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General Information		Tourists Information		Geography
Area: 64.589 (24.938 sq miles) Population: 2.566.352 (Jan.1,1994) Capital: Riga, Population 889,500 (1992) Major cities: Daugavpils (127,000) Liepaja (108,000) Jelgava (72,000) Jurmala (60.000) People: 52% Latvians, 34% Russians, 4,5% Byelorussians, 3,5% Ukrainians, 2,3 % Poles. Cultural and historical division: Kurzeme (western part of Latvia), Zemgale (southern part), Vidzeme (middle and northern part), Latgale (eastern part) Highest point: 'Gaizins' - 311.5 metres. Largest lake: Lubans - 82 sq km. Largest river: Daugava - 1020 km (within Latvia 367 km). Woodland: 40% Northern Kurzeme and Northern Vidzeme are most forested areas. Nature preserve areas: Gauja National Park, 5 natural reserves, 11 landscape parks, 189 restricted areas. Average temperature: July +16.9 C, February -4.9 C. Time: GMT +2 (GMT + 3 in summer). Language: Latvian is the official language. It is an Indo-European, non-Slavic and non-Germanic language and is similar only to Lithuanian. Russian, English and German are widely spoken. Religion: Predominantly Protestant (Lutheran) with Roman Catholic in the East of the country. There is also a Russian Orthodox minority. Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz. European-style 2-pin plugs are in use.		Can be obtained trough the Latvian Tourists Information Offices: RIGA 22 Skarnu, LV-1615,tel 371-7-221731, fax 371-7-227680 JURMALA 42 Jomas, LV-2015, tel 371-2-764493 SAULKRASTI 12 Ainazu, Riga distr., LV-2160, tel/fax 371-2-951141 SALACGRIVA 2 Sila, Limbazi distr., LV-4033,tel 371-40-41254 SIGULDA 15 Raina, Riga distr., LV-2150, tel 371-2-971345 JEKABPILS 116a Brivibas, LV-5200, tel 371-52-31391, fax 371-52-33335 TUKUMS 15a Pils, LV-3100, tel 371-31-24451 LIEPAJA 3 Rigas, LV-3400, tel 371-34-22113 KULDIGA 5 Pils, LV-3300, tel 371-33-22364 CESIS 3 Uzvaras ,LV-4100, tel 371-41-22248 SALDUS 12 Avotu, LV-3800, tel-371-38-22184 VENTSPILS 13a Annas, LV-3600, tel 371-36-24777 LIMBAZI 5 Burtnieku, LV-4000, tel 371-40-23108 DAUGAVPILS, 46 Gimnazijas, LV-5400, tel 371-54-20950 Student and Youth Travel Information: Latvian University Tourist Club: 19 Raina bulv., Riga, tel 7223114 Hygiene Information		Latvia is situated on the Baltic coast and borders Estonia in the North, Lithuania in the South, the Russian Republic in the East and Byelorussia in the Southeast. The coastal plain is mostly flat, but inland to the east the land is hilly with forests and lakes. A total of 43%of the country is covered by forests, 10% consist of peat bogs, 2-3% of fresh water reservoirs, 40% is used for agriculture and 4% consist of towns, villages and roads. Raznas Lake is the largest in Latvia, total number is 2.300. There are about 12.000 rivers in Latvia, but only 17 are longer than 100 km, the biggest being the River Daugava (1.020 km-the part that flows through the territory of Latvia is 365 km in length). The ports of Riga,Liepaja and Ventspils are ice free during winter. Holidays and Celebration Days 1st of January - New Year Day 1st of May - Labor Day,the convocation day of the Constituent Assembly of the Republic of Latvia 1nd Sunday of May - Mother's Day 23rd of June - Ligo Day 24th of June - St.John's Day,the summer solstice 18th of November - The day of proclamation of the Republic of Latvia 25th and 26th of December - New Year Eve Remembrance Days 25th of March - Commemoration Day of victims of the communism terror 4th of May - The proclamation day of the Independence Declaration of the Republic of Latvia 9th of May - Memorial Day of victims of the World War 2 14th of June - Commemoration Day of victims of the communism terror 4th of July - Commemoration Day of genocide against Jews 11th of November - Lacplesis Day

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