6.2 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Latvian lat (LVL) = 100 santims

Exchange rates: lats (LVL) per US$1--0.570 (January 1999), 0.590
(1998), 0.581 (1997), 0.551 (1996), 0.528 (1995), 0.560 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 710,848 (1997)

Telephone system: Lattelekom is 51% state owned, plans to
privatize in 2000 to satisfy EU concerns; 50,000 people are on the
waiting list to receive telephone service; Internet service is
available throughout Latvia
domestic: local--two cellular service providers; NMT-450 and GSM
standards provide service nationwide; over 75% of population
covered; intercity--two synchronous digital hierarchy fiber-optic
rings form the national backbone; 11 digital switching centers, 3
service centers
international: Latvia has international fiber-optic connectivity to
Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, and an undersea fiber-optic cable to
Sweden

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA; note--there
are 25 stations of unknown type; 75% of commercial broadcasts must
be in the Latvian language; remainder mostly in Russian and European
languages

Radios: 1.4 million (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 30 (origin of TV broadcasts must
be 40% Latvian and 40% other European languages)

Televisions: NA; note--almost 100% of the population have TV
access, 16% have VCRs, and 20% have cable or satellite dishes (1995)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 2,412 km
broad gauge: 2,379 km 1.520-m gauge (271 km electrified) (1992)
narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (1994)

Highways:
total: 55,942 km
paved: 21,426 km
unpaved: 34,516 km (1997 est.)

Waterways: 300 km perennially navigable

Pipelines: crude oil 750 km; refined products 780 km; natural gas
560 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: Daugavpils, Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils

Merchant marine:
total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 42,429 GRT/44,583 DWT
ships by type: cargo 3, oil tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 3,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1998 est.)

Airports: 50 (1994 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 36
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 27 (1994 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 14
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 10 (1994 est.)

Military

Military branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense
Forces, Securit