Identity
Name origin: the name originates from the Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.).
CIA 2026
Data as of May 5, 2026
Latvia
EuropeLand of Contrasts
Latvia excels and struggles in equal measure. See what other surprises Latvia holds.
Latvia excels and struggles in equal measure. A top performer in spirits consumption (#2), it falls behind in fertility rate. See what other surprises Latvia holds.
57.0, 25.0 - Europe
Area
65K km²
Pop.
1.89M
Stats
186
Reality brief
Latvia is a country in Europe with a population of 1.89M and an area of 64,559 km². Life expectancy is 75.7 years.
Short factual summary generated from the same country data used in game rounds.
Core numbers
Stats worth knowing
Fast scan first, deep dive later.
University Enrollment Rate
85.74%#16globally
Total university and college enrollment as a percentage of the typical college-age population.
Internet Users (%)
92.71%#47globally
The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
Human Development Index
0.89#42globally
Composite 0-1 index of life expectancy, education, and income, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
GDP Per Capita
$38,936.05#57globally
GDP per person adjusted for purchasing power in constant 2017 international dollars, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
$43,780.38#59globally
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
Life Expectancy
76.2 years#106globally
Average number of years a newborn would be expected to live if current mortality patterns stayed the same, from Our World in Data.
Country briefing
Grounded facts about Latvia
A quick real-world briefing before you dive deeper into rankings, surprises, and matchups.
Geography
Size snapshot: slightly larger than West Virginia.
CIA 2026
Culture
Major languages include Latvian (official) 56.3%, Russian 33.8%, other 0.6% (includes Polish, Ukrainian, and more.
CIA 2026
Cities
Cities in Latvia
Browse this country's cities before City Detective asks you to guess.
Top stats
Where They Stand Out
The strongest source-backed stats before the deeper data table.
Spirits Consumption
5.7 L/person/yr#2globallyTop stat
Liters of spirits consumed per person per year, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Alcohol Consumption
12.87 L/adult/yr#4globallyTop stat
Liters of pure alcohol the average adult aged 15+ consumes per year, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Road Deaths
7.5 per 100k#4globallyTop stat
Road traffic deaths per 100,000 people, from OECD How's Life / Well-Being.
Smoking Rate
33.9%#17globallyTop stat
The percentage of people aged 15 and older who use tobacco products.
Reality checks
Did You Know?
The stats that tend to surprise players in real rounds.
Ranks #10 globally in beer consumption
#104.6 L/person/yrBeer Consumption
Liters of beer consumed per person per year, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Only ranks #216 in birth rate
#2167.2 per 1kBirth Rate
The number of babies born per 1,000 people each year.
Keeps child mortality unusually low
#1783.0 per 1k birthsChild Mortality
Deaths before age 5 per 1,000 live births, from World Bank Open Data.
Keeps infant mortality unusually low
#1792.5 per 1k birthsInfant Mortality
Infant deaths before age 1 per 1,000 live births, from World Bank Open Data.
Ranks #20 globally in elderly population (%)
#2021.74%Elderly Population (%)
Share of the population ages 65 and older, from World Bank Open Data.
Compared with the region
How Latvia Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
Latvia
Europe avg
World avg
GDP per Capita
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
- Country
- $43,780.38
- Region avg
- $57,483.02
- World avg
- $31,844.55
Latvia$43,780.38
Europe$57,483.02
World$31,844.55
+37% above worldWB 2023
Life Expectancy
How many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
- Country
- 75.7 years
- Region avg
- 80.0 years
- World avg
- 73.7 years
Latvia75.7 years
Europe80.0 years
World73.7 years
+3% above worldWB 2023
Human Development Index
Composite 0-1 index of life expectancy, education, and income, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
- Country
- 0.89
- Region avg
- 0.89
- World avg
- 0.74
Latvia0.89
Europe0.89
World0.74
+20% above worldOWID 2023
Internet Users
The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
- Country
- 92.71%
- Region avg
- 90.13%
- World avg
- 70.29%
Latvia92.71%
Europe90.13%
World70.29%
+32% above worldWB 2023
Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Play this countryFactbook notes
About Latvia
Country briefing
Several eastern Baltic tribes merged in medieval times to form the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca.
Read the full Factbook note
Several eastern Baltic tribes merged in medieval times to form the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region subsequently came under the control of Germans, Poles, Swedes, and finally Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I, but the USSR annexed it in 1940 -- an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia reestablished its independence in 1991 after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 25% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in 2004; it joined the euro zone in 2014 and the OECD in 2016.
Geography & Climate6 facts
- Location
- Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania
- Climate
- maritime; wet, moderate winters
- Terrain
- low plain
- Natural Resources
- peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, timber, arable land
- Natural Hazards
- large percentage of agricultural fields can become waterlogged and require drainage
- Size Comparison
- slightly larger than West Virginia
People & Culture4 facts
- Languages
- Latvian (official) 56.3%, Russian 33.8%, other 0.6% (includes Polish, Ukrainian, and Belarusian), unspecified 9.4% (2011 est.)
- Religions
- Lutheran 36.2%, Roman Catholic 19.5%, Orthodox 19.1%, other Christian 1.6%, other 0.1%, unspecified/none 23.5% (2017 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Latvian 62.7%, Russian 24.5%, Belarusian 3.1%, Ukrainian 2.2%, Polish 2%, Lithuanian 1.1%, other 1.8%, unspecified 2.6% (2021 est.)
- Major Cities
- 621,000 RIGA (capital) (2023)
Government & History10 facts
- Government Type
- parliamentary republic
- Capital
- Riga
- Capital Coordinates
- 56 57 N, 24 06 E
- Capital Timezone
- UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Official Name
- Republic of Latvia
- Name Origin
- the name originates from the Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.)
- Independence
- 18 November 1918 (from Soviet Russia); 4 May 1990 (declared from the Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union)
- National Symbols
- white wagtail (bird)
- National Anthem
- "Dievs, sveti Latviju!" (God Bless Latvia)
- UNESCO Heritage
- 3 (all cultural)
Economy & Trade7 facts
- Overview
- high-income EU and eurozone member; weak recovery following economic contraction, with slight increase in private consumption and uncertain trade environment; challenges from skilled-labor shortages, capital market access, large informal sector, and green and digital transitions
- Industries
- processed foods, processed wood products, textiles, processed metals, pharmaceuticals, railroad cars, synthetic fibers, electronics
- Agricultural Products
- wheat, milk, rapeseed, barley, oats, potatoes, rye, beans, peas, chicken (2023)
- Export Partners
- Lithuania 19%, Estonia 6%, Russia 6%, Germany 6%, Sweden 5% (2023)
- Export Commodities
- wood, wheat, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicine, natural gas (2023)
- Import Partners
- Lithuania 18%, Germany 11%, Poland 10%, Estonia 8%, Finland 5% (2023)
- Import Commodities
- refined petroleum, cars, packaged medicine, broadcasting equipment, natural gas (2023)
Infrastructure & Defense4 facts
- Military Forces
- National Armed Forces (Nacionalie Brunotie Speki or NBS): Land Forces (Latvijas Sauszemes Speki), Naval Force (Latvijas Juras Speki, includes Coast Guard (Latvijas Kara Flote)), Air Force (Latvijas Gaisa Speki), National Guard (aka Land Guard or Zemessardze) Ministry of Interior: State Police, State Border Guards, State Security Service (2025)
- Military Service
- mandatory military service for all men 18-24; men and women 18-27 may volunteer for military service; service length 11 months in the Armed Forces or National Guard, or 5 years in the National Guard as a whole, with a minimum of 21 days of individual training and a maximum of 7 days of collective training each year (2026)
- Energy Mix
- fossil fuels: 22.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 3.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); wind: 4.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); hydroelectricity: 59.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); biomass and waste: 10.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Broadcast Media
- several national and regional commercial TV stations are foreign-owned, 2 national TV stations are publicly owned; system supplemented by privately owned regional and local TV stations; cable and satellite multi-channel TV services with domestic and foreign broadcasts available; publicly owned broadcaster operates 4 radio networks with dozens of stations; dozens of private broadcasters also operate radio stations
Source:World Factbook archive 2026
Data vault
Deep Dive
Every tracked stat, grouped for fast scanning.
Demographics12 statsBest: #2
Death Rate
Elderly Population (%)
Median Age
Dependency Ratio
Urban Population (%)
Land Area
Population
Teen Birth Rate
Population Density
Youth Population (%)
Fertility Rate
Birth Rate
Lifestyle5 statsBest: #2
Society & Equality6 statsBest: #4
Wealth & Economy13 statsBest: #5
Gender Pay Gap (%)
Long-Term Unemployment
High-Tech Exports (%)
GDP Per Capita
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
FDI Inflows (% GDP)
Unemployment Rate
GDP (Nominal)
Youth Unemployment Rate
Employment Rate (%)
Government Debt (% GDP)
Inflation Rate
GDP Growth Rate
Environment9 statsBest: #12
Renewable Energy (%)
Forest Coverage (%)
Electricity Access (%)
Forest Area
Protected Land (%)
CO2 Per Capita
Total CO2 Emissions
Air Pollution (PM2.5)
Irrigated Land
6.0 km²#174
Education & Future7 statsBest: #16
Health & Survival9 statsBest: #17
Smoking Rate
Suicide Rate
Hospital Beds (per 1,000)
Doctors (per 1,000)
Obesity Rate
Health Spending (% GDP)
Life Expectancy
Child Mortality
Infant Mortality
Military & Defense2 statsBest: #25
Technology3 statsBest: #47
Infrastructure3 statsBest: #69
Energy1 statsBest: #105
Electric Generating Capacity
3.43M kW#105
Land & Sea4 statsBest: #108
Coastline Length
498 km#108
Land Border Length
1.4K km#112
Lowest Elevation
0 m#130
Highest Elevation
312 m#206
Keep exploring
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Latvia
#16 in University Enrollment Rate
Total university and college enrollment as a percentage of the typical college-age population.
Top 10% globally
85.74%
Frequently Asked Questions about Latvia
What is the population of Latvia?
Latvia has a population of 1.89M, ranking #151 globally by population.
What continent is Latvia in?
Latvia is located in Europe. It has an area of 64,559 km².
What is the life expectancy in Latvia?
Life expectancy in Latvia is 75.7 years, ranking #97 globally.
What is the GDP per capita of Latvia?
Latvia's GDP per capita (PPP) is $43,780.38, ranking #59 globally.
What is Latvia known for in global statistics?
Latvia ranks particularly high in University Enrollment Rate (#16), Internet Users (%) (#47), Human Development Index (#42).
What is Latvia's Human Development Index?
Latvia has an HDI of 0.889, ranking #42 globally. The HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income indicators.
How densely populated is Latvia?
Latvia has a population density of 30.3 people per km², ranking #169 globally.