Latvia is in northeast Europe, along the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga. The country is bordered by Lithuania, Estonia, Russia and Belarus. The landscape is characterized by rolling plains, gentle hills, beautiful valleys and more than 5,000 lakes. Forests, marshes and fields cover the countryside. Vast rural territories, especially those spread out toward the seacoast, are covered by deciduous and nondeciduous trees, and populated with active and thriving wildlife—elk, hares, foxes, various birds, etc.
Latvians have suffered throughout their history from foreign domination—Germans, Swedes and Russians have all occupied the country. In fact, the concept of Latvia as a nation is relatively recent: It wasn't until the 1800s that a national consciousness and literature began to emerge.
Russia has played the largest role in Latvia's recent development. It ruled Latvia for more than 200 years until the Peace Treaty of Riga made the country an independent state for the first time in history in 1920. Latvia's freedom was short lived, however. The republic was annexed in 1940 by the Soviet Union as it and Germany divided eastern Europe. But during its short tenure as a free state, patriotic feelings intensified considerably. As the Soviet Union began to disintegrate in the early 1990s, Latvians saw their opportunity: Two days after a coup attempt in 1991 in Moscow, Latvia declared independence. There was a referendum held on whether Latvia should be independent, and the majority of the population said yes. The new country immediately set about privatizing state services and developing relations with western Europe. Many Latvian immigrants who had left the country and settled all over the world returned. Latvia was accepted into NATO in 2002.
On 1 May 2004, it was one of 10 nations that joined the European Union, a move that many hope will strengthen the country's economic and political standing. Riga and the rest of Latvia are striving to develop the economy with foreign capital and investment. The polluting factories of the Soviet era have been closed, so rivers and the seacoast are cleaner than they were a decade ago. In other respects, Latvia is becoming more and more cosmopolitan, with clean streets, extremely cautious and polite drivers, and the arrival of world-class shopping and international businesses.
Latvia's main attractions include the old European town of Riga; baroque, Gothic and art-nouveau architecture; opera; the organ of the Dom Cathedral; the countryside and friendly people.
Although the situation has improved in the past few years, Latvia still will not appeal to visitors who require first-class accommodations and service everywhere they go. Deluxe service is most likely to be found in Riga, Daugavpils and the coastal area.
Latvia's president, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, spent most of her life in Canada. Vike-Freiberga renounced her Canadian citizenship (for the duration of her presidency) just before being elected in 1999. She is one of the first female heads of state in eastern Europe.
Some of the streets in Riga are named for the occupations of former residents. For example, artisans and beer makers lived on Audeju Street, and blacksmiths lived on Kaleju Street.
Ballet star Mikhail Baryshnikov and film director Sergei Eisenstein were born in Riga.
Tsarina Catherine I, the wife of Peter I of Russia, and Anna Ioanovna, another Russian tsarina, hailed from the Latvian countryside.
Latvian documentaries, particularly those by director Jury Podnieks, have received international attention.
The longest summer day in Latvia lasts 17½ hours.
Russia's Ivan the Terrible had a well-deserved reputation for atrocities. Besieged residents of Cesis, surrounded by the tsar's army, blew themselves up rather than surrender.
Duke Jacob, a 17th-century Latvian ruler, took quite an interest in developing his navy. Because of him, Latvia had African and Caribbean colonies and even planned to develop colonies in Australia.
For 50 years, the Bank of England kept six tons of gold for the Baltic Republics. In 1993, the gold was finally returned.
Even though Latvia has been a part of Christian Europe for several centuries, Latvians still observe many pagan holidays and traditions. One of them is the summer solstice, when people congregate in forests and by the sea, building bonfires and playing games.
