World Factbook
Latvia
Latvijas Republika
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Area
land
62,249 sq km
water
2,340 sq km
total
64,589 sq km
Climate
maritime; wet, moderate winters
Terrain
low plain
Land use
other
12.8% (2023 est.)
forest
55.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
31.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 21.9% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 9.7% (2023 est.)
Location
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania
Coastline
498 km
Elevation
lowest point
Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point
Gaizina Kalns 312 m
mean elevation
87 m
Irrigated land
6 sq km (2016)
note: land in Latvia is often too wet and in need of drainage not irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land has been improved by drainage
Map references
Europe
Land boundaries
total
1,370 km
border countries
Belarus 161 km; Estonia 333 km; Lithuania 544 km; Russia 332 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
continental shelf
200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone
limits as agreed to by Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Sweden, and Russia
Natural hazards
large percentage of agricultural fields can become waterlogged and require drainage
Geography - note
most of the country is composed of fertile low-lying plains with some hills in the east
Natural resources
peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, timber, arable land
Area - comparative
slightly larger than West Virginia
Geographic coordinates
57 00 N, 25 00 E
Population distribution
largest concentration of people is found in and around the port and capital city of Riga; small agglomerations are scattered throughout the country