Latvia and Riga

Latvia and Riga

Officially known as the Republic of Latvia, the democratic republic of Latvia is located in northeastern Europe, and is part of the region known as the Baltic States, which is comprised of three neighboring countries. The triad of Latvia, along with Lithuania to its south, and Estonia to its north, are known as the Baltic States due to their location along the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea. Inland to the east, Latvia shares borders with Russia and Belarus.

Over 2 million inhabitants call Latvia home, with more than half the country's population being native Latvian. The remainder of the country's ethnically diverse population hails from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, and other countries. More than 70% of Latvia's inhabitants reside in the country's major cities and metropolitan areas.

Aptly named Riga, Latvia's capital city is nestled along the southern tip of the Gulf of Riga, at the mouth of the Daugava River. Riga is the largest of Latvia's three main ports, along with Ventspils and Liepāja. Its ideal location on the Daugava River, combined with its accessibility to the Baltic Sea, have made Riga an important Baltic port since The Middle Ages, and have contributed to Riga's success as a major gateway for international trade over the centuries.

Latvia is divided into four administrative regions, or defined provinces: Kurzeme in west Latvia; the central plain of Zemgale; Vidzeme in northeast Latvia; and Latgale in southeast Latvia. Major Latvian cities include: Liepaja, Ventspils, Skrunda, Tukums, Jurmala, and Jelgava to the west of the Daugava River; the capital city of Riga, Jekabpils and Daugavpils along the Daugava River; and Valmiera, Aluksne, Cesis, and Rezekne to the east of the Daugava River.

The official currency of Latvia is called Lats and was introduced in 1922. However when Latvia incorporated into the USSR in 1940, the Soviet ruble replaced the Lats as the official Latvian currency. In 1993, shortly after Latvia regained its independence from Soviet rule, Lats were reintroduced and have been the official currency of Latvia since.

Riga

Although settlements in the territory of Latvia date as far back as 3000 B.C., the ancient Latvian city of Riga was officially founded in 1201, and later established as the national capital in 1918. The largest city in Latvia and in the Baltic States, Riga is home to approximately one third of Latvia's population, with about 70% being urban residents, and 30% being rural residents.

The inhabitants of Riga are as culturally diverse as the country of Latvia itself. Of its more than 727,000 residents, native Latvians account for approximately 41.5% of the city's population, while the remainder of Riga's inhabitants hail from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, and other countries.

Riga can be considered as two cities in one: Old Riga, and modern Riga. Old Riga is a reminder of times past, including closely placed row houses along cobblestone streets, beautiful churches, monuments, and important historic sites.

Modern Riga, which surrounds Old Riga, is home to the largest airport in the Baltic States, Riga International Airport, Riga Castle, residence of the Latvian President, as well as the Latvian Parliament. Many academic and financial institutions are located in modern Riga, including the University of Latvia, and Latvia's central bank, the Bank of Latvia. The city serves as major hub for transportation and foreign commercial trade, as well as the center of the local railway and roadway systems.

Riga is responsible for about half of Latvia's total industrial output including such products as communications equipment, textiles, furniture, food, beverages, and pharmaceuticals, such services as wood processing, printing and publishing, and such other interests as the financial and public utilities sectors.

Latvian History

The very colorful and interesting history of Latvia is one that began when the Baltic ancestors of Latvians settled along the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea, in the territory of Latvia, around 3000 B.C. Four self-governing Baltic tribal units had emerged in the area by 900 A.D.: the Couronians, the Latgallians, the Selonians, and the Semigallians. These units survived in Latvia until the end of the 13th century, when German Teutonic Knights conquered the area and established the state of Livonia, which included part of modern-day Estonia.

In the late 16th century, the region was divided between the German-ruled Duchy of Courland and Poland-Lithuania, and stayed as such until the 17th century when the region around Riga came under Swedish rule.
All of Latvia became part of the Russian Empire as a result of the Great Northern War from 1700-1721, in which Russia, led by Peter the Great, defeated Sweden. By 1795, the Latvian territory was under complete Russian control.

On October 25, 1917, the October Bolshevik Revolution began, and the Russian stronghold on Latvia soon ended with the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, a peace treaty marking the end of Russia's involvement in World War I, on March 3, 1918. This eased the revolution and gave freedom to Latvia, the other Baltic States, Finland, and Poland.

Latvia declared its independence from Russian rule on November 18, 1918 after the fall of the Russian Empire during World War I, and declared Riga as its capital city. Latvia continued the fight to maintain its freedom from German troops as well as the Soviet Communists, who had seized power in Russia. With the aid of a British Navy presence, Latvia seemingly won the battle for its independence when the Soviets formally recognized their independence in 1920.

At the beginning of World War II, a bilateral non-aggression pact between Latvia, the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany was signed, but ultimately resulted in a Soviet-occupied Latvia by June of 1940. At this time, Latvia and the other Baltic states were incorporated into the Soviet Union and forced into a pro-Communist government. Despite the bilateral non-aggression pact, Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941 during World War II, which resulted in the Nazi occupation of Latvia. This remained so until 1944, when Soviet troops forced the Nazis out of Latvian territory, and Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania ultimately were incorporated into the Soviet Union, and transformed into Soviet Communist states.

In 1985, Soviet reformist leader Mikhail Gorbachev became leader of the Soviet Union, which was the beginning of major change for the Baltic States. In 1988, the non-Communist Popular Front of Latvia was established and quickly gained popularity among the masses. In 1989, the USSR Supreme Soviet adopted the "Occupation of the Baltic States" resolution in which the Soviet Union declared their occupation of the Baltic States was unlawful and against the will of the Soviet people.

At the 1990 elections to the Supreme Soviet, the Popular Front of Latvia won a decisive victory, and on May 4, of that same year, the Supreme Soviet of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic adopted the Declaration of the Restoration Independence of the Republic of Latvia. Russia completed the withdrawal of their military from Latvian territory in 1994 finally giving Latvia and the Baltic States the independence they had fought so many