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Compare Latvia (2005) - Bangladesh (2008)

Compare Latvia (2005) z Bangladesh (2008)

 Latvia (2005)Bangladesh (2008)
 LatviaBangladesh
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 6 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet
Age structure 0-14 years: 14.4% (male 169,284/female 161,648)


15-64 years: 69.4% (male 770,839/female 819,309)


65 years and over: 16.1% (male 120,306/female 248,851) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 33.1% (male 25,639,640/female 24,174,937)


15-64 years: 63.4% (male 48,659,087/female 46,712,687)


65 years and over: 3.5% (male 2,818,638/female 2,443,350) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry
Airports 50 (2004 est.) 16 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 26


2,438 to 3,047 m: 7


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)
total: 15


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 4


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 5 (2007)
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 (2004 est.)
total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Area total: 64,589 sq km


land: 63,589 sq km


water: 1,000 sq km
total: 144,000 sq km


land: 133,910 sq km


water: 10,090 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than West Virginia slightly smaller than Iowa
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. Europeans began to set up trading posts in the area of Bangladesh in the 16th century; eventually the British came to dominate the region and it became part of British India. In 1947, West Pakistan and East Bengal (both primarily Muslim) separated from India (largely Hindu) and jointly became the new country of Pakistan. East Bengal became East Pakistan in 1955, but the awkward arrangement of a two-part country with its territorial units separated by 1,600 km left the Bengalis marginalized and dissatisfied. East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan in 1971 and was renamed Bangladesh. A military-backed caretaker regime suspended planned parliamentary elections in January 2007 in an effort to reform the political system and root out corruption; the regime has pledged new democratic elections by the end of 2008. About a third of this extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic development.
Birth rate 9.04 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 29.36 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $4.231 billion


expenditures: $4.504 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues: $7.078 billion


expenditures: $9.642 billion (2007 est.)
Capital Riga name: Dhaka


geographic coordinates: 23 43 N, 90 24 E


time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate maritime; wet, moderate winters tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)
Coastline 531 km 580 km
Constitution 15 February 1922; an October 1998 amendment on Fundamental Human Rights replaced the 1991 Constitutional Law, which had supplemented the constitution 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972; suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986; amended many times
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: People's Republic of Bangladesh


conventional short form: Bangladesh


local long form: Gana Prajatantri Banladesh


local short form: Banladesh


former: East Bengal, East Pakistan
Death rate 13.7 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 8.13 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $7.368 billion (2004 est.) $20.25 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
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); Charge d'Affaires Geeta PASI


embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212


mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000


telephone: [880] (2) 885-5500


FAX: [880] (2) 882-3744
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 M. Humayun KABIR


chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183


FAX: [1] (202) 244-7830/2771


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Disputes - international the Latvian-Russian boundary treaty of 1997 remains unsigned and unratified with Russia linking it to better Latvian treatment of ethnic Russians and Latvian politicians demanding Russian agreement to a declaration that admits Soviet aggression during the Second World War and other issues; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Latvia must implement the strict Schengen border rules discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small section of river boundary, exchange territory for 51 small Bangladeshi exclaves in India and 111 small Indian exclaves in Bangladesh, allocate divided villages, and stop illegal cross-border trade, migration, violence, and transit of terrorists through the porous border; Bangladesh resists India's attempts to fence or wall off high-traffic sections of the porous boundary; a joint Bangladesh-India boundary inspection in 2005 revealed 92 pillars are missing; dispute with India over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation; 21,000 Burmese Rohingya Muslim refugees reside in two camps in Bangladesh
Economic aid - recipient $96.2 million (1995) $1.321 billion (2005)
Economy - overview Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian financial crisis, largely due to the 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. EU membership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. 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. A growing perception that many of Latvia's banks facilitate illicit activity could damage the country's vibrant financial sector. The economy has grown 5-6% over the past few years despite inefficient state-owned enterprises, delays in exploiting natural gas resources, insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Bangladesh remains a poor, overpopulated, and inefficiently-governed nation. Although more than half of GDP is generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as the single-most-important product. Garment exports and remittances from Bangladeshis working overseas, mainly in the Middle East and East Asia, fuel economic growth.
Electricity - consumption 5.829 billion kWh (2002) 19.49 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 1.1 billion kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 2.7 billion kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 4.547 billion kWh (2002) 21.35 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m


highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Keokradong 1,230 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, 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 many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002) Bengali 98%, other 2% (includes tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims) (1998)
Exchange rates lati per US dollar - 0.5402 (2004), 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182 (2002), 0.6279 (2001), 0.6065 (2000) taka per US dollar - 69.893 (2007), 69.031 (2006), 64.328 (2005), 59.513 (2004), 58.15 (2003)
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 Iajuddin AHMED (since 6 September 2002)


note: the country has a caretaker government until a general election is held; Iajuddin AHMED remains as President and Minister of Defense, and all other Cabinet portfolios are held by Caretaker Advisers (CAs); the Chief CA, Fakhruddin AHMED, is roughly equivalent to a prime minister


elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election scheduled for 16 September 2002 was not held since Iajuddin AHMED was the only presidential candidate; he was sworn in on 6 September 2002 (next election NA); following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president


election results: Iajuddin AHMED declared president-elect by the Election Commission; he ran unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote - NA
Exports NA 1,100 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood (2001)
Exports - partners UK 12.8%, Germany 12%, Sweden 10%, Lithuania 9.1%, Estonia 8%, Russia 6.4%, Denmark 5.4% (2004) US 24.9%, Germany 12.8%, UK 9.8%, France 5% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 July - 30 June
Flag description three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon green field with a large red disk shifted slightly to the hoist side of center; the red disk represents the rising sun and the sacrifice to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush vegetation of Bangladesh
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 4.4%


industry: 24.8%


services: 70.8% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 19%


industry: 28.7%


services: 52.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $11,500 (2004 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 7.6% (2004 est.) 6% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 57 00 N, 25 00 E 24 00 N, 90 00 E
Geography - note most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal
Highways total: 60,472 km


paved: 57,206 km


unpaved: 3,265 km (2002)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.9%


highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)
lowest 10%: 3.7%


highest 10%: 27.9% (2000 est.)
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 and the gaming industry; organized crime (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries
Imports NA 81,010 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement
Imports - partners Germany 13.9%, Lithuania 12.2%, Russia 8.7%, Estonia 7%, Finland 6.3%, Sweden 6.1%, Poland 5.4%, Belarus 4.8% (2004) China 17.7%, India 12.5%, Kuwait 7.9%, Singapore 5.5%, Hong Kong 4.1% (2006)
Independence 21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) 16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh
Industrial production growth rate 8.5% (2004 est.) 9.5% (2007 est.)
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 cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar
Infant mortality rate total: 9.55 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 11.55 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 7.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 59.12 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 60.13 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 58.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6% (2004 est.) 8.8% (2007 est.)
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, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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.)
47,250 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament) Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed by the president)
Labor force 1.17 million (2004 est.) 69.4 million


note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $4.8 billion in 2005-06. (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.) agriculture: 63%


industry: 11%


services: 26% (FY95/96)
Land boundaries total: 1,150 km


border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km
total: 4,246 km


border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km
Land use arable land: 29.67%


permanent crops: 0.47%


other: 69.86% (2001)
arable land: 55.39%


permanent crops: 3.08%


other: 41.53% (2005)
Languages Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other 4.3% (2000 census) Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English
Legal system based on civil law system based on 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 - JL 23.9%, PCTVL 18.9%, TP 16.7%, ZZS 9.5%, First Party 7.6%, LNNK 5.4%; seats by party - JL 26, PCTVL 24, TP 21, ZZS 12, First Party 10, LNNK 7
unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300 seats elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies; members serve five-year terms; note - parliament not in session during the extended caretaker regime


elections: last held 1 October 2001 (the scheduled January 2007 election has been postponed till late 2008)


election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliance partners 41%, AL 40%, other 19%; seats by party - BNP 193, AL 58, JI 17, JP (Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 2, JP (Manzur) 4, other 12; note - the election of October 2001 brought to power a majority BNP government aligned with three other smaller parties - JI, IOJ, and Jatiya Party (Manzur)
Life expectancy at birth total population: 71.05 years


male: 65.78 years


female: 76.6 years (2005 est.)
total population: 62.84 years


male: 62.81 years


female: 62.86 years (2007 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: 43.1%


male: 53.9%


female: 31.8% (2003 est.)
Location Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
Map references Europe Asia
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 18 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin
Merchant marine total: 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 53,153 GRT/37,414 DWT


by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 1


registered in other countries: 86 (2005)
total: 41 ships (1000 GRT or over) 328,530 GRT/468,509 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 27, container 6, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4


foreign-owned: 1 (China 1)


registered in other countries: 9 (Comoros 1, Honduras 1, Malta 3, Panama 1, Singapore 2, St Vincent and The Grenadines 1) (2007)
Military branches Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze) Bangladesh Defense Force: Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force (Bangladesh Biman Bahini, BAF) (2008)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $87 million (FY01) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.2% (FY01) 1.5% (2006)
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 Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh
Nationality noun: Latvian(s)


adjective: Latvian
noun: Bangladeshi(s)


adjective: Bangladeshi
Natural hazards NA droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season
Natural resources peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land natural gas, arable land, timber, coal
Net migration rate -2.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) -0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines gas 1,097 km; oil 409 km; refined products 415 km (2004) gas 2,644 km (2007)
Political parties and leaders First Party of Latvia or LPP [Juris LUJANS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Tatjana ZDANOKA, Jakovs PLINERS]; For the Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement or TB/LNNK [Janis STRAUME]; Harmony Center or SC [Sergejs DOLGOPOLOVS]; Latvian Green Party or LZP [Indulis EMSIS, Viesturs SILENIEKS, Raimonds VEJONIS]; Latvian Farmer's Union or LZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS]; Latvian Social Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS]; Latvian Socialist Party or LSP [Alfreds RUBIKS]; Latvia's Way or LC [Ivars GODMANIS]; New Democrats or JD [Maris GULBIS]; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE]; People's Harmony Party or TSP [Aivars DATAVS]; People's Party or TP [Atis SLAKTERIS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS] Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party or BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIA]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul Haq AMINI]; Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh or JIB [Matiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Jatiya Party (Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Badrudozza CHOWDHURY and Oli AHMED]
Political pressure groups and leaders Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB) [Aleksandr KAZAKOV] NA
Population 2,290,237 (July 2005 est.) 150,448,339 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA 45% (2004 est.)
Population growth rate -0.69% (2005 est.) 2.056% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Riga, Ventspils -
Radio broadcast stations AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 15, FM 13, shortwave 2 (2006)
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 (2004)
total: 2,768 km


broad gauge: 946 km 1.676-m gauge


narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Religions Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)
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 (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.061 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.042 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.154 male(s)/female


total population: 1.052 male(s)/female (2007 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: 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: totally inadequate for a modern country; fixed-line telephone density of less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of 13 per 100 persons


domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some fiber-optic cable in cities


international: country code - 880; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4 fiber-optic submarine cable system that provides links to Europe, the Middle East and Asia; satellite earth stations - 6; international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries (2007)
Telephones - main lines in use 653,900 (2003) 1.134 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,219,600 (2003) 19.131 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995) 15 (1999)
Terrain low plain mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
Total fertility rate 1.26 children born/woman (2005 est.) 3.09 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 8.8% (2004 est.) 2.5% (includes underemployment) (2007 est.)
Waterways 300 km (2004) 8,370 km


note: includes up to 3,060 km main cargo routes; network reduced to 5,200 km in dry season (2006)
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