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

Capital City: Riga

Population: 2,274,735 (July 2006 est.)

GDP Per Capita: $15,400 (2006 est.)

Currency: Latvian lat (LVL)

Languages: Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other 4.3% (2000 census)

Total Area: total: 64,589 sq km land: 63,589 sq km water: 1,000 sq km slightly larger than West Virginia

Region: Europe

Industries: buses, vans, street and railroad cars; synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note - dependent on imports for energy and raw materials

Agriculture: grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish

Resources: peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land

Labor Force: 1.136 million (2006 est.)
agriculture: 15% industry: 25% services: 60% (2000 est.)

Exports: $6.98 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs

Imports: $10.33 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles

Overview: Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian financial crisis, largely due to the government's budget stringency and a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU countries, lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. EU membership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. The current account deficit - 15.7% of GDP in 2006 - remains a major concern. The perception that many of Latvia's banks facilitate illicit activity could damage the country's vibrant financial sector.

_{CIA World Book}

In 2007 Missouri exported $423,259 in goods to Latvia. This ranks Latvia 107^th among the 223 international buyers of Missouri goods. Missouri exports to Latvia decreased from the previous year by $556,340 a change of -56.79%. State exports to Latvia have decreased over the last 5 years by $140,626 a change of -24.94%. Missouri exports account for .00%. of all 2007 US exports to Latvia.