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| LATVIA |
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Latvia is the middle child of the Baltic family, both in geography and in area. It's larger than Estonia to the north and smaller than Lithuania to the south; all three of the Baltic States are dwarfed by their eastern neighbors, Russia and Belarus. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. EU membership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004.
Area: 64,589 sq km
Population: 2.34 million
Capital: Riga
People: Latvian 57%, Russian 30%, Belarusian 4%, Ukrainian 3%, Polish 3%, other 3%
Language: Latvian, Russian
Religion: Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox
Government: Parliamentary Democracy
GDP: US$20.99 billion
Major Industries: motor vehicles, machinery, household appliances, pharmaceutical, food, textiles, and agriculture
Major Trading Partners: Russia, Germany, the UK, Sweden, and Finland |
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