Wikijunior:Europe/Latvia
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Latvia is a small country in north eastern Europe. It shares borders with Estonia, Russia, Belarus and Lithuania. The capital city is Riga. Other big cities in Latvia are Daugavpils and Liepāja. Latvia has been an independent country since 1991 and in 2004 the country joined the European Union.
[edit] Latvia's History
Beginning in the 13th century, Latvia was successively dominated by Germany, Poland, and Russia. Latvia became an independent country in 1918. In 1940 the USSR (Soviet Union) took over Latvia. Latvia has been an independent country since 1991 and in 2004 the country joined the European Union.
[edit] Latvia's Geography
Latvia covers an area of about 63,700 sq km (about 24,600 sq mi). Forests cover 47 percent of the land. Forests are most dense in the north. The country’s forests, meadows, and marshes support many types of animals. Some types of animals include the deer, wild boars, wolves, lynx, beavers, and otters.
Summers are warm and the weather in spring and autumn fairly mild, however, the winters can be extreme due to the northern location. Precipitation is common throughout the year with the heaviest rainfall falling in August. During severe spells of winter weather in Latvia is dominated by cold winds from the interior of Russia and severe snowfalls are common.
[edit] Latvia's People
The population of Latvia is about 2,259,810. Ethnic Latvians make up about 58 percent of the population. Russians, are the largest minority, representing about 30 percent of the population. Other minorities include Belarusians, Ukrainians, Poles, and Lithuanians. The official language of the republic is Latvian. Ethnic minorities in Latvia often also speak their own native languages such as Russian, Lithuanian, and Polish.
Education in Latvia is free and required from the age of 6 to 15. Latvia has an adult literacy rate of almost 100 percent.
