[55] A week later, on 1 September 1939, Germany and on 17 September, the Soviet Union invaded Poland. [86], Latvia has a temperate climate that has been described in various sources as either humid continental (Köppen Dfb) or oceanic/maritime (Köppen Cfb). There were 290,660 "non-citizens" living in Latvia or 14.1% of Latvian residents, mainly Russian settlers who arrived after the occupation of 1940 and their descendants. Latgalia, the easternmost region of Latvia, became a part of the Inflanty Voivodeship of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Throughout all the centuries, however, an actual Latvian state had not been established, so the borders and definitions of who exactly fell within that group are largely subjective. August is the most wet month. Heavy snowfall or even snowstorms are also possible on some days; the yearly average number of days with snow is about days. In the summer of 1987, the first large demonstrations were held in Riga at the Freedom Monument—a symbol of independence. Until World War II, Latvia also had significant minorities of ethnic Germans and Jews. [23] Latvians and Livonians are the indigenous people of Latvia. [56]:48, On 22 June 1941 German troops attacked Soviet forces in Operation Barbarossa. [197] The greatest number of patents, both nationwide and abroad, are in medical chemistry. Winter starts in mid-December and lasts until mid-March. Winter is cold and gray, with frequent snowfalls, though usually not abundant. The Latvia sunrise & sunset times shown below are for Riga. Sep [209], Starting in 2019 Latvia hosts the inaugural Riga Jurmala Music Festival, a new festival in which world-famous orchestras and conductors perform across four weekends during the summer. The Duchy of Courland and Semigallia became an autonomous Russian province (the Courland Governorate) in 1795, bringing all of what is now Latvia into the Russian Empire. As of 2014[update] 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). State administrators were liquidated and replaced by Soviet cadres. [36] The first missionaries, sent by the Pope, sailed up the Daugava River in the late 12th century, seeking converts. [41] Though the duchy was a vassal state to Poland, it retained a considerable degree of autonomy and experienced a golden age in the 16th century. By 29 June Riga was reached and with Soviet troops killed, captured or retreating, Latvia was left under the control of German forces by early July. [171], The transport sector is around 14% of GDP. [144] Latvia acts as the lead nation in the coordination of the Northern Distribution Network for transportation of non-lethal ISAF cargo by air and rail to Afghanistan. From the age of 40 – more female. Use escape to clear. Russian, which was widely spoken during the Soviet period, is still the most widely used minority language by far (in 2011, 34% spoke it at home, including people who were not ethnically Russian). [168] Kenneth Orchard, senior analyst at Moody's Investors Service argued that: The strengthening regional economy is supporting Latvian production and exports, while the sharp swing in the current account balance suggests that the country's 'internal devaluation' is working. [109][110][111], Since the early 1990s, Latvia has been involved in active trilateral Baltic states co-operation with its neighbours Estonia and Lithuania, and Nordic-Baltic co-operation with the Nordic countries. Oak (Quercus robur, Latvian: ozols), and linden (Tilia cordata, Latvian: liepa) are Latvia's national trees and the daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare, Latvian: pīpene) its national flower. [37] Riga became an important point of east–west trading[37] and formed close cultural links with Western Europe. The Soviets immediately began to reinstate the Soviet system. [118], Latvia participates in the Northern Dimension and Baltic Sea Region Programme, European Union initiatives to foster cross-border co-operation in the Baltic Sea region and Northern Europe. Demands for self-determination were initially confined to autonomy, until a power vacuum was created by the Russian Revolution in 1917, followed by the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk between Russia and Germany in March 1918, then the Allied armistice with Germany on 11 November 1918. High Temp: 74 °F. During the transitional period, Moscow maintained many central Soviet state authorities in Latvia. [196] By 2020 the government aims to spend 1.5% of GDP on research and development, with half of the investments coming from the private sector. [188], Beginning in 2019, instruction in Russian language will be gradually discontinued in private colleges and universities in Latvia, as well as general instruction in Latvian public high schools,[189][190] except for subjects related to culture and history of the Russian minority, such as Russian language and literature classes.[191]. As a consequence, the majority of ethnic non-Latvians did not receive Latvian citizenship since neither they nor their parents had ever been citizens of Latvia, becoming non-citizens or citizens of other former Soviet republics. Latvia has hundreds of kilometres of undeveloped seashore—lined by pine forests, dunes, and continuous white sand beaches. [195], Latvian policy in science and technology has set out the long-term goal of transitioning from labor-consuming economy to knowledge-based economy. Summers are usually warm and sunny, with cool evenings and nights. [138], Latvia participates in international peacekeeping and security operations. [94] Forests account for 3,497,000 ha (8,640,000 acres) or 56% of the total land area. Summers have average temperatures of around 19 °C (66 °F), with extremes of 35 °C (95 °F). [123], According to the reports by Freedom House and the US Department of State, human rights in Latvia are generally respected by the government:[124][125] Latvia is ranked above-average among the world's sovereign states in democracy,[126] press freedom,[127] privacy[128] and human development. There are four historical and cultural regions in Latvia – Courland, Latgale, Vidzeme, Zemgale, which are recognised in Constitution of Latvia. Temperature decreases not sharp from 50°F to 32°F day by day during all this period. [85], Most of Latvia's territory is less than 100 m (330 ft) above sea level. 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. [90], 2019 was the warmest year in the history of weather observation in Latvia with an average temperature +8.1°C higher. *affiliate links: find out how we are funded and why this helps us remain free to use. Russification began in Latgale after the Polish led the January Uprising in 1863: this spread to the rest of what is now Latvia by the 1880s. [56]:326 Between 136,000 and 190,000 Latvians, depending on the sources, were imprisoned or deported to Soviet concentration camps (the Gulag) in the post war years, from 1945 to 1952. [192], The country's Orthodox Christians belong to the Latvian Orthodox Church, a semi-autonomous body within the Russian Orthodox Church. Weather Today Weather Hourly 14 Day Forecast Yesterday/Past Weather Climate (Averages) Currently: 32 °F. [69] Some managed to escape arrest and joined the partisans. However, there were not enough people to operate the newly built factories. The warmest month is July with an average maximum temperature of 22°C (71°F). There are normally 1 hour of bright sunshine each day in Riga, Latvia in December - that's 12% of daylight hours. [citation needed], In the post-war period, Latvia was made to adopt Soviet farming methods. [citation needed], Estonian and Latvian forces defeated the Germans at the Battle of Wenden in June 1919,[50] and a massive attack by a predominantly German force—the West Russian Volunteer Army—under Pavel Bermondt-Avalov was repelled in November. According to the Russian Empire Census of 1897, Latvians formed 68.3% of the total population of 1.93 million; Russians accounted for 12%, Jews for 7.4%, Germans for 6.2%, and Poles for 3.4%. For example, one of the most popular celebrations is Jāņi, a pagan celebration of the summer solstice—which Latvians celebrate on the feast day of St. John the Baptist. After the Polish–Swedish War, northern Livonia (including Vidzeme) came under Swedish rule. Nov [93], Phytogeographically, Latvia is shared between the Central European and Northern European provinces of the Circumboreal Region within the Boreal Kingdom. Latvian paramilitary and Auxiliary Police units established by the occupation authority participated in the Holocaust and other atrocities. The Latvian national football team's only major FIFA tournament participation has been the 2004 UEFA European Championship. [57] In total 50,000 Baltic Germans left by the deadline of December 1939, with 1,600 remaining to conclude business and 13,000 choosing to remain in Latvia. [58] The racially approved being resettled mainly in Poland, being given land and businesses in exchange for the money they had received from the sale of their previous assets.[56]:46. [20] The Baltic Sea moderates the climate, although the country has four distinct seasons and snowy winters. On 1 January 2014, the Euro became the country's currency, superseding the Lats. The Soviets reoccupied the country in 1944–1945, and further deportations followed as the country was collectivised Remember: The climate in Latvia in september ranges from good to tolerable depending on the region and city. Albeit having experienced a difficult transition to a liberal economy and its re-orientation toward Western Europe, Latvia is one of the fastest growing economies in the European Union. [citation needed] Thus, the mostly peasant local pagan heritage was preserved, partly merging with Christian traditions. All three Baltic provinces preserved local laws, German as the local official language and their own parliament, the Landtag. On occasions, especially in 1944, opposing Latvian troops faced each other in battle.[56]:299. [112] Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB-8) is the joint co-operation of the governments of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden. Climate of the Autumn Months Common ingredients in Latvian recipes are found locally, such as potatoes, wheat, barley, cabbage, onions, eggs, and pork. [87], Latvia has four pronounced seasons of near-equal length. Despite foreign rule from the 13th to 20th centuries, the Latvian nation maintained its identity throughout the generations via the language and musical traditions. [139], 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 at Šiauliai Airport in Lithuania to guard the Baltic airspace. The climate is far different from that of Labrador, however, because of the effect of the Gulf Stream flowing across the Atlantic Ocean from Mexico. The Young Latvian (Latvian: Jaunlatvieši) movement laid the groundwork for nationalism from the middle of the century, many of its leaders looking to the Slavophiles for support against the prevailing German-dominated social order. [80], Language and citizenship laws have been opposed by many Russophones. Latvia has had many famous hockey stars like Helmuts Balderis, Artūrs Irbe, Kārlis Skrastiņš and Sandis Ozoliņš and more recently Zemgus Girgensons, whom the Latvian people have strongly supported in international and NHL play, expressed through the dedication of using the NHL's All Star Voting to bring Zemgus to number one in voting. The country has a temperate seasonal climate. Summer starts in June and lasts until August. However, most indigenous Latvians did not participate in this particular cultural life. [119] In 2013 Riga hosted the annual Northern Future Forum, a two-day informal meeting of the prime ministers of the Nordic-Baltic countries and the UK. A full member of the Eurozone, it began using the euro as its currency on 1 January 2014, replacing the Latvian lats. The national tournament is the Latvian Hockey Higher League, held since 1931. The last month of the winter, February, is another freezing cold month in Riga, Latvia, with average temperature fluctuating between -7.6°C (18.3°F) and -1.7°C (28.9°F).In Riga, the average high-temperature is relatively the same as in January - a still subzero cold -1.7°C (28.9°F). Riga Rīga, Riga (Latvia), elevation 6 m. Forecast Forecast; Nearby Nearby; Map Map; It looks like you're using an old browser. [citation needed] This year features the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Russian National Orchestra. The major goals of Latvia in the 1990s, to join NATO and the European Union, were achieved in 2004. In January 1991, Soviet political and military forces tried unsuccessfully to overthrow the Republic of Latvia authorities by occupying the central publishing house in Riga and establishing a Committee of National Salvation to usurp governmental functions. In the same year, the United States of America exported $58.2 million of goods and services to Latvia and imported $87.9 million. Weather in Riga for a month, 30 days weather forecast for Riga, Riga, Latvia. This means they use less biocapacity than Latvia contains. Latvia hosts one European Union institution, the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC). Alternation of sunny and rainy days is a common occurrence for Latvia’s late fall. [56]:128 There was a pause in fighting, apart from partisan activity, until after the siege of Leningrad ended in January 1944 and the Soviet troops advanced, entering Latvia in July and eventually capturing Riga on 13 October 1944. [211], Grey peas and ham are generally considered as staple foods of Latvians. The Latvian economy entered a phase of fiscal contraction during the second half of 2008 after an extended period of credit-based speculation and unrealistic appreciation in real estate values. [4], The Saeima, Latvia's parliament, was again elected in 1993. Precipitation: 1.27". For each destination, Easyvoyage's weather tool gives you temperature and rainfall indicators, along with wind force and direction and sunrise/sunset times. [155], Latvia is a member of the World Trade Organization (1999) and the European Union (2004). Feb This aroused popular protests against the USSR and also gave rise to an increasing popularity of poetry. Under this division Riga region includes large parts of what traditionally is considered Vidzeme, Courland, and Zemgale. However, as a consequence of centuries of Russian rule (1710–1918) and later Soviet occupation, 26.9% of the population of Latvia are ethnic Russians,[24] some of whom (10.7% of Latvian residents[25]) have not gained citizenship, leaving them with no citizenship at all. Best time to visit Latvia. Major rivers include the Daugava River, Lielupe, Gauja, Venta, and Salaca, the largest spawning ground for salmon in the eastern Baltic states. Latvia's railway network is currently incompatible with European standard gauge lines. The national account deficit for 2007, for example, represented more than 22% of the GDP for the year while inflation was running at 10%. [67] [170], The IMF concluded the First Post-Program Monitoring Discussions with the Republic of Latvia in July 2012 announcing that Latvia's economy has been recovering strongly since 2010, following the deep downturn in 2008–09. [120] The Enhanced Partnership in Northern Europe or e-Pine is the U.S. Department of State diplomatic framework for co-operation with the Nordic-Baltic countries. [198], The Latvian healthcare system is a universal programme, largely funded through government taxation. Its national insect is the two-spot ladybird (Adalia bipunctata, Latvian: divpunktu mārīte). Latvian non-citizens and the citizenship debates", "Latvia: Investigate Attacks on Gay Activists", "Participation in International operations", "US-led coalition forces operation in OIF (Operation Iraqi Freedom)", "Dombrovskis and US Ambassador Garber visit Riga Airport to inspect cargo plane to Afghanistan", "One year on: ISAF's trans-European supply routes are a success", "NATO opens new communication lines to Afghanistan", "Nordic Military Alliance With Latvia in Afghanistan", "V.Dombrovskis: Latvia sees the opportunity to strengthen NATO's strategic communication capability", "Baltic Defence Ministers announced new defence cooperation initiatives", "Nordic Countries Invite Baltics to Join Defence Co-operation Framework", "Joint Baltic Military Staff to Be Established", "Turpina pieaugt iedzīvotāju atbalsts eiro ieviešanai", "Rimsevics: Failing to bail out Parex banka would result in closing down of four banks in Latvia", "Latvian GDP Shrank 18% in First Quarter, EU's Biggest Fall –", "Agreement between the United States of America and the Republic of Latvia on Trade Relations and Intellectual Property Rights Protection", "Statistical Office of the European Commission (Eurostat), Monthly Bulletin: Table in chapter 09, section 01", "Eurostat – Tables, Graphs and Maps Interface (TGM) table", "UPDATE 2-IMF hails Latvia effort but sees risks ahead", "IMF Executive Board Concludes First Post-Program Monitoring Discussions with the Republic of Latvia, July 16, 2012", "Satiksmes ceļu garums gada beigās (kilometros)", "Reģistrēto automobiļu skaits ceturkšņa beigās", "The Outlook of Latvian Potential Underground Gas Storages and Prospects of Utilization of this Potential for Securing of Reliable Gas Supply to Europe", "TSG11-06. The only other airport handling regular commercial flights is Liepāja International Airport. [citation needed] Unique geological conditions at Inčukalns and other locations in Latvia are particularly suitable for underground gas storage.[178]. As a result, Latvia is running a biocapacity reserve. [172], The four biggest ports of Latvia are located in Riga, Ventspils, Liepāja and Skulte. It has direct flight to over 80 destinations in 30 countries. Big European events have been celebrated in Riga such as the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 and the European Film Awards 2014. In 1944, when Soviet military advances reached Latvia, heavy fighting took place in Latvia between German and Soviet troops, which ended in another German defeat. In 2012, 45.0% of births were to unmarried women. Light snow changing to cloudy in the afternoon. [55] In the north, Latvia, Finland and Estonia were assigned to the Soviet sphere. The president is elected by the Saeima in a separate election, also held every four years. View Full Yearly Averages . [104], Several nature reserves protect unspoiled landscapes with a variety of large animals. This program allows investors to get Latvia residence permit by investing at least €250,000 in property or in an enterprise with at least 50 employees and an annual turnover of at least €10M. Latvia is a member of the United Nations, European Union, Council of Europe, NATO, OECD, OSCE, IMF, and WTO. Snowfall is common in the winter months. The weather and climate of Latvia is suitable for a winter sports.. Latvia has a long basketball tradition, as the Latvian national basketball team won the first ever EuroBasket in 1935 and silver medals in 1939, after losing the final to Lithuania by one point. [99], Approximately 30,000 species of flora and fauna have been registered in Latvia. In late 2018 the National Archives of Latvia released a full alphabetical index of some 10,000 people recruited as agents or informants by the Soviet KGB. Approximately 30,000 performers altogether participate in the event. Apr [174] However, Rail Baltica railway, linking Helsinki-Tallinn-Riga-Kaunas-Warsaw is under construction and is set to be completed in 2026. Municipal roads in Latvia totals 30 439 km of roads and 8039 km of streets. How cold is it in Latvia in December? [19] Latvian and Lithuanian are the only two surviving Baltic languages. During the Soviet era, music became increasingly popular, with the most popular being songs from the 1980s. In the summer of 1988, a national movement, coalescing in the Popular Front of Latvia, was opposed by the Interfront. Spring and autumn bring fairly mild weather. The prices of real estate, which were at some points growing by approximately 5% a month, were long perceived to be too high for the economy, which mainly produces low-value goods and raw materials. Maximum daytime temperature: 0 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: -2 degrees Celsius. [37] Together with southern Estonia, these conquered areas formed the crusader state that became known as Terra Mariana or Livonia. Winter is also the time to enjoy the Christmas markets, and evenings by a crackling fire with some warm drinks and good music. [61] The Soviet Union incorporated Latvia on 5 August 1940, as The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic. [206] Folk songs and classical choir songs are sung, with emphasis on a cappella singing, though modern popular songs have recently been incorporated into the repertoire as well. The four seasons are of near-equal length. Representing 10.2% of Latvia's total foreign direct investment, American companies invested $127 million in 1999. Mean Temp: 45 °F. [30], The name Latvija is derived from the name of the ancient Latgalians, one of four Indo-European Baltic tribes (along with Couronians, Selonians and Semigallians), which formed the ethnic core of modern Latvians together with the Finnic Livonians. The Baltic Council is the joint forum of the interparliamentary Baltic Assembly (BA) and the intergovernmental Baltic Council of Ministers (BCM). The Latvian climate is maritime and temperate in nature, with cool summers and wet, relatively moderate winters. [83] With the dismantling of collective farms, the area devoted to farming decreased dramatically – now farms are predominantly small. Mostly Clear. Approximately 72% of Latvian citizens are Latvian, while 20% are Russian; less than 1% of non-citizens are Latvian, while 71% are Russian. [113] Joint Nordic-Baltic co-operation initiatives include the education programme NordPlus[114] and mobility programmes for public administration,[115] business and industry[116] and culture. [56]:64[56]:56, Under German occupation, Latvia was administered as part of Reichskommissariat Ostland. [33] The Balts established trade routes to Rome and Byzantium, trading local amber for precious metals. Chance of snow 50%. Posters show the influence of other European cultures, for example, works of artists such as the Baltic-German artist Bernhard Borchert and the French Raoul Dufy. [156] Following the introduction of the Euro, Eurobarometer surveys in January 2014 showed support for the Euro to be around 53%, close to the European average. Good news: It is not ideal 100%, but the weather in Latvia in september should be quite good in Daugavpils, Liepaja, Ventspils, Jurmala and Riga. The ancient tribes of the Couronians, Semigallians, Selonians, Livs, and northern Latgallians assimilated to form the Latvian people, speaking one Latvian language. Despite the fact that the proportion of ethnic Latvians has been steadily increasing for more than a decade, ethnic Latvians also make up slightly less than a half of the population of the capital city of Latvia – Riga. In 2015 Latvia held the presidency of Council of the European Union. [citation needed], Latvia operates Inčukalns underground gas storage facility, one of the largest underground gas storage facilities in Europe and the only one in the Baltic states. The borders of historical and cultural regions usually are not explicitly defined and in several sources may vary. [158] However, the chiefly consumption-driven growth in Latvia resulted in the collapse of Latvian GDP in late 2008 and early 2009, exacerbated by the global economic crisis, shortage of credit and huge money resources used for the bailout of Parex bank. Latvia is part of the Schengen Area and joined the Eurozone on 1 January 2014. [181], As of March 2011, Latvians form about 62.1% of the population, while 26.9% are Russians, Belarusians 3.3%, Ukrainians 2.2%, Poles 2.2%, Lithuanians 1.2%, Jews 0.3%, Romani people 0.3%, Germans 0.1%, Estonians 0.1% and others 1.3%. Latvia lies in Northern Europe, on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea and northwestern part of the East European Craton (EEC), between latitudes 55° and 58° N (a small area is north of 58°), and longitudes 21° and 29° E (a small area is west of 21°). Population is not affiliated with a specific religion. [ 151 ] on 17 September, the biggest in. 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