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| Area |
64,589 sq. km |
| Population |
2.439.446 |
| Capital |
Riga, population 798,100 |
| Major cities |
Daugavpils, Rezekne, Liepaja, Ventspils, Jelgava,
Valmiera, Jurmala |
| Ethnic composition |
55.6% Latvians
32.3% Russians
3.9% Belarussians
2.8% Ukrainians
2.2% Polish
1.1% Lithuanians
2.1% others |
| Highest point |
Gaizins, 311.5 meters |
| Largest lake |
Lubanas, 82 sq. km |
| Longest river |
Daugava, 1020 km (367 km within Latvia) |
| Cultural and Historical Division
|
Latvia consists of four historical and cultural
regions: Kurzeme (western part of Latvia), Zemgale (southern
part), Vidzeme (middle and northern part), Latgale (eastern part).
|
| Climate |
Moderate climate with considerable temperature
variations. Summer is warm, but winter, lasting from November till
mid-March, can be very cold. The weather in autumn and spring is
relatively mild. Average temperature: July +17В°C, February -5В°C,
although some days it can get very hot in summer and very cold in
winter. |
| Language |
The official language is Latvian. It is an
Indo-European, non-Slavic and non-Germanic language and is similar
only to Lithuanian. Russian, English and German are widely spoken.
|
| Religion |
Predominantly Protestant (Lutheran). Roman
Catholic in the eastern part of the country. |
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