Latvia
Europe Β· Capital: Riga
How it is run: Latvia is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Latvia is home to 1.8 million people in Northern Europe, where people speak Latvian.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
1.8 million people
That is about 228 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
64,559 kmΒ²
Roughly the size of Italy or the state of Arizona.
ποΈ How crowded
About 29 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
33rd most people in Europe
24th largest by land in Europe.
π£οΈ Official languages
Latvian
π° Money
Euro (β¬)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
76.4 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$26,312
An upper-middle-income country: growing cities, and more families joining the middle class.
π’ Living in cities
68.6% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
15.2% of the population
An older country β there are more grandparents than schoolchildren.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+371
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.lv
π§ People here are called
Latvian
π·οΈ Name at home
Latvija
Also written: Republic of Latvia, Latvijas Republika.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Eastern European Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Latvia touches 4 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Letonia
French
Lettonie
Arabic
ΩΨ§ΨͺΩΩΨ§
Chinese
ζθ±η»΄δΊ
Japanese
γ©γγγ’
Russian
ΠΠ°ΡΠ²ΠΈΡ
Portuguese
LetΓ³nia
German
Lettland
Put it in perspective π
- Russia β the most populated country in Europe β has about 77.7Γ as many people as Latvia.
- Latvia covers roughly 615 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Latvia lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 924 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Latvia is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
π·οΈ Official name
Republic of Latvia
ποΈ Capital
Riga
π Region
Europe Β· Northern Europe
π€ Country code
LV
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Latvia π
π§ Where on the map
57.0Β° N, 25.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+2 β when it is noon in London it is about 14:00 in Riga.
- Latvia sits in the temperate zone, the belt where most of the world's farms and big cities are.
- π±π» is the flag of Latvia. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is LV.
- Latvia is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- Latvia shares its part of the world with Faroe Islands. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
- The capital of Latvia is Riga β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Latvia has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Latvia can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Latvia spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Latvia?
Riga
Which money do people spend in Latvia?
Euro (β¬)
How many countries share a land border with Latvia?
4 β Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Russia.
Roughly how many people live in Latvia?
1.8 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.