Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
Jah-Jah.pl / Index countries / Latvia (2003) - Nepal (2002) / Compare countries
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Latvia (2003) - Nepal (2002)

Compare Latvia (2003) z Nepal (2002)

 Latvia (2003)Nepal (2002)
 LatviaNepal
Administrative divisions 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 14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti
Age structure 0-14 years: 15.1% (male 180,976; female 172,988)


15-64 years: 68.9% (male 774,133; female 844,856)


65 years and over: 16% (male 122,850; female 252,981) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 40% (male 5,346,422; female 5,007,416)


15-64 years: 56.4% (male 7,476,202; female 7,125,471)


65 years and over: 3.6% (male 453,263; female 465,143) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat
Airports 38 (2002) 45 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 22


2,438 to 3,047 m: 7


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 12 (2002)
total: 9


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 16


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 10 (2002)
total: 36


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 28 (2002)
Area total: 64,589 sq km


land: 63,589 sq km


water: 1,000 sq km
total: 140,800 sq km


land: 136,800 sq km


water: 4,000 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than West Virginia slightly larger than Arkansas
Background 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 continues to revamp its economy for eventual integration into various Western European political and economic institutions and was invited to join NATO and the EU in 2002. In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A maoist insugency, launched in 1996, has gained traction and is threatening to bring down the regime. Ten members of the royal family, including the king and queen, were massacred in a family dispute in 2001. In October 2002, the new king dismissed the prime minister and his cabinet for "incompetence" after they dissolved the parliament and were subsequently unable to hold elections because of the ongoing insurgency. The country is now governed by the king and his appointed cabinet until elections can be held at some unspecified future date.
Birth rate 8.55 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 32.94 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $2.4 billion


expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)
revenues: $665 million


expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.)
Capital Riga Kathmandu
Climate maritime; wet, moderate winters varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south
Coastline 531 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution the 1991 Constitutional Law, which supplements the 1922 constitution, provides for basic rights and freedoms 9 November 1990
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Latvia


conventional short form: Latvia


local long form: Latvijas Republika


local short form: Latvija


former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal


conventional short form: Nepal
Currency Latvian lat (LVL) Nepalese rupee (NPR)
Death rate 14.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 10.03 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $3.4 billion (2000 est.) $2.55 billion (FY00/01)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Brian E. CARLSON


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] 781-0047
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael E. MALINOWSKI


embassy: Panipokhari, Kathmandu


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [977] (1) 411179


FAX: [977] (1) 419963
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Aivis RONIS


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


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


FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785
chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Jai Pratap RANA


chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550


FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534


consulate(s) general: New York
Disputes - international 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 formed Joint Border committee with India in 2001 to resolve 53 disputed sections of boundary covering an area of 720 sq km; approximately 100,000 Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal, 90% of whom reside in seven UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees camps, place decades-long strains on Nepal
Economic aid - recipient $96.2 million (1995) $424 million (FY00/01)
Economy - overview 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. Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with nearly half of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for over 80% of the population and accounting for 41% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Textile and carpet production, accounteing for about 80% of foreign exchange earnings in recent years, contracted significantly in 2001 due to the overall slowdown in the world economy and pressures by Maoist insurgents on factory owners and workers. Security concerns in the wake of Maoist activity, the June massacre of many members of the royal family, and the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US led to a decrease in tourism, another key source of foreign exchange. Agricultural production is growing by about 5% on average as compared with annual population growth of 2.3%. Since May 1991, the government has been moving forward with economic reforms, particularly those that encourage trade and foreign investment, e.g., by reducing business licenses and registration requirements to simplify investment procedures. The government has also been cutting expenditures by reducing subsidies, privatizing state industries, and laying off civil servants. More recently, however, political instability - five different governments over the past few years - has hampered Kathmandu's ability to forge consensus to implement key economic reforms. Nepal has considerable scope for accelerating economic growth by exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, its landlocked geographic location, and its susceptibility to natural disaster. The international community's role of funding more than 60% of Nepal's development budget and more than 28% of total budgetary expenditures will likely continue as a major ingredient of growth.
Electricity - consumption 6.046 billion kWh (2001) 1.431 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 703 million kWh (2001) 95 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 2.69 billion kWh (2001) 174 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 4.365 billion kWh (2001) 1.454 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 29.1%


hydro: 70.9%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
fossil fuel: 10%


hydro: 90%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m


highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m
lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m


highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999 est.)
Environment - current issues 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 deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular emissions
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% Brahman, Chetri, Newar, Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa, Tharu, and others (1995)
Exchange rates lati per US dollar - 0.62 (2002), 0.63 (2001), 0.61 (2000), 0.59 (1999), 0.59 (1998) Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 76.675 (January 2002), 74.961 (2001), 71.094 (2000), 68.239 (1999), 65.976 (1998), 58.010 (1997)
Executive branch chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999)


head of government: Prime Minister Einars REPSE (since 7 November 2002)


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
chief of state: King GYANENDRA Bir Bikram Shah (succeeded to the throne 4 June 2001 following the death of his nephew, King DIPENDRA Bir Bikram Shah)


head of government: Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur CHAND (since 11 October 2002)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch


note: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev died in a bloody shooting at the royal palace on 1 June 2001 that also claimed the lives of most of the royal family; King BIRENDRA's son, Crown Price DIPENDRA, is believed to have been responsible for the shootings before fatally wounding himself; immediately following the shootings and while still clinging to life, DIPENDRA was crowned king; he died three days later and was succeeded by his uncle
Exports NA (2001) $757 million f.o.b., but does not include unrecorded border trade with India (FY00/01 est.)
Exports - commodities wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain
Exports - partners UK 21.6%, Sweden 13.1%, Germany 12.5%, US 6.4%, Lithuania 5.9%, Russia 4.6%, Estonia 4.2%, Denmark 4% (2002) India 48%, US 26%, Germany 11% (FY00/01)
Fiscal year calendar year 16 July - 15 July
Flag description three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun
GDP purchasing power parity - $20.99 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $35.6 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 4.5%


industry: 26%


services: 69.5% (2001)
agriculture: 41%


industry: 22%


services: 37% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $8,900 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 6.1% (2002 est.) 2.6% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 57 00 N, 25 00 E 28 00 N, 84 00 E
Geography - note most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest - the world's tallest - on the border with China
Highways total: 73,202 km


paved: 28,256 km


unpaved: 44,946 km (2000)
total: 13,223 km


paved: 4,073 km


unpaved: 9,150 km (April 1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.9%


highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)
lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 30% (1995-96)
Illicit drugs 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; money laundering remains a concern despite changes to banking legislation illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West
Imports NA (2001) $1.6 billion f.o.b. (FY00/01 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer
Imports - partners Germany 17.9%, Russia 15.1%, Finland 6.6%, Lithuania 6.4%, Sweden 5.5%, Italy 4.8%, Estonia 4.8% (2002) India 39%, Singapore 10%, China/Hong Kong 9%, (FY00/01)
Independence 21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)
Industrial production growth rate 5.7% (2002 est.) 8.7% (FY99/00)
Industries 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 tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarette; cement and brick production
Infant mortality rate total: 14.59 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 16.74 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 12.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
72.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2% (2002 est.) 2.1%
International organization participation BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO AsDB, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 41 (2001) 6 (2000)
Irrigated land 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.)
11,350 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament) Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed by the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Judicial Council)
Labor force 1.1 million (2001 est.) 10 million


note: severe lack of skilled labor (1996 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.) agriculture 81%, services 16%, industry 3%
Land boundaries total: 1,150 km


border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km
total: 2,926 km


border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km
Land use arable land: 29.01%


permanent crops: 0.48%


other: 70.51% (1998 est.)
arable land: 20.27%


permanent crops: 0.49%


other: 79.24% (1998 est.)
Languages Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other Nepali (official; spoken by 90% of the population), about a dozen other languages and about 30 major dialects; note - many in government and business also speak English (1995)
Legal system based on civil law system based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch 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
note: Nepal's Parliament was dissolved on 22 May 2002 and elections are scheduled for 13 November 2002

bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35 appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15 elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: House of Representatives - last held 3 and 17 May 1999 (next to be held 13 November 2002)


election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP 10.4%, NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%, NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP 11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 69.31 years


male: 63.46 years


female: 75.45 years (2003 est.)
total population: 58.61 years


male: 59.01 years


female: 58.2 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99.8%


male: 99.8%


female: 99.8% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 27.5%


male: 40.9%


female: 14% (1995 est.)
Location Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania Southern Asia, between China and India
Map references Europe Asia
Maritime claims continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 52,607 GRT/35,650 DWT


ships by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 3 (2002 est.)
-
Military branches Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Guard, National Guard Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air Service), Nepalese Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $87 million (FY01) $51.5 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.2% (FY01) 1% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 592,562 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 6,484,343 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 465,788 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 3,369,454 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2003 est.) 17 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 19,477 (2003 est.) males: 292,589 (2002 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 21 August 1991 is the date of independence from the Soviet Union Birthday of King GYANENDRA, 7 July (1946)
Nationality noun: Latvian(s)


adjective: Latvian
noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)


adjective: Nepalese
Natural hazards NA severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons
Natural resources peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore
Net migration rate -1.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines gas 1,097 km; oil 412 km; refined products 421 km (2003) -
Political parties and leaders Alliance of the Greens and Farmers Union or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS (Farmer's Union); Indulis EMSIS (Green Party)]; CENTER Political Alliance [Juris CELMINS]; First Party of Latvia [Eriks JEKABSONS]; For Fatherland and Freedom or LNNK [Maris GRINBLATS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Janis JURKANS], a coalition of the People's Harmony Party or TSP, the Latvian Socialist Party or LSP, and the Equal Rights Movement; Freedom Party [Ziedonis CEVERS]; Land of Mara [Irena SAPROVSKA]; Latvian Rebirth Party [Andris RUBINS]; Latvian Social-Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS]; Latvia's Way Union or LC [Janis NAGLIS]; Light of Latgale or LG [Rihards EIGIMS]; New Era Party [Einars REPSE]; Our Land Party [Ilmars ANCANS]; Party of Latvians [Aivars GARDA]; People's Party [Andris SKELE]; Progressive Center Party [Inta STAMGUTE]; Russian Party [Mihails GAVRILOVS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]; Social Democratic Welfare Party or SLP [Juris ZURAVLOVS]; United Republican Party of Latvia or LARP [Eriks Andrejs SAULUNS, Janis PUKIS, Sarmite JEGERE] Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Madhav Kumar NEPAL, general secretary]; National Democratic Party or NDP (also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP) [Surya Bahadur THAPA, chairman]; National People's Front (Rastriya Jana Morcha) [Chitra Bahadur, chairman]; Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party or NSP [Bhadri Prasad MANDAL, acting party president]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE, party chair]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA, party president, Sushil KOIRALA, general secretary]; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [Lila Mani POKHAREL, general secretary]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency; numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist groups
Population 2,348,784 (July 2003 est.) 25,873,917 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 42% (FY95/96 est. )
Population growth rate -0.73% (2003 est.) 2.29% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils none
Radio broadcast stations AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (January 2000)
Radios - 840,000 (1997)
Railways total: 2,347 km


broad gauge: 2,314 km 1.520-m gauge (270 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2002)
total: 59 km


narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge


note: all in Kosi close to Indian border (2001)
Religions Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox Hinduism 86.2%, Buddhism 7.8%, Islam 3.8%, other 2.2%


note: only official Hindu state in the world (1995)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female


total population: 0.85 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system 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: international connections are now available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling direct connections for most calls (1998)
general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone network


domestic: NA


international: radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 734,693 (2000) 236,816 (January 2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 401,263 (2000) NA
Television broadcast stations 44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995) 1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)
Terrain low plain Terai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north
Total fertility rate 1.2 children born/woman (2003 est.) 4.48 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 7.6% (2001 est.) 47% (2001 est.)
Waterways 300 km (perennially navigable) none
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.