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Latvia

Facts and figures

Latvia is one of three Baltic States in northern Europe. It is bordered by Estonia, Lithuania, Russian Federation and Belarus. The territory of Latvia covers 64 589 km2. Its population is 2.24 million. Latvia has been a member of the United Nations since 17 September, 1991; of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) since 2004.
Following years of economic stagnation in the early 1990s, Latvia posted Europe-leading gross domestic product (GDP) growth figures during 1998–2006. In the global financial crisis of 2008–2010 Latvia was the hardest hit of the European Union Member States, with a GDP decline of 26.54%. The country is facing renewed political instability.
The current Government came to power in March 2009, under the leadership of Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis. The presidency is held by Mr Valdis Zatlers, who was elected in July 2007. The next parliamentary elections are scheduled for October 2010. The next presidential election is to be held in 2011.

Health

Life expectancy at birth was 71.2 years in 2007; the average for the European Union (EU) was 79.21 years.

The infant mortality rate was 8.76 deaths per 1000 live births; the average for the EU is 4.51.

The standardized death rate was 1094.84 per 100 000 population in 2007, in comparison with 641.73 in the EU.

HIV prevalence was 13.07 cases per 100 000 population in 2006; the average for the EU was 5.74 cases.

Tuberculosis (TB) incidence, all cases, was 45.54 per 100 000 population in 2008; the average for the EU was 17.17.


Key public health problems

  • Circulatory diseases, cancer, diabetes and other lifestyle-related problems (tobacco, alcohol, nutrition, drugs among others)
  • Poor health of women and children (especially in relation to complications during pregnancy and childbirth as well as ineffective cervical and breast cancer screening and control programmes
  • Poor health of young people aged 15–26 (especially in relation to sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancies
  • Infectious diseases, including re-emerging HIV/AIDS, syphilis, TB and viral hepatitis
  • External causes of death, particularly in relation to injuries, traffic accidents and suicide