Latvia

American  

[lat-vee-uh, laht-] / ˈlæt vi ə, ˈlɑt- /

noun

1. a republic in N Europe, on the Baltic, S of Estonia, an independent state 1918–40; annexed by the Soviet Union 1940; regained independence 1991. 25,395 sq. mi. (63,700 sq. km). Riga.

---

Latvia British  

/ ˈlætvɪə /

noun

1. a republic in NE Europe, on the Gulf of Riga and the Baltic Sea: ruled by Poland, Sweden, and Russia since the 13th century, Latvia was independent from 1919 until 1940 and was a Soviet republic (1940–91), gaining its independence after conflict with Soviet forces; it joined the EU in 2004. Latvia is mostly forested. Official language: Latvian. Religion: nonreligious, Christian. Currency: lats. Capital: Riga. Pop: 2 178 443 (2013 est). Area: 63 700 sq km (25 590 sq miles)

---

Latvia Cultural  

1. Republic on the Baltic Sea, bordered by Estonia to the north, Russia to the east, Belarus to the southeast, and Lithuania to the south. Its capital and largest city is Riga.

---

Discover More

Nationalist sentiments brewing since the mid-nineteenth century erupted at the time of the Russian Revolution; after the collapse of Russia and Germany in World War I, Latvia was able to proclaim its independence. After twenty years of political instability, however, Latvia was forcibly integrated into the Soviet Union in 1940, along with Estonia and Lithuania. The collapse of the Soviet Union enabled Latvians to reassert their national identity, and they declared their country independent in August 1991.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Latvia

Latvia had initially opposed the move, but decided to abstain, announcing instead that it would impose its own measures on the two men.

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were all once part of the Soviet Union, effectively ruled from Moscow until 1991.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

Online flight trackers spotted a Boeing C-17 Globemaster flying from Riga, Latvia, to Moscow’s Vnukovo International Airport, long used by top visiting officials because of its relative proximity to the capital’s center.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

It was not immediately clear where the drone shot down over Latvia had come from.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and others were divided between Hitler and Stalin.

From "Between Shades of Gray" by Ruta Sepetys