Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the Baltic states; and is bordered by Estonia to the north, Lithuania to the south, Russia to the east, Belarus to the southeast, and shares a maritime border with Sweden to the west. Latvia covers an area of 64,589 km2 (24,938 sq mi), with a population of 1.9 million. The country has a temperate seasonal climate. Its capital and largest city is Riga. Latvians belong to the ethno-linguistic group of the Balts and speak Latvian, one of the only two surviving Baltic languages. Russians are the most prominent minority in the country, at almost a quarter of the population.
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia and is home to 605,802 inhabitants which is a third of Latvia's population. The city lies on the Gulf of Riga at the mouth of the Daugava river where it meets the Baltic Sea. Riga's territory covers 307.17 km2 (118.60 sq mi) and lies 1–10 m (3.3–32.8 ft) above sea level, on a flat and sandy plain.
Jūrmala is a state city in Latvia, about 25 kilometres west of Riga. Jūrmala is a resort town stretching 32 km and sandwiched between the Gulf of Riga and the Lielupe River. It has a 33 km stretch of white-sand beach and is the fifth-largest city in Latvia.
The Baltic states or the Baltic countries is a geopolitical term, which currently is used to group three countries: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. All three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the Eurozone, and the OECD. The three sovereign states on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea are sometimes referred to as the "Baltic nations", less often and in historical circumstances also as the "Baltic republics", the "Baltic lands", or simply the Baltics.
Daugavpils is a state city in south-eastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city gets its name. The parts of the city north of the river belong to the historical Latvian region of Latgale, and those to the south lie in Selonia. It is the second-largest city in the country after the capital Riga, which is located some 230 kilometres to its north-west.
Incorporation is the formation of a new corporation. The corporation may be a business, a nonprofit organization, sports club, or a local government of a new city or town.
A raion is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet states. The term is used for both a type of subnational entity and a division of a city. The word is from the French rayon, and is commonly translated as "district" in English.
.lv is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Latvia. It was introduced on 29 April 1993, two years after the country's independence.
Ķekava is a city located in the heart of Latvia, in the historical region of Vidzeme. Positioned on the left side of the Sausā Daugava, a tributary of the majestic Daugava River, further enhancing its scenic allure. Ķekava's roots can be traced back to ancient times, and it has since evolved into a vibrant community that showcases both traditional and modern aspects of Latvian life.
Ilūkste Municipality was a municipality in Selonia, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2003 by merging Pilskalne Parish, Šēdere Parish, Bebrene Parish and Ilūkste town. In 2009 it absorbed Dviete parish, Eglaine parish and Subate town with its rural area the administrative centre being Ilūkste. In 2010 the rural area of Subate was reorganised as a separate territorial entity, Prode Parish. The population in 2020 was 6,412.
Unity is a liberal-conservative political party in Latvia. It is a member of the New Unity alliance and is positioned on the centre-right on the political spectrum.
The administrative divisions of Riga consists of six administrative entities: Central District, Kurzeme District, Latgale Suburb, Northern District, Vidzeme Suburb and Zemgale Suburb. Three entities were established 1 September 1941, and another three were established in October 1969. There are no official lower level administrative units, but the Riga City Council Development Agency is working on a plan, which when officially confirmed, will mean that Riga will consist of 58 neighbourhoods. The current names were confirmed 28 December 1990.
Mārupe is a town in, and the administrative centre of, Mārupe Municipality, Latvia. The town is a suburb of the Latvian capital, Riga, but is a separate entity. Mārupe borders Zemgale Suburb of Riga to its east and northeast. The headquarters of the Latvian Bandy Federation is located in Mārupe. A small river Mārupīte flows through the town.
The New Unity is a centre-right political alliance in Latvia. Its members are Unity and four other regional parties, and it is orientated towards liberal-conservatism and liberalism.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for maintaining the Republic of Latvia's external relations and the management of its international diplomatic missions. The actual Minister of Foreign Affairs is Edgars Rinkēvičs, a member of the Unity Party and former State Secretary within Latvia's Ministry of Defence.
The 2020 Riga City Council election was held from 26 to 29 August 2020 to elect the 60 members of Riga City Council. The election was initially scheduled for 25 April 2020, and then rescheduled three times – once due to a court ruling and twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Latvia, to 2 May, 6 June, and 29 August. The council will be elected for nearly five years instead of the standard four, and the next election is scheduled to take place in 2025, at the same time as all other municipal elections in Latvia.
pronunciation (help·info) 
