Latvia

The Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas Republika) is a country in Northern Europe. Latvia has land borders with its two fellow Baltic states ? Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south ? and Russia and Belarus to the east. In the west Latvia shares a maritime border with Sweden. The capital of Latvia, Riga (Latvian: R?ga), is the largest city in the Baltic States.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Latvia

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Latvia's population has been multiethnic for centuries. In 1897 the first official census in this area indicated that Latvians formed 68.3 percent of the total population of 1.93 million; Russians accounted for 12.0 percent, Jews for 7.4 percent, Germans for 6.2 percent, and Poles for 3.4 percent. The remainder were Lithuanians, Estonians, Gypsies, and various other nationalities.

Related Topics:
1897 - Census - Latvians - Russians - Jews - Germans - Poles - Lithuanians - Estonians - Gypsies

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Latvians are the indigenous people of Latvia. Now little less than 60% of the population are ethnic Latvians. Almost 29% are Russian which are the largest national minority in Latvia.

Related Topics:
Latvians - Russian - National minority

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• Latvia people - 2004, Central statistic agency

In some major Latvian cities (e.g. Daugavpils, R?ga and R?zekne) Latvians are even outnumbered by Russians and other minorities. Minorities from other countries such as Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania etc. also live in Latvia. The ethnic mix of the population of Latvia is largely the result of massive immigration during the years of the Soviet occupation, which resulted in a decline of the share of ethnic Latvians from around 80% in 1935 to 52% in 1989. http://www.lka.edu.lv/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=index&topic=68

Related Topics:
Daugavpils - R?ga - R?zekne - Russians - Belarus - Ukraine - Poland - Lithuania - Soviet occupation

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