Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Latvia
conventional short form: Latvia
local long form: Latvijas Republika
local short form: Latvija
former : Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic

Data code LG

Government type republic

National capital Riga

Administrative divisions 26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*: Aizkraukles Rajons,Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils*, DaugavpilsRajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, JelgavasRajons, Jurmala*, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Leipaja*, Liepajas Rajons,Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preiju Rajons,Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons,Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*, Ventspils Rajons

Independence 6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday Independence Day, 18 November (1918)

Constitution the 1991 Constitutional Law which supplements the 1922 constitution,provides for basic rights and freedoms

Legal system based on civil law system

Suffrage 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
chief of state: President Guntis ULMANIS (since 7 July 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Andris SKELE (since 21 December 1995)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed bythe Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term; election lastheld 7 July 1993 (next to be held by 20 June 1997); prime minister appointedby the president
election results: Guntis ULMANIS elected president in the first round of balloting; percentof parliamentary vote - 53%

Legislative branch unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by directpopular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections : last held 30 September-1 October 1995 (next to be held NA October 1998)
election results: percent of vote by party - Saimnieks 18%, LC 17%, For Latvia 16%, TB14%, LNNK 8%, Unity 8%, LSZ/LKDS 7%, Harmony 6%, Socialist 6%; seats by party- Saimnieks 18, LC 17, For Latvia 16, TB 14, LNNK 8, Unity 8, LSZ/LKDS 7, Harmony 6, Socialist 6

Judicial branch Supreme Court, judges' appointments are confirmed by the Parliament

Political parties and leaders Democratic Party "Saimnieks" or DPS [Ziedonis CEVERS, chairman]; Latvia'sWay or LC [Valdis BIRKAVS]; For Latvia [Joachim SIEGERIST]; Fatherland andFreedom or TB [Maris GRINBLATS]; Latvian Unity Party or LVP [A. KAULS]; LatvianNational Conservative Party or LNNK [Anna SEILE]; Green Party or LSZ [O. BATAREVSK];Latvian Farmers Union or LZS [A. ROZENTALS]; Christian Democrat Union or LKDS[Maris VITOLDS]; National Harmony Party or TSP [Janis JURKANS]; Latvian SocialistParty or LSP [F. STROGANOVS]; Latvian Liberal Party or LLP [J. DANOSS]; PoliticalAssociation of the Underprivileged or MPA [B. PELSE, V. DIMANTS, J. KALNINS];Latvian Democratic Labor Party or LDDP [J. BOJARS]; Party of Russian Citizensor LKPP [V. SOROCHIN, V. IVANOV]; Peoples Front of Latvia or LTF [Uldis AUGSTKALNS];Political Union of Economists or TPA [E. KIDE]; Latvian National DemocraticParty or LNDP [A. MALINS]; "Our Land" or MZ [M. DAMBEKALNE]; AnticommunistUnion or PA [P. MUCENIEKS]; Latvian Social-Democratic Workers Party or LSDSP;Party for the Defense of Latvia's Defrauded People; Latvian Independence Partyor LNP [Valdis KONOVALOVS]

International organization participation BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC,IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NACC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Ojars Eriks KALNINS
chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214
FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission : Ambassador Larry C. NAPPER
embassy: Raina Boulevard 7, LV-1510, Riga
mailing address: PSC 78, Box R, APO AE 09723
telephone: [371] (2) 210-005
FAX : [371] (2) 226-530

Flag description three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon

NOTE: The information regarding Latvia on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Latvia Government 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Latvia Government 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.