The Republic of Latvia is a small Baltic country in the north east of Europe. It borders Russia, Lithuania, Estonia and Belarus. The region has been populated for more than 10,000 years. The ancient Balts traded Latvian amber with Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. Christianity arrived in the late 12th century. In the same period, a feudal federation of states under German rule called Livornia was established in what is now Latvia and parts of Estonia. In the 17th and 18th century the region fell under Swedish rule, but in 1795 it became part of imperial Russia. However, after World War I independence from Russia was declared, but at the beginning of World War II, the area was occupied by Russian forces. After World War II, Latvia and the other Baltic states were sovietised, but Latvia regained its independence in 1991. Latvia is a member of NATO and EU.

Inhabitants: 2,300,000
Area: 65,000 km2
Capital: Riga (730,000 inhabitants)
Languages: Latvian
Religion: Non-believers (42%), Catholics (22%), Protestants (20%), Eastern Orthodox (15%), others (1%)
GDP (PPP) per capita: $15,500
Government: Parliamentary democracy
Climate: The climate is humid, continental and temperate in nature.