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Compare Italy (2002) - Latvia (2004)

Compare Italy (2002) z Latvia (2004)

 Italy (2002)Latvia (2004)
 ItalyLatvia
Administrative divisions 20 regions (regioni, singular - regione); Abruzzi, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte, Puglia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige, Umbria, Valle d'Aosta, Veneto 26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*: Aizkraukles Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala*, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja*, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu Rajons, Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*, Ventspils Rajons
Age structure 0-14 years: 14.1% (male 4,198,569; female 3,954,159)


15-64 years: 67.3% (male 19,334,208; female 19,492,048)


65 years and over: 18.6% (male 4,436,073; female 6,300,568) (2002 est.)
0-14 years: 15% (male 177,223; female 169,241)


15-64 years: 69.2% (male 772,496; female 823,410)


65 years and over: 15.8% (male 118,035; female 245,901) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish
Airports 135 (2001) 51 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 96


over 3,047 m: 5


2,438 to 3,047 m: 34


1,524 to 2,437 m: 15


914 to 1,523 m: 30


under 914 m: 12 (2002)
total: 27


2,438 to 3,047 m: 7


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 16 (2003 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 38


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 18


under 914 m: 18 (2002)
total: 24


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 20 (2003 est.)
Area total: 301,230 sq km


land: 294,020 sq km


water: 7,210 sq km


note: includes Sardinia and Sicily
total: 64,589 sq km


land: 63,589 sq km


water: 1,000 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Arizona slightly larger than West Virginia
Background Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist dictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led to Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has been at the forefront of European economic and political unification, joining the European Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent problems include illegal immigration, the ravages of organized crime, corruption, high unemployment, and the low incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with the prosperous north. After a brief period of independence between the two World Wars, Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Birth rate 8.93 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 8.87 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $504 billion


expenditures: $517 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
revenues: $3.691 billion


expenditures: $3.871 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)
Capital Rome Riga
Climate predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south maritime; wet, moderate winters
Coastline 7,600 km 531 km
Constitution 1 January 1948 15 February 1922; an October 1998 amendment on Fundamental Human Rights replaced the 1991 Constitutional Law, which had supplemented the constitution
Country name conventional long form: Italian Republic


conventional short form: Italy


local long form: Repubblica Italiana


local short form: Italia


former: Kingdom of Italy
conventional long form: Republic of Latvia


conventional short form: Latvia


local long form: Latvijas Republika


local short form: Latvija


former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
Currency euro (EUR); Italian lira (ITL)


note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Latvian lat (LVL)
Death rate 10.13 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 13.73 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $NA $6.793 billion (2003 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Melvin SEMBLER


embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 119/A, 00187-Rome


mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624


telephone: [39] (06) 46741


FAX: [39] (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356


consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples
chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine Todd-Bailey


embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510


mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723


telephone: [371] 703-6200


FAX: [371] 782-0047
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Ferdinando SALLEO


chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400


FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151


consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco


consulate(s): Detroit
chief of mission: Ambassador Maris RIEKSTINS


chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011


telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214


FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785
Disputes - international Croatia and Italy are still trying to resolve bilateral property and ethnic minority rights dating from World War II the Russian Duma refuses to ratify boundary delimitation treaty with Latvia; the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights
Economic aid - donor ODA, $1 billion (2002 est.) -
Economic aid - recipient - $96.2 million (1995)
Economy - overview Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly the same total and per capita output as France and the UK. This capitalistic economy remains divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less developed agricultural south, with 20% unemployment. Most raw materials needed by industry and more than 75% of energy requirements are imported. Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a tight fiscal policy in order to meet the requirements of the Economic and Monetary Unions and has benefited from lower interest and inflation rates. The current government has enacted numerous short-term reforms aimed at improving competitiveness and long-term growth. Rome has moved slowly, however, on implementing needed structural reforms, such as lightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labor market and over-generous pension system, because of the current economic slowdown and opposition from labor unions. 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, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. Preparing for EU membership continues as a top foreign policy goal. The current account and internal government deficits remain major concerns, but the government's efforts to increase efficiency in revenue collection may lessen the budget deficit.
Electricity - consumption 283.74 billion kWh (2000) 6.046 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 484 million kWh (2000) 703 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 44.831 billion kWh (2000) 2.69 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 257.41 billion kWh (2000) 4.365 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 80%


hydro: 17%


nuclear: 0%


other: 3% (2000)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a secondary peak of Mont Blanc)
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m


highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m
Environment - current issues air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities 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, and 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
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Ethnic groups Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south) Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)
Exchange rates euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Italian lire per US dollar - 1,688.7 (January 1999), 1,736.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997) lati per US dollar - 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182 (2002), 0.6279 (2001), 0.6065 (2000), 0.5852 (1999)
Executive branch chief of state: President Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI (since 13 May 1999)


head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the president of the Council of Ministers) Silvio BERLUSCONI (since 10 June 2001)


cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and approved by the president


elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of both houses of Parliament and 58 regional representatives for a seven-year term; election last held 13 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2006); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by Parliament


election results: Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI elected president; percent of electoral college vote - 70%


note: a five-party government coalition includes Forza Italia, National Alliance, Northern League, Democratic Christian Center, United Christian Democrats
chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999)


head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December 2004)


cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the Parliament


elections: president reelected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be held by June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected president; parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88 of 94 votes cast
Exports $259.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and tobacco; minerals and nonferrous metals wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners EU 53.8% (Germany 14.5%, France 12.2%, UK 6.7%, Spain 6.1%), US 9.7% (2001) UK 15.6%, Germany 14.8%, Sweden 10.5%, Lithuania 8.2%, Estonia 6.6%, Denmark 6%, Russia 5.4% (2003)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green


note: inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in 1797
three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon
GDP purchasing power parity - $1.438 trillion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $23.9 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 2%


industry: 30%


services: 68% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 4.5%


industry: 24.5%


services: 70.9% (2003)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $25,000 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $10,200 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 0.4% (2002 est.) 7.4% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 42 50 N, 12 50 E 57 00 N, 25 00 E
Geography - note strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east
Heliports 4 (2002) -
Highways total: 668,669 km


paved: 668,669 km (including 6,460 km of expressways)


unpaved: 0 km (2001)
total: 73,202 km


paved: 28,256 km


unpaved: 44,946 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2%


highest 10%: 27% (2000)
lowest 10%: 2.9%


highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)
Illicit drugs important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money laundering by organized crime and from smuggling transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; vulnerable to money laundering despite improved legislation due to nascent enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of offshore companies, exchange firms, and the gaming industry; organized crime (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds
Imports $238.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing; food, beverages and tobacco machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles
Imports - partners EU 56.5% (Germany 17.7%, France 11.1%, Netherlands 6.2%, UK 5.1%), US 4.9% (2001) Germany 16.1%, Lithuania 9.7%, Russia 8.7%, Finland 7.4%, Estonia 6.4%, Sweden 6.3%, Poland 5.1%, Italy 4.4% (2003)
Independence 17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870) 21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate -2.8% (2002) 8% (2003 est.)
Industries tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note - dependent on imports for energy and raw materials
Infant mortality rate 5.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 9.67 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 11.45 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.4% (2002) 2.9% (2003 est.)
International organization participation AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CCC, CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 93 (Italy and Holy See) (2000) -
Irrigated land 26,980 sq km (1998 est.) 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 (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15 judges: one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by Parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative Supreme Courts) Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)
Labor force 23.6 million (2001 est.) 1.18 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation services 63%, industry 32%, agriculture 5% (2001) agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries total: 1,932.2 km


border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km
total: 1,150 km


border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km
Land use arable land: 28.07%


permanent crops: 9.25%


other: 62.68% (1998 est.)
arable land: 29.67%


permanent crops: 0.47%


other: 69.86% (2001)
Languages Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area) Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other
Legal system based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on civil law system
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato della Repubblica (315 seats elected by popular vote of which 232 are directly elected and 83 are elected by regional proportional representation; in addition, there are a small number of senators-for-life including former presidents of the republic; members serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; 475 are directly elected, 155 by regional proportional representation; members serve five-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - House of Liberties 177 (Forza Italia 82, National Alliance 46, CCD-CDU 29, Northern League 17, others 3), Olive Tree 128 (Democrats of the Left 62, Daisy Alliance 42, Sunflower Alliance 16, Italian Communist Party 3, independents 5), non-affiliated with either coalition 10, senators for life 9; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - House of Liberties 367 (Forza Italia 189, National Alliance 96, CCD-CDU 40, Northern League 30, others 12), Olive Tree 248 (Democrats of the Left 138, Daisy Alliance 76, Sunflower Alliance 18, Italian Communist Party 9, independents 7), non-affiliated with either coalition 15
unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 5 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - New Era 23.9%, PCTVL 18.9%, People's Party 16.7%, ZZS 9.5%, First Party 7.6%, LNNK 5.4%; seats by party - New Era 26, PCTVL 24, People's Party 21, ZZS 12, First Party 10, LNNK 7
Life expectancy at birth total population: 79.25 years


male: 76.08 years


female: 82.63 years (2002 est.)
total population: 70.86 years


male: 65.91 years


female: 76.09 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98% (1998)


male: NA%


female: NA%
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99.8%


male: 99.8%


female: 99.8% (2003 est.)
Location Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania
Map references Europe Europe
Maritime claims continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation


territorial sea: 12 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine total: 467 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 8,499,248 GRT/10,383,988 DWT


ships by type: bulk 45, cargo 41, chemical tanker 91, combination ore/oil 4, container 24, liquefied gas 37, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 15, petroleum tanker 80, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 70, short-sea passenger 27, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 16


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Croatia 1, Denmark 4, France 1, Greece 3, Man, Isle of 1, Monaco 7, Netherlands 6, Norway 1, Panama 2, Spain 1, Switzerland 1, Taiwan 15, Turkey 1, United Kingdom 6, United States 12 (2002 est.)
total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 53,153 GRT/37,414 DWT


by type: cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 1


foreign-owned: Germany 1, Greece 1, Ukraine 1


registered in other countries: 96 (2004 est.)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, Carabinieri Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $20.2 billion (2002) $87 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.64% (2002) 1.2% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 14,184,307 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 594,596 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 12,157,753 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 466,659 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 304,369 (2002 est.) males: 19,209 (2004 est.)
National holiday Republic Day, 2 June (1946) Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August 1991 is the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union
Nationality noun: Italian(s)


adjective: Italian
noun: Latvian(s)


adjective: Latvian
Natural hazards regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice NA
Natural resources mercury, potash, marble, sulfur, natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, coal, arable land peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land
Net migration rate 1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -2.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 1,703 km; petroleum products 2,148 km; natural gas 19,400 km gas 1,097 km; oil 409 km; refined products 415 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Center-Left Olive Tree Coalition [Francesco RUTELLI] - Democrats of the Left, Daisy Alliance (including Italian Popular Party, Italian Renewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The Democrats), Sunflower Alliance (including Green Federation, Italian Democratic Socialists), Italian Communist Party; Center-Right Freedom House Coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI] (formerly House of Liberties and Freedom Alliance) - Forza Italia, National Alliance, The Whiteflower Alliance (includes Christian Democratic Center, United Christian Democrats), Northern League; Christian Democratic Center or CCD [Marco FOLLINI]; Communist Party or PdCI [Oliviero DILIBERTO]; Democrats of the Left or DS [Piero FASSINO]; Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; Green Federation [Alfonso Pecoraro SCANIO]; Italian Communist Party or PdCI [Oliviero DILIBERTO]; Italian Popular Party or PPI [Pierluigi CASTAGNETTI]; Italian Renewal or RI [Lamberto DINI]; Italian Social Democrats or SDI [Enrico BOSELLI]; Socialist Movement-Tricolor Flame or MS-Fiamma [Pino RAUTI]; National Alliance or AN [Gianfranco FINI]; Northern League or NL [Umberto BOSSI]; Southern Tyrols People's Party or SVP (German speakers) [Siegfried BRUGGER]; Sunflower Alliance (includes Green Federation, Italian Social Democrats); The Daisy Alliance (includes Italian Popular Party, Italian Renewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The Democrats); The Democrats [Arturo PARISI]; The Radicals (formerly Pannella Reformers and Autonomous List) [Marco PANNELLA]; The Whiteflower Alliance (includes Christian Democratic Center, United Christian Democrats); Union of Democrats for Europe or UDEUR [Clemente MASTELLA]; United Christian Democrats or CDU [Rocco BUTTIGLIONE] Alliance of the Greens and Farmers Union or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS (Farmer's Union); Indulis EMSIS (Green Party)]; First Party of Latvia [Ainars SLESERS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Jakovs PLINERS]; For Our Latvia or ML [Rihards Jablokovs]; Latvian National Democratic Party or LNDP [Jevgenijs Osiopovs]; Latvian National Front [Aivars GARDA]; Latvian Social-Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Alfred RUBIKS]; Latvia's Way Union or LC; Light of Latgale or LG; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE]; New Politics Party or JP [Sergejs DOLGOPOLOVS]; People's Harmony Party or TSP [Janis JURKANS]; People's Party or TP [Atis SLAKTERIS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]; Union for the Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK or TB/LNNK [Janis STRAUME]; United Social Democratic Welfare Party or SLP [Juris ZURAVLOVS]; United Republican Party of Latvia or LARP
Political pressure groups and leaders Italian manufacturers and merchants associations (Confindustria, Confcommercio); organized farm groups (Confcoltivatori, Confagricoltura); Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union confederations (Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL [Sergio COFFERATI] which is left wing, Confederazione Italiana dei Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Savino PEZZOTTA] which is Roman Catholic centrist, and Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Pietro LARIZZA] which is lay centrist) Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB) [Aleksandr KAZAKOV]
Population 57,715,625 (July 2002 est.) 2,306,306 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA
Population growth rate 0.05% (2002 est.) -0.71% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Augusta (Sicily), Bagnoli, Bari, Brindisi, Gela, Genoa, La Spezia, Livorno, Milazzo, Naples, Porto Foxi, Porto Torres (Sardinia), Salerno, Savona, Taranto, Trieste, Venice (2001) Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils
Radio broadcast stations AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998) AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 50.5 million (1997) -
Railways total: 19,786 km


standard gauge: 18,761 km 1.435-m gauge (11,251 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 113 km 1.000-m gauge (113 km electrified); 912 km 0.950-m gauge (192 km electrified) (2001)
total: 2,303 km


broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2003)
Religions predominately Roman Catholic with mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox
Sex ratio at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female


total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female


total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25) 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
Telephone system general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully automated telephone, telex, and data services


domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks


international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2 for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA Eutelsat; 21 submarine cables
general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an international capability independent of the Moscow international switch; more facilities are being installed for individual use


domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections, rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied subscriber applications


international: country code - 371; international connections are now available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling direct connections for most calls (1998)
Telephones - main lines in use 25 million (1999) 653,900 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 20.5 million (1999) 1,219,600 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995) 44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands low plain
Total fertility rate 1.19 children born/woman (2002 est.) 1.25 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 9.1% (2002 est.) 8.6% (2003 est.)
Waterways 2,400 km


note: serves various types of commercial traffic, although of limited overall value (2002)
300 km (2004)
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