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Latvia, with Riga as its capital city, thus declared its independence on 18 November 1918. Between World War I and World War II (1918–1940), Riga and Latvia shifted their focus from Russia to the countries of Western Europe. The United Kingdom and Germany replaced Russia as Latvia's major trade partners.
Latvia (/ ˈ l æ t v i ə / ⓘ LAT-vee-ə, sometimes / ˈ l ɑː t v i ə / LAHT-vee-ə; Latvian: Latvija ⓘ), [14] officially the Republic of Latvia, [15] [16] 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.
Riga was dominated first by Germans, later by Sweden and then by Russian Empire until Latvia, with Riga as its capital city, thus declared its independence on 18 November 1918. After World War II Latvia was incorporated in to Soviet Union, however it restored its independence in early 1990s. In 2001, Riga celebrated its 800th anniversary as a city.
The current divide between Lutheranism to the north and Catholicism to the south is the remnant of Swedish and Polish hegemony, respectively, with Orthodox Christianity remaining the dominant religion among Russian and other East Slavic minorities. St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Riga, Latvia
It is about 180 meters wide when it enters Latvia, increasing to between 650 and 750 meters at Riga and its opening in Baltic sea. [3] The river carries an average annual flow of 21 cubic kilometers. [3] Its total descent within Latvia of ninety-eight meters has made it an attractive source of hydroelectric power production. [3]
The history of Riga, the capital of Latvia, begins as early as the 2nd century with a settlement, the Duna urbs, at a natural harbor not far upriver from the mouth of the Daugava River. Later settled by Livs and Kurs , it was already an established trade center in the early Middle Ages along the Dvina-Dnieper trade route to Byzantium.
Russian trade through Latvia began to flourish and an active Russian merchant class began to settle in Latvia. The first Russian school in Riga was founded in 1789. [2] Latgale was incorporated into the Russian Empire after the first Partition of Poland in 1772, Kurzeme and Zemgale were (Duchy of Courland and Semigallia) in 1795.
Latvia is divided into five planning regions (Latvian: Latvijas plānošanas reģioni): Kurzeme, Latgale, Riga, Vidzeme, and Zemgale. The boundaries of these regions correspond to the borders of Latvia's municipalities. However, the planning regions are not considered administrative territorial divisions, as they are not mentioned in the law ...