Travel to Latvia

Browse listings of Home Exchange, Vacation Rentals, Homestay, B&B (furnished apartments, villas, cottages, condos, farmhouses and other types of accommodations) of Latvia:

Vacation Rentals

Home Exchange

Bed and Breakfast

Homestay

Last Minute Tips Before you Travel to Latvia

• Time Zone: GMT/UTC +2
• Electricity: 220V, 50 Hz (bring an adapter/transformer for your hair drier, laptop, cellular phone etc.)
• Currency: Lat (Ls)
• Country Dialing Code: 371

Must See - Properties on UNESCO World Heritage List 

• Historic Centre of Riga
• Struve Geodetic Arc

Latvia

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

Capital
Riga

Population
2,290,237 (July 2005 est.)

Regions
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

Largest cities of Latvia
Riga, Daugavpils, Liepāja, Jelgava, Jūrmala, Ventspils, Rēzekne

Climate
maritime; wet, moderate winters

Ethnic groups
Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)

Religions
Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox

Languages
Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other 4.3% (2000 census)

Government type
parliamentary democracy

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 of the Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Flag of Latvia
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

Latvia Travel and Accommodation – Your Tips for Travelers

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