History of Latvia in Timeline
Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a Baltic country in Northern Europe, bordering Estonia, Lithuania, Russia, and Belarus, and sharing a maritime border with Sweden. Its capital and largest city is Riga. It covers an area of 64,589 km2 and has a population of approximately 1.9 million. The titular nation, Latvians, comprise about 63% of the population and speak Latvian. Russians form the largest minority, with a significant portion of the population speaking Russian as their native language.
1905: 1905 Russian Revolution
In 1905, popular discontent in Latvia exploded during the Russian Revolution, taking on a nationalist character in the Baltic provinces.
1917: Russian Revolution
In 1917, The Russian Revolution created a power vacuum that influenced the demands for self-determination.
November 1918: Proclamation of Independence
On 18 November 1918, the People's Council of Latvia proclaimed the independence of the new country in Riga, and Kārlis Ulmanis was entrusted to set up a government.
November 1918: Latvian Provisional Government
On 26 November, The General representative of Germany August Winnig formally handed over political power to the Latvian Provisional Government. On 18 November, the Latvian People's Council entrusted him to set up the government.
1918: Latvia Becomes an Independent Country
After the collapse of the Russian Empire, Latvia became an independent country in 1918.
June 1919: Battle of Wenden
In June 1919, Estonian and Latvian forces defeated the Germans at the Battle of Wenden.
July 1919: Ulmanis's position as prime minister ended
On July 1919, Kārlis Ulmanis's position as prime minister ended.
1919: Multiple governments during war of independence
By the spring of 1919, during the war of independence, there were three governments: the Provisional government headed by Kārlis Ulmanis, the Latvian Soviet government led by Pēteris Stučka, and the Provisional government headed by Andrievs Niedra.
May 1920: Convening of the Constituent Assembly
On 1 May 1920, a freely elected Constituent assembly convened.
1920: Clearing of Eastern Latvia
In early 1920, Latvian and Polish troops cleared Eastern Latvia of Red Army forces.
1921: Latvia joined the League of Nations
In 1921, Latvia became a member of the League of Nations.
February 1922: Adoption of the Satversme
In February 1922, the Constituent assembly adopted a liberal constitution, the Satversme.
1931: Latvian Hockey Higher League established
Since 1931, the national tournament, the Latvian Hockey Higher League, has been held.
May 1934: Ulmanis's Coup d'état
On 15 May 1934, Ulmanis staged a bloodless coup, establishing a nationalist dictatorship that lasted until 1940.
1934: Suspension of the Constitution
In 1934, Kārlis Ulmanis partly suspended the constitution after his coup.
1934: Coup d'état
In 1934, a coup led to the establishment of the autocratic dictatorship of Kārlis Ulmanis in Latvia.
1935: Latvia Wins EuroBasket
In 1935, the Latvian national basketball team won the first-ever EuroBasket.
1935: Share of Ethnic Latvians
In 1935, the share of ethnic Latvians declined to 77% (1,467,035).
1936: Reduction of Landless Population
By 1936, radical land reform reduced the landless rural population to 18% from 61.2% in 1897.
August 1939: Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
Early in the morning of 24 August 1939, the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany signed the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, dividing Northern and Eastern Europe into spheres of influence, with Latvia assigned to the Soviet sphere.
October 1939: Mutual Assistance Pact with the Soviet Union
On 5 October 1939, Latvia was forced to accept a "mutual assistance" pact with the Soviet Union, granting the Soviets the right to station troops on Latvian territory.
1939: Latvia Wins Silver at EuroBasket
In 1939, Latvia won silver medals in EuroBasket, losing the final to Lithuania by one point.
1939: Establishment of Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies
In 1939, the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies was established on the basis of the Faculty of Agriculture.
August 1940: Incorporation into the USSR
On 5 August 1940, the Soviet Union incorporated Latvia as the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic.
1940: Citizenship Granted
In 1940, citizenship was granted to persons who had been citizens of Latvia on the day of loss of independence as well as their descendants.
1940: End of Ulmanis's dictatorship
In 1940, the nationalist dictatorship established by Ulmanis ended.
1940: Resettlement of Baltic Germans
In the summer of 1940, the remaining Baltic Germans left Latvia for Germany under a second resettlement scheme.
1940: Occupation by the Soviet Union
Latvia was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940.
June 1941: German troops attacked Soviet forces in Operation Barbarossa
On 22 June 1941, German troops attacked Soviet forces in Operation Barbarossa.
December 1941: Massacre at Rumbula Forest
In November and December 1941, 30,000 Jews from the Riga ghetto were killed in the Rumbula Forest to reduce overpopulation and make room for more Jews being brought in from Germany and the West.
1941: Invasion and occupation by Nazi Germany
In 1941, Latvia's de facto independence was interrupted by the invasion and occupation by Nazi Germany during World War II.
January 1944: End of the Siege of Leningrad
In January 1944, after the siege of Leningrad ended, Soviet troops advanced, entering Latvia in July.
October 1944: Capture of Riga
On 13 October 1944, Soviet troops captured Riga.
1944: Re-occupation by the Soviets
In 1944, Latvia was re-occupied by the Soviets, leading to the formation of the Latvian SSR.
1944: Soviet reoccupation and deportations
In 1944, the Soviets reoccupied Latvia, leading to further deportations as the country was collectivised and Sovietised.
1945: Revelation of the secret protocol of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
In 1945, after Germany's defeat, the secret protocol of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was revealed.
1945: Soviet reoccupation and deportations
In 1945, further deportations followed as the country was collectivised and Sovietised.
1946: Latvia leaves the League of Nations
In 1946, Latvia was no longer a member of the League of Nations.
1950: Establishment of Riga Stradiņš University
In 1950, Riga Stradiņš University was established on the basis of the Faculty of Medicine.
1959: Arrival of Russian settlers
By 1959 about 400,000 Russian settlers arrived in Latvia, leading to a decrease in the ethnic Latvian population to 62%.
1973: Establishment of Gauja National Park
In 1973, Gauja National Park in Vidzeme was established, marking an early effort in nature conservation in Latvia.
1977: Establishment of Latvia's Red Book
In 1977, Latvia's Red Book (Endangered Species List of Latvia) was established, containing 112 plant species and 119 animal species.
March 1987: Lutheran Church Active Membership Decline
In March 1987, near the end of communist rule, an internal document indicated that the active membership of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Latvia had shrunk to only 25,000.
1987: Singing Revolution
In 1987, the peaceful Singing Revolution began among the Baltic Soviet republics, marking a key step towards independence.
1987: First Large Demonstrations
In the summer of 1987, the first large demonstrations were held in Riga at the Freedom Monument.
1988: Formation of the Popular Front
In the summer of 1988, a national movement, coalescing in the Popular Front of Latvia, was formed.
1989: Resolution on the Occupation of the Baltic states
In 1989, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR adopted a resolution on the Occupation of the Baltic states, declaring it "not in accordance with law".
1989: Share of Ethnic Latvians
In 1989, the share of ethnic Latvians declined to 52% (1,387,757).
March 1990: Democratic elections
In March 1990, Pro-independence Popular Front of Latvia candidates gained a two-thirds majority in the Supreme Council in the democratic elections.
May 1990: Declaration on the Restoration of Independence
On 4 May 1990, the Supreme Council adopted the Declaration on the Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia, and the Latvian SSR was renamed Republic of Latvia.
1990: Reaffirmation of the Constitution
In 1990, the Satversme constitution was reaffirmed.
1990: Continued Soviet control
In 1990, the central power in Moscow continued to regard Latvia as a Soviet republic.
1990: Peak Population in Latvia
In 1990, the population of Latvia reached its peak at just under 2.7 million people.
January 1991: Soviet attempts to overthrow the government
In January 1991, Soviet political and military forces unsuccessfully tried to overthrow the Republic of Latvia authorities.
August 1991: Independence re-establishment
After the re-establishment of independence on 21 August 1991, children born to non-nationals or stateless persons are automatically entitled to citizenship.
August 1991: Restoration of full independence
On 21 August 1991, the Republic of Latvia declared the end of the transitional period and restored full independence after the failed Soviet coup attempt.
1991: Latvia regained its independence
In 1991, Latvia regained its independence from the Soviet Union.
1991: End of Soviet Rule
Latvia regained its independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
1992: Interparliamentary co-operation
In 1992, Interparliamentary co-operation between the Baltic Assembly and Nordic Council was signed.
1993: Election of the Saeima
In 1993, the Saeima, Latvia's parliament, was again elected.
1994: End of Russian military presence
In 1994, Russia ended its military presence by completing its troop withdrawal.
1995: Latvia Signed a Europe Agreement with the EU
In 1995, Latvia signed a Europe Agreement with the EU, which included a 4-year transition period.
1996: Latvia's contribution to operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina
In 1996, Latvian armed forces contributed to NATO and EU military operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
1997: Law Passed Expanding Scope for Selling Land
In 1997, Latvia passed a law that expanded the scope for selling land, including to foreigners.
1997: Establishment of Ķemeri National Park
In 1997, Ķemeri National Park in Zemgale was established, expanding the protected areas in Latvia.
1998: Closure of the Skrunda-1 radar station
In 1998, Russia shut down the Skrunda-1 radar station.
1999: American Companies Invest in Latvia
In 1999, American companies invested $127 million in Latvia, representing 10.2% of Latvia's total foreign direct investment.
1999: Latvia Becomes a Member of the World Trade Organization
In 1999, Latvia joined the World Trade Organization.
1999: Establishment of Slītere National Park
In 1999, Slītere National Park in Kurzeme was established, further contributing to Latvia's network of protected natural areas.
1999: Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga becomes President of Latvia
In 1999, Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga became the President of Latvia, the first female head of state in the former Soviet bloc.
2000: High GDP Growth Rates in Europe
Since the year 2000, Latvia experienced one of the highest GDP growth rates in Europe.
April 2003: Latvia signed the Schengen agreement
On April 2003, Latvia signed the Schengen Agreement, marking a step towards integration with the European Union.
2003: Latvia's contribution to operations in Macedonia
In 2003, Latvian armed forces contributed to NATO and EU military operations in Macedonia.
March 2004: Baltic Air Policing mission
Since March 2004, when the Baltic states joined NATO, fighter jets of NATO members have been deployed on a rotational basis for the Baltic Air Policing mission.
2004: Neopagan Population
As of 2004, there were more than 600 Latvian neopagans, Dievturi (The Godskeepers), whose religion is based on Latvian mythology.
2004: Real Estate Prices Start to Rise
From 2004 to 2006, the prices of real estate rose 150%, contributing significantly to the economic bubble.
2004: Latvia joins NATO and the European Union
In 2004, Latvia achieved its major goals by joining both NATO and the European Union, solidifying its position in the international community.
2006: Real Estate Prices Peak
From 2004 to 2006, the prices of real estate rose 150%, contributing significantly to the economic bubble.
2006: School Closures Begin
In 2006, Latvia began closing schools, marking a decline in the number of educational institutions.
2006: Rule of law missions in Iraq
In 2006, Latvian civilian experts contributed to rule of law missions in Iraq.
2006: IIHF World Championship in Riga
In 2006, the IIHF World Championship was held in Riga.
2006: NATO Summit held in Riga
In 2006, the NATO Summit was held in Riga, Latvia, highlighting the country's importance within the alliance.
2006: Private Sector Accounted for 70% of GDP
In 2006, the private sector in Latvia accounted for 70% of the country's GDP.
2006: Number of Hospitals in Latvia
In 2006, there were 121 hospitals in Latvia.
2006: Current Account Deficit
Latvia's current account was in deficit by 27% in late 2006.
2006: Annual meetings held
Since 2006, annual meetings were held as well as regular meetings on other levels.
January 2007: Switch to professional army
From 1 January 2007, Latvia switched to a professional fully contract-based army.
November 2007: Unemployment Rate at a Low of 5.4%
In November 2007, Latvia's unemployment rate was at a low of 5.4%.
December 2007: Implementation of the Schengen Agreement
In December 2007, Latvia started the implementation of the Schengen Agreement, leading to the removal of border controls with other Schengen countries.
2007: Police mission in Afghanistan
From 2007, Latvian civilian experts contributed to police mission in Afghanistan.
2007: National Account Deficit Reached 22% of GDP
In 2007, Latvia's national account deficit represented more than 22% of the country's GDP, with inflation running at 10%.
2007: Establishment of Rāzna National Park
In 2007, Rāzna National Park in Latgale was established, completing the network of national parks in Latvia's historical regions.
2007: Number of Hospitals in Latvia
In 2007, there were 94 hospitals in Latvia.
December 2008: Paul Krugman Comments on Latvia
On 15 December 2008, Paul Krugman, the Nobel Laureate in economics, wrote about Latvia in his New York Times Op-Ed column.
2008: Latvia Enters Fiscal Contraction Phase
During the second half of 2008, the Latvian economy entered a phase of fiscal contraction after a period of credit-based speculation.
2008: Monitoring mission in Georgia
From 2008, Latvian civilian experts contributed to monitoring mission in Georgia.
2008: Māris Štrombergs Olympic Champion
In 2008, Māris Štrombergs became an Olympic champion in Men's BMX.
2008: Collapse of Latvian GDP
In late 2008, Latvia experienced a collapse of its GDP due to consumption-driven growth and the global economic crisis.
2008: Economic Downturn
Latvia's economy has been recovering strongly since 2010, following the deep downturn in 2008–09.
2008: Latvia's contribution to US-led operation in Iraq
Until 2008, Latvia took part in the US-led Multi-National Force operation in Iraq.
2009: Creation of planning regions
In 2009, five planning regions of Latvia were created to promote balanced development of all regions.
2009: Number of Hospitals in Latvia
In 2009, there were 59 hospitals in Latvia, a decrease from previous years.
2009: Latvian Economy Suffers Major Fall
In the first three months of 2009, the Latvian economy experienced an 18% fall, which was the largest in the European Union.
2009: Dombrovskis in office as Latvian Prime Minister
Since 2009, Valdis Dombrovskis was in office as Latvian Prime Minister.
2009: Economic Crisis Exposes Economic Bubble
The economic crisis of 2009 revealed that the fast-growing economy was heading for an implosion of the economic bubble.
2009: Latvia's contribution to operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Until 2009, Latvian armed forces contributed to NATO and EU military operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
February 2010: Signs of Stabilisation in Latvian Economy
By February 2010, signs of stabilisation were noted in the Latvian economy, and Standard & Poor's raised its outlook on Latvia's debt from negative to stable.
April 2010: Latvia Had Highest Unemployment Rate in the EU
In April 2010, Latvia experienced the highest unemployment rate in the EU, reaching 22.5%.
2010: School Closures and Enrollment Decline
By 2010, Latvia had closed 131 schools, a 12.9% decline since 2006, and enrollment in educational institutions had fallen by over 54,000 people, a 10.3% decline.
2010: Launch of Residence by Investment Program
In 2010, Latvia initiated the Residence by Investment program (Golden Visa) to attract foreign investors and boost the local economy.
2010: Parliamentary election
In 2010, the parliamentary election saw the ruling centre-right coalition win 63 out of 100 parliamentary seats.
2010: Eurobarometer Poll on Belief in God
In the Eurobarometer Poll 2010, 38% of Latvian citizens responded that "they believe there is a God", while 48% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 11% stated that "they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, God, or life force".
2010: Latvia's Economy Recovers
Latvia's economy has been recovering strongly since 2010, following the deep downturn in 2008–09.
January 2011: Baltic States Invited to Join Nordic Defence Cooperation
In January 2011, the Baltic states received an invitation to join Nordic Defence Cooperation, which is the defence framework of the Nordic countries.
2011: Naturalization of non-citizens
By 2011, more than half of non-citizens had taken naturalization exams and received Latvian citizenship.
2011: Religion
Christianity (79%) is the largest religion in Latvia in 2011.
2011: Real GDP Growth Underpinned by Export Growth
In 2011, Latvia experienced real GDP growth of 5.5 percent, which was underpinned by export growth and a recovery in domestic demand.
2011: Religious Demographics
In 2011, Latvia had 416 religious Jews and 319 Muslims.
2011: OSCE Urges Latvia to Allow Non-Citizens to Vote in Municipal Elections
In 2011, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities urged Latvia to allow non-citizens to vote in municipal elections.
2011: Share of Ethnic Latvians
In 2011, there were fewer Latvians than in 1989, but their share of the population was larger – 1,285,136 (62.1% of the population).
February 2012: Constitutional Referendum on Russian as Second Official Language
On 18 February 2012, Latvia held a constitutional referendum on whether to adopt Russian as a second official language, with 74.8% voting against.
July 2012: IMF Concludes Discussions with Latvia
In July 2012, the IMF concluded the First Post-Program Monitoring Discussions with Latvia, noting the country's strong economic recovery since 2010.
November 2012: Agreement to Create a Joint Military Staff
In November 2012, the three Baltic countries agreed to establish a joint military staff by 2013.
2012: Births to Unmarried Women
In 2012, 45.0% of births in Latvia were to unmarried women.
2012: Māris Štrombergs Olympic Champion
In 2012, Māris Štrombergs became a two-time Olympic champion in Men's BMX.
2012: Latvia ranked second in Environmental Performance Index
In 2012, the Environmental Performance Index ranked Latvia second, after Switzerland, based on the environmental performance of the country's policies.
November 2013: Dombrovskis resigns as Latvian Prime Minister
In November 2013, Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis resigned after at least 54 people were killed in the collapse at a supermarket in Riga.
November 2013: Shopping center roof collapse in Riga
In November 2013, a roof collapsed at a shopping center in Riga, resulting in Latvia's worst post-independence disaster, claiming the lives of 54 people.
2013: Population Support for the Introduction of the Euro
According to statistics in late 2013, 45% of the population supported the introduction of the euro, while 52% opposed it.
2013: BK Ventspils Wins BBL
In 2013, BK Ventspils won the Baltic Basketball League (BBL).
2013: Riga hosted Northern Future Forum
In 2013, Riga hosted the annual Northern Future Forum.
2013: Life Expectancy
In 2013, the life expectancy in Latvia was estimated at 73.2 years (68.1 years for males, 78.5 years for females).
2013: Joint Military Staff Creation Agreement
In November 2012, the three Baltic countries agreed to establish a joint military staff in 2013.
2013: Continued Growth Momentum
The growth momentum has continued into 2012 and 2013 despite deteriorating external conditions
January 2014: Euro Becomes Latvia's Currency
On 1 January 2014, Latvia adopted the euro as its currency, replacing the Lats.
January 2014: Latvia joined the Eurozone
On 1 January 2014, Latvia joined the Eurozone.
January 2014: Laimdota Straujuma in office
Since January 2014, Laimdota Straujuma was in office as country's first female prime minister.
July 2014: World Choir Games in Riga
In July 2014, Riga hosted the eighth World Choir Games, with over 27,000 choristers representing over 450 choirs and over 70 countries.
2014: Schools for Minorities that Use Russian
As of 2014 there were 109 schools for minorities that use Russian as the language of instruction (27% of all students) for 40% of subjects (the remaining 60% of subjects are taught in Latvian).
2014: Nordic and Baltic ISAF forces withdrawn
In 2014 Latvia was part of the Nordic Transition Support Unit (NTSU), which renders joint force contributions in support of Afghan security structures ahead of the withdrawal of Nordic and Baltic ISAF forces.
2014: GDP and Employment Rate
In 2014, GDP at current prices was €23.7 billion and the employment rate was 59.1%.
2014: Expected Economic Expansion
The economy is expected to expand by 4.1 percent in 2014. The unemployment rate has receded from its peak of more than 20 percent in 2010 to around 9.3 percent in 2014.
December 2015: Laimdota Straujuma resigned
In December 2015, country's first female prime minister, Laimdota Straujuma resigned.
2015: Lowest Male-to-Female Ratio
As of 2015, Latvia was estimated to have the lowest male-to-female ratio in the world, with 0.85 males per female.
2015: Latvia contributed to Nordic Battlegroup
In 2015 Latvian armed forces contributed to the Nordic Battlegroup.
2015: Non-citizens in Latvia
In 2015, there were still 290,660 non-citizens in Latvia, representing 14.1% of the population.
2015: Latvia held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union
Latvia held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2015.
February 2016: New Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis
In February 2016, a coalition was formed by new Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis.
2016: Latvia's biocapacity reserve
In 2016, Latvia had a biocapacity reserve due to its high biocapacity per person (8.5 global hectares) compared to its ecological footprint of consumption (6.4 global hectares).
2017: Mairis Briedis WBC Cruiserweight Title
From 2017 to 2018, Mairis Briedis held the WBC cruiserweight title.
2017: Jeļena Ostapenko Wins French Open
In 2017, Latvian tennis player Jeļena Ostapenko won the 2017 French Open Women's singles title, being the first unseeded player to do so in the open era.
2017: Female and Male Population
In 2017, there were 1,054,433 females and 895,683 males living in Latvian territory.
2017: Number of Licensed Vehicles
In 2017, there were a total of 803,546 licensed vehicles in Latvia.
2018: Mairis Briedis loses WBC Cruiserweight Title
From 2017 to 2018, Mairis Briedis held the WBC cruiserweight title.
2018: Parliamentary election
In 2018, parliamentary election pro-Russian Harmony was again the biggest party securing 23 out of 100 seats.
2018: Total Fertility Rate
In 2018, the total fertility rate (TFR) in Latvia was estimated to be 1.61 children born per woman, which is lower than the replacement rate.
2018: Publication of KGB agents index
In late 2018, the National Archives of Latvia released a full alphabetical index of individuals recruited by the Soviet KGB.
January 2019: Krisjanis Karins becomes Prime Minister
In January 2019, Latvia got a government led by new Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins of the centre-right New Unity.
2019: Warmest year in Latvia
2019 was the warmest year in the history of weather observation in Latvia with an average temperature +8.1 °C higher.
2019: Discontinuation of Russian Language Instruction
From 2019, instruction in the Russian language was gradually discontinued in private colleges and universities in Latvia, as well as general instruction in Latvian public high schools.
2019: GDP and Employment Rate
In 2019, GDP at current prices rose to €30.5 billion and the employment rate rose to 65%.
2019: Forest Landscape Integrity Index ranking
In 2019, Latvia's Forest Landscape Integrity Index was 2.09/10, ranking it 159th globally out of 172 countries.
2019: Mairis Briedis WBO Cruiserweight Title
In 2019, Mairis Briedis held the WBO cruiserweight title.
2019: Riga International Airport Serves 7.8 Million Passengers
In 2019, Riga International Airport served 7.8 million passengers, making it the busiest airport in the Baltic states.
2019: Inaugural Riga Jurmala Music Festival
Starting in 2019, Latvia hosts the inaugural Riga Jurmala Music Festival, featuring world-famous orchestras and conductors.
2020: R&D Spending Target
By 2020, the Latvian government aimed to spend 1.5% of GDP on research and development, with half of the investments coming from the private sector.
2020: Mairis Briedis IBF/The Ring Cruiserweight Titles
In 2020, Mairis Briedis held the IBF / The Ring magazine cruiserweight titles.
July 2021: Riga Jurmala Music Festival
The Riga Jurmala Music Festival was archived on July 2, 2021.
February 2022: Deteriorated relations with Russia
Since February 2022 Latvia's relations with Russia have deteriorated.
April 2022: Saeima Passes Amendments for Defence Budget Increase
On 21 April 2022, the Latvian Saeima approved amendments to the Law on Financing of National Defence, planning a gradual increase in the defence budget to 2.5% of the country's GDP over the next three years.
September 2022: Law on Latvian Orthodox Church
In September 2022, Latvia passed a law removing all influence or power over the Orthodox Church from non-Latvians, including the patriarch of Moscow, due to national security concerns.
October 2022: Latvian parliamentary election
Following the October 2022 Latvian parliamentary election, Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš formed the Second Kariņš cabinet in December 2022.
December 2022: Formation of Second Kariņš cabinet
In December 2022, Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš formed the Second Kariņš cabinet, a coalition of New Unity, National Alliance, and United List.
2022: Planned Investments in Wind Farms
In 2022, the Latvian Prime Minister announced planned investments of 1 billion euros in new wind farms, expecting to provide an additional 800 MW of capacity.
2022: Ventspils Port Linked to Russian Pipelines
Prior to 2022, Ventspils port was linked to oil extraction fields and transportation routes of the Russian Federation via a system of two pipelines from Polotsk, Belarus.
January 2023: Expulsion of Russian ambassador
In January 2023 Latvia expelled Russia's ambassador to Latvia.
May 2023: Edgars Rinkēvičs elected as President of Latvia
In May 2023, Edgars Rinkēvičs was elected as the new President of Latvia, making him the EU's first openly gay head of state.
August 2023: Resignation of Krišjānis Kariņš
On 14 August 2023, Krišjānis Kariņš resigned as Prime Minister, citing opposition to expanding the coalition.
September 2023: Evika Siliņa becomes the new prime minister of Latvia
On 15 September 2023, Evika Siliņa became the new prime minister of Latvia, following resignation of former Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš previous month.
September 2023: Siliņa cabinet sworn in
On 15 September 2023, the Siliņa cabinet, comprising New Unity, Union of Greens and Farmers, and The Progressives, was sworn in.
November 2023: Latvia ratifies the Istanbul Convention
In November 2023, Latvia ratified the EU Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, known as the Istanbul Convention.
2023: Transition to Latvian in All Classes
All schools, including pre-schools, still using the Russian language in 2023 need to transition to using Latvian in all classes within 3 years.
2023: Russian as a Mother Tongue
In 2023, 37.7% spoke it as their mother tongue and 34.6% spoke it at home, including people who were not ethnically Russian
2023: Ethnic Composition of the Population
In 2023, Latvians formed about 62.4% of the population, while 23.7% were Russians, Belarusians 3%, Ukrainians 3%, Poles 2%, Lithuanians 1%.
2023: Potential Return of Russian Citizens to Russia
In late 2023, it is expected that around 5-6,000 Russian citizens may be returned to Russia due to a lack of integration efforts.
2024: Global Innovation Index Ranking
In 2024, Latvia was ranked 42nd in the Global Innovation Index.
2025: EuroBasket Host
Latvia will be one of the hosts of EuroBasket again in 2025.
2026: Rail Baltica Railway Completion
The Rail Baltica railway, linking Helsinki-Tallinn-Riga-Kaunas-Warsaw, is under construction and is set to be completed in 2026.
