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Compare Latvia (2004) - Italy (2001)

Compare Latvia (2004) z Italy (2001)

 Latvia (2004)Italy (2001)
 LatviaItaly
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 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
Age structure 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.)
0-14 years:
14.17% (male 4,209,102; female 3,964,765)

15-64 years:
67.48% (male 19,375,742; female 19,546,332)

65 years and over:
18.35% (male 4,368,264; female 6,215,620) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish
Airports 51 (2003 est.) 135 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways 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.)
total:
97

over 3,047 m:
5

2,438 to 3,047 m:
32

1,524 to 2,437 m:
17

914 to 1,523 m:
31

under 914 m:
12 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways 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.)
total:
38

1,524 to 2,437 m:
2

914 to 1,523 m:
18

under 914 m:
18 (2000 est.)
Area total: 64,589 sq km


land: 63,589 sq km


water: 1,000 sq km
total:
301,230 sq km

land:
294,020 sq km

water:
7,210 sq km

note:
includes Sardinia and Sicily
Area - comparative slightly larger than West Virginia slightly larger than Arizona
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 joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004. Italy became a nation-state belatedly - 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 more prosperous north.
Birth rate 8.87 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 9.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $3.691 billion


expenditures: $3.871 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)
revenues:
$488 billion

expenditures:
$501 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Riga Rome
Climate maritime; wet, moderate winters predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
Coastline 531 km 7,600 km
Constitution 15 February 1922; an October 1998 amendment on Fundamental Human Rights replaced the 1991 Constitutional Law, which had supplemented the constitution 1 January 1948
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:
Italian Republic

conventional short form:
Italy

local long form:
Repubblica Italiana

local short form:
Italia

former:
Kingdom of Italy
Currency Latvian lat (LVL) Italian lira (ITL); euro (EUR)

note:
on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Italy at a fixed rate of 1,936.27 Italian lire per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002
Death rate 13.73 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 10.07 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $6.793 billion (2003 est.) $NA
Diplomatic representation from the US 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
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant)

embassy:
Via Veneto 119/A, 00187-Rome

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

telephone:
[39] (06) 46741

FAX:
[39] (06) 488-2672

consulate(s) general:
Florence, Milan, Naples
Diplomatic representation in the US 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
chief of mission:
Ambassador Ferdinando SALLEO

chancery:
3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 612-4400

FAX:
[1] (202) 518-2154

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

consulate(s):
Detroit
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 Croatia and Italy made progress toward resolving a bilateral issue dating from World War II over property and ethnic minority rights
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $1.3 billion (1997)
Economic aid - recipient $96.2 million (1995) -
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. 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 more than 20% unemployment. Most raw materials needed by industry and more than 75% of energy requirements are imported. Since 1992, Italy has adopted budgets compliant with the requirements of the European Monetary Union (EMU); wage moderation agreements by representatives of government, labor, and employers have helped to bring Italy's inflation into conformity with EMU requirements. Italy's economic performance, however, has lagged behind that of its EU partners and it must work to stimulate employment, promote labor flexibility, reform its expensive pension system, and tackle the informal economy.
Electricity - consumption 6.046 billion kWh (2001) 272.35 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 703 million kWh (2001) 530 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 2.69 billion kWh (2001) 42.539 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 4.365 billion kWh (2001) 247.679 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
79.09%

hydro:
18.08%

nuclear:
0%

other:
2.83% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m


highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m
lowest point:
Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point:
Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) 4,807 m
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 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
Environment - international agreements 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
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
Ethnic groups Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002) Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south)
Exchange rates lati per US dollar - 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182 (2002), 0.6279 (2001), 0.6065 (2000), 0.5852 (1999) euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 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), 1,542.9 (1996)
Executive branch 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
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 12-party government coalition; note - BERLUSCONI's coalition includes Forza Italian, National Alliance, Christian Democratic Center, Christian Northern League
Exports NA (2001) $241.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and tobacco; minerals and nonferrous metals
Exports - partners UK 15.6%, Germany 14.8%, Sweden 10.5%, Lithuania 8.2%, Estonia 6.6%, Denmark 6%, Russia 5.4% (2003) EU 56.8% (Germany 16.4%, France 12.9%, Netherlands 7.1%, Spain 6.3%, Netherlands 2.9%), US 9.5% (1999)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon 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
GDP purchasing power parity - $23.9 billion (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $1.273 trillion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 4.5%


industry: 24.5%


services: 70.9% (2003)
agriculture:
2.5%

industry:
30.4%

services:
67.1% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $10,200 (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $22,100 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 7.4% (2003 est.) 2.7% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 57 00 N, 25 00 E 42 50 N, 12 50 E
Geography - note most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe
Heliports - 4 (2000 est.)
Highways total: 73,202 km


paved: 28,256 km


unpaved: 44,946 km (2000)
total:
654,676 km

paved:
654,676 km (including 6460 km of expressways)

unpaved:
0 km (1997)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.9%


highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)
lowest 10%:
3.5%

highest 10%:
21.8% (1995)
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; 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 important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market
Imports NA (2001) $231.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing; food, beverages and tobacco
Imports - partners 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) EU 61% (Germany 19.3%, France 12.6%, Netherlands 6.3%, Spain 4.4%), US 5.0% (1999)
Independence 21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) 17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870)
Industrial production growth rate 8% (2003 est.) 1.9% (2000)
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, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics
Infant mortality rate 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.)
5.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.9% (2003 est.) 2.5% (2000)
International organization participation 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 AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, 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
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 93 (Italy and Holy See) (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.)
27,100 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament) 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)
Labor force 1.18 million (2003 est.) 23.4 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.) services 61.9%, industry 32.6%, agriculture 5.5% (1999)
Land boundaries total: 1,150 km


border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km
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
Land use arable land: 29.67%


permanent crops: 0.47%


other: 69.86% (2001)
arable land:
31%

permanent crops:
10%

permanent pastures:
15%

forests and woodland:
23%

other:
21% (1993 est.)
Languages Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other 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)
Legal system based on civil law 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
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
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 plus, 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
Life expectancy at birth total population: 70.86 years


male: 65.91 years


female: 76.09 years (2004 est.)
total population:
79.14 years

male:
75.97 years

female:
82.52 years (2001 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:
98% (1998)

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
Location Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
Map references Europe Europe
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine 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.)
total:
445 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 8,005,136 GRT/10,556,244 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 44, cargo 41, chemical tanker 77, combination ore/oil 4, container 24, liquefied gas 38, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 11, petroleum tanker 85, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 64, short-sea passenger 26, specialized tanker 14, vehicle carrier 15 (2000 est.)
Military branches Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze) Army, Navy, Air Force, Carabinieri
Military expenditures - dollar figure $87 million (FY01) $20.7 billion (FY00/01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.2% (FY01) 1.7% (FY00/01)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 594,596 (2004 est.) males age 15-49:
14,248,674 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 466,659 (2004 est.) males age 15-49:
12,244,166 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 19,209 (2004 est.) males:
304,369 (2001 est.)
National holiday 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 Republic Day, 2 June (1946)
Nationality noun: Latvian(s)


adjective: Latvian
noun:
Italian(s)

adjective:
Italian
Natural hazards NA regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice
Natural resources peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land mercury, potash, marble, sulfur, natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, coal, arable land
Net migration rate -2.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines gas 1,097 km; oil 409 km; refined products 415 km (2004) crude oil 1,703 km; petroleum products 2,148 km; natural gas 19,400 km
Political parties and leaders 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 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; Christian Democratic Center or CDC [Pier Ferdinando CASINI]; Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Rocco BUTTIGLIONE]; Communist Renewal or RC [Fausto BERTINOTTI]; Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; Green Federation [Grazia FRANCESCATO]; House of Liberties (formerly Freedom Alliance, a center-right coalition) [leader Silvio BERLUSCONI] - Forza Italian, National Alliance, Christian Democratic Center, Christian Democratic Union, Northern League; Italian Communist Party or PdCI [Oliviero DILIBERTO]; Italian Democratic Socialists [Enrico BOSELLI]; Italian Popular Party [Pierluigi CASTAGNETTI]; Italian Renewal [Lamberto DINI]; Italian Social Movement-Tricolored Flame or MSI-FI [Pino RAUTI]; National Alliance or AN [Gianfranco FINI]; Northern League or NL [Umberto BOSSI]; Radical Party (formerly Panella Reformers and Autonomous List) [Marco PANNELLA]; Southern Tyrols People's Party or SVP (German speakers) [Siegfried BRUGGER]; Union of Democrats for Europe [Clemente MASTELLA]; The Democrats [Arturo PARISI]
Political pressure groups and leaders Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB) [Aleksandr KAZAKOV] 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 [Sergio D'ANTONI] which is Catholic centrist, and Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Pietro LARIZZA] which is lay centrist)
Population 2,306,306 (July 2004 est.) 57,679,825 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA NA%
Population growth rate -0.71% (2004 est.) 0.07% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils Augusta (Sicily), Bagnoli, Bari, Brindisi, Gela, Genoa, La Spezia, Livorno, Milazzo, Naples, Porto Foxi, Porto Torres (Sardinia), Salerno, Savona, Taranto, Trieste, Venice (2001)
Radio broadcast stations AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998) AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)
Radios - 50.5 million (1997)
Railways 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)
total:
19,394 km

standard gauge:
18,071 km 1.435-m gauge; Italian Railways (FS) operates 16,014 km of the total standard gauge routes (11,322 km electrified)

narrow gauge:
112 km 1.000-m gauge (112 km electrified); 1,211 km 0.950-m gauge (153 km electrified) (1998)
Religions Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox predominately Roman Catholic with mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community
Sex ratio 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.)
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 (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens 18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25)
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: country code - 371; international connections are now available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling direct connections for most calls (1998)
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
Telephones - main lines in use 653,900 (2003) 25 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,219,600 (2003) 20.5 million (1999)
Television broadcast stations 44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995) 358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain low plain mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands
Total fertility rate 1.25 children born/woman (2004 est.) 1.18 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 8.6% (2003 est.) 10.4% (2000 est.)
Waterways 300 km (2004) 2,400 km

note:
for various types of commercial traffic, although of limited overall value
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