Short facts about the geography of Latvia

Location:

Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania

Geographic coordinates:

57 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total:  64,589 sq km land:  64,589 sq km water:  0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:

total:  1,150 km border countries:  Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km

Coastline:

531 km

Maritime claims:

continental shelf:  200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 NM

Climate:

maritime; wet, moderate winters

Terrain:

low plain

Elevation extremes:

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

Natural resources:

minimal; amber, peat, limestone, dolomite, hydropower, arable land

Land use:

arable land:  27% permanent crops:  0% permanent pastures:  13% forests and woodland:  46% other:  14% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

160 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

air and water pollution because of a lack of waste conversion equipment; Gulf of Riga and Daugava River heavily polluted; contamination of soil and groundwater with chemicals and petroleum products at military bases

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

Source: World Factbook