Basic Facts About Latvia
LOCATION: Latvia is in North-Eastern Europe on the Baltic Sea next to Estonia, Lithuania, Russia and Belarus.

CAPITOL CITY: Riga (with almost 1 million poeple)

POPULATION: 2.3 Million; about 1/2 ethnic Latvians, 1/3 ethnic Russians. 1/6 other nationalities.
LANGUAGE: Latvian is the official language but there is a large Russian speaking minority too.

HISTORY: After being occupied by the Soviet Union (USSR), the Republic of Latvia became an independant democratic country in 1991. In 2004 it joined the European Union (EU).

RELIGION: About 50% of people identify with Catholic, Orthodox or Lutherin traditions, 40% are non-religios, 8% are Evangelical (Charismatic, Penticostal or Baptists) but only 2% regularly attend church. There are no Calvary Chapels in Latvia or it's close neighbors Lithuania or Estonia.