Factbook
Histoire de Lettonie — Chronologie
Dates clés de l'histoire de Lettonie, d'après le Factbook Magna et l'Encyclopédie universelle.
1918Independence: 18 November 1918 (from Soviet Russia); 4 May 1990 (declared from the Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union).
1940A Latvian republic emerged following World War I, but the USSR annexed it in 1940 -- an action never recognized by the US and many other countries.
1991Latvia reestablished its independence in 1991 after the breakup of the Soviet Union.
1994Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 25% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow.
2004Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in 2004; it joined the euro zone in 2014 and the OECD in 2016.
2011Languages: Latvian (official) 56.3%, Russian 33.8%, other 0.6% (includes Polish, Ukrainian, and Belarusian), unspecified 9.4% (2011 est.) Religions: Lutheran 36.2%, Roman Catholic 19.5%, Orthodox 19.1%, other Christian 1.6%, other 0.1%, unspecified/none 23.5% (2017 est.) Urban population: 68.7% of total population (2023).
2023Generation mix — fossil fuels: 22.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 3.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); wind: 4.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); hydroelectricity: 59.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) Energy use: 65.908 million Btu/person (2023 est.).
2023Industries: processed foods, processed wood products, textiles, processed metals, pharmaceuticals, railroad cars, synthetic fibers, electronics Agriculture: wheat, milk, rapeseed, barley, oats, potatoes, rye, beans, peas, chicken (2023) Electricity access: 100% (2022 est.).
2023Major urban areas: 621,000 RIGA (capital) (2023) high-income EU and eurozone member; weak recovery following economic contraction, with slight increase in private consumption and uncertain trade environment; challenges from skilled-labor shortages, capital market access, large informal sector, and green and digital transitions Inflation: 1.3% (2024 est.).
2025Military spending: 3.7% of GDP (2025 est.).
