FACTS ABOUT LATVIA
AMAZING
FACTS ABOUT LATVIA
1.
Riga is the capital city of Latvia.
2.
The total population of Latvia is 1,944,643.
3.
The natives of Latvia are called Latvians.
4.
The Euro (EUR) is the official currency of
Latvia.
5.
Latvia shares a border with Estonia,
Lithuania, Belarus and Russia..
6.
Latvia has a literacy rate of 99.9%.
7.
A very old oak tree dating back to the
times of Pharaoh (yes, you read it right), the ruler of Egypt, was found in
Latvia during an excavation project. A small plaque near the Oak tree reads:
“OAK TRUNK: Found during excavation work for Riga New Town Hall. It grew on the
shore of Daugava 3500 years ago, at about the time when Pharaoh Tutankhamen was
the ruler of Egypt.”
8.
A secret Soviet bunker built in 1982,
which has an area of 213,000 square feet, could support 250 people for an
estimated three months. Armed with daily supplies to last months, and
state-of-the-art equipment; the bunker was built beneath layers of dirt, cement
and metal. The bunker, however, is a tourist attraction as of 2003.
9.
It is said that Latvians are very proud
of their country. Yes, so on your first visit to the country, when you meet
some Latvian, do not forget to praise them or their country. You may be
surprised to learn that Latvians are humorous, too.
10.
Though the majority of Latvians speak
Russian, do not misunderstand them as Russians. Latvians are a separate ethnic
group.
11.
Latvia’s forests are often called “green
gold.” This is mainly because the country’s forests contribute handsomely
towards the country’s economy.
12.
The country is home to a large variety
of deciduous tree species including – oak, aspen, birch, black and white alder
and others. The region also has a large number of coniferous tree species such
as pine and fir. The country has also been actively participating in tree
plantations in recent years.
13.
In the beginning of the 20th
century, giant hangars that were made to house German-made airships in the
center of Riga are today a place for 3,000 trade stands. The place is Europe’s
largest market bazaar today.
14.
It is also said that Latvia has the
highest rates of fashion models; and the women from the country are considered
to be tallest among women from all over the world.
15.
You may be surprised to learn that there
is a shortage of women in Latvia. We mean that there are fewer women in the
country compared to men.
16.
In Latvia, there is a museum dedicated
to the world’s greatest liar – Hieronymus Karl Friedrich Freiherr von
Münchhausen. Yes, you heard it right! At the time, he was known for telling
many fake stories related to his moon travel and of his exemplary services
during the Russo-Turkish War. Now, the country is generating handsome revenue
from a museum dedicated to their hero. Latvia also issued a commemorative coin
in 2005 to celebrate this legend’s 285th birthday.
17.
Germans ruled large parts of today’s
Latvia during the beginning of the 13th century. FYI, the country was under
foreign rule between the 13th and 20th century.
18.
Gauja, Daugava, Lielupe and Venta are
the four rivers that pass through Latvia and fall into the Baltic Sea. There
are a total of 29 rivers that the Baltic Sea receives from eight European
countries including Latvia. However, the Baltic Sea does not keep this water,
as it empties itself into the Atlantic Ocean.
19.
Did you know that Friedrich Wilhelm
Ostwald is the only Latvian to ever win a Nobel Prize? The scientist won the
prestigious prize in Chemistry in 1909 for his work on catalysis, chemical
equilibria and reaction velocities.
20.
Latvia is also the first country to
produce citric acid from molasses, a spin-off of sugar production. Earlier, the
acid was produced from lemons; and the production monopoly belonged to Italy.
21.
An interesting point to note here is
that Latvia contains more than 12,000 rivers. However, only 17 of these rivers
are longer than 100 km. Now that’s interesting!
22.
In area, Latvia is larger than many
European countries. Wondering which ones? Switzerland, Slovenia, Montenegro,
Estonia, Cyprus, Croatia, Albania and others are smaller in area than Latvia.
23.
More than one third of Latvia’s land
area is covered by forests. As the majority of the country is covered by
forest, timber and wood products make up the country’s most important products.
24.
And 90% of Latvia was covered by
forests some thousands of years ago.
25.
Because of the high valuation paid by
European Timber buyers, wood from Latvia is illegally sold to the other
European countries.
26.
A large population of Latvian Jews was
killed during the Second World War when the country was occupied by Soviets and
the Germans. Legend has it that Nazi forces were responsible for majority of
these deaths.
27.
At the beginning of the 21st
century, Latvia had the lowest birth rates of the Baltic States and one of the
lowest life expectancies in all of Europe. The aging population in the country
was on the rise as a result of the above mentioned factors. Attempts were made
to improve the situation; however, they failed.
28.
The Venta Rapid (Latvian: Ventas rumba)
is a waterfall on the Venta River in Kuldīga, Latvia. It is the widest
waterfall in Europe – 249 metres (817 ft) and up to 270 metres (886 ft) during
spring floods. The height of the waterfall changes depending on the water level
in the river.
29.
The country also gave the world its
first spy camera – “Minox.” It was produced by the Latvian factory VEF between
1937 and 1943.
30.
During World War II, Latvia saw more
than 250,000 of its countrymen flee the Soviet occupation.
31.
Did you know that the modern denim jean
that is worn by people all over the world was first invented by a
Latvian-Jewish tailor and American immigrant – Jacob W. Davis? The invention
was made in 1870 while Davis was living in the U.S.
32.
Latvia also experiences flights of
migratory birds that pass along the Black Sea and over the country. It is an
amazing experience that you can have if you happen to visit Latvia during the
migration season.
33.
Acid rain, which is caused by a chemical
reaction that begins when compounds like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are
released into the air, is causing the destruction of forests in the country on
a large scale.
34.
Latvia, on the Human Development Index,
occupies the 46th spot.
35.
The Euro became the currency of Latvia
on January 1st, 2014, replacing the Latvian lats.
36.
Latvia is a developed country. Latvia
received $67 million worth of assistance by the U.S. in 2014 through various
military programs.
37.
There is a treaty between the U.S. and
Latvia that avoids double taxation.
38.
Latvians can travel to the U.S. for a period
up to 90 days without requiring a visa. An individual can travel to the U.S.
for tourism and business purposes.
39.
As per Akamai Q4 2015 Global Average
Connection Speeds Rankings, Latvia ranks seventh, followed by Switzerland and
preceded by Hong Kong. As we are discussing the fastest internet in the world,
note that South Korea leads the world in this context.
40.
Latvians have a strong sense of space,
and they generally like to stand a few feet away from the other person.
41.
Making eye contact with Latvians can be
a signal that you are interested in them. Latvians would reciprocate and make
eye contact with you if they feel comfortable with you.
42.
Latvians do not use gestures while
communicating, or make minimal use of it. A lot of gesturing can be annoying or
distracting for them. It can be considered rude to wave a pointed index finger
or persistently point at someone.
43.
Oak and lime trees symbolize men and
women, respectively.
44.
Latvia’s capital, Riga, has more than
4,000 standing wooden buildings. Now this is interesting, as no other European
city has so much wood left over from history.
45.
Riga is also known for its architecture
the world over. Even the United Nations has recognized that Riga has the finest
collection of art nouveau buildings in Europe.
46.
Latvia’s capital, Riga, was declared the
European Culture capital in 2014.
47.
Latvian flag is one of the oldest flags
in the world? The existence of this flag dates back to the 13th
century.
48.
In area, Latvia is slightly larger than
West Virginia.
49.
Latvia has a total coastline of 498 km.
50.
Gaizina Kalns, at 312 m, is the highest
point in the country. Wondering which is the highest peak in the Baltic? It is
“Suur Munamägi,” at 318 m, from Estonia. Now there is no other competitor for
the highest point in the region!
51.
Latvia was ranked the world’s 32nd
most peaceful country in the Global Peace Index of 2016.
52.
Latvia was a territory of Poland between
1562 and 1629; and a territory of Sweden until 1721.
53.
Then came the Russians, who ruled the
country until 1918. The last Russian troops left Latvia in 1994.
54.
Estonia and Lithuania supply electricity
to Latvia on a large scale.
55.
In 2016, Latvia imposed a ban on the
sale of energy drinks (containing caffeine or other stimulants) to people under
the age of 18.
56.
Agriculture was a dominant industry in
Latvia for centuries.
57.
Latvians consume 2.72 times more
electricity than the Vietnamese.
58.
Latvia is also known as Lettland, named
after the Letts or Lettish people.
59.
The Latvian capital is the largest city
in the Baltic States.
60.
While Latvian is the official language
of the country, Russian is also widely spoken.
61.
Ice hockey, followed by basketball, is
the most popular sport in Latvia.
62.
The shape of Latvia resembles that of
the lungs.
63.
Latvia Exports:
foodstuffs, wood and wood products, metals, machinery and equipment and
textiles.
64.
Latvia Imports:
machinery and equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, fuels and vehicles.
65.
The internet country code for Latvia is .lv.
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