LATVIA LATVIA REGION EUROPE NATURAL RESOURCES INDUSTRY AGRICULTURE GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION GLOBAL RELATIONS DATE OF INDEPENDENCE SEPTEMBER 6 1991 FROM THE SOVIET UNION DATE OF CURRENT CONSTITUTION 1922 POPULATION 2353874 1999 EST AREA 24946 SQ MI CAPITAL RIGA FORM OF GOVERNMENT PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY NATURAL RESOURCES AMBER PEAT LIMESTONE DOLOMITE MAIN INDUSTRIES MOTOR VEHICLES SYNTHETIC FIBERS MACHINERY FERTILIZERS WASHING MACHINES RADIOS ELECTRONICS PHARMACEUTICALS FOOD PROCESSING TEXTILES FISHING AGRICULTURE GRAIN SUGAR BEETS POTATOES VEGETABLES LIVESTOCK DAIRY PRODUCTS CURRENCY LAT GDP 9.7 BILLION 1998 EST GDP PER CAPITA 4100 1998 EST LANGUAGES LATVIAN OFFICIAL LITHUANIAN RUSSIAN RELIGIONS CHRISTIANITY LUTHERANISM ROMAN CATHOLICISM RUSSIAN ORTHODOXY LITERACY RATE 100 LIFE EXPECTANCY 61 YEARS MALE 74 YEARS FEMALE BIRTHRATE 8 BIRTHS PER 1000 POPULATION DEATH RATE 16 DEATHS PER 1000 POPULATION
