Thu, 10:42 17 Jul 2008 GMT17

 
Latvia
 
Capital: Riga
Area size: 62050 sq. km Slightly smaller than Ireland
Time zone: Standard Time GMT +2, Summer Time GMT+3
Currency: Lat
Area code: (+) 371
Driving: Right
Climate description: Cold winters, moderately warm summers
 

People
Standard of living
Economy & aid
Health
Disasters, conflict & migration
Language
Latvian is the official language, but Russian, Lithuanian and Polish are also spoken.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population
2007 2.3 million U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006 2.3 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2005 2.3 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2004 2.3 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2003 2.3 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2002 2.3 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2001 2.4 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2000 2.4 million U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
2.3 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2006)

Ethnic groups
Ethnic Latvian 57 percent, Russian 30 percent. Poles, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Lithuanians and Estonians account for the remaining 13 percent.
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Predominantly Lutheran, also Roman Catholic.
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population
2007 67.9 percent U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006 67.9 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2005 67.8 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2004 67.8 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2003 67.8 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2002 67.9 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2001 68.0 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2000 68.1 percent U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
1918
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
No data available (2006)

Percentage of population under 15
2005 14.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 15.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 15.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 16.5 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 17.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 17.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002


Average life expectancy
2005 72.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 71.8 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 71.6 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 70.9 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 70.5 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 70.4 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male
2005 66.5 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 66.1 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 65.8 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 65.4 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 65.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 64.7 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female
2005 77.3 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 77.2 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 77.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 76.1 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 75.8 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 75.8 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality
2006 8 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005 9 per 1,000 live births U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004 10 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003 10 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 17 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 17 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 17 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five
2006 9 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005 11 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004 12 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003 12 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 21 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000 21 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Births attended by skilled personnel
1997-2005 100 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1996-2004 100 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1995-2003 100 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002 100 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001 100 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000 100 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Maternal mortality
2005 10 per 100,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2000 42 per 100,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)
2005 45 UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 45 UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 48 UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 50 UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 50 UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 53 UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)
No data available percent (1996-2005)

Percentage of undernourished population
2002-2004 average 3 percent U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average 3 percent FAO 2006

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.

Population with access to improved water
2004 99 percent UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006
2002 No data available percent
2000 No data available percent

Population with access to improved sanitation
2004 78 percent UNICEF and WHO 2006
2002 No data available percent
2000 No data available percent

Literacy - average
2004 99.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 99.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 99.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 99.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 99.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male
2004 99.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 99.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 99.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 99.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 99.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - female
2004 99.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 99.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 99.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 99.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 99.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Landlines telephones
2006 286 per 1,000 people International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 2007
2005 317 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2004 285 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2003 282 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2002 301 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2001 307 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2000 303 per 1,000 people ITU 2007

Cellular telephone subscribers
2006 951 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2005 811 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2004 672 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2003 526 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2002 394 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2001 279 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2000 166 per 1,000 people ITU 2007

Internet users
2006 467 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2005 447 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2004 354 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2003 242 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2002 133 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2001 72 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2000 62 per 1,000 people ITU 2007

Transparency International corruption ranking (1=least corrupt, 179=most corrupt)
2007 51 (joint) Transparency International 2007
2006 49 (joint) Transparency International
2005 51 (joint) Transparency International
2004 57 (joint) Transparency International
2003 57 (joint) Transparency International
2002 52 (joint) Transparency International
2001 59 (joint) Transparency International
2000 57 (joint) Transparency International

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Yes (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

International humanitarian aid flows
Access the Financial Tracking Service, a global real-time database which records all reported humanitarian aid - including that for NGOs, the Red Cross/Crescent Movement, bilateral aid, in-kind aid and private donations - searchable by country.
Source: Financial Tracking Service, ReliefWeb

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
1990-2005 No data available percent
1990-2004 No data available percent
1990-2003 No data available percent
1990-2002 No data available percent
1990-2001 <2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

GNI per capita, Atlas method
2006 8100  current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005 6760  current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004 5450  current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003 4450  current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002 3840 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001 3550 current US$ WorldBankDataProfileTables2008
2000 3220 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country’s exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP
2006 20.1 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005 16.0 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004 13.8 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003 11.2 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002 9.3 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001 8.3 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000 7.8 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual GDP growth
2005 10.2 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2004 8.6 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2003 7.2 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2002 6.5 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2001 8 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2000 8.4 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007

Annual inflation
2005 9.2 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2004 6.9 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2003 3.6 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2002 3.6 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2001 1.7 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2000 3.8 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
2.5 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
29.1 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Physicians
2000-2004 301 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004 301 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003 291 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002 313 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
2005 0.8 percent U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2006
2003 0.6 percent UNAIDS 2006

Malaria
No risk
Source: WHO

TB cases
2006 57 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2005 63 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2004 68 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2003 73 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2002 79 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2001 83 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2000 83 per 100,000 people WHO 2008

Chronology of natural disasters
Access EM-DAT, a database of natural disasters from 1900 to the present - death tolls and numbers of affected people - searchable by country.
Source: Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium

Number of refugees originating here
2006 1424 Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005 2430 UNHCR
2004 2826 UNHCR
2003 3177 UNHCR
2002 3082 UNHCR
2001 619 UNHCR
2000 491 UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here
2006 21 UNHCR
2005 11 UNHCR
2004 11 UNHCR
2003 17 UNHCR
2002 7 UNHCR
2001 8 UNHCR
2000 7 UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate
No data available

Landmine casualties per year
2004 0 Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003 0 Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (2005 )
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military
2005 1.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 1.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 1.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005

Percentage of GDP spent on education
2002-2005 5.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2002-2004 5.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2000-2002 5.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1999-2001 5.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1998-2000 5.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage of GDP spent on health
2004 4.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004 3.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002 3.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001 3.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000 3.5 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003


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