Lithuania vs. Latvia
Geography
| Lithuania | Latvia | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia, west of Belarus | Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania |
| Geographic coordinates | 56 00 N, 24 00 E | 57 00 N, 25 00 E |
| Map references | Europe | Europe |
| Area | total: 65,300 sq km land: 62,680 sq km water: 2,620 sq km | total: 64,589 sq km land: 62,249 sq km water: 2,340 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than West Virginia | slightly larger than West Virginia |
| Land boundaries | total: 1,545 km border countries (4): Belarus 640 km, Latvia 544 km, Poland 100 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 261 km | total: 1,370 km border countries (4): Belarus 161 km, Estonia 333 km, Lithuania 544 km, Russia 332 km |
| Coastline | 90 km | 498 km |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm | 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 |
| Climate | transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers | maritime; wet, moderate winters |
| Terrain | lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil | low plain |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Aukstojas 294 m lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m mean elevation: 110 m | highest point: Gaizina Kalns 312 m lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m mean elevation: 87 m |
| Natural resources | peat, arable land, amber | peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, timber, arable land |
| Land use | agricultural land: 44.8% (2018 est.) arable land: 34.9% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.5% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 9.4% (2018 est.) forest: 34.6% (2018 est.) other: 20.6% (2018 est.) | 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.) |
| Irrigated land | 44 sq km (2012) | 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 |
| Natural hazards | occasional floods, droughts | large percentage of agricultural fields can become waterlogged and require drainage |
| Environment - current issues | water pollution; air pollution; deforestation; threatened animal and plant species; chemicals and waste materials released into the environment contaminate soil and groundwater; soil degradation and erosion | 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 |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, 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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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 |
| Geography - note | fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits | most of the country is composed of fertile low-lying plains with some hills in the east |
| Total renewable water resources | 24.5 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 34.94 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | fairly even population distribution throughout the country, but somewhat greater concentrations in the southern cities of Vilnius and Kaunas, and the western port of Klaipeda | largest concentration of people is found in and around the port and capital city of Riga; small agglomerations are scattered throughout the country |
Source: CIA Factbook
