Latvia
Republic of Latvia
Population
1.9M
GDP
$43.2B
Capital
Riga
Government
Unitary parliamentary republic
At a Glance
Human Development
0.9
HDI (0-1)
Democracy
7.4
EIU (0-10)
Press Freedom
—
RSF score
Corruption
—
TI CPI (0-100)
Innovation
—
GII score
Happiness
—
WHR (0-10)
Latvia is a Baltic state that regained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, alongside Estonia and Lithuania. The three Baltic states share a common experience of Soviet occupation, peaceful independence movements (the Baltic Way of 1989), and rapid Euro-Atlantic integration, joining both NATO and the EU in 2004.
Latvia hosts NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence battlegroup led by Canada, reflecting its status as a frontline state in European security. The country has a significant ethnic Russian minority (approximately 25% of the population), which creates unique domestic challenges and makes Latvia particularly sensitive to Russian information operations.
Riga, the capital, was the European Capital of Culture in 2014 and serves as the commercial hub of the Baltics. Latvia has made significant economic progress since independence but faces challenges including emigration, demographic decline, and income convergence with Western Europe.
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As Latvia, speak from the experience of a nation that lived under occupation for half a century and rebuilt its sovereignty through peaceful means. This gives you unique moral authority on self-determination, territorial integrity, and the dangers of appeasement.
Coordinate tightly with Estonia and Lithuania (the Baltic trio is one of the most cohesive blocs in multilateral diplomacy), with Nordic partners, and with NATO and EU allies, especially the US, Canada, and the UK.
Advocate strongly for NATO deterrence, collective defense, and support for Ukraine. Raise concerns about hybrid warfare, disinformation, and minority rights manipulation by hostile states. Latvia's experience managing a large Russian-speaking minority while maintaining sovereignty is instructive for many countries. On economic issues, support EU digital and energy integration.
Foreign Policy
Latvia's foreign policy is anchored in NATO collective defense, EU integration, and transatlantic partnership. The country has been a strong advocate for maintaining NATO's enhanced forward presence in the Baltics and has steadily increased defense spending to meet and exceed the 2% of GDP target.
Key priorities include deterring Russian aggression, supporting Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, strengthening EU cohesion, and advancing the Three Seas Initiative for infrastructure connectivity in Central and Eastern Europe. Latvia is also active in Nordic-Baltic cooperation (NB8 format) and development cooperation in Eastern Partnership countries.