Latvia | United States |
---|---|
Diplomatic mission | |
Embassy of Latvia, Washington, D.C. | Embassy of the United States, Riga |
The United States established diplomatic relations with Latvia on July 28, 1922. The U.S. Legation in Riga was officially established on November 13, 1922, and served as the headquarters for U.S. representation in the Baltics during the interwar era. The Soviet invasion forced the closure of the legation on September 5, 1940, but Latvian representation in the United States has continued uninterrupted for 85 years. The United States never recognized the forcible incorporation of Latvia into the U.S.S.R. and views the present government of Latvia as a legal continuation of the interwar republic.
Latvia and the United States have signed treaties on investment, trade, intellectual property protection, extradition, mutual legal assistance, and avoidance of double taxation. Latvia has enjoyed most-favored-nation treatment with the United States since December 1991.
According to the 2012 U.S. Global Leadership Report, 30% of Latvians approve of U.S. leadership, with 30% disapproving and 39% uncertain. [1]
Principal U.S. Embassy Officials include:
The U.S. Embassy in Latvia is located in Riga.
Latvia | United States | |
---|---|---|
Flag | ||
Coat of Arms | ||
Population | 1,953,200 [2] | 336,781,000 |
Area | 64,589 km2 (24,938 sq mi) | 9,526,468 km2 (3,678,190 sq mi) [3] |
Population density | 34.3/km2 (88.9/sq mi) | 31/km2 (80/sq mi) |
Capital | Riga | Washington, D.C. |
Largest city | Riga - 641,423 (1,018,295 Metro) | New York City – 8,175,133 (19,006,798 Metro) |
Government | Unitary parliamentary constitutional republic | Federal presidential constitutional republic |
First Leader | Jānis Čakste | George Washington |
Current Leader | Edgars Rinkēvičs | Joe Biden |
Official languages | Latvian | English (de facto) |
Main religions | 80% Christianity (34.3% Lutheranism, 25.1% Catholicism, 19.4% Eastern Orthodoxy/Old Believers, 1.2% other Christian), 20% non-Religious | 70.6% Christianity (46.5% Protestantism, 20.8% Catholicism, 1.6% Mormonism, 1.7% Other Christianity), 22.8% non-Religious, 1.9% Judaism, 0.9% Islam, 0.7% Buddhism, 0.7% Hinduism [4] |
Ethnic groups | 62% Latvian, 25.4% Russian, 3.3% Belarusian, 2.2% Ukrainian, 2.1% Polish, 1.2% Lithuanian, 3.8% other [5] | 74% White American, 13.4% African American, 6.5% Some other race, 4.4% Asian American, 2% Two or more races, 0.7% Native American or Native Alaskan, 0.14% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander |
GDP (nominal) | $30.176 billion ($15,403 per capita) | $14.4 trillion ($47,440 per capita) |
GDP (PPP) | $53.467 billion ($27,291 per capita) | $18.558 trillion ($57,220 per capita) |
Real GDP growth rate | 2.00% | 1.60% |
The Latvian diplomatic service in exile was the only governmental body of the Republic of Latvia which continued its activities during the Nazi and Soviet occupation of Latvia during 1940–1991. Latvian diplomats who were stationed in embassies and consulates at the moment of the occupation in 1940, refused to recognize the occupation and return to Soviet Latvia. They continued to formally represent the interests of Latvia in countries that did not recognize the Soviet annexation. After the restoration of Latvian independence in 1991, the diplomats started reporting to the restored Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Latvian Americans are Americans who are of Latvian ancestry. According to the 2008 American Community Survey, there are 93,498 Americans of full or partial Latvian descent.
Anatols Dinbergs was one of the preeminent career diplomats of Latvia. He entered service in Latvia's Foreign Ministry in 1932. Dinbergs remained abroad when the Soviet Union occupied Latvia, serving in the Latvian Legation in Washington, D.C., after World War II ended. Dinbergs assumed the highest diplomatic post, that of chargé d'affaires, in 1970 and represented Latvia's sovereign interests in exile until Latvia reestablished its independence in 1991. As head of the Latvian diplomatic service abroad, Dinbergs was appointed Latvia's first ambassador to the United Nations and subsequently Latvia's first ambassador to the United States. After retirement, he served as Counselor to the Latvian Embassy in Washington, D.C., until his death in 1993.
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The relations between Estonia and the United States have been constant and strong since Estonia regained its independence in 1991. The United States and Estonia are allies and partners.
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The U.S. Embassy in Austria is located in Vienna. Since 2023, the United States Ambassador to Austria is Victoria Reggie Kennedy. The Austrian Embassy in the U.S. is located in Washington, D.C.
According to the 2012 U.S. Global Leadership Report, 38% of Hungarians approve of U.S. leadership, with 20% disapproving and 42% uncertain, a decrease from 53% approval in 2011. According to a 2018 poll, 68% of Hungarians view the United States favorably.
Lithuania is one of the most pro-United States nations in Europe and the world, with 73% of Lithuanians viewing the U.S. positively in 2011. According to the 2012 U.S. Global Leadership Report, 48% of Lithuanians approve of U.S. leadership, with 20% disapproving and 32% uncertain.
Luxembourg–United States relations are the bilateral relations between the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the United States of America. The strong relationship is expressed both bilaterally and through common membership in NATO, OECD, and the OSCE.
According to a 2010 American Community Survey, there are roughly 35,103 Maltese Americans residing in the United States.
Uganda – United States relations are bilateral diplomatic, economic, social and political relations between Uganda and the United States.
The Baltic Legations were the missions of the exiled Baltic diplomatic services from 1940 to 1991. After the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states in 1940, the Baltic states instructed their diplomats to maintain their countries' legations in several Western capitals. Members of the Estonian diplomatic service, the Latvian diplomatic service and the Lithuanian diplomatic service continued to be recognised as the diplomatic representatives of the independent pre-World War II states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, whose annexation by the Soviet Union was not recognised by the United States, the United Kingdom, or France. The legations provided consular services to exiled citizens of the Baltic states from 1940 to 1991.
This is a summary history of diplomatic relations of the United States listed by country. The history of diplomatic relations of the United States began with the appointment of Benjamin Franklin as U.S. Minister to France in 1778, even before the U.S. had won its independence from Great Britain in 1783.
The Embassy of the United States in Tallinn, Estonia, is located at the chancery building on Kentmanni Street. This building housed the U.S. legation to Estonia from April 1, 1930 until September 5, 1940. The U.S. Mission to Estonia resumed operations in the same building on February 6, 1992.
The Diplomatic Service of the Republic of Lithuania is the part of the governmental service tasked with enforcing the foreign policy set by the President, the Parliament, and the Government of the Republic of Lithuania. The head of the service is the Foreign Minister.
This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State.