Latvia is a country in Europe with a population of 1,801,246. It is located between
Estonia and Lithuania and borders the Baltic Sea. The official language is Latvian and
the main ethnic group is Latvian, but there are also Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Polish,
Lithuanians, and others.
The total area of Latvia is 64,589 sq km, which in comparison is slightly larger than West Virginia.
Latvia has a very wet climate and has moderate winters. Latvia has been independent from
Soviet Russia since November 18, 1918 with Riga as its capital.
The name "Latvia" came from one of the four eastern Baltic tribes, the Latgalians. The national
bird is a white wagtail, and the national colors are maroon and white. The flag has three stripes,
the top and bottom are maroon and the middle is white.
