Latvia vs. Belarus
Introduction
| Latvia | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Background | Several eastern Baltic tribes merged in medieval times to form the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region subsequently came under the control of Germans, Poles, Swedes, and finally, Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I, but it was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia 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 26% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004; it joined the euro zone in 2014 and the OECD in 2016. A dual citizenship law was adopted in 2013, easing naturalization for non-citizen children. | After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than have any of the other former Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the accord, serious implementation has yet to take place and current negotiations on further integration have been contentious. Since his election in July 1994 as the country's first and only directly elected president, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means and a centralized economic system. Government restrictions on political and civil freedoms, freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion have remained in place. |
Geography
| Latvia | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania | Eastern Europe, east of Poland |
| Geographic coordinates | 57 00 N, 25 00 E | 53 00 N, 28 00 E |
| Map references | Europe | Europe |
| Area | total: 64,589 sq km land: 62,249 sq km water: 2,340 sq km | total: 207,600 sq km land: 202,900 sq km water: 4,700 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than West Virginia | slightly less than twice the size of Kentucky; slightly smaller than Kansas |
| Land boundaries | total: 1,370 km border countries (4): Belarus 161 km, Estonia 333 km, Lithuania 544 km, Russia 332 km | total: 3,599 km border countries (5): Latvia 161 km, Lithuania 640 km, Poland 375 km, Russia 1312 km, Ukraine 1111 km |
| Coastline | 498 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: limits as agreed to by Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Sweden, and Russia continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation | none (landlocked) |
| Climate | maritime; wet, moderate winters | cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime |
| Terrain | low plain | generally flat with much marshland |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Gaizina Kalns 312 m lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m mean elevation: 87 m | highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m mean elevation: 160 m |
| Natural resources | peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, timber, arable land | timber, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay |
| Land use | agricultural land: 29.2% (2018 est.) arable land: 18.6% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 10.5% (2018 est.) forest: 54.1% (2018 est.) other: 16.7% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 43.7% (2018 est.) arable land: 27.2% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 15.9% (2018 est.) forest: 42.7% (2018 est.) other: 13.6% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 12 sq km (2012) 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 | 1,140 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | large percentage of agricultural fields can become waterlogged and require drainage | large tracts of marshy land |
| Environment - current issues | while land, water, and air pollution are evident, Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; improvements have occurred in drinking water quality, sewage treatment, household and hazardous waste management, as well as reduction of air pollution; concerns include nature protection and the management of water resources and the protection of the Baltic Sea | soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note | most of the country is composed of fertile low-lying plains with some hills in the east | landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes |
| Total renewable water resources | 34.94 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 57.9 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | largest concentration of people is found in and around the port and capital city of Riga; small agglomerations are scattered throughout the country | a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations |
Demographics
| Latvia | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,862,687 (July 2021 est.) | 9,441,842 (July 2021 est.) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 15.32% (male 148,120/female 140,028) 15-24 years: 9% (male 87,372/female 81,965) 25-54 years: 40.41% (male 380,817/female 379,359) 55-64 years: 14.77% (male 125,401/female 152,548) 65 years and over: 20.5% (male 128,151/female 257,471) (2020 est.) | 0-14 years: 16.09% (male 784,231/female 740,373) 15-24 years: 9.59% (male 467,393/female 441,795) 25-54 years: 43.94% (male 2,058,648/female 2,105,910) 55-64 years: 14.45% (male 605,330/female 763,972) 65 years and over: 15.93% (male 493,055/female 1,017,211) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 44.4 years male: 40.5 years female: 48 years (2020 est.) | total: 40.9 years male: 38 years female: 43.9 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | -1.1% (2021 est.) | -0.29% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 8.96 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 9.32 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 14.63 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 12.96 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -5.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.82 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.79 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 4.93 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.34 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 3.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 75.65 years male: 71.19 years female: 80.33 years (2021 est.) | total population: 74.01 years male: 68.6 years female: 79.74 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 1.54 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 1.51 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.3% (2019 est.) | 0.5% (2020 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Latvian(s) adjective: Latvian | noun: Belarusian(s) adjective: Belarusian |
| Ethnic groups | Latvian 62.7%, Russian 24.5%, Belarusian 3.1%, Ukrainian 2.2%, Polish 2%, Lithuanian 1.1%, other 1.8%, unspecified 2.6% (2021 est.) | Belarusian 83.7%, Russian 8.3%, Polish 3.1%, Ukrainian 1.7%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.9% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 5,600 (2019 est.) | 28,000 (2020 est.) note: estimate does not include children |
| Religions | Lutheran 36.2%, Roman Catholic 19.5%, Orthodox 19.1%, other Christian 1.6%, other 0.1%, unspecified/none 23.5% (2017 est.) | Orthodox 48.3%, Catholic 7.1%, other 3.5%, non-believers 41.1% (2011 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | <100 (2019 est.) | <200 (2020 est.) note: estimate does not include children |
| Languages | Latvian (official) 56.3%, Russian 33.8%, other 0.6% (includes Polish, Ukrainian, and Belarusian), unspecified 9.4%; note - data represent language usually spoken at home (2011 est.) major-language sample(s): World Factbook, neaizstajams avots pamata informaciju. (Latvian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. | Russian (official) 70.2%, Belarusian (official) 23.4%, other 3.1% (includes small Polish- and Ukrainian-speaking minorities), unspecified 3.3% (2009 est.) major-language sample(s): ????? ?????? ? ???? - ??????????? ???????? ??????? ??????????. (Russian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.9% male: 99.9% female: 99.9% (2015) | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.7% (2018) |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 16 years male: 16 years female: 17 years (2018) | total: 15 years male: 15 years female: 16 years (2018) |
| Education expenditures | 4.4% of GDP (2017) | 4.8% of GDP (2017) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 68.4% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: -0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) | urban population: 79.9% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 98.8% of population rural: 98.2% of population total: 98.6% of population unimproved: urban: 1.2% of population rural: 1.8% of population total: 1.4% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 98.3% of population total: 99.8% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 1.7% of population total: 0.2% of population (2017 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 98.9% of population rural: 84.6% of population total: 94.3% of population unimproved: urban: 1.1% of population rural: 15.4% of population total: 5.7% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 99.8% of population rural: 97.9% of population total: 99.4% of population unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population rural: 2.1% of population total: 0.6% of population (2017 est.) |
| Major cities - population | 628,000 RIGA (capital) (2021) | 2.039 million MINSK (capital) (2021) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 19 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 2 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Health expenditures | 6.2% (2018) | 5.6% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 3.19 physicians/1,000 population (2017) | 5.19 physicians/1,000 population (2015) |
| Hospital bed density | 5.6 beds/1,000 population (2017) | 10.8 beds/1,000 population (2014) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 23.6% (2016) | 24.5% (2016) |
| Mother's mean age at first birth | 27.3 years (2019 est.) | 26.8 years (2019 est.) |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 59 youth dependency ratio: 26.1 elderly dependency ratio: 32.9 potential support ratio: 3 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 48.9 youth dependency ratio: 25.7 elderly dependency ratio: 23.2 potential support ratio: 4.3 (2020 est.) |
Government
| Latvia | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 etymology: the name "Latvia" originates from the ancient Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.) | conventional long form: Republic of Belarus conventional short form: Belarus local long form: Respublika Byelarus'/Respublika Belarus' local short form: Byelarus'/Belarus' former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the name is a compound of the Belarusian words "bel" (white) and "Rus" (the Old East Slavic ethnic designation) to form the meaning White Rusian or White Ruthenian |
| Government type | parliamentary republic | presidential republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship |
| Capital | name: Riga geographic coordinates: 56 57 N, 24 06 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: of the several theories explaining the name's origin, the one relating to the city's role in Baltic and North Sea commerce is the most probable; the name is likely related to the Latvian word "rija," meaning "warehouse," where the 'j' became a 'g' under the heavy German influence in the city from the late Middle Ages to the early 20th century | name: Minsk geographic coordinates: 53 54 N, 27 34 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the origin of the name is disputed; Minsk may originally have been located 16 km to the southwest, on the banks of Menka River; remnants of a 10th-century settlement on the banks of the Menka have been found |
| Administrative divisions | 36 municipalities (novadi, singular - novads) and 7 state cities (valstpilsetu pasvaldibas, singular valstspilsetas pasvaldiba) municipalities: Adazi, Aizkraukle, Aluksne, Augsdaugava, Balvi, Bauska, Cesis, Dienvidkurzeme, Dobele, Gulbene, Jekabpils, Jelgava, Kekava, Kraslava, Kuldiga, Limbazi, Livani, Ludza, Madona, Marupe, Ogre, Olaine, Preili, Rezekne, Ropazi, Salaspils, Saldus, Saulkrasti, Sigulda, Smiltene, Talsi, Tukums, Valka, Valmiera, Varaklani, Ventspils cities: Daugavpils, Jelgava, Jurmala, Liepaja, Rezekne, Riga, Ventspils | 6 provinces (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1 municipality* (horad); Brest, Homyel' (Gomel'), Horad Minsk* (Minsk City), Hrodna (Grodno), Mahilyow (Mogilev), Minsk, Vitsyebsk (Vitebsk) note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; Russian spelling provided for reference when different from Belarusian |
| Independence | 18 November 1918 (from Soviet Russia); 4 May 1990 (declared from the Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union) | 25 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union) |
| National holiday | Independence Day (Republic of Latvia Proclamation Day), 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 was the date Latvia established its statehood and its concomitant independence from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 was the date it declared the restoration of Latvian statehood and its concomitant independence from the Soviet Union | Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the date Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union |
| Constitution | history: several previous (pre-1991 independence); note - following the restoration of independence in 1991, parts of the 1922 constitution were reintroduced 4 May 1990 and fully reintroduced 6 July 1993 amendments: proposed by two thirds of Parliament members or by petition of one tenth of qualified voters submitted through the president; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of Parliament in each of three readings; amendment of constitutional articles, including national sovereignty, language, the parliamentary electoral system, and constitutional amendment procedures, requires passage in a referendum by majority vote of at least one half of the electorate; amended several times, last in 2019 | history: several previous; latest drafted between late 1991 and early 1994, signed 15 March 1994 amendments: proposed by the president of the republic through petition to the National Assembly or by petition of least 150,000 eligible voters; approval required by at least two-thirds majority vote in both chambers or by simple majority of votes cast in a referendum; amended 1996, 2004 |
| Legal system | civil law system with traces of socialist legal traditions and practices | civil law system; note - nearly all major codes (civil, civil procedure, criminal, criminal procedure, family, and labor) were revised and came into force in 1999 and 2000 |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Egils LEVITS (since 8 July 2019) head of government: Prime Minister Krisjanis KARINS (since 23 January 2019) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, appointed by Parliament elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by Parliament for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 29 May 2019 (next to be held in 2023); prime minister appointed by the president, confirmed by Parliament election results: Egils LEVITS elected president; Parliament vote - Egils LEVITS 61 votes, Didzis SMITS 24, Juris JANSONS 8; Krisjanis KARINS confirmed prime minister 61-39 | chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Roman GOLOVCHENKO (since 4 June 2020); First Deputy Prime Minister Nikolai SNOPKOV (since 4 June 2020); Deputy Prime Ministers Vladimir KUKHAREV, Igor PETRISHENKO (since 18 August 2018), Yury NAZAROV (since 3 March 2020), Aleksander Subbotin (since 4 June 2020) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (no term limits); first election took place on 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the 1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999; however, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a November 1996 referendum; subsequent election held on 9 September 2001; an October 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits and allowed the president to run and win in a third (19 March 2006), fourth (19 December 2010), fifth (11 October 2015), and sixth (9 August 2020); next election in 2025; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (independent) 80.2%, Sviatana TSIKHANOUSKAYA (independent) 9.9%, other 9.9%; note - widespread street protests erupted following announcement of the election results amid allegations of voter fraud |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 6 October 2018 (next to be held in October 2022) election results: percent of vote by party - SDPS 19.8%, KPV LV 14.3%, JKP 13.6%, AP! 12%, NA 11%, ZZS 9.9%, V 6.7%, other 12.7%; seats by party - SDPS 23, KPV LV 16, JKP 16, AP! 13, NA 13, ZZS 11, V 8; composition - men 69, women 31, percent of women 31% | description: bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobraniye consists of: Council of the Republic or Sovet Respubliki (64 seats; 56 members indirectly elected by regional and Minsk city councils and 8 members appointed by the president; members serve 4-year terms) House of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 4-year terms) elections: Council of the Republic - indirect election last held on 7 November 2019 House of Representatives - last held on 17 November 2019 (next to be held in 2023); OSCE observers determined that the election was neither free nor impartial and that vote counting was problematic in a number of polling stations; pro-LUKASHENKO candidates won every seat; international observers determined that the previous elections, on 28 September 2008, 23 September 2012, and 11 September 2016 also fell short of democratic standards, with pro-LUKASHENKO candidates winning every, or virtually every, seat election results: Council of the Republic - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - NA House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - KPB 11, Republican Party of Labor and Justice 6, Belarusian Patriotic Party 2, LDP 1, AP 1, independent 89; composition - men 66, women 44, percent of women 40%; note - total National Assembly percent of women - NA note: the US does not recognize the legitimacy of the National Assembly |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the Senate with 36 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 7 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by chief justice and confirmed by the Saeima; judges serve until age 70, but term can be extended 2 years; Constitutional Court judges - 3 nominated by Saeima members, 2 by Cabinet ministers, and 2 by plenum of Supreme Court; all judges confirmed by Saeima majority vote; Constitutional Court president and vice president serve in their positions for 3 years; all judges serve 10-year terms; mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: district (city) and regional courts | highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chairman and deputy chairman and organized into several specialized panels, including economic and military; number of judges set by the president of the republic and the court chairman); Constitutional Court (consists of 12 judges, including a chairman and deputy chairman) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president with the consent of the Council of the Republic; judges initially appointed for 5 years and evaluated for life appointment; Constitutional Court judges - 6 appointed by the president and 6 elected by the Council of the Republic; the presiding judge directly elected by the president and approved by the Council of the Republic; judges can serve for 11 years with an age limit of 70 subordinate courts: oblast courts; Minsk City Court; town courts; Minsk city and oblast economic courts |
| Political parties and leaders | Development/For! or AP! [Daniels PAVLUTS, Juris PUCE] National Alliance "All For Latvia!"-"For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK" or NA [Raivis DZINTARS] New Conservative Party or JKP [Janis BORDANS] Social Democratic Party "Harmony" or SDPS [Nils USAKOVS] Union of Greens and Farmers or ZZS [Armands KRAUZE] Unity or V [Arvils ASERADENS] Who Owns the State? or KPV LV [Artuss KAIMINS] | pro-government parties: Belarusian Agrarian Party or AP [Mikhail SHIMANSKY] Belarusian Patriotic Party [Nikolai ULAKHOVICH] Belarusian Social Sport Party [Vladimir ALEKSANDROVICH] Communist Party of Belarus or KPB [Aleksei SOKOL] Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Sergey GAYDUKEVICH] Republican Party [Vladimir BELOZOR] Republican Party of Labor and Justice [Vasiliy ZADNEPRYANIY] Social Democratic Party of Popular Accord [Sergei YERMAK] opposition parties: Belarusian Christian Democracy Party [Paval SEVIARYNETS, Volha KAVALKOVA, Vital RYMASHEWSKI] (unregistered) Belarusian Party of the Green [Anastasiya DOROFEYEVA] Belarusian Party of the Left "Just World" [Sergey KALYAKIN] Belarusian Popular Front or BPF [Ryhor KASTUSEU] Belarusian Social-Democratic Assembly [Sergei CHERECHEN] Belarusian Social Democratic Party ("Assembly") or BSDPH [Ihar BARYSAU] Belarusian Social Democratic Party (People's Assembly) [Mikalay STATKEVICH] (unregistered) Christian Conservative Party or BPF [Zyanon PAZNYAK] United Civic Party or UCP [Nikolay KOZLOV] |
| International organization participation | Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CEI, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAEU, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), ZC |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Maris SELGA (since 16 September 2019) chancery: 2306 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-2840 FAX: [1] (202) 328-2860 email address and website: embassy.usa@mfa.gov.lv https://www2.mfa.gov.lv/en/usa | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant; recalled by Belarus in 2008); Charge d'Affaires Dmitry BASIK (since 9 July 2019) chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-1606 FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805 email address and website: usa@mfa.gov.by consulate(s) general: New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador John Leslie CARWILE (since 5 November 2019) embassy: 1 Samnera Velsa Street (former Remtes), Riga LV-1510 mailing address: 4520 Riga Place, Washington DC 20521-4520 telephone: [371] 6710-7000 FAX: [371] 6710-7050 email address and website: askconsular-riga@state.gov https://lv.usembassy.gov/ | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant; left in 2008 upon insistence of Belarusian Government); Charge d'Affaires Jeffrey GIAUQUE (since July 2020) embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya Street, Minsk 220002 mailing address: 7010 Minsk Place, Washington DC 20521-7010 telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83/217-73-47/217-73-48 FAX: [375] (17) 334-78-53 email address and website: ConsularMinsk@state.gov https://by.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon; the flag is one of the older banners in the world; a medieval chronicle mentions a red standard with a white stripe being used by Latvian tribes in about 1280 | red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side bears Belarusian national ornamentation in red; the red band color recalls past struggles from oppression, the green band represents hope and the many forests of the country |
| National anthem | name: "Dievs, sveti Latviju!" (God Bless Latvia) lyrics/music: Karlis BAUMANIS note: adopted 1920, restored 1990; first performed in 1873 while Latvia was a part of Russia; banned during the Soviet occupation from 1940 to 1990 | name: "My, Bielarusy" (We Belarusians) lyrics/music: Mikhas KLIMKOVICH and Uladzimir KARYZNA/Nester SAKALOUSKI note: music adopted 1955, lyrics adopted 2002; after the fall of the Soviet Union, Belarus kept the music of its Soviet-era anthem but adopted new lyrics; also known as "Dziarzauny himn Respubliki Bielarus" (State Anthem of the Republic of Belarus) |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
| National symbol(s) | white wagtail (bird); national colors: maroon, white | no clearly defined current national symbol, the mounted knight known as Pahonia (the Chaser) is the traditional Belarusian symbol; national colors: green, red, white |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Latvia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Belarus dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years |
Economy
| Latvia | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - overview | Latvia is a small, open economy with exports contributing more than half of GDP. Due to its geographical location, transit services are highly-developed, along with timber and wood-processing, agriculture and food products, and manufacturing of machinery and electronics industries. Corruption continues to be an impediment to attracting foreign direct investment and Latvia's low birth rate and decreasing population are major challenges to its long-term economic vitality. Latvia's economy experienced GDP growth of more than 10% per year during 2006-07, but entered a severe recession in 2008 as a result of an unsustainable current account deficit and large debt exposure amid the slowing world economy. Triggered by the collapse of the second largest bank, GDP plunged by more than 14% in 2009 and, despite strong growth since 2011, the economy took until 2017 return to pre-crisis levels in real terms. Strong investment and consumption, the latter stoked by rising wages, helped the economy grow by more than 4% in 2017, while inflation rose to 3%. Continued gains in competitiveness and investment will be key to maintaining economic growth, especially in light of unfavorable demographic trends, including the emigration of skilled workers, and one of the highest levels of income inequality in the EU. In the wake of the 2008-09 crisis, the IMF, EU, and other international donors provided substantial financial assistance to Latvia as part of an agreement to defend the currency's peg to the euro in exchange for the government's commitment to stringent austerity measures. The IMF/EU program successfully concluded in December 2011, although, the austerity measures imposed large social costs. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises, including 80% ownership of the Latvian national airline. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999 and the EU in May 2004. Latvia also joined the euro zone in 2014 and the OECD in 2016. | As part of the former Soviet Union, Belarus had a relatively well-developed industrial base, but it is now outdated, inefficient, and dependent on subsidized Russian energy and preferential access to Russian markets. The country's agricultural base is largely dependent on government subsidies. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, an initial burst of economic reforms included privatization of state enterprises, creation of private property rights, and the acceptance of private entrepreneurship, but by 1994 the reform effort dissipated. About 80% of industry remains in state hands, and foreign investment has virtually disappeared. Several businesses have been renationalized. State-owned entities account for 70-75% of GDP, and state banks make up 75% of the banking sector. Economic output declined for several years following the break-up of the Soviet Union, but revived in the mid-2000s. Belarus has only small reserves of crude oil and imports crude oil and natural gas from Russia at subsidized, below market, prices. Belarus derives export revenue by refining Russian crude and selling it at market prices. Russia and Belarus have had serious disagreements over prices and quantities for Russian energy. Beginning in early 2016, Russia claimed Belarus began accumulating debt - reaching $740 million by April 2017 - for paying below the agreed price for Russian natural gas and Russia cut back its export of crude oil as a result of the debt. In April 2017, Belarus agreed to pay its gas debt and Russia restored the flow of crude. New non-Russian foreign investment has been limited in recent years, largely because of an unfavorable financial climate. In 2011, a financial crisis lead to a nearly three-fold devaluation of the Belarusian ruble. The Belarusian economy has continued to struggle under the weight of high external debt servicing payments and a trade deficit. In mid-December 2014, the devaluation of the Russian ruble triggered a near 40% devaluation of the Belarusian ruble. Belarus's economy stagnated between 2012 and 2016, widening productivity and income gaps between Belarus and neighboring countries. Budget revenues dropped because of falling global prices on key Belarusian export commodities. Since 2015, the Belarusian government has tightened its macro-economic policies, allowed more flexibility to its exchange rate, taken some steps towards price liberalization, and reduced subsidized government lending to state-owned enterprises. Belarus returned to modest growth in 2017, largely driven by improvement of external conditions and Belarus issued sovereign debt for the first time since 2011, which provided the country with badly-needed liquidity, and issued $600 million worth of Eurobonds in February 2018, predominantly to US and British investors. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $59.102 billion (2019 est.) $57.912 billion (2018 est.) $55.672 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $181.286 billion (2019 est.) $179.098 billion (2018 est.) $173.63 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars |
| GDP - real growth rate | 2.08% (2019 est.) 4.2% (2018 est.) 3.23% (2017 est.) | 1.22% (2019 est.) 3.17% (2018 est.) 2.53% (2017 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $30,898 (2019 est.) $30,050 (2018 est.) $28,664 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $19,150 (2019 est.) $18,885 (2018 est.) $18,280 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 3.9% (2017 est.) industry: 22.4% (2017 est.) services: 73.7% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 8.1% (2017 est.) industry: 40.8% (2017 est.) services: 51.1% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 22.9% (2018 est.) | 5% (2019 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 26.3% (2015) | lowest 10%: 3.8% highest 10%: 21.9% (2008) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.8% (2019 est.) 2.5% (2018 est.) 2.9% (2017 est.) | 5.6% (2019 est.) 4.8% (2018 est.) 6% (2017 est.) |
| Labor force | 885,000 (2020 est.) | 4.381 million (2016 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 7.7% industry: 24.1% services: 68.1% (2016 est.) | agriculture: 9.7% industry: 23.4% services: 66.8% (2015 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 6.14% (2019 est.) 6.51% (2018 est.) | 0.8% (2017 est.) 1% (2016 est.) note: official registered unemployed; large number of underemployed workers |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 35.6 (2017 est.) 35.4 (2014) | 25.2 (2018 est.) 21.7 (1998) |
| Budget | revenues: 11.39 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 11.53 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: 22.15 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 20.57 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | processed foods, processed wood products, textiles, processed metals, pharmaceuticals, railroad cars, synthetic fibers, electronics | metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, synthetic fibers, fertilizer, textiles, refrigerators, washing machines and other household appliances |
| Industrial production growth rate | 10.6% (2017 est.) | 5.6% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | wheat, milk, rapeseed, barley, oats, potatoes, rye, beans, pork, poultry | milk, potatoes, sugar beet, wheat, triticale, barley, maize, rye, rapeseed, poultry |
| Exports | $20.444 billion (2019 est.) $20.007 billion (2018 est.) $19.153 billion (2017 est.) | $28.65 billion (2017 est.) $22.98 billion (2016 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | lumber, broadcasting equipment, whiskey and other hard liquors, wheat, packaged medicines (2019) | refined petroleum, fertilizers, cheese, delivery trucks, crude petroleum (2019) |
| Exports - partners | Lithuania 16%, Estonia 10%, Russia 9%, Germany 7%, Sweden 6%, United Kingdom 6% (2019) | Russia 42%, Ukraine 13%, United Kingdom 7% (2019) |
| Imports | $22.049 billion (2019 est.) $21.397 billion (2018 est.) $20.096 billion (2017 est.) | $31.58 billion (2017 est.) $25.61 billion (2016 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, cars, packaged medicines, aircraft (2019) | crude petroleum, natural gas, cars and vehicle parts, packaged medicines, broadcasting equipment (2019) |
| Imports - partners | Russia 21%, Lithuania 14%, Germany 9%, Poland 7%, Estonia 7% (2019) | Russia 57%, China 7%, Poland 5%, Germany 5%, Ukraine 5% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $40.164 billion (2019 est.) $42.488 billion (2018 est.) | $39.847 billion (2019 est.) $39.297 billion (2018 est.) |
| Exchange rates | euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.82771 (2020 est.) 0.90338 (2019 est.) 0.87789 (2018 est.) 0.885 (2014 est.) 0.7634 (2013 est.) | Belarusian rubles (BYB/BYR) per US dollar - 1.9 (2017 est.) 2 (2016 est.) 2 (2015 est.) 15,926 (2014 est.) 10,224.1 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Public debt | 36.3% of GDP (2017 est.) 37.4% of GDP (2016 est.) note: data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities, including sub-sectors of central government, state government, local government, and social security funds | 53.4% of GDP (2017 est.) 53.5% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $4.614 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $3.514 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $7.315 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $4.927 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | -$222 million (2019 est.) -$99 million (2018 est.) | -$931 million (2017 est.) -$1.669 billion (2016 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $34.084 billion (2019 est.) | $63.168 billion (2019 est.) |
| Credit ratings | Fitch rating: A- (2014) Moody's rating: A3 (2015) Standard & Poors rating: A+ (2020) | Fitch rating: B (2018) Moody's rating: B3 (2018) Standard & Poors rating: B (2017) |
| Ease of Doing Business Index scores | Overall score: 80.3 (2020) Starting a Business score: 94.1 (2020) Trading score: 95.3 (2020) Enforcement score: 73.5 (2020) | Overall score: 74.3 (2020) Starting a Business score: 93.5 (2020) Trading score: 96.5 (2020) Enforcement score: 67.6 (2020) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 37.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 40.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -0.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 2.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 12.4% male: 14.2% female: 10.1% (2019 est.) | total: 10.2% male: 12.9% female: 7.3% (2019 est.) |
| GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 61.8% (2017 est.) government consumption: 18.2% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 19.9% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 1.5% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 60.6% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -61.9% (2017 est.) | household consumption: 54.8% (2017 est.) government consumption: 14.6% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 24.9% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 5.7% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 67% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -67% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 21.7% of GDP (2019 est.) 23.5% of GDP (2018 est.) 23.4% of GDP (2017 est.) | 27.8% of GDP (2019 est.) 29.2% of GDP (2018 est.) 28% of GDP (2017 est.) |
Energy
| Latvia | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 6.241 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 31.58 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 6.798 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 31.72 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 3.795 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 3.482 billion kWh (2015 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 4.828 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 6.319 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 31,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 0 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 468,400 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 0 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 31,730 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.) | 198 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 0 cu m (2014 est.) | 2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 59.46 million cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 1.218 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 17.7 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports | 1.246 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 17.53 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 2.932 million kW (2016 est.) | 10.04 million kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 39% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 96% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 53% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 8% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 3% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 0 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 477,200 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 44,600 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 141,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 16,180 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 351,200 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 54,370 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 14,630 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) |
Telecommunications
| Latvia | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 227,616 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11.96 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 4,451,144 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 46.88 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 2,071,814 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 108.83 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 11,627,249 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 122.46 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .lv | .by |
| Internet users | total: 1,607,711 percent of population: 83.58% (July 2018 est.) | total: 7,539,145 percent of population: 79.13% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | general assessment: recent efforts focused on bringing competition to the telecommunications sector; the number of fixed-line phones is decreasing as mobile-cellular telephone service expands; EU regulatory policies, and framework provide guidelines for growth; government adopted measures to build a national fiber broadband network, partially funded by European Commission; new competition in mobile markets with extensive LTE-A technologies and 5G service growth; developing sophisticated digital economy with e-commerce and e-government widely available; operator working on cable to Sakhalin in Russia's Far East (2021) (2020)domestic: fixed-line 12 per 100 and mobile-cellular 109 per 100 subscriptions (2019) international: country code - 371; the Latvian network is now connected via fiber-optic cable to Estonia, Finland, and Sweden note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: government owns and administers backbone network and much of telecom market with no independent regulator; government and telecom regulator are concluding three major programs aimed at developing the telecom sector and digital economy to enable 5G services and extension of fiber infrastructure; growing applications for smart cities; developing mobile broadband and data services to rural areas; commercial LTE services extended to 80% of the population; operators provide standalone 5G service and NB-IoT services; international connection through fiber optic and terrestrial link, nascent satellite system; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2021) (2020)domestic: fixed-line teledensity is improving although rural areas continue to be underserved, 48 per 100 fixed-line; mobile-cellular teledensity now approaches 123 telephones per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 375; Belarus is landlocked and therefore a member of the Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line, and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); 3 fiber-optic segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations; almost 31,000 base stations in service in 2019 (2020) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
| Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 508,894 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 26.73 (2019 est.) | total: 3,214,869 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33.86 (2019 est.) |
| Broadcast media | several national and regional commercial TV stations are foreign-owned, 2 national TV stations are publicly owned; system supplemented by privately owned regional and local TV stations; cable and satellite multi-channel TV services with domestic and foreign broadcasts available; publicly owned broadcaster operates 4 radio networks with dozens of stations throughout the country; dozens of private broadcasters also operate radio stations | 7 state-controlled national TV channels; Polish and Russian TV broadcasts are available in some areas; state-run Belarusian Radio operates 5 national networks and an external service; Russian and Polish radio broadcasts are available (2019) |
Transportation
| Latvia | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Railways | total: 1,860 km (2018) narrow gauge: 34 km 0.750-m gauge (2018) broad gauge: 1,826 km 1.520-m gauge (2018) | total: 5,528 km (2014) standard gauge: 25 km 1.435-m gauge (2014) broad gauge: 5,503 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified) (2014) |
| Roadways | total: 70,244 km (2018) paved: 15,158 km (2018) unpaved: 55,086 km (2018) | total: 86,600 km (2017) |
| Waterways | 300 km (navigable year-round) (2010) | 2,500 km (major rivers are the west-flowing Western Dvina and Neman Rivers and the south-flowing Dnepr River and its tributaries, the Berezina, Sozh, and Pripyat Rivers) (2011) |
| Pipelines | 1,213 km gas, 417 km refined products (2018) | 5386 km gas, 1589 km oil, 1730 km refined products (2013) |
| Ports and terminals | major seaport(s): Riga, Ventspils | river port(s): Mazyr (Prypyats') |
| Merchant marine | total: 66 by type: general cargo 16, oil tanker 9, other 41 (2020) | total: 4 by type: other 4 (2020) |
| Airports | total: 42 (2013) | total: 65 (2013) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 18 (2017) over 3,047 m: 1 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2017) 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2017) under 914 m: 7 (2017) | total: 33 (2017) over 3,047 m: 1 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2017) 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2017) under 914 m: 7 (2017) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 24 (2013) under 914 m: 24 (2013) | total: 32 (2013) over 3,047 m: 1 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2013) under 914 m: 28 (2013) |
| Heliports | 1 (2013) | 1 (2013) |
| National air transport system | number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 53 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 4,058,762 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 4.01 million mt-km (2018) | number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 30 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,760,168 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1.9 million mt-km (2018) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | YL | EW |
Military
| Latvia | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | National Armed Forces (Nacionalie Brunotie Speki): Land Forces (Latvijas Sauszemes Speki), Naval Force (Latvijas Juras Speki, includes Coast Guard (Latvijas Kara Flote)), Air Force (Latvijas Gaisa Speki), National Guard (2021) | Belarus Armed Forces: Army, Air and Air Defense Force, Special Operations Force, Special Troops (electronic warfare, signals, engineers, biological/chemical/nuclear protection troops, etc); Ministry of Interior: State Border Troops, Militia, Internal Troops (2021) |
| Military service age and obligation | 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription (abolished 2007); under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2019) | 18-27 years of age for compulsory military or alternative service; conscript service obligation is 12-18 months, depending on academic qualifications, and 24-36 months for alternative service, depending on academic qualifications; 17 year olds are eligible to become cadets at military higher education institutes, where they are classified as military personnel (2020) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2.27% of GDP (2020 est.) 2.03% of GDP (2019) 2.06% of GDP (2018) 1.59% of GDP (2017) 1.44% of GDP (2016) | 1.2% of GDP (2019) 1.2% of GDP (2018) 1.2% of GDP (2017) 1.3% of GDP (2016) 1.3% of GDP (2015) |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | the National Armed Forces of Latvia have approximately 6,000 active duty troops (5,000 Land Forces; 500 Naval Force/Coast Guard; 500 Air Force) (2021) | the Belarus Armed Forces have approximately 45,000 active duty troops; information on the individual services varies, but probably includes about 25,000 Army, 15,000 Air/Air Defense, and 5,000 Special Operations forces (2020) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the Latvian military's inventory is limited and consists of a mixture of Soviet-era and more modern--mostly second-hand--European and US equipment; since 2010, it has received limited amounts of equipment from several European countries, as well as the US (2020) | the inventory of the Belarus Armed Forces is comprised of Russian-origin equipment; Belarus's defense industry manufactures some equipment, including vehicles, guided weapons, and electronic warfare systems (2021) |
Transnational Issues
| Latvia | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes - international | Russia demands better Latvian treatment of ethnic Russians in Latvia; boundary demarcated with Latvia and Lithuania; 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 has implemented the strict Schengen border rules with Russia | boundary demarcated with Latvia and Lithuania; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Poland has implemented strict Schengen border rules to restrict illegal immigration and trade along its border with Belarus |
| Illicit drugs | transshipment and destination point for cocaine, synthetic drugs, opiates, and cannabis from Southwest Asia, Western Europe, Latin America, and neighboring Baltic countries; despite improved legislation, vulnerable to money laundering due to nascent enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of offshore companies and the gaming industry; CIS organized crime (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds | limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and via Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe; a small and lightly regulated financial center; anti-money-laundering legislation does not meet international standards and was weakened further when know-your-customer requirements were curtailed in 2008; few investigations or prosecutions of money-laundering activities |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | stateless persons: 209,167 (2020); note - individuals who were Latvian citizens prior to the 1940 Soviet occupation and their descendants were recognized as Latvian citizens when the country's independence was restored in 1991; citizens of the former Soviet Union residing in Latvia who have neither Latvian nor other citizenship are considered non-citizens (officially there is no statelessness in Latvia) and are entitled to non-citizen passports; children born after Latvian independence to stateless parents are entitled to Latvian citizenship upon their parents' request; non-citizens cannot vote or hold certain government jobs and are exempt from military service but can travel visa-free in the EU under the Schengen accord like Latvian citizens; non-citizens can obtain naturalization if they have been permanent residents of Latvia for at least five years, pass tests in Latvian language and history, and know the words of the Latvian national anthem | stateless persons: 6,296 (2020) |
Environment
| Latvia | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Air pollutants | particulate matter emissions: 12.72 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 7 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 1.85 megatons (2020 est.) | particulate matter emissions: 18.06 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 58.28 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 17.19 megatons (2020 est.) |
| Total water withdrawal | municipal: 94.4 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 25.2 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 61.5 million cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 523 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 443 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 431 million cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 0.85% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 1.02% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Revenue from coal | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 857,000 tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 181,941 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 21.2% (2015 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.28 million tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 684,800 tons (2016 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 16% (2016 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
