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

LG

parliamentary democracy

Riga

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

6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Independence Day, 18 November (1918)

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

based on civil law system

18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens

chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Andris BERZINS (since 5 May 2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
appointed by the Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term
(amended from a three-year term on 4 December 1997); election last
held 17 June 1999 (next to be held by NA June 2003); prime minister
appointed by the president
election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA elected as a compromise
candidate in second phase of balloting, second round (after five
rounds in first phase failed); percent of parliamentary vote - Vaira
VIKE-FREIBERGA 53%, Valdis BIRKAVS 20%, Ingrida UDRE 9%

unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats;
members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms -
amended from three-year terms on 4 December 1997)
elections: last held 3 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - People's Party 21%, LC
18%, TSP 14%, TB/LNNK 14%, Social Democrats 13%, New Party 8%; seats
by party - People's Party 24, LC 21, TSP 16, TB/LNNK 17, Social
Democrats 14, New Party 8

Supreme Court, judges' appointments are confirmed by
Parliament

Anticommunist Union or PA [P.
MUCENIEKS]; Association of Latvian Social Democrats [Juris BOJARS,
Janis ADAMSONS]; Christian Democrat Union or LKDS ;
Christian People's Party or KTP (formerly People's Front of Latvia or
LTF) ; Democratic Party "Saimnieks" or DPS [Ziedonis
CEVERS, chairman]; For Fatherland and Freedom or TB ,
merged with LNNK; Green Party or LZP ; Latvian
Liberal Party or LLP ; Latvian National Conservative Party
or LNNK ; Latvian National Democratic Party or LNDP
; Latvian Social-Democratic Workers Party (Social
Democrats) or LSDSP ; Latvian Socialist Party or LSP
; Latvian Unity Party or LVP ;
Latvia's Way or LC ; National Harmony Party or TSP
; New Party ; "Our Land" or MZ [M.
DAMBEKALNE]; Party for the Defense of Latvia's Defrauded People
; Party of Russian Citizens or LKPP [V. SOROCHIN, V.
IVANOV]; Political Association of the Underprivileged or MPA [B.
PELSE, V. DIMANTS, J. KALNINS]; Political Union of Economists or TPA
; People's Party

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Aivis RONIS
chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone:  (202) 726-8213, 8214
FAX:  (202) 726-6785

chief of mission: Ambassador James H. HOLMES
embassy: Raina Boulevard 7, LV-1510, Riga
mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723
telephone:  721-0005
FAX:  782-0047

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