After a brief period of independence between the two World Wars, Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries.

It reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow.

Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Source: CIA World Fact Book

Population: 2,259,810 (July 2007 est.)

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Age structure: 0-14 years: 13.6% (male 157,451/female 150,184) 15-64 years: 69.6% (male 764,910/female 808,848) 65 years and over: 16.7% (male 123,952/female 254,465) (2007 est.)

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Median age: total: 39.6 years male: 36.6 years female: 42.7 years (2007 est.)

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Population growth rate: -0.648% (2007 est.)

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Birth rate: 9.43 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Death rate: 13.64 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Net migration rate: -2.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.946 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.487 male(s)/female total population: 0.862 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

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Infant mortality rate: total: 9.16 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.08 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

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Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.6 years male: 66.39 years female: 77.1 years (2007 est.)

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Total fertility rate: 1.28 children born/woman (2007 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.6% (2001 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 7,600 (2001 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 500 (2003 est.)

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Nationality: noun: Latvian(s) adjective: Latvian

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Ethnic groups: Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)

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Religions: Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox

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Languages: Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other 4.3% (2000 census)

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Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.7% male: 99.8% female: 99.7% (2000 census)

Latvia's economy experienced average GDP growth of more than 7.0% over the past several years. In 2006 it reached 10.2% real GDP growth. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. EU membership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. The current account deficit - more than 15% of GDP in 2006 - and inflation remain major concerns.

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GDP (purchasing power parity): $36.49 billion (2006 est.)

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GDP (official exchange rate): $16.5 billion (2006 est.)

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GDP - real growth rate: 11.9% (2006 est.)

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GDP - per capita (PPP): $16,000 (2006 est.)

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GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.7% industry: 26.3% services: 70% (2006 est.)

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Labor force: 1.136 million (2006 est.)

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Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 13% industry: 19% services: 68% (2005 est.)

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Unemployment rate: 6.5% (December 2006 est.)

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Population below poverty line: NA%

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Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 26.1% (1998)

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Distribution of family income - Gini index: 35 (2003)

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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.8% (December 2006 est.)

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Investment (gross fixed): 31.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

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Budget: revenues: $6.172 billion expenditures: $6.45 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)

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Public debt: 11% of GDP (2006 est.)

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Agriculture - products: grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish

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Industries: buses, vans, street and railroad cars; synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note - dependent on imports for energy and raw materials Industrial production growth rate: 8.5% (2006 est.)

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Electricity - production: 4.55 billion kWh (2004)

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Electricity - consumption: 6.329 billion kWh (2004)

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Electricity - exports: 707 million kWh (2005)

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Electricity - imports: 2.855 billion kWh (2005)

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Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - consumption: 47,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - exports: 6,765 bbl/day (2004)

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Oil - imports: 39,190 bbl/day (2004)

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Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl

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Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - consumption: 1.91 billion cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - imports: 1.91 billion cu m (2004 est.)

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Current account balance: -$2.538 billion (2006 est.)

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Exports: $6.98 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports - commodities: wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs

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Exports - partners: Lithuania 14.1%, Estonia 12.2%, Russia 11.6%, Germany 9.8%, UK 7.7%, Sweden 6.3%, Denmark 4.8% (2006)

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Imports: $10.33 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

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Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles

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Imports - partners: Germany 15.4%, Lithuania 13%, Russia 8%, Estonia 7.7%, Poland 7.2%, Finland 5.7%, Sweden 5%, Belarus 4.7% (2006)

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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.61 billion (2006 est.)

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Debt - external: $18.9 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

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Economic aid - recipient: $96.2 million (2002 est.)

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Currency (code): Latvian lat (LVL)

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Exchange rates: lati per US dollar - 0.5597 (2006), - 0.5647 (2005), 0.5402 (2004), 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182 (2002)

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Fiscal year: calendar year