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.

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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)

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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.

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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

The lessons from other countries offer two versions - the successful "Baltic model" followed by Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which combined the euro with reforms to streamline administration, encourage investment and combat corruption.

From BBC

Winning the best animated feature in 2024, this dialogue-free film from Latvia follows a black cat and her various animal pals on a boat as they escape a flooded world.

From Salon

Emergency searches were also conducted in Latvia with the support of Eurojust, the European Union's judicial cooperation arm, and the Latvian authorities.

From Barron's

Countries including Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Latvia, and Georgia have established national screening efforts, while others depend on opportunistic testing.

From Science Daily

Egypt shows me a video of a festival he played in Latvia.

From Los Angeles Times