Singapore (2005) | Latvia (2003) | |
![]() | ![]() | |
Administrative divisions | none | 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: 16% (male 366,971/female 342,295)
15-64 years: 75.9% (male 1,639,842/female 1,719,829) 65 years and over: 8.1% (male 157,636/female 199,147) (2005 est.) |
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.) |
Agriculture - products | rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables, poultry, eggs, fish, ornamental fish | grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish |
Airports | 10 (2004 est.) | 38 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 10
over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
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) |
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) |
Area | total: 692.7 sq km
land: 682.7 sq km water: 10 sq km |
total: 64,589 sq km
land: 63,589 sq km water: 1,000 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly larger than West Virginia |
Background | Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years later and became independent. It subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest in terms of tonnage handled) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe. | 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. |
Birth rate | 9.49 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 8.55 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $17.05 billion
expenditures: $18.45 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.8 billion (2004 est.) |
revenues: $2.4 billion
expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.) |
Capital | Singapore | Riga |
Climate | tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons - Northeastern monsoon from December to March and Southwestern monsoon from June to September; inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms | maritime; wet, moderate winters |
Coastline | 193 km | 531 km |
Constitution | 3 June 1959; amended 1965 (based on preindependence State of Singapore Constitution) | the 1991 Constitutional Law, which supplements the 1922 constitution, provides for basic rights and freedoms |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Singapore
conventional short form: Singapore |
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 | - | Latvian lat (LVL) |
Death rate | 4.16 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 14.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $19.4 billion (2004 est.) | $3.4 billion (2000 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Franklin L. LAVIN
embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508 mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001 telephone: [65] 6476-9100 FAX: [65] 6476-9340 |
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 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee
chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100 FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876 consulate(s) general: San Francisco consulate(s): New York |
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 |
Disputes - international | disputes persist with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's extensive land reclamation works, bridge construction, maritime boundaries, and Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Putih - parties agree to ICJ arbitration on island dispute within three years; Indonesia and Singapore pledged in 2005 to finalize their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Batam Island; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait | 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 - recipient | NA | $96.2 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | Singapore, a highly developed and successful free market economy, enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and a per capita GDP equal to that of the Big 4 West European countries. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in electronics and manufacturing. It was hard hit in 2001-03 by the global recession, by the slump in the technology sector, and by an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in 2003, which curbed tourism and consumer spending. The government hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to the external business cycle and will continue efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub. Fiscal stimulus, low interest rates, a surge in exports, and internal flexibility led to vigorous growth in 2004, with real GDP rising by 8 percent, by far the economy's best performance since 2000. | 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 | 32 billion kWh (2003) | 6.046 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2003) | 703 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2003) | 2.69 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 35.33 billion kWh (2003) | 4.365 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 29.1%
hydro: 70.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m |
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m |
Environment - current issues | industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia | 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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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 |
Ethnic groups | Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% (2000 census) | Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% |
Exchange rates | Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002), 1.7917 (2001), 1.724 (2000) | lati per US dollar - 0.62 (2002), 0.63 (2001), 0.61 (2000), 0.59 (1999), 0.59 (1998) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN (since 1 September 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August 2004); Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004); Minister Mentor LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime Ministers Shunmugan JAYAKUMAR (since 12 August 2004) and Tony TAN Keng Yam (since 1 August 1995) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president, responsible to Parliament elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term; last appointed 17 August 2005 (next election to be held by August 2011); following legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by president; deputy prime ministers appointed by president election results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN appointed president in August 2005 after Presidential Elections Committee disqualified three other would-be candidates |
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 |
Exports | NA | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods, chemicals, mineral fuels | wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs |
Exports - partners | Malaysia 15.2%, US 13%, Hong Kong 9.8%, China 8.6%, Japan 6.4%, Taiwan 4.6%, Thailand 4.3%, South Korea 4.1% (2004) | UK 21.6%, Sweden 13.1%, Germany 12.5%, US 6.4%, Lithuania 5.9%, Russia 4.6%, Estonia 4.2%, Denmark 4% (2002) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle | three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $20.99 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 0% negligible
industry: 32.6% services: 67.4% (2004 est.) |
agriculture: 4.5%
industry: 26% services: 69.5% (2001) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $27,800 (2004 est.) | purchasing power parity - $8,900 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 8.1% (2004 est.) | 6.1% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 1 22 N, 103 48 E | 57 00 N, 25 00 E |
Geography - note | focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes | most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east |
Highways | total: 3,130 km
paved: 3,130 km (including 150 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (2002) |
total: 73,202 km
paved: 28,256 km unpaved: 44,946 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 25.9% (1998) |
Illicit drugs | as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, to be used as a transit point for Golden Triangle heroin and as a venue for money laundering | 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 |
Imports | NA | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs | machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles |
Imports - partners | Malaysia 15.3%, US 12.7%, Japan 11.7%, China 9.9%, Taiwan 5.7%, South Korea 4.3%, Thailand 4.1% (2004) | Germany 17.9%, Russia 15.1%, Finland 6.6%, Lithuania 6.4%, Sweden 5.5%, Italy 4.8%, Estonia 4.8% (2002) |
Independence | 9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation) | 21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
Industrial production growth rate | 11.1% (2004 est.) | 5.7% (2002 est.) |
Industries | electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction, life sciences, entrepot trade | 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 | total: 2.29 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
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.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.7% (2004 est.) | 2% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | 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 |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 41 (2001) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 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 | Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals | Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament) |
Labor force | 2.18 million (2004 est.) | 1.1 million (2001 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | manufacturing 18%, construction 6%, transportation and communication 11%, financial, business, and other services 49%, other 16% (2003) | agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 1,150 km
border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km |
Land use | arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 0% other: 98.36% (2001) |
arable land: 29.01%
permanent crops: 0.48% other: 70.51% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%, Cantonese 5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 1.8%, other 0.9% (2000 census) | Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other |
Legal system | based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on civil law system |
Legislative branch | unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine nominated members; the losing opposition candidate who came closest to winning a seat may be appointed as a "nonconstituency" member
elections: last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held not later than 25 June 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 75.3% (in contested constituencies), other 24.7%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SPP 1 |
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: 81.62 years
male: 79.05 years female: 84.39 years (2005 est.) |
total population: 69.31 years
male: 63.46 years female: 75.45 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.5% male: 96.6% female: 88.6% (2002) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2003 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia | Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as defined in treaties and practice |
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 923 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 23,065,290 GRT/36,393,317 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 138, cargo 86, chemical tanker 115, combination ore/oil 5, container 180, liquefied gas 42, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 316, refrigerated cargo 3, vehicle carrier 36 foreign-owned: 487 (Australia 5, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 10, China 15, Denmark 34, Germany 7, Greece 5, Hong Kong 43, India 3, Indonesia 54, Japan 83, Malaysia 31, Norway 83, Philippines 3, Russia 1, Slovenia 1, South Korea 12, Sweden 12, Taiwan 44, Thailand 17, UAE 6, United Kingdom 12, United States 5) registered in other countries: 276 (2005) |
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 | Singapore Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense (2005) | Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Guard, National Guard |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $4.47 billion (FY01 est.) | $87 million (FY01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 4.9% (FY01) | 1.2% (FY01) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 592,562 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 465,788 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 19,477 (2003 est.) |
National holiday | National Day, 9 August (1965) | 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 |
Nationality | noun: Singaporean(s)
adjective: Singapore |
noun: Latvian(s)
adjective: Latvian |
Natural hazards | NA | NA |
Natural resources | fish, deepwater ports | peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land |
Net migration rate | 10.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | -1.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 139 km (2004) | gas 1,097 km; oil 412 km; refined products 421 km (2003) |
Political parties and leaders | governing party: People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong]; opposition parties: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [LING How Dong]; National Solidarity Party or NSP [vacant] (SDA group); Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong] (includes SPP, PKMS, NSP, SJP); Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Singapore Justice Party or SJP [Desmond LIM] (SDA group); Singapore National Malay Organization or PKMS [Malik ISMAIL] (SDA group); Singapore People's Party or SPP [CHIAM See Tong] (SDA group); Workers' Party or WP [Sylvia Lim Swee LIAN] | 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] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 4,425,720 (July 2005 est.) | 2,348,784 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.56% (2005 est.) | -0.73% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Singapore | Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 17, shortwave 2 (2003) | AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998) |
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) |
Religions | Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%, Catholic 4.8%, other Christian 9.8%, other 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000 census) | Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
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.) |
Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens |
Telephone system | general assessment: excellent service
domestic: excellent domestic facilities international: country code - 65; submarine cables to Malaysia (Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region) |
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) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1,896,100 (2004) | 734,693 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 3,521,800 (2004) | 401,263 (2000) |
Television broadcast stations | 7 (2003) | 44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment area and nature preserve | low plain |
Total fertility rate | 1.05 children born/woman (2005 est.) | 1.2 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 3.4% (2004 est.) | 7.6% (2001 est.) |
Waterways | - | 300 km (perennially navigable) |