My World Factbook
(Learn more about the new, improved World Factbook)
Note: Most information adapted from the popular World Factbook is distributed between the websites GeoWorld (geography, people, communications & transportation), Politix (government) and Great Depression II (economy).
Geography
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania
57 00 N, 25 00 E
Area: 

total: 64,589 sq km
country comparison to the world: land: 62,249 sq km
water: 2,340 sq km
slightly larger than West Virginia
total: 1,382 km
border countries: Belarus 171 km, Estonia 343 km, Lithuania 576 km, Russia 292 km
498 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Current Weather
maritime; wet, moderate winters
low plain
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Gaizina Kalns 312 m
peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, timber, arable land
arable land: 28.19%
permanent crops: 0.45%
other: 71.36% (2005)
200 sq km
note: land in Latvia is often too wet and in need of drainage not irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land has been improved by drainage (2003)
49.9 cu km (2005)
total: 0.25 cu km/yr (55%/33%/12%)
per capita: 108 cu m/yr (2003)
NA
Latvia’s environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; the main environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality and sewage system, household, and hazardous waste management, as well as reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
most of the country is composed of fertile low-lying plains with some hills in the east
