of the Russian Empire. ... This article is about the region in Europe. ... Courland, Kurland, Couronia, or Curonia, a former Baltic province of the Teutonic Order state in Livonia (ca. ... Courland Governorate (german Kurländisches Gouvernement) was one of the governorates of the Russian Empire. ... Imperial Russia is the term used to cover the period of history from the expansion of Russia under Peter the Great, through the expansion of the Russian Empire from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean, to the deposal of Nicholas II of Russia, the last tsar, at the start...

The promises Peter the Great made to the Baltic German nobility at the fall of Riga in 1710, confirmed by the Treaty of Nystad and known as "the Capitulations," largely reversed the Swedish reforms. The emancipation of the serfs took place in Courland in 1817 and in Vidzeme in 1819. In practice, the emancipation was actually advantageous to the nobility because it dispossessed the peasants of their land without compensation. The social structure changed dramatically, with a class of independent farmers establishing itself after reforms allowed the peasants to repurchase their land, landless peasants numbering 591 000 in 1897, a growing urban proletariat and an increasingly influential Latvian bourgeoisie. The Young Latvians (Latvian: Jaunlatvieši) movement laid the groundwork for nationalism from the middle of the century, many of its leaders looking to the Slavophiles for support against the prevailing German-dominated social order. Russification began in Latgale after the January Uprising in 1863 and spread to the rest of what is now Latvia by the 1880s. The Young Latvians were largely eclipsed by the New Current, a broad leftist social and political movement, in the 1890s. Popular discontent exploded in the 1905 Revolution, which took on a nationalist character in the Baltic provinces. Peter the Great or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov (Russian: Пётр I Алексеевич Pyotr I Alekséyevich) (9 June 1672–8 February 1725 [30 May 1672–28 January 1725 O.S.][1]) ruled Russia from 7 May (27 April O.S.) 1682 until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his weak and sickly... The proletariat (from Latin proles, offspring) is a term used to identify a lower social class; a member of such a class is proletarian. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Young Latvians (in Latvian: jaunlatvieÅ¡i) is the term most often applied to the intellectuals of the first Latvian National Awakening (in Latvian: tautas atmoda), active from the 1850s to the 1880s. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... A Slavophile was an advocate of the supremacy of Slavic culture over that of others, especially Western European culture. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Polonia (Poland), 1863, by Jan Matejko, 1864, oil on canvas, 156 × 232 cm, National Museum, Kraków. ... Year 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... // Development and commercial production of electric lighting Development and commercial production of gasoline-powered automobile by Karl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler and Maybach First commercial production and sales of phonographs and phonograph recordings. ... In the history of Latvia, the New Current (in Latvian, Jaunā strāva; participants in the movement are called jaunstrāvnieki) was a broad leftist social and political movement that followed the First Latvian National Awakening (led by the Young Latvians from the 1850s to the 1880s) and culminated in... In politics, left-wing, political left, leftism, or simply the left, are terms which refer (with no particular precision) to the segment of the political spectrum typically associated with any of several strains of socialism, social democracy, or liberalism (especially in the American sense of the word), or with opposition... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

World War I devastated the country. Demands for self-determination were at first confined to autonomy, but full independence was proclaimed in Riga on November 18, 1918, by the People's Council of Latvia, Kārlis Ulmanis becoming the head of the provisional government. The War of Independence that followed was a very chaotic period in Latvia's history. By the spring of 1919 there were actually three governments- Ulmanis' government; the Iskolat led by Pēteris Stučka, which proclaimed an independent Soviet Latvia and whose forces, supported by the Red Army, occupied almost all of the country; and the Baltic German government of "Baltic Duchy" headed by Andrievs Niedra. Estonian and Latvian forces defeated the Germans at the Battle of Cēsis in June 1919, and a massive attack by a German and Russian force under Pavel Bermondt-Avalov was repelled in November. Eastern Latvia was cleared of Red Army forces by Polish, Latvian, and German troops in early 1920. “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Self-determination is a principle in international law that a people ought to be able to determine their own governmental forms and structure free from outside influence. ... Look up autonomy, autonomous in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Tautas Padome (Latvias Peoples Council) was a temporary council which declared Latvias independence in 1918 and then acted as a temporary parliament until a Constitutional Assembly (Satversmes Sapulce) was elected. ... Kārlis Ulmanis (b. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Year 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... The Iskolat was the Executive Committee of the Soviet of Workers, Soldiers, and the Landless in Latvia, established in Valmiera on July 29-30, 1917, O.S. (August 11- 12, 1917, N.S.), at the initiative of the Central Committee of the Latvian Social Democratic Party, then controlled by the... PÄ“teris Stučka, sometimes spelt Stuchka (b. ... For other organizations known as the Red Army, see Red Army (disambiguation). ... The Baltic Germans (German: Deutsch-Balten, Deutschbalten, sometimes incorrectly Baltendeutsche), were ethnically German inhabitants of the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea which forms today the countries of Estonia and Latvia. ... Andrievs Niedra, formerly spelt Andreews Needra (b. ... CÄ“sis (German: Wenden) is a town in Latvia located in the northern part of the Vidzeme Central upland. ... Pavel Rafalovich Bermondt-Avalov (1884-1973) was an Ussuri Cossack and warlord who led the Bermontians, a group of adventurers who captured Riga in October 1919 and attempted to set up a pro-German government there. ... For other organizations known as the Red Army, see Red Army (disambiguation). ...

A freely elected Constituent Assembly was convened on May 1, 1920 and adopted a liberal constitution, the Satversme, in February 1922. This was partly suspended by Ulmanis after his coup in 1934, but reaffirmed in 1990. Since then it has been amended and is the constitution still in use in Latvia today. With most of Latvia's industrial base evacuated to the interior of Russia in 1915, radical land reform was the central political question for the young state. In 1897, 61.2% of the rural population had been landless; by 1930 that percentage had been reduced to 23.2%. The extent of cultivated land surpassed the pre-war level already in 1923. Innovation and rising productivity led to rapid growth of economy, but it soon suffered the effects of the Great Depression. Though Latvia showed signs of economic recovery and the electorate had steadily moved toward the center during the parliamentary period, Ulmanis staged a bloodless coup on May 15, 1934, establishing a nationalist dictatorship that lasted until 1940. Most of the Baltic Germans left Latvia by agreement between Ulmanis' government and Nazi Germany after the conclusion of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. On October 5, 1939, Latvia was forced to accept a "mutual assistance" pact with the Soviet Union, granting the Soviets the right to station 25,000 troops on Latvian territory. On June 16, 1940, Vyacheslav Molotov presented the Latvian representative in Moscow with an ultimatum accusing Latvia of violations of that pact, and on June 17 great numbers of Soviet forces occupied the country. Fraudulent^[2] elections for a "People's Saeima" were held, and a puppet government headed by Augusts Kirhenšteins led Latvia into the USSR. The annexation was formalized on August 5, 1940. A constituent assembly is a body elected with the purpose of drafting, and in some cases, adopting a constitution. ... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... Look up liberal on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Liberal may refer to: Politics: Liberalism American liberalism, a political trend in the USA Political progressivism, a political ideology that is for change, often associated with liberal movements Liberty, the condition of being free from control or restrictions Liberal Party, members of... Inauguration of the Constitutional Assembly of Latvia, 1 May 1920 The Constitution of Latvia (Latvian: ) is the fundamental law of the Republic of Latvia. ... Year 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... -1... The Great Depression was a time of economic down turn, which started after the stock market crash on October 29, 1929, known as Black Tuesday. ... // A coup dÉtat (pronounced ), or simply coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, often through illegal means by a part of the state establishment — mostly replacing just the high-level figures. ... is the 135th day of the year (136th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A dictatorship is an autocratic form of government in which the government is ruled by a dictator. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... Molotov signs the German-Soviet non-aggression pact. ... is the 278th day of the year (279th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 167th day of the year (168th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Molotov (disambiguation). ... Position of Moscow in Europe Coordinates: , Country District Subdivision Russia Central Federal District Federal City Government  - Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov Area  - City 1,081 km²  (417. ... is the 168th day of the year (169th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // Soviet Occupation and Annexation of Latvia 1939-1940 Historical Background Latvia declared its independence on November 18, 1918. ... Augusts KirhenÅ¡teins, formerly spelt KirchenÅ¡teins (b. ... August 5 is the 217th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (218th in leap years), with 148 days remaining. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

The Soviets dealt with their opponents - prior to the German invasion, in less than a year, at least 27,586 persons were arrested; most were deported, and ca. 945 persons were shot. While under German occupation, Latvia was administered as part of Reichskommissariat Ostland. Latvian paramilitary and Auxiliary Police units established by occupation authority actively participated in the Holocaust. More than 200,000 Latvian citizens died during World War II, including approximately 70,000 Latvian Jews murdered during the Nazi occupation. Latvian soldiers fought on both sides of the conflict, including in the Latvian Legion of the Waffen-SS, most of them conscripted by the occupying Nazi and Soviet authorities. Refusal to join the occupying army resulted in an imprisonment, threats to relatives or even death. The term enemy of the people (Russian language: враг народа, vrag naroda) was a fluid designation under the Bolsheviks rule in regards to their real or suspected political or class opponents, sometimes including former allies. ... Combatants Germany, Romania, Finland, Italy, Hungary, Slovakia Soviet Union Commanders Adolf Hitler Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb Fedor von Bock Gerd von Rundstedt Günther von Kluge Heinz Guderian Ernst Busch Georg von Küchler Wilhelm List Erich von Manstein Ion Antonescu C.G.E. Mannerheim Giovanni Messe Italo Gariboldi Mikl... Reichskommissariat Ostland was the German name for the Nazi civil administration of so called Eastern Territories of the Third Reich dring World War II, where Ostland (German for Eastern Territories) was the name given to the German occupied territories of the Baltic states, Belarus and Eastern Poland. ... The Arajs Commando was a Latvian police unit that participated actively in the killing of Jews during the Holocaust. ... For other uses, see Holocaust (disambiguation) and Shoah (disambiguation). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Waffen-SS recruitment poster; Volunteer to the Waffen-SS The Waffen-SS was the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel. ...

The statue of Liberty on top of the Freedom Monument in Riga

The Soviets reoccupied the country in 1944-1945, and further mass deportations followed as the country was forcibly collectivized and Sovietized; 42,975 persons were deported in 1949. Influx of laborers, administrators, military personnel and their dependents from Russia and other Soviet republics started and by 1959 ethnic Latvian population had fallen to 62%. During the Khrushchev Thaw, attempts by national communists led by Eduards Berklavs to gain a degree of autonomy for the republic and protect the rapidly deteriorating position of the Latvian language were suppressed. In 1989 the Supreme Soviet of the USSR adopted a resolution on the "Occupation of the Baltic States," in which it declared that the occupation was "not in accordance with law," and not the "will of the Soviet people". A national movement coalescing in the Popular Front of Latvia took advantage of glasnost under Mikhail Gorbachev, opposed by the Interfront, and on May 4, 1990, the Supreme Soviet of the Latvian SSR adopted the Declaration of the Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia, subject to a transition period that came to an end with Latvian independence on August 21, 1991, after the failure of the August Putsch. The Saeima, Latvia's parliament, was again elected in 1993, and Russia completed its military withdrawal in 1994. But to this day Russia still refuses to recognize the fact of Latvia's occupation and falsly claims that Latvians decided to lose their statehood voluntarely and officialy describes freedom fighters of 1944- 1952 as "bandits" or "nazis". Russian position isn't recognized internationaly. Image File history File links Lettland_riga_freih_statue. ... Image File history File links Lettland_riga_freih_statue. ... The Freedom Monument in Riga The Freedom Monument (Latvian: ), located in Riga, Latvia, is a memorial in honor of soldiers killed in action during the Latvian War of Independence. ... In the Soviet Union, collectivisation was a policy introduced in the late 1920s, of consolidation of individual land and labour into co-operatives called collective farms (Russian: , kolkhoz) and state farms (Russian: , sovkhoz). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... In Soviet history, Kruschevs Thaw or Khrushchev Thaw refers to the period between the end of 1950s and the beginning of 1960s, when repressions and censorship reached a low point. ... This article is about communism as a form of society, as an ideology advocating that form of society, and as a popular movement. ... Eduards Berklavs (June 15, 1914 - November 25, 2004) was a Latvian politician. ... Latvian (latvieÅ¡u valoda), sometimes referred to as Lettish, is the official state language of the Republic of Latvia. ... The Supreme Soviet (Russian: , Verhovniy Sovet, literally the Supreme Council) comprised the highest legislative body in the Soviet Union in the interim of the sessions of the Congress of Soviets, and the only one with the power to pass constitutional amendments. ... The Popular Front of Latvia (Latvijas Tautas Fronte in Latvian) was a political organization in Latvia in late 1980s and early 1990s which lead Latvia to its independence from the Soviet Union. ... //   (Russian: IPA: ) is politics of maximal openness, transparency of activity of all official (governmental) institutes, and freedom of information. ... Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev (Russian: ), surname more accurately romanized as Gorbachyov; born March 2, 1931) is a Russian politician. ... The International Front of the Working People of the Latvian SSR or Interfront (Latvian: , Russian: ) — pro-Union socialist organization in Latvia in 1989—1991. ... is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... The Supreme Soviet (Russian: , Verhovniy Sovet, literally the Supreme Council) comprised the highest legislative body in the Soviet Union in the interim of the sessions of the Congress of Soviets, and the only one with the power to pass constitutional amendments. ... is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... During the Soviet Coup of 1991, also known as the August Putsch, Vodka Putsch or August Coup, a group of hardliners within the Soviet Communist party briefly deposed Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and attempted to take control of the country. ... The Saeima Plenary Chamber The Saeima is the parliament of the Republic of Latvia. ...

The major goals of Latvia in the 1990s, to join NATO and European Union, were achieved in 2004. Language and citizenship laws have been opposed by many Russophones (citizenship was not automatically extended to some former Soviet citizens who settled during the Soviet occupation). The government denationalized private property confiscated by the Soviet rule, returning it or compensating the owners for it, and privatized most state-owned industries, reintroducing the prewar currency. After a difficult transition to a liberal economy and its re-orientation toward Western Europe, Latvia still has one of the lowest standards of living in the EU, though its economy has one of the highest growth rates. NATO 2002 Summit in Prague. ... Look up Russophone in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Citizenship is membership in a political community (originally a city or town but now usually a country) and carries with it rights to political participation; a person having such membership is a citizen. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The 5 lats coin, used before WWII, becamed a popular symbol of independence during the Soviet era The lats (in Latvian: lats, plural lati, the ISO 4217 currency code: LVL) is the official currency of Latvia. ...

Politics

Ingrīda Ūdre, former Speaker of Saeima, the Latvian parliament.

Main article: Politics of Latvia

The 100-seat unicameral Latvian parliament, the Saeima, is elected by direct, popular vote every four years. The president is elected by the Saeima in a separate election also every four years. The president appoints a prime minister who, together with his cabinet, forms the executive branch of the government, which has to receive a confidence vote by the Saeima. This system also existed before the Second World War. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (2250x1500, 542 KB) Ingrida Udre 07/10/2004 Ingrida UDRE - Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union (Latvia) Source: http://www. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (2250x1500, 542 KB) Ingrida Udre 07/10/2004 Ingrida UDRE - Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union (Latvia) Source: http://www. ... IngrÄ«da Ūdre, former Speaker of Saeima, the Latvian parliament. ... The Saeima Plenary Chamber The Saeima is the parliament of the Republic of Latvia. ... Politics of Latvia takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. ... Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or parliamentary chamber. ... A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modelled after that of the United Kingdom. ... The Saeima Plenary Chamber The Saeima is the parliament of the Republic of Latvia. ... A general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are up for election. ... A prime minister is the most senior minister of a cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ... A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. ... The executive is the branch of a government charged with implementing, or executing, the law and running the day-to-day affairs of the government or state. ... The Saeima Plenary Chamber The Saeima is the parliament of the Republic of Latvia. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ...

In a nationwide referendum on September 20, 2003, 66.9% of those taking part voted in favour of joining the European Union. Latvia became a full-fledged member of the European Union on May 1, 2004. Latvia has been a NATO member since March 29, 2004. Although membership in the EU and NATO were the major goals of Latvia through the 1990s, Latvian politicians today are often criticized for being unable to gain benefits out of Latvia's membership. Elections Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita, originally a decree of the Concilium Plebis) is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ... is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... NATO 2002 Summit in Prague. ... March 29 is the 88th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (89th in leap years). ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Latvia has had strained relations with Russian Federation due to Russian discontent with Latvian language and citizenship policies, as well as Latvia's requests for Russia to recognize it as continuous with the first Latvian Republic and acknowledge consequences of Soviet occupation. As of 2007, however Latvia's relationship with Russia seems to be improving. Latvian (latviešu valoda), sometimes referred to as Lettish, is the official state language of the Republic of Latvia. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

Administrative divisions

Main articles: Districts of Latvia and Subdivisions of Latvia

Further information: Regions of Latvia

Latvia is divided into 26 districts (rajoni). There are also seven cities (lielpilsētas) that have a separate status. Latvia is also historically, culturally and constitutionally divided in four or more distinct regions. Latvia is divided into 26 districts (apriņķis; plural - apriņķi) (more often - rajons (rajoni)) and 7 cities (lielpilsÄ“tas; singular - lielpilsÄ“ta), indicated with asterisks: Aizkraukle District AlÅ«ksne District Balvi District Bauska District CÄ“sis District Daugavpils District Daugavpils* Dobele District Gulbene District JÄ“kabpils District Jelgava District... Subdivisions of Latvia The districts of Latvia are divided into 68 towns (pilsetas, sing. ... Latvia is divided into several historical and cultural regions. ... Latvia is divided into 26 districts (apriņķis; plural - apriņķi) (more often - rajons (rajoni)) and 7 cities (lielpilsÄ“tas; singular - lielpilsÄ“ta), indicated with asterisks: Aizkraukle District AlÅ«ksne District Balvi District Bauska District CÄ“sis District Daugavpils District Daugavpils* Dobele District Gulbene District JÄ“kabpils District Jelgava District... Inauguration of the Constitutional Assembly of Latvia 1 May 1920 Constitution of Latvia (Latvian: ) is the fundamental law of the Republic of Latvia. ...

Aizkraukle District Alūksne District Balvi District Bauska District Cēsis District Daugavpils District Daugavpils (city) Dobele District Gulbene District Jēkabpils District Jelgava District Jelgava (city) Jūrmala (city) Krāslava District Kuldīga District Liepāja District Liepāja (city)

Limbaži District Ludza District Madona District Ogre District Preiļi District Rēzekne District Rēzekne (city) Rīga District Rīga (city) Saldus District Talsi District Tukums District Valka District Valmiera District Ventspils District Ventspils (city)

50km

• Abrene District (1919-1940), the eastern part of which was annexed to Russia in 1944;
  the legal status of the annexed portion is disputed -- the western part of the former district is now in Balvi District.

Aizkraukles District (Latvian: Aizkraukles rajons) is a district in vidzeme and sēlija. ... Alūksne district (Latvian: Alūksnes rajons) is an administrative division of Latvia, located in the north-east of the country 202 km (152 mi 1267) from capital city Riga. ... Balvu District (Latvian: Balvu rajons) is a district in Latgale. ... Bauska District (Latvian: Bauskas rajons) is a district in zemgale. ... Cēsis District is a district in Latvia. ... Daugavpils District (Latvian: Daugavpils rajons) is a district in latgale. ... Daugavpils (Belarusian Дзьвінск Dźvinsk, Russian Двинcк Dvinsk, Lithuanian Daugpilis, German Dünaburg, Polish Dźwinów, Dźwińsk or Dyneburg, Yiddish דענענבורג Denenburg), population 115,265 in 2000 census) is the second largest city in Latvia. ... Dobeles District (Latvian: Dobeles rajons) is a district in Zemgalē and Kurzemē). Cities Auce Dobele Towns Tervete Vilages Annenieki Auri Bēne Bērze Biksti Īle Jaunbērze Krimūni Lielauce Naudīte Penkule Ukri Vītiņi Zebrene Categories: | ... Gulbene District (Latvian: Gulbenes rajons) is in northeast Latvia, composed of Gulbene city and 13 parishes. ... Jekabpils district lies on both the banks of the Daugava in the south-east part of Latvia between Vidzeme and Latgale. ... Jelgava District (Latvian: Jelgavas rajons) is a district in Zemgalē. Categories: | ... Jelgava (German: Mitau; Russian: Елгава / Митава; Polish: Mitawa) is a town in central Latvia about 41 km southwest of Riga with approximately 66,000 inhabitants. ... Beach at Majori. ... Kraslava District (Latvian: Krāslavas rajons) is a district in Latgalē. Categories: | ... Kuldīga district (Latvian: Kuldīgas rajons) is located at western part of Latvia along both sides of the Venta River. ... Liepaja District (Latvian: Liepājas rajons) is a district in Kurzemē. Categories: | ... Liepāja Liepāja (German: Libau, Lithuanian: Liepoja, Polish: Lipawa, Russian: Либава / Libava or Лиепая / Liyepaya, Yiddish: ליבאַװע / Libave) is a city in western Latvia on the Baltic sea. ... Limbaži district is a district (Latvian: Limbažu rajons) in Latvia, located in the north of the country at the shore of the Baltic Sea. ... Ludza District (Latvian: Ludzas rajons) is a district in Latgalē. Categories: | ... Madona District (Latvian: Madonas rajons) is a district in Vidzeme and Latgale. ... Ogre District (Latvian: Ogres rajons) is a district in the centre of Latvia. ... Preili District (Latvian: Preiļu rajons) is a district in Latgale. ... Rezekne District (Latvian: Rēze