Terrain: low plain
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m
Natural resources: minimal; amber, peat, limestone, dolomite, hydropower, arable land
Land use: arable land: 27% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 13% forests and woodland: 46% other: 14% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 160 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: air and water pollution because of a lack of waste conversion equipment; Gulf of Riga and Daugava River heavily polluted; contamination of soil and groundwater with chemicals and petroleum products at military bases
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
@Latvia:People
Population: 2,404,926 (July 2000 est.)