About Latvia
Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to the southeast and shares a maritime border with Sweden to the west. Latvia covers an area of 64,573 km2 (24,932 sq mi), with a population of 1.83 million. The country has a temperate seasonal climate. Its capital and largest city is Riga. Latvians, who are the titular nation and comprise 65.5% of the country's population, belong to the ethnolinguistic group of the Balts and speak Latvian. Russians are the most prominent minority in the country, at almost a quarter of the population; 37.7% of the population speak Russian as their native tongue.
Climate in Riga
Warmest June, coolest December, driest April, sunniest July.
Monthly climate normals for Riga, 2020| Month | High | Low | Rainfall | Sunshine |
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| January | 5°C | 1.5°C | 30mm | 80h |
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| February | 5°C | -0.2°C | 50mm | 139h |
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| March | 7°C | -0.6°C | 46mm | 239h |
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| April | 9.8°C | 2°C | 25mm | 320h |
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| May | 13.8°C | 5.3°C | 42mm | 390h |
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| June | 23.4°C | 13.8°C | 113mm | 380h |
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| July | 20.6°C | 12.3°C | 105mm | 420h |
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| August | 21.8°C | 12.8°C | 64mm | 339h |
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| September | 19°C | 11.8°C | 70mm | 278h |
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| October | 12.9°C | 7.6°C | 85mm | 178h |
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| November | 7.7°C | 3.7°C | 41mm | 89h |
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| December | 2°C | -1°C | 31mm | 40h |
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Avg. high/low, °C (left axis) Rainfall, mm (bar maxes out at 250mm/month)
Daily normals for 2020. Hover a month for exact figures.
Travel guide
Latvia is one of the three Baltic states in Europe. The biggest travel destination in the country is the capital Riga, whose Old Town is a World Heritage Site. There are many other great places to see, both urban and rural. Latvia's unspoilt sea coast is a 500-km-long unique biome, mainly consisting of empty beaches, white soft sand, and dunes covered with pine trees. Forests cover approximately half of Latvia's territory and are home to many nature trails, nature parks and wildlife preserves. The city of Liepāja with its magnificent beach and the unique formerly secret military neighbourhood of Karosta, Kuldīga, recognised in 2023 as a UNESCO world heritage site, with Europe's widest waterfall, and Cēsis with its medieval castle ruins are just some of the various sights.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Old town of Kuldīga
- Struve Geodetic Arc
- Vecrīga
Upcoming public holidays
Full source list on About.