Population: 2,385,231 (July 2001 est.)

Languages: Latvian or Lettish (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other

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...

Currency: Latvian lat (LVL, No information)

Data from CIA World Factbook. Click on CIA link for more. Click on map or flag for larger images.