Latvia¶
- Area
- Europe
- Coins
- 2
The Republic of
Latvia is on the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe, south of Estonia and north of Lithuania. It declared independence from Russia in 1918, and was occupied by the Soviets in 1940, Nazi Germany in 1941, and the Soviets again in 1944. Independence was restored in 1991.Since the turn of the 21st century, Latvia had one the highest GDP growth rates in Europe. But, alas, it was all based on consumption, so everything fell apart in 2008.
The maritime influence of the Baltic sea makes the climate humid and temperate. Summers are warm, and spring and winter tends to be mild, although, the country can be subject to severe winter weather (cold and lots of snow).
