or LKPP [V. SOROCHIN, V.
IVANOV]; People's Party [Andris SKELE]; Political Union of Economists
or TPA [Edvins KIDE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC,
EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WEU
(associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Aivis RONIS FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785 telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213,
8214 chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Brian
E. CARLSON embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510 mailing address:
American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723 telephone: [371]
721-0005 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 SKELE 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. Latvia officially joined
the World Trade Organization in February 1999 - the first Baltic state
to join - and was invited at the Helsinki EU Summit in December 1999 to
begin accession talks in early 2000. Preparing for EU membership over
the next few years remains a top foreign policy goal. The high current
account deficit remains a major concern.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $18.6 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 6.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,800 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 24% services: 71%
(2000)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 32 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2001)

Labor force: 1.1 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60%
(2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 7.6% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.4 billion expenditures: $2.6 billion, including