Party or LSP [Alfreds RUBIKS]; Latvia's
Way or LC [Ivars GODMANIS, Ainars BERZINS]; New Democrats or JD
[Maris GULBIS]; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE, Krisjanis
KARINS]; People's Party or TP [Aigars KALVITIS]; The Union of
Latvian Greens and Farmers Party or ZZS [Indulis EMSIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB)
[Aleksandr KAZAKOV]

International organization participation:
Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO,
NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Maris SELGA
chancery: 2306 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 328-2840
FAX: [1] (202) 328-2860

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine Todd BAILEY
embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510
mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE
09723
telephone: [371] 703-6200
FAX: [371] 782-0047

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and
maroon

Economy Latvia

Economy - 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.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$35.08 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$16.13 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
9.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$15,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.7%
industry: 26.3%
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