Latvia is an independent state in Northern Europe, and a member of the United Nations. In formal use it is Republic of Latvia. Riga is the capital.
Around 1.9 million people live there, placing it 151st of 250 by population — between Equatorial Guinea above it and North Macedonia below. Within Northern Europe alone it is the 8th largest of 16 and the 8th most populous.
By land area it covers 64,559 km², which ranks it 126th of the 250 countries and territories in this dataset — just behind Lithuania and just ahead of Svalbard and Jan Mayen. For scale, it is a fraction smaller than Ireland.
How Latvia sits on the globe
Plotted on a globe it falls at 57.0° north, 25.0° east, which puts it in the northern hemisphere, roughly 6,345 km from the equator, in what geographers would call high-latitude latitudes.
It borders 4 neighbours: Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania and Russia. The largest of them by area is Russia, which is also the most populous. Together those neighbours hold about 156.9 million people.
With both a coast and land borders, it has the trade options a landlocked country does not.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Population and languages of Latvia
Spread across 64,559 km², that works out at about 29 people per square kilometre, which makes it less crowded than the typical entry on this list. Half the entries in this dataset fall below roughly 90 per square kilometre.
Someone from Latvia is a Latvian.
Latvian is the only official language. No other entry in this dataset lists Latvian, so on this list it stands alone.
Inside Europe it places 33rd of 53 by population, and it accounts for 1.7% of everyone living in Northern Europe.
Currency, domain and dialling code
Money there is the Euro (€, EUR). That is a shared currency: 37 other entries use it, including Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria and Croatia.
Websites there use the .lv domain. Calls from overseas start with +371. Standard country codes: lv and LVA.
Riga is the seat of government and the answer most quizzes are looking for.
Latvia is one of the 193 UN member states in this dataset. The other 57 entries are territories, dependencies or observers, which is why totals on this site run to 250 rather than the familiar 195.
Neighbouring countries
Latvia shares borders with 4 countries:
Fun facts about Latvia
- In land area it is a fraction smaller than Ireland.
- Population density works out at roughly 29 people per square kilometre.
- Websites based there use the .lv domain.
- Its capital city is Riga.
- Its full official name is Republic of Latvia.
- It lies about 6,345 km from the equator, in high-latitude latitudes.
Latvia — frequently asked questions
- What is the capital of Latvia?
- The capital of Latvia is Riga.
- What currency does Latvia use?
- Latvia uses the Euro, written € (currency code EUR). It is shared with 37 other entries.
- Is Latvia a country?
- Yes. Latvia is a sovereign state and one of the 193 UN members listed on this site.
- Where is Latvia located?
- Latvia is in Northern Europe, part of Europe. Its reference coordinates are 57.0° north and 25.0° east, roughly 6,345 km from the equator in high-latitude latitudes.
- How big is Latvia?
- Latvia covers 64,559 km², ranking 126th of 250 by land area. That makes it a fraction smaller than Ireland.
- Which countries border Latvia?
- Latvia borders 4 countries: Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania and Russia. Russia is the largest of them by area.
- What language is spoken in Latvia?
- The official language of Latvia is Latvian. No other entry on this list gives it official status.
- What is the population of Latvia?
- Latvia has a population of about 1.9 million, which makes it the 151st most populous of the 250 countries and territories listed on this site. Equatorial Guinea sits just above it and North Macedonia just below.
